the entryway. “I’m sorry, sir, I know you said no interruptions, but the investors have arrived for the early supper you arranged last week.”
John squeezed his eyes shut. “Yes,” he grumbled. “Damn, I had forgotten.” He looked at her. “I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “John, you must run your business, of course. Perhaps we could meet again later?”
“Tonight?” John asked.
She nodded. “At my home?”
He hesitated. “I…I’m not certain I wish to share a bed you once shared with my best friend.”
She flushed at the reminder.“Of course. Then shall I join you here?”
“Yes. At eight.” He smiled. “I shall be counting the hours.”
She shot a brief look toward Swanson, who stepped into the hallway. When he was gone, she lifted on her tiptoes and drew John down for a deep kiss. It spiraled out of control almost immediately and she had to force herself to pull back.
“Until tonight,” she panted.
“Yes,” he growled. “Tonight.”
Chapter Six
Mariah sipped her brandy in the warmth of Vivien’s private parlor. Her friend had many public parlors, in fact she was well-known for their naughty wallpaper and settees and chairs built for two. Those chambers were all about Vivien’s public persona.
But in the back of her home, up the stairs, were her real rooms. Her comfortable and pretty private bedroom that was separate from the opulent one she had shared, and occasionally still shared, with lovers.
There was also a parlor done in soft blues and grays where she could share tea and conversation with friends. Even a music room where Vivien indulged her passion for the pianoforte. It was as if her friend had two lives, lived in the same home but separate from each other in every way that was meaningful.
Few had the privilege of seeing what Mariah considered the “real” Vivien. She was proud to count herself as one of them.
The door opened and her friend swept in with a wide smile. Mariah was always taken by how pretty and sophisticated Vivien was. Mariah had never quite reached those heights as a mistress, though she continually strived to do so.
“Hello, my dear,” Vivien said, pressing a kiss to each cheek as Mariah stood up. “I’m so pleased you’ve come. I was wondering who I might share supper with today.”
Mariah laughed. “You are never at a loss for partners.”
Vivien shrugged as they took their seats and she poured her own drink. “Partners, no. Friends, well, sometimes that is a very different story.”
Mariah covered her free hand briefly and the two women smiled at each other for a moment.
“But I doubt you came here to wax poetic about the value of friendship for women of our station,” Vivien laughed. “I haven’t seen you since John Rycroft swept you out of my little afternoon soiree. Tell me, what is happening with you?”
“I don’t know,” Mariah admitted reluctantly.
“How can you not know?” Vivien said with a burst of pretty laughter. “It is your life, is it not?”
Mariah shrugged. “Sometimes I do wonder if that is true. I’m glad you brought John up, for he is the reason I have returned.”
“Yes, I admit I am all but bursting with curiosity at this turn in his demeanor.” Vivien shook her head. “I am confused by his strange behavior when it comes to you. He has always made it a matter of pride not to form any kind of attachments, yet he seems to be very attached to you.”
“You know we…” Mariah hesitated. “Well, we took advantage of your parlor the night of your ball.”
Vivien laughed. “Yes, I do know that. Anyone standing in the hall knew that. He must be very wicked.”
Mariah blushed. Mistress she might be, but knowing that others were fully aware of her encounters was both disconcerting and titillating.
“He is that.” She laughed, but it was forced. “But the association has gone a bit beyond that, I fear. You see, I assumed that night was the end of it. He made it clear he will not, or perhaps
John squeezed his eyes shut. “Yes,” he grumbled. “Damn, I had forgotten.” He looked at her. “I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “John, you must run your business, of course. Perhaps we could meet again later?”
“Tonight?” John asked.
She nodded. “At my home?”
He hesitated. “I…I’m not certain I wish to share a bed you once shared with my best friend.”
She flushed at the reminder.“Of course. Then shall I join you here?”
“Yes. At eight.” He smiled. “I shall be counting the hours.”
She shot a brief look toward Swanson, who stepped into the hallway. When he was gone, she lifted on her tiptoes and drew John down for a deep kiss. It spiraled out of control almost immediately and she had to force herself to pull back.
“Until tonight,” she panted.
“Yes,” he growled. “Tonight.”
Chapter Six
Mariah sipped her brandy in the warmth of Vivien’s private parlor. Her friend had many public parlors, in fact she was well-known for their naughty wallpaper and settees and chairs built for two. Those chambers were all about Vivien’s public persona.
But in the back of her home, up the stairs, were her real rooms. Her comfortable and pretty private bedroom that was separate from the opulent one she had shared, and occasionally still shared, with lovers.
There was also a parlor done in soft blues and grays where she could share tea and conversation with friends. Even a music room where Vivien indulged her passion for the pianoforte. It was as if her friend had two lives, lived in the same home but separate from each other in every way that was meaningful.
Few had the privilege of seeing what Mariah considered the “real” Vivien. She was proud to count herself as one of them.
The door opened and her friend swept in with a wide smile. Mariah was always taken by how pretty and sophisticated Vivien was. Mariah had never quite reached those heights as a mistress, though she continually strived to do so.
“Hello, my dear,” Vivien said, pressing a kiss to each cheek as Mariah stood up. “I’m so pleased you’ve come. I was wondering who I might share supper with today.”
Mariah laughed. “You are never at a loss for partners.”
Vivien shrugged as they took their seats and she poured her own drink. “Partners, no. Friends, well, sometimes that is a very different story.”
Mariah covered her free hand briefly and the two women smiled at each other for a moment.
“But I doubt you came here to wax poetic about the value of friendship for women of our station,” Vivien laughed. “I haven’t seen you since John Rycroft swept you out of my little afternoon soiree. Tell me, what is happening with you?”
“I don’t know,” Mariah admitted reluctantly.
“How can you not know?” Vivien said with a burst of pretty laughter. “It is your life, is it not?”
Mariah shrugged. “Sometimes I do wonder if that is true. I’m glad you brought John up, for he is the reason I have returned.”
“Yes, I admit I am all but bursting with curiosity at this turn in his demeanor.” Vivien shook her head. “I am confused by his strange behavior when it comes to you. He has always made it a matter of pride not to form any kind of attachments, yet he seems to be very attached to you.”
“You know we…” Mariah hesitated. “Well, we took advantage of your parlor the night of your ball.”
Vivien laughed. “Yes, I do know that. Anyone standing in the hall knew that. He must be very wicked.”
Mariah blushed. Mistress she might be, but knowing that others were fully aware of her encounters was both disconcerting and titillating.
“He is that.” She laughed, but it was forced. “But the association has gone a bit beyond that, I fear. You see, I assumed that night was the end of it. He made it clear he will not, or perhaps
Similar Books
