Regency Rogues Omnibus (103 page)

“I am so completely jealous,” Caprice said.

“I sso envy you,” Brevity lisped wistfully.

“And I wish I were half so brave,” Diversity declared, coming to halt in her pacing with her hands on her hips as though she were overseeing hard-pressed workers. “To take your own life in hand, and to shape the events . . .”

“It
is
the thing to do!” Caprice exclaimed. “We cannot sit here on our behinds and all become old maids.”

“Which is what will happen if we do not do ssomething,” Brevity said anxiously

“Tell us more of these extraordinary ideas, Affinity,” Diversity said.

“Oh, do tell us more of what happened with the Duke!” Caprice added, enthusiastically.

“I am desperate,” Affinity announced. “I am not going to lose what I have gained, but . . .”

“But, what?” Diversity asked, immediately prodding her.

“But-,” Affinity hesitated again, chewing her bottom lip. A person had to be quite brave in all matters to take life into their own hands, or they had to be mad. But she certainly had incentive now, where before it had only been a half-formed dream. So, she found herself blurting quite boldly, “
Sex
, ladies! I desperately need to know about sex before I advance.”

Affinity was certain that if she’d been a sexual veteran, events would have turned out momentously different than they had. She had no intention of being on the short end of sexual knowledge during the next meeting with Law. And there would be another meeting! But right now there just had to be a way for a young lady to discover the practical applications of sexual play. The encounters, she’d read about in Law’s journal were explicit, but maddingly incomplete, and now she also knew with all her heart that sexual relations were of paramount importance between a man and a woman. Perhaps the most important, and certainly not her knowledge of boxing. Although, she had been studying boxing and teaching herself to play chess, while she read Mystery Island.

“Sex!” Caprice proclaimed, outright.

“SSex, Sex!” Brevity and Diversify both piped in right after Caprice, and Affinity knew that her friends did this so stalwartly and loudly to keep her from feeling embarrassed.

“It must be on the top of the list about how to seduce a man and completely capture his attention,” Affinity said seriously.

“We need to form a group! A bold and forthright group, not afraid to dare anything in our quest to interest men,” Diversity said.

“Oh, just like they call men rogues sometimes, they-,” Caprice started, then was thoroughly interrupted by Brevity’s squeal of excitement.

“Roguesss!” Brevity exclaimed, with a harder hiss to her lisp than normal in her excitement. “The Lady Roguess!”

“That is it!” Diversity nearly shouted. “Just like men have their groups for sometimes open reasons and sometimes nefarious reasons. We shall have ours.”

Then all three of Affinity’s friends declared with three voices becoming one, “The Lady Rogues!” as they all looked at Affinity with hope and determination.

Well, why not,
Affinity thought? This was just what they all needed, and she began nodding her head slowly. The plan had merit, four together would be stronger and more inventive than one.

Then, she looked up at all of them with more determination than joy, as she said decisively, “Yes!” Her three friends cheered as she stood and started to pace. “Now we must vow as one that there is nothing we will not consider doing, just this side of murder,” she said.

They all nodded, then Caprice said, “We must vow to think and act outside of our normal social conformities.”

“And we must utilize our wit and our intelligence,” Diversity added.

“And we must be each other’s ssupport in anything we do,” Brevity said

“Exactly,” Affinity announced. “And that will be the start of the Lady Rogues motto until each one of us has found the man of our dreams and has him secured.” Affinity dusted her hands together. “Now, ladies, our first mission is to become sexual experts like no woman of our social standing would ever dare to do. It can only help each one of us in our quests and I believe that it will give all of us a momentous upper hand,” Affinity paused. “Now the larger question is how?”

“We do not want superficial knowledge. We already have that,” Caprice said.

“So asking older women of our acquaintance is out,” Diversity said. “I cannot imagine they are anything but stiff and suffering like martyrs.”

“Gentlemen, sshould know,” Brevity said. “Any man sshould, but I cannot ssee any of us finding one we could sspeak to about it.”

“A woman seems preferable.” Affinity said. “An older woman. I can only think of prostitutes or madams-,”

“Yes!” Diversity exclaimed, interrupting Affinity. “A madam would be perfect. Think of all that we could learn. Why, she would actually teach us the art of it.”

“But how does one find a madam?” Brevity asked.

“Or approach a madam?” Caprice echoed.

“Hmm.” Affinity paused. “I do not think we could just go to her establishment. That would appear at first glance to be out of the question. However, we should not overlook it entirely. We are daring now,” Affinity said with positive tones.

“I could try to trick a name from my brother,” Caprice said. “I am certain he knows a name and I know that I could do it without him realizing.”

“A name is paramount,” Affinity agreed.

“And we can use, Able, my butler and all about man, to deliver messages. You all know how loyal he is to me, since my parents died sso long ago,” Brevity said.

“If we send a forthright note stating clearly what we desire, in addition to the promise of a hefty fee if she agrees, that could do it,” Affinity said, looking around for agreement from all, which she received. “Well then, Lady Rogues, this shall be our first daring adventure.”

Chapter Seven

“I had my faithful, Able, deliver the mess-sage to, Madam Vivian DeJonge, just as we all agreed. I know, Able, must have wondered, but you all know how loyal he is-s to me,” Brevity said, to the three young ladies sitting nervously in her sitting room.

Affinity barely heard Brevity’s ever present lisping, it was so normal to her now. It was frightfully sad that the other ladies of London society, the younger and pompous ones especially, could not be so compassionate. Their ridicule of Brevity for her lisps and pixie like stature was a binding reason she was a member of their secretly conceived group the Lady Rogues. Brevity’s lisp, Caprice’s plump weight, and Diversity’s statuesque tallness were the beginnings of a long list that seemed to portray them as outcasts in this year or any year of the London season.

But we are not having it,
Affinity reminded herself firmly. They were the Lady Rogues now and with that adventurous and bold name attached, they would outwit all of them. Between them, they’d decided to treat Madam DeJonge with respect and equality, even to treat her a tad grandly. It could not hurt to start out on the high road as none of them had a clue how to treat a Madam, who was the procuress of ladies for the sole purpose of gentlemen’s pleasure and fornication.

And just the word fornication sent shivers down Affinity’s spine . . . all because she’d held a stout and hot fornication rod in her hand. And she vowed she would do so again!

So the formal tea was set before them as she and her friends nervously awaited the promised arrival of Madam DeJonge into Brevity’s luxuriant front parlor. At times Brevity’s parentless state and hefty wealth was an advantage. Although, all her friends knew that Brevity would trade all the money she inherited simply to have her parents by her side or even one kindly relative at her young age.

Suddenly, all their heads came up at the sound of a carriage arriving outside. This was it then, Affinity thought, brushing nonexistent wrinkles out of the peacock-blue morning gown that she wore. It had been decided that she should be the principal spokesperson as she was the unofficial leader and the one with the most eminent need of knowledge. So she rose, smiling brightly at her friends and she went to the front door to take up the unusual position of greeting an expected guest. Able and all the other servants had been ordered away on lengthy tasks this afternoon.

The knocker sounded firmly and quick with no hesitations, so Affinity forced herself to react similarly. She placed a welcoming half-smile on her lips, and she tugged open the door decisively. Her smile immediately fell into disconcertion as she gazed upon a man and not a woman standing before her. He was tall and more dark-complected than anyone she’d happened upon before. His brown eyes were at once seductive and held a depth that when combined with his handsome features were totally compelling and exotic.

“Senorita Hope?”

Spanish? His dialect was saturated with Latin accents and the pieces of his longer black-tinged hair, curling on the ends, and his features fell into place.

“Yes?” Affinity answered to the false name she’d used in the missives to Madam DeJonge.

“My mistress, requests funding, before she enters, my lady.”

Your mistress?
Was he a prostitute? Did they have male lovers of . . . who? Women? Men?

“Your mistress is, Madam DeJonge?” Affinity asked, watching him nod with his sensualistic brown eyes gazing into her very soul it seemed. “Ah . . . yes.” She turned her head, trying to catch her thoughts, as she said, “Brevity, bring the packet please.”

Affinity thought that being paid first seemed logical, however, it did not seem intelligent to simply hand the entire packet of money promised over to this man and a waiting carriage beyond. When Brevity approached, the Spanish courier’s eyes turned directly to her and Affinity heard Brevity’s catch of breath. Affinity did not blame Brevity, because the Spaniard was a man that women had to adore looking upon. Affinity quickly took the packet from Brevity, but before she handed it to Madam DeJonge’s handsome-Spanish-courier-possible-male-prostitute, she quickly opened the packet and removed roughly half of the contents.

“Tell, your mistress, that we offer her half in good faith, and to please come in and join us for tea,” Affinity said firmly.

The handsome Spaniard took the money, with a respectful half-bow, and then both she and Brevity watched his tall and well-made form stride back to the waiting carriage. His physical form was one to sigh upon, it was lean and muscular, yet not so well turned as Law’s, Affinity decided.

“A man?” both Diversity and Caprice exclaimed from their position standing at the entrance to the parlor.

Brevity turned to them nodding, as she conspiratorially whispered, “But, the madam, is-s with him, waiting in the carriage-,”

“Here she comes,” Affinity said quickly as she watched a somber dressed and completely veiled figure alight from the carriage. “At least she appears discreet,” Affinity added hopefully.

“S-Should I wait or go back?” Brevity asked, sounding as anxious as Affinity felt.

“Wait in the parlor with the others. I will bring her in if all proceeds well,” Affinity advised Brevity, but she did not turn to look at her, instead keeping her eyes on the approaching Madam DeJonge and the handsome Spaniard as they approached. It seemed they were to have two guest, and Affinity wondered frivolously if the Spanish courier could overtake her and her friends for nefarious reasons at the madam’s orders. He was likely brought for Madam DeJonge’s own protection, Affinity chided herself, and this was the daring part of being daring.

Madam DeJonge was a petite and well-rounded woman and as she drew near, Affinity saw that her gown was very expensively made in deep midnight purple and not black. Not knowing how to proceed, especially since ladies did not normally meet visitors on their doorstep, Affinity held out her hand in welcome. It was best to be forthright, she thought. “Madam DeJonge, I am Affinity and I want to welcome you.”

Madam DeJonge stopped before her with the handsome Spaniard at her side. Affinity could not make out much of Madam DeJonge’s features through the shadowy veil that she wore. However, her voice when she spoke was light and airy with a French accent. “Lady Affinity, I simply had to meet the woman of the most unusual request.”

Affinity nodded and said, “But sincere request, Madam DeJonge.”

“Oh, I think I like you,” Madam DeJonge declared, with her gloved hand reaching forward to take Affinity’s hand. “Perhaps honest, appearing sincere,” Madam DeJonge continued as though adding up a list of Affinity’s qualities. “Yet mature. All would be lost, if you were a silly girl, I would throw up my hands and leave. I must say I feared this.”

Affinity released Madam DeJonge’s hand. “I am honored for the compliment, madam. Would you like to come inside and have tea with my friends and me?”

“Oh, Sebastian, she has invited me to tea. How cultured you are mon Lady Affinity. This is good . . . all good.” Madam DeJonge proceeded through the door with the handsome Spaniard named Sebastian directly behind her, as she advised, “Sebastian will accompany me, yes?”

“Of course,” Affinity offered, feeling on the one hand that she did not wish to upset the deal, as it were, however on the other hand wondering how forthright the discussion could become with a man present.