men.” She gently tugged on Maggie’s arm until Maggie turned to look at her, blushing anew at the open way Kate discussed such forbidden topics.
“You see,” she continued, “I am that kind of woman. I love both Jason and Tony with all my heart, and I’m not ashamed to tell the world.” Tears misted her eyes as she spoke. “I’m just sorry the world is ashamed to hear it.”
Maggie unconsciously pulled her arm back and took Kate’s hand in hers, comforting. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of. They seem like fine gentlemen, and they clearly adore you.”
“So you don’t condemn me?” Kate asked, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. Maggie shook her Page 32
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
head no. “Then why do you condemn yourself?”
Kate’s question was spoken quietly but its effect on Maggie was as if she had shouted it. She leaped to her feet and turned her back on Kate, her hands fisted at her sides.
“I do not love as you do,” she said in a strangled voice.
“Don’t you?” Kate’s voice was even, as if they were discussing the weather and not the forbidden passion of welcoming two men into your bed and your heart.
Maggie whirled about again, her face a mask of pain and uncertainty.“How? How do you do it? The condemnation, the cutting remarks, the disrespect? I know what is whispered about you behind your back now, why women look at you with hatred and disdain and men with undisguised lust and disrespect. Society has rejected you! You’re practically a prisoner in your own home. I can’t live like that, I can’t!” Maggie’s voice broke on a sob, and she turned away again.
Kate stood and went to Maggie, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Is that what you see here tonight?”
Maggie shook her head. “No, but these are your friends and family. They see your love, and they understand it, accept it.”
Kate turned Maggie toward her gently. Maggie’s head hung low, in shame or despair, Kate wasn’t certain. Putting her hands on Maggie’s shoulders, she bent her knees until she could look into Maggie’s eyes. “And who else matters, my dear? These are the people I choose to love, the only ones whose acceptance means anything to me. We make our own society, and a quite lively one it is. I’m often away from the house, even if you don’t see me at Lady Chesterson’s ball.”
Maggie mustered a smile then. Lady Chesterson was a vicious, high-ranking member of the ton and a terrible gossip. She’d been known to give the cut direct to people simply because she didn’t like their clothing. Maggie hated her.
“There’s a smile now,” Kate chuckled. “Come and sit again.” She led Maggie back to the bench. “I know you must have a thousand questions you want to ask me, so ask away. I shan’t prevaricate. I think too many people’s happiness depends upon it.”
Maggie was almost too embarrassed to ask questions, but she was burning with curiosity. “Well, how did it come about?”
Katesmiled, her eyes dreamy with memories. “Jason and Tony pursued me together. They made their intentions clear from the start. We had actually known one another for quite some time, but I was always one man’s mistress or another.” She stopped when Maggie gasped beside her.
Kate gave her an arch look. “Oh yes. Those rumors are true. You see, I was married once before, to a young captain who served with Jason and Tony. He died in the war, and before they could come home to claim me, I had accepted carte blanche from a high-ranking diplomat. They assumed that was the life I wished, as I had married young, and must now regret it. They were quite mistaken, of course. I’d only done it because I had bills to pay, and I was taking care of my niece Veronica. Better to work for my pay infrequently beneath some sweating pig than to be forced to take Very to the workhouse.”
Maggie was aghast. Never in her life had she considered
“You see,” she continued, “I am that kind of woman. I love both Jason and Tony with all my heart, and I’m not ashamed to tell the world.” Tears misted her eyes as she spoke. “I’m just sorry the world is ashamed to hear it.”
Maggie unconsciously pulled her arm back and took Kate’s hand in hers, comforting. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of. They seem like fine gentlemen, and they clearly adore you.”
“So you don’t condemn me?” Kate asked, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. Maggie shook her Page 32
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
head no. “Then why do you condemn yourself?”
Kate’s question was spoken quietly but its effect on Maggie was as if she had shouted it. She leaped to her feet and turned her back on Kate, her hands fisted at her sides.
“I do not love as you do,” she said in a strangled voice.
“Don’t you?” Kate’s voice was even, as if they were discussing the weather and not the forbidden passion of welcoming two men into your bed and your heart.
Maggie whirled about again, her face a mask of pain and uncertainty.“How? How do you do it? The condemnation, the cutting remarks, the disrespect? I know what is whispered about you behind your back now, why women look at you with hatred and disdain and men with undisguised lust and disrespect. Society has rejected you! You’re practically a prisoner in your own home. I can’t live like that, I can’t!” Maggie’s voice broke on a sob, and she turned away again.
Kate stood and went to Maggie, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Is that what you see here tonight?”
Maggie shook her head. “No, but these are your friends and family. They see your love, and they understand it, accept it.”
Kate turned Maggie toward her gently. Maggie’s head hung low, in shame or despair, Kate wasn’t certain. Putting her hands on Maggie’s shoulders, she bent her knees until she could look into Maggie’s eyes. “And who else matters, my dear? These are the people I choose to love, the only ones whose acceptance means anything to me. We make our own society, and a quite lively one it is. I’m often away from the house, even if you don’t see me at Lady Chesterson’s ball.”
Maggie mustered a smile then. Lady Chesterson was a vicious, high-ranking member of the ton and a terrible gossip. She’d been known to give the cut direct to people simply because she didn’t like their clothing. Maggie hated her.
“There’s a smile now,” Kate chuckled. “Come and sit again.” She led Maggie back to the bench. “I know you must have a thousand questions you want to ask me, so ask away. I shan’t prevaricate. I think too many people’s happiness depends upon it.”
Maggie was almost too embarrassed to ask questions, but she was burning with curiosity. “Well, how did it come about?”
Katesmiled, her eyes dreamy with memories. “Jason and Tony pursued me together. They made their intentions clear from the start. We had actually known one another for quite some time, but I was always one man’s mistress or another.” She stopped when Maggie gasped beside her.
Kate gave her an arch look. “Oh yes. Those rumors are true. You see, I was married once before, to a young captain who served with Jason and Tony. He died in the war, and before they could come home to claim me, I had accepted carte blanche from a high-ranking diplomat. They assumed that was the life I wished, as I had married young, and must now regret it. They were quite mistaken, of course. I’d only done it because I had bills to pay, and I was taking care of my niece Veronica. Better to work for my pay infrequently beneath some sweating pig than to be forced to take Very to the workhouse.”
Maggie was aghast. Never in her life had she considered
Similar Books
