“Because of his similarity to a Barbarian, I would suppose,” answered Miranda, tucking a wayward curl into its correct position.
“Oh no,” chuckled Letty. “It’s because his—um—equipment is rather like a horse’s. You know, that famous Arabian stallion...The Barb?”
Miranda turned wide eyes on Letty. “Really?”
“Really.” This time it was a definite giggle. “Of course, having been married, you’ll not be shocked, right?”
Miranda snorted inelegantly.
Letty bit her lip, annoyed at herself for reminding her dearest friend of the disastrous marriage from which the death of her husband had liberated her.
“Marriage meant little in the way of physical activities for me, Letty. We’ve discussed that before.”
“Yes, I know, and the fact that Lord Montvale was old enough to be your grandfather certainly didn’t help.”
“And you don’t understand how he could only have...have taken me once. It’s the truth. After that first time he never touched me. He’d just—look.”
Miranda blushed still at the memories of standing nude before her elderly husband in a pose of his choice, being examined by him and his trusty eyeglass. Even though he hadn’t laid a hand on her, there was something infinitely more uncomfortable about being examined while naked than being held while naked.
“Well, it’s distinctly odd. And it did nothing to prepare you for Nick Barbour, that’s definite,” nodded Letty.
“It sounds as though there is little that would prepare anyone for Nick Barbour,” said Miranda ruefully. “If there wasn’t the matter of ten thousand pounds riding on this silly bet, do you think I’d go within two miles of that man?”
Letitia gazed at her friend, standing tall and proud like an Amazon warrior in black velvet. Privately she considered Miranda an excellent match for Nick Barbour, but knew she’d never be able to voice the opinion out loud.
Carefully, she considered her next words. “Lord Nicholas Barbour has offered ten thousand pounds to the woman who can satisfy him while he is within her body. That should tell you something right there. They say he’s very big, Miranda. So big that none of his mistresses thus far have been able to take him to the point of release inside their bodies. Do you understand?”
“Oh yes, I understand very well...” a small smile curved Miranda’s full lips.
“And?”
“Let me worry about that, Letty. For ten thousand pounds, I can be the best henhouse for the biggest cock to roost in.”
Letitia gasped and then burst out laughing.
“If anyone can, you can, Miranda dearest. Especially in that gown...”
Both women turned to the glass as Miranda fastened the black velvet mask over the top half of her face.
The gown was sensational against the white of her rounded breasts and the violent red of her hair. Miranda’s eyes glittered through the slits in the velvet mask, and she giggled as she raised her hem slightly and showed off her shockingly black stockings, held up by black ribbon garters. A tiny red satin rose in the center of each garter was the only color she had allowed.
She stood tall, towering over her pregnant friend by almost a foot. Letty knew that if Miranda had not been married so young to Lord Montvale and whisked off to the wilds of Yorkshire, she would have been termed “Goddess” of the Ton within weeks of making her debut.
“Do you have your invitation?” she asked nervously.
“Yes.”
“And your carriage?”
“The crest has been covered, the driver is a hire for the evening, and I have taken every precaution, Letty. Stop fussing.”
“How can I not fuss? You have almost no experience with men, yet you have managed to procure an invitation—heaven knows how—to the home of one of the most licentious men in England. There, you intend to seduce him into bed, and get him to scream out his pleasure while he’s buried to the hilt inside you, thus winning you ten thousand pounds. Which you will then take home to Yorkshire with you and use to secure Montvale House in your name. Did I mention everything?”
“Yes.”
“There is something very, very wrong with this plan.”
Miranda widened her green eyes and stared innocently through the mask at her friend. “Wrong? How can anything be wrong?”
“Well, what you’re thinking about doing—it’s not—you shouldn’t—you are...”
“I’m a widow who is going to be homeless soon if I don’t get money quickly.” Miranda reached for her cloak. “I won’t be a burden on my friends, and this is as good a way as any to solve my problems, don’t you think?”
She took one last glance into the mirror then turned away and straightened her shoulders. A small smile curved around her generous lips.
“You’re looking forward to it, aren’t you?” asked Letty in disbelief. “You’re actually excited by the idea of seducing one of the biggest rakes in the country, and I’m not just talking about his reputation.”
“You said it yourself, Letty dear. Nick Barbour is quite a man. I cannot, in all fairness, say I am adverse to the idea of—shall we say—trying him on for size?”
Letty sputtered and threw her hands in the air. “You’d better tell me every single detail. Take notes—no, better yet, take measurements.”
The laughter of both women rolled through the entrance hall as they neared the door where Miranda’s carriage was waiting.
Letty reached for her friend and gave her a quick, awkward hug. “Be careful, Miranda. This man is no-one’s toy...”
“Perhaps he’ll be mine by the time this night is over. One never knows. Don’t worry, Letty, I’ll be fine.”
Miranda grinned conspiratorially, and leaned over to drop a light kiss on her friend’s cheek. She turned and left a worried-looking Letty in the middle of her foyer.
*~~*~~*
Find out what happens when Miranda meets Nick Barbour and the explosion begins!!! You can also read about the adventures of Beatrice and Poppy and the woman who befriends them all – Louisa.
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