“You could always dismiss him. ”
“And I will. I’ll use him and discard him,” she said grandly, almost believing it. “Starting tonight. ” She rose, trying not to wince as pain shot through her ankle. “I’m going to need to find something to wear, I suppose. I don’t suppose the gaggle…”
As if on cue they filed in. Rafaella had a diaphanous gown over one arm, and the rest of them were laden with hair ornaments and face paint.
“I presume you were all listening in,” Emma said in a tone of acceptance.
“Of course we were,” Violet piped up, and Sukey shot her a quelling glance.
“We’ve decided to have a discussion with you, Lady Carstairs,” Sukey said. She was a natural leader, her years with the bishop notwithstanding, and the others nodded.
Melisande resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. “I suppose you’re going to tell me that Viscount Rohan is up to no good. ”
“Of course he’s up to no good,” Violet broke in with a saucy smile. “That’s half the fun. ”
“Violet,” Emma said in a reproving voice.
“Leave this up to us, Mrs. Cadbury,” Sukey said. “You’ve had your say. It’s time for ours. Now that you’ve decided to sleep with my lord Rohan you’re going to need a bit of advice. ”
“I really don’t think it’s necessary. ”
“Well, that’s where you’re wrong,” the girl replied. “You’re going to be flat on your back with your heels in the air before you even realize what’s happened, and that can be a dangerous position to be in. ”
Melisande envisioned that position and felt her face grow crimson, her tongue too strangled to speak.
“We’re not talking whores’ tricks,” Hetty offered. “Well, in fact, we are, but we’re not talking about games and such. We’re talking about babies. ”
“You don’t want to get pregnant,” Sukey said earnestly. “And there are ways to avoid it. Where are you in your monthly courses?”
Melisande could feel her face flaming. “I may not even go through with this. Lord Rohan might not want me. Or I might decide it’s a bad idea. ”
“It is a bad idea,” Emma broke in resignedly, “but you’re going to do it anyway. Trust us, we’ve all seen it often enough. Answer Sukey’s question. ”
“Perhaps two weeks since my last. ”
Sukey shook her head. “Bad timing. If you could put off shaking the sheets with the gentleman for another week, it would be safer, but I know that’s hard when the blood is up. We’d best tell you what to do. ”
“I like a sponge and vinegar,” Agnes announced.
“I prefer a copper penny,” Hetty said.
“It’s not an issue if you simply use your mouth,” Violet offered, but was quickly shouted down.
“She’s not going to start with that, you idiot,” Sukey said sharply.
Melisande was embarrassed, horrified, and unwill
ingly curious. “What in the world do you do with a copper penny? Offer a prayer to some saint. ”
Agnes, the only practicing papist in the group, laughed. “You do the same thing you did with the sponge and vinegar, my lady. You insert it into your—”
“Stop!” Melisande cried, her curiosity more than satisfied. “I promise you I have no need of such stratagems. I’m barren. ”
“What makes you think that?” Emma said. “Just because you didn’t conceive with an old man or a singular occasion with a younger one doesn’t mean someone with Lord Rohan’s…vigor…wouldn’t do the job. ”
Enough was enough. The last thing Melisande wanted to be thinking about was Benedick Rohan’s vigor, or inserting peculiar things into the most private part of her body, or letting Rohan put anything of his into that same place.
“Or there’s coitus interruptus,” Sukey said. “He can just pull out and spill his seed on the sheets, or on you. It’s not foolproof, and not as much fun for the gentlemen, but I imagine Lord Rohan’s not interested in fathering bastards. He may even have a French letter. ”