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Millicent nodded.

“I understand that,” she said, to Millicent’s enormous relief. Of course, Henrietta with her capable nature, would know that sort of detail. It was only noodleheads like Millicent who came to their wedding night ignorant and were subsequently horrified. But then Henrietta paused. “At least, I suppose I do. Is there some reason I couldn’t perform those duties as well as the next woman? My hip may occasionally ache, but it appears to be the same general shape as yours.”

“You are correct. But that intimacy leads to children. 138 Eloisa

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Frankly, that’s why women agree to the procedure at all. I should have explained it to you long ago.”

Henrietta blinked and said slowly, “Of course, what you’re saying makes absolute sense, given what I know of barnyard matters.”

Millicent colored and looked at her hands. She was so embarrassed by the topic of conversation it was as if someone had poured boiling water down her neck.

“I would have explained it to you in the event of your marriage. That is, I will explain it to Imogen on the eve of her wedding, and—”

“Then—then—you mean that Darby refuses to marry if he can’t have that particular intimacy?” There was a bleak note in Henrietta’s voice that her stepmother hated to hear. “Even though he doesn’t wish to have children?”

Millicent nodded, unable to speak. Her throat was suddenly choked with tears. Why did her beautiful, sweethearted stepdaughter have to face such a terrible truth?

“Men are swine. Swine! ” Henrietta cried. “Molly—Molly Maplethorpe—referred to the whole event as rather unpleasant and painful too.”

“But it is necessary in order to have children.”

“Darby has withdrawn his proposal because I am unable to be intimate with him, even though I would find it painful under the best of circumstances?”

“Men feel differently than do women,” Millicent said.

“They find enjoyment in it, truly.”

“Swine,” Henrietta said flatly.

Millicent had gone back to twisting her hands. “I haven’t explained it very well, I’m afraid. Most women see it for precisely what it is: a rather distasteful procedure that is necessary in order to produce children. It’s only painful for a time or two. After that it is merely a nuisance, truly. And oh, children are worth anything, Henrietta! After Imogen was born, I Fool for Love

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realized that—” She broke off, realizing that the subject was hardly a kind one to bring up.

Henrietta shrugged. “I know, of course, that men enjoy that side of life. But to be blunt, don’t they maintain mistresses for precisely that reason?”

“Hen-rietta!”

Her stepdaughter looked unrepentant. “They do have mistresses, Millicent. You know they do.”

“We don’t speak of that.”

But Henrietta had never been much good at not saying whatever came into her head. “Why can’t Darby simply do the same?” She stared at Millicent. “Why? Why can’t Darby take a mistress for that particular duty?”

“Men like to have that intimacy with their wives,” Millicent said miserably. “Your father—” She stopped. “This is very difficult.”

Henrietta’s eyes were fierce enough to force a confession from a spy.

“Your father had a mistress. If you remember, he was rarely home on Tuesday evenings. And sometimes other nights as well. But that didn’t affect your father’s and my relationship. He married me because he enjoyed my—my appearance.”

“I remember. He came up to the nursery and said he’d met the prettiest girl in five counties, and he meant to bring her home and make her my mama. I thought you looked just like a fairy princess, Millicent, truly.”

“Thank you, dear,” she said a little mistily. “At any rate, when a man takes a wife, he wants to—he want to—it’s simply part of the bargain, Henrietta. I can’t be more clear than that, I simply can’t!”

There was a moment of silence in the room, broken only by the soft hush of wind blowing snow around the corners of the house.