Page 16 of Lady Mariel’s Scandalous Love

“But I find myself lacking words. Both Russian words, and English words. For the same things.”

His brow furrowed, and he gave his head a little shake.

“I am not sure that I take your meaning…”

Mariel felt her cheeks heat. This was ridiculous!

“Botheration! There is no polite way to ask this, and I don’t even have the right words to do the asking! Let me attempt to be blunt. Gently reared young ladies are not taught the words, either colloquial or scientific, for certain most private body parts, especially those of gentlemen. Grandmothers do not teach their ten-year-old granddaughters the Russian words for such things either. And, as if that did not make things hard enough, then we must consider the… objects… which may be used in sexual activity – objects which everyone never whispers of to a woman, let alone names!”

Dash stared at her for a moment, his expression slightly stunned, and his cheeks darkening with a blush as he thought through what she had said, and realised the implications. Then, slowly, a wide, wolfish smile spread across his face, and his eyes danced with amused delight. Mariel felt inclined to hit him, at that moment, and that desire did not abate one whit when he burst into laughter.

She sat there, glaring at him, but feeling the increasing urge to join him in that laughter.

It was, truly, all very silly after all, no matter how frustrating it was. From the other side of the room, Selina’s giggle joined Dash’s laughter. At that, Mariel lost all control of her stern glare, and joined them. Laughing felt good, after hours of irritation.

After some time, they all managed to regain their calm. Dash met her eyes, that rather cheeky amusement still very much in his expression.

“I can, quite, see how that would be limiting. What shall we do about it?”

“I thought… that is, I assumed… that, as a man, and a man who collects things like…” she waved her hand at the book, “…like this, you most likely know the words for almost, if not all, of the things that I don’t. I can work out, from the illustrations, and from the text that I can translate, approximately what is being referred to – I just need the English word, to write down. So I thought…”

“…that I might go through it with you, and tell you the words?”

“Yes.” She felt herself blushing hotly again. “But I suspect I will have to describe to you, as best I can, the function or activity being described, to make sure that you tell me the right word.”

He met her eyes. Nervous, and utterly discomposed, she licked her lips. He watched, and something shifted in his expression. He looked away.

“I will do my best, Mariel.”