Beth tilted her head. “Cuz? Are you quite all right? You appear flushed.”
Despite their relative marital status, Beth was her font of knowledge for this. She needed advice.
“I’ve just had the most explosive sexual experience of my life in the back room of my shop. ’Tis no wonder I am flushed!”
“What? Do tell!” Beth sat forward on the settee. “With whom?”
Althea gave her a withering look.
“Ah. Cheltie does get around. It seems he was able to live up to his reputation. Come now. Share with your best friend and family member.”
“Only because I need advice. Please, you cannot breathe a word of this to anyone. The shop will suffer, never mind my reputation.”
“I promise, I promise. Now spill.”
Althea started back at the beginning, describing the bet she’d declined, the game, the dare. Then the second dare at the London party and the most recent interlude. “But, cousin, I must also confess something. Part of the reason I sent you to the School of Enlightenment was because I stumbled across one of your, er, interludes in the stables.”
“Oh, that,” Beth scoffed. “I was actually hoping it would help convince you to try sex.”
Althea’s eyes bulged. “You saw me? Why did you never say anything?”
“Me? Why did you never say anything?” Beth laughed, arching a brow. “I glimpsed you hurrying away is all. If you recall, I was rather busy at the time. Regardless, ’tis quite all right. I don’t mind. The more, the merrier, and all that. And I know why you sent me away. If I had stuck to the stable hands, you might not have, but I am very grateful for my time there.”
“Oh.” Althea sagged against her chairback in relief. Then another thought occurred. “Beth, there were two stable hands watching before I arrived. You say you don’t care, but I still can’t comprehend that.” She referred to their long-running debate over the etiquette of intimacy.
Beth snorted. “Before Evan, you thought sex was for procreation, not pleasure. I see you’re not trotting that tired argument out now.”
Althea’s cheeks warmed.
Her cousin continued. “Look at Aphrodite. She had many lovers, and she lounges around naked in most of her depictions. I’d wager her motto was the more the merrier, too.”
“It just feels wrong to watch others in what is specifically referred to as intimate moments.”
“What if their definition of intimacy is inviting anyone interested to participate in that, bringing people together in a different way?”
“I cannot fathom it.”
“Well, then, let me ask this. If Evan had neglected to lock the door, and your employee had entered just before he took you over, would you have cared? Would you have even noticed?”
Althea looked down at her hands in her lap, suddenly back in the room behind the shop. Would she have minded her employee seeing her with her skirts up around her waist, in the throes of passion? Certainly afterward, but at that moment? She didn’t know. Unable to meet Beth’s eyes, she remained silent.
“Is he as well-endowed as they claim?”
She looked up to find Beth grinning at her, apparently willing to drop the inquisition. “Who is they, and—never mind. Beth, please. Now is not the time for idle gossip. What do I do, cousin?”
“Right, then. Sorry. You have nothing to lose by taking some advice, which he’s already offered. However, he’s come to you twice now.” Beth raised a brow. “Cheltie never chases. He doesn’t need to. You shall likely need to go to him.”
Althea shook her head. “But now he is insisting on sexual favors in return.”
Beth grinned. “’Tisn’t the worst idea in the world, from the look of you. And they say he is a very generous lover.”
“If by generous, you mean he has brought me over three times with not even a single opportunity for me to return the favor, then yes, he is very generous. I might even feel guilty if I didn’t feel quite so…satisfied.”
Beth giggled.
Althea sighed with a smile before remembering the problem at hand. “Please stop talking aboutthey! I cannot afford a scandal, however marginal I am in the Ton. My shop sales will suffer, and expanding to improve sales is the entire reason I am in this predicament.”
Well, that and Beth’s solution being the party at Greenborough Park. No, that’s not fair. She was trying to help.
