* * *

“It was a most perfect luncheon, and I thank you again for inviting me.”

The young lady of Abrams bowed, covering her mouth slightly with her handkerchief. Her words were genuine. The room, decorated with white seymour flowers, was as beautiful as if spring had come back from the dead. The half-open windows and white curtains fluttered in the breeze, and the marble floor, table, and plushly cushioned chairs were all ivory. It was nowhere near the opulence of the Countess of Lester’s new boudoir, but it was a lovely room to entertain the young ladies.

The food was also wonderful, especially the veal roulade with roasted asparagus. The table was cleared as soon as the cleared plates were pushed away, and after several rounds of food had been served, the maids pushed in a trolley full of sweet treats. Lady Benzley let out a moan of admiration as she pushed a large slice of tart into her mouth.

“Mmm, mmm, mmm. This chocolate tart, this flavor, I’ve missed it so much.”

“I heard you liked it, Lady, so I placed a special order with Dietrich’s, I hope you like it.”

“Very much, because I’ve been completely banned from it lately because of my weight control.”

The Lady Benzley smiled, her plump cheeks flushed in a pleasing way. Belviana smiled back and filled her empty teacup with strong black tea. With a satisfying meal and teatime, the mood of the luncheon was set. The ladies of the great aristocratic families, strictly trained to never sit with their backs to the chair, relaxed and enjoyed the moment. Heavy saddams and soft laughter filled the not-so-high ceiling. It was time for Belviana to relax and lean back.

“Yesterday in the banquet hall.”

It was Liliette who spoke up, setting her teacup down on the saucer.

“Did any of you see anything strange?”

Ladies who had been leaning loosely on her words, straightened their backs at the unexpected remark. The gossip of the social circles was a topic most young ladies her age couldn’t get enough of. Even if it was coming from Liliette, who had been ignoring it, starting a story like this was bound to pique curiosity. With her lips pursed, Lady Kadrieger replied in a grudging tone.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Many strict families have become lax with the onset of war. It’s said that if their eyes meet, they would even allow a night on the terrace or in the garden of the banquet hall. I was wondering if there might be someone who witnessed such an interesting scene at yesterday’s banquet.”

Belviana nearly spit out the tea she was gracefully sipping. She barely managed to swallow what was in her mouth and pressed her trembling lips to her handkerchief. Her breathing and pulse were racing. If anyone had seen her, she must have looked embarrassing, but thankfully, no one seemed to notice. Most of them were too busy swallowing their horror with a choking look on their faces. The table froze in an instant. On the subject of the outburst, Liliette gracefully cut a slice of cake and slid it onto a plate, adding.

“There were so many handsome unmarried young men yesterday, we should at least share which ones have fallen out of our sphere of influence. Rummage through our memories.”

Pushing past the frozen faces, Lady Abrams set down her teacup and shot back coldly.

“A young man and woman would not spend the night without an engagement, even in the most indulgent of capital city social circles.”

“That’s right. The words of Lady Lilliet might apply to noblewomen who already have children. Those who have fulfilled their duty to bear offspring sometimes enjoy banquets in such a manner, but for unmarried maidens like us, we can’t even dream of such a thing. It’s something we dare not even think about.”

“I’m told that even such ladies take their birth control pills regularly, because if they give birth to a child in the presence of a mistress, even if it’s really their husband’s child, they’ll be branded as a disgrace.”

“I’m afraid you don’t know the social circles, Lady Aubrange.”

It was Lady Kadrieger who was the one who was openly sarcastic. There was no one in the room who didn’t know that her fiancé had been chasing Liliette’s tail last night, and even if Kadrieger was the Kadrieger of the great capital, the person bearing that name at this event was a mere commoner who hadn’t even received a title. Considering that Liliette would be granted the title of Lady of Lester within a few years, the words of the Kadrieger were overly aggressive.

The expressions on the faces of the stakes-sensitive young ladies stiffened. Belviana coughed loudly and kicked her old friend Adela’s leg under the table. Adela, who had been watching from the sidelines as if amused, shrugged and interjected.

“Oh, it’s nothing of the sort; certainly the capital’s social circles have loosened up lately; you’d be surprised to hear how messy the capital’s young ladies and young gentlemen get before marriage. Why, there was even a raucous affair recently.”

“Oh, I remember, the second young lady of Count Ilyenov, who had a child before marriage.”

Lady Benzley waited. A gasp of curiosity and surprise passed across the table. Forgetting that they had been frozen, their fans once more began to flutter as industriously as butterfly wings. The conversation quickly turned to the poor young lady’s story.

“Luckily, her fiancé says it’s his child, so they’re getting married this fall.”

“That would have been a huge stain on the family’s honor, even if it was her fiancé’s child, in a lady’s body.”

“Is it really the child of that nobleman?”

“I don’t know, but from the rumors I’ve heard, it’s…….”

Rumors, rumors, rumors. Belviana set her teacup down, suppressing the urge to scowl. Ironically, just a few weeks ago, it had been gossip like this that she’d been the first to get worked up about. From the flirty romances to the backstabbing, backwards rumors, it was all in her ears and mouth. But now she was sick of it all. The faces of the young ladies had already become hard masks. The conversation turned to more intimate matters. The Lady of Benzley, who was engaged to be married this fall, blushed and said shyly.

“I heard it hurts like that when you first accept a man…….”

“It’s said that men can’t do it when it hurts until the end.”

A choked chuckle drifted across the table at a lady’s defiance.

“I guess it takes a lot of experience to do that, and it’s not easy for a man to do it for the first time.”

“Then, do you ladies prefer a future husband who is experienced and savvy, or one who is new to this and gradually becomes skilled?”

“I would rather prefer someone who is skilled.”

“Me too, it must be as good as it sounds in the novels, right?”

The young ladies without fiancés added their own words, shyly but boldly. Belviana felt Adela kick her leg and unfurled her fan to cover half her face. She must have made a very bad face given that Adela kicked her under the table. At the words of girls who knew nothing about about such things, memories of yesterday came flooding back.

The hot breath on the nape of her neck, the hands on her naked back, the sensation of being pushed down tight, the pent-up sexuality……. How many women had Aiden taken before he’d gotten so good at it? The thought of giving her first to a worn and tattered man made even the food she’d eaten so well rise up her throat again. Her fingertips pressed hard against her weakly quivering hand.

“I’d rather someone who’s inexperienced.”

Liliette’s voice was husky, and the obvious possessiveness and obsession in it made the women at the table turn to look at her. Unfazed by the stares, Liliette finished her teacup.

“I’d rather him inexperienced than to think the man I love embraced another woman, even if it’s just for practice, and if I’m not going to have him, I’d rather no one have him.”

“…….”

“I tend to be a bit greedy.”