"Would I be talking to you now if I had?" Tess countered tartly.

Leah warned, "You both must swear to secrecy. Mother would give the maid the boot if she'd known

she'd talked about this. But the maid said, and I agree with her, that it's wrong to keep silent and then expect a girl to know what to do on her wedding night. Or why gentlemen want to get us off alone in a dark corner and fidget around."

"Yes, that's what we want to know," Anne said. "What is it that they try to do and why shouldn't we letthem? It must be something more than a kiss."Tess was still puzzled about the previous point. "I can't imagine any man having a stick in his breeches.

Wouldn't it show? Or be uncomfortable?"Leah made an impatient sound. "It isn't a stick all the time. It grows."Anne scrunched up her nose. "Grows?""Yes.""Then what is it most of the time?" Tess asked with a touch of exasperation."A pillow."Stunned, Tess and Anne glanced at each other and then burst out into laughter.Leah stood before them, her hands on hips. "If you are going to laugh, I won't go on.""We can't help it-" Tess protested."Please go on!" Anne begged. "But the image is so odd. You are telling me that men have sticks that are really pillows and these are in their breeches. How do they sit? And why is it all such a mystery?"

"Would you want someone to know you had a pillow in your breeches?" Tess couldn't resist, beforehooting in the most unladylike manner possible."It's not a pillow when it's important," Leah said. "And if you are going to mock me, I'm not going to tell you more."

She made as if to leave the room but Tess quickly ran after her and pulled her back. She sat Leah on thecouch between herself and Anne. "All right. Tell us all and I promise I won't make light of the matter."Leah frowned. "I doubt if you can keep that promise. You'd laugh at anything, Tess Hamlin. But before I tell you any more, you must pledge to do a small favor for me."

"What is it?" Tess asked.

"Never mind. Just agree or else I'll leave."

"All right, I will do a favor for you," Tess said simply, "that is, if it is within my power."

"It is," Leah a.s.sured her. "Very well now." She motioned them closer. "The pillow becomes a stick when

a man touches you. That's why men like to touch us so much and our mothers warn us not to let them.

Or encourage us to, if the man is rich enough," she added bitterly.

"Then what happens?" Anne demanded. "Certainly there is more."

"Once a man has formed his stick, he sleeps with a woman and she has a baby," Leah finished in a no-nonsense tone.

Tess digested all of this in skeptical silence. Neil and Stella had separate rooms but she knew that from time to time they slept together. And now Stella was going to have a baby.

"Is that it, then?" Anne asked. "There must be more! What do they do with the stick?"

Leah pulled a face. "I'm not certain. But the maid said that sometimes, it is the most terrible thing that can happen to a woman. And other times, if it is with the right man, his touch will make you go warm with pleasure."

Go warm with pleasure. Yes, that was how Tess would describe being kissed by the earl.

"And they like to touch your b.r.e.a.s.t.s," Leah informed them.

Anne sat back. "b.r.e.a.s.t.s? With their sticks?"

"Don't you know anything?" Leah said. "With their hands."

"What?" Anne said, offended. "Do they just slap their hands on them?" She looked down at her own

small b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

"Some do," Leah admitted, and then colored prettily at what she'd revealed. "Mother tells me there is noharm to it. She even says I must encourage them a bit." She glanced over at Tess.But Tess's mind was working on other things. "It's called 'copulation.'""What is?" Leah asked."What happens when you sleep with a man," Tess answered. "My governess Minnie left a copybook. It'

s like a journal where she wrote down poems and snippets of thought. I didn't understand most of it atfirst. Some of it is very radical. She had ideas that Father and Neil would never have agreed with.""What does it say about this copulation?" Anne asked.Tess searched her memory for the words. "Sweet, sweet copulation, I take my lover in to me.""That doesn't make any sense," Anne said."Poetry never does," Leah admitted candidly, "unless some man is writing about your smile."

"What does 'copulation' mean?" Anne demanded.At that moment, the door to the library opened and four gentlemen started into the room, one of themLord Ottley. The presence of the young women caught them up short. "Why, Miss Hamlin, I hope wearen't disturbing you and your friends?" His curiosity at their presence in his library was obvious.

Tess mumbled some excuse about needing a moment of solitude after the signora's brilliant performance as the three women slipped out the door.

"Do you think he overheard us?" Anne asked anxiously.

"I doubt it," Tess a.s.sured her.

They were about join the other guests when Leah reached out and pulled Tess back. "You go on, Anne.

Tess and I will be with you in a few moments."

Anne shot Tess an uncertain look but had no choice other than to leave them alone. Leah drew her back a few steps from the salon doorway. "Take this," she said, pulling a small, folded piece of paper from inside the palm of her glove.

"What is it?" Tess said.

"Never mind what it is," Leah answered. "Just see that it is delivered for me. You promised me a favor if I told you what I know about men and this is what you must do in return. This note must be sent to Captain Draycutt as soon as possible. He has quarters in Taverick Lane. And whatever you do, don't let

anyone know I gave it to you."

Tess slipped the folded paper under her glove. "I'll have one of my footmen deliver it, but before I do,you must tell me what it says."Leah's chin came up at an obstinate angle. "Better you don't know. But it must reach him tonight. Do you understand? Tonight."

"Leah, is this wise?"

The younger girl's gaze drifted to a point past Tess's shoulders for a long moment. "Lord Tiebauld's

sister talked to my father this afternoon," she answered, her voice carefully devoid of expression. "They argued over the marriage settlements. Father wants more. She will give it to him. It is only a matter of time before I, too, shall be a bride."

"Oh, Leah," Tess said in a horrified whisper. She placed her hands on Leah's shoulders. "He is such a

terrible man."

"Is he, Tess?" Her brown eyes met Tess's and Tess couldn't lie to her, not when she asked with such honest emotion.

"I've only heard whispers," she admitted."What do they say?"Tess didn't know if it wouldn't be kinder to keep silent."Please," Leah asked. "My mother tells me nothing and when Lord Tiebauld's sister calls she is unusually quiet."

"It's nothing really, only something I overheard Stella say." She looked over her shoulder to be sure thatno one was listening. "It is whispered that he is little more than a heathen."A shiver went through Leah. "Are you superst.i.tious, Tess?""I try not to be. Minnie always said superst.i.tion was a sign of ignorance.""Then I shall not be superst.i.tious. But I don't want to leave my fate up to my parents." She grasped Tess 's hand. "Deliver the note for me. I beg you."

"It shall be done."

"Thank you." With those words, Leah turned and walked into the salon.

Tess thought her incredibly brave. The folded note felt strange in the palm of her hand. She would see it

delivered immediately, but first she should go into the salon and make an appearance else Neil or Stella

thought something was amiss.

She walked toward the salon but caught sight of Brenn talking to a group of three men just inside the doorway. She stopped and, for a moment, studied him.

His broad-shouldered figure stood out from the other men and she couldn't help but think him the mosthandsome of the group. She let her gaze drop. Each of the men wore satin dress breeches. The materialleft very little to the imagination and Tess noticed that Brenn's pillow-because it certainly must be apillow right now and not a stick-was larger than the other men's.

Much larger.

The thought brought a frown to her forehead as she contemplated the possible significance of this discovery.

It was then she realized that the gentlemen had noticed her staring. They all turned to see where she was looking and ended up staring at Brenn's breeches.

There was a general discreet coughing and a row of hidden smiles.

Tess suddenly realized how brazen she must appear. She ducked her head and hurried off in the opposite direction.

Brenn didn't have any idea what Tess was up to, but he was certain something was working in that redheaded mind of hers.

"I say, Merton, was that Miss Hamlin ogling you gentlemen only a moment ago?" Deland G.o.dwin asked. The man had played a hand in Brenn's introduction to Tess, but Brenn did not trust him. He'd read the paper G.o.dwin published, and was not impressed.

The newly knighted scientist who had been boring Brenn and the others with a discussion of his latest theory answered G.o.dwin with a slightly embarra.s.sed laugh. "She must have been searching for Lord Merton. He's engaged to her, you know."

"Yes, I do know," G.o.dwin said. "I am the one who arranged an introduction. I did not realize at the time that my simple request would turn out as fortuitous for you as it did, my lord. Please accept my congratulations." He held out his hand.

Brenn shook G.o.dwin's hand. It was damp and lily-white. He forced a smile. "Yes, I am fortunate."

"I take it you and Hamlin have discussed the marriage settlements?" G.o.dwin drawled. "The financial amounts?"

If G.o.dwin thought Brenn was going to let him pry into his business, he was wrong. Brenn smiled, the expression pleasant but firm. "I am well pleased. Now, if you will excuse me?"

He turned on his heel and would have walked off except for G.o.dwin's saying, "I wasn't finished speaking, my lord."

Brenn took the full measure of the man and didn't like what he saw. He'd put up with enough pompous a.s.ses in the military. He didn't have to any longer.

"I am," he responded and left the group. If Deland G.o.dwin was the only enemy he'd made here in London, he could sleep at night.

Some of the guests had left but the salon was crowded. He scanned the gathered a.s.sembly, searching for Tess's flaming hair. She wasn't to be found. Not with the group gathered around the Italian warbler and not around the refreshment table.

Brenn wandered out of the salon. A long hallway ran toward the main hall. It was quiet compared to the noise he'd just left. Then he heard her voice. It came from one of the side rooms.

He started walking toward it, but stopped when he heard her say, "Harve, you must deliver this and not a word to anyone. Not even Mr. Hamlin."

Brenn took a cautious step forward until he could see around the corner. Tess stood with her back tohim. She was addressing a servant wearing the Hamlin livery.The servant pushed a note back toward his mistress. "Miss Tess, I don't know.""Please," she entreated, in a voice that would make a man do anything.It worked on Harve. He held out his gloved hand. "I don't feel right about it.""It's nothing terrible," she promised. "And remember, not a word to anyone. I can trust you on that, can'

t I, Harve?" She placed a gloved hand on his arm.His Adam's apple bobbed up and down a moment before he whispered, "Yes, miss.""Good," Tess cooed and then jolted Brenn by giving the footman Captain Draycutt's name and address.Fearing discovery, and having heard enough, Brenn turned and quickly walked back to the salon before she caught him spying. A few minutes later, she, too, joined the rest of the company.

Brenn watched her move easily around the room. She was so poised. So beautiful. She would be an excellent countess.

And a faithless one.