"Tell us everything and don't hold back." Caroline Francis curled, with legs pulled tight against her thin frame, on the chaise near the fireplace, while Lydia sat on the bed with Catharine.
Nothing was what it seemed. While she would have to deal with her father sacrificing his youngest daughter to Lord Frederick's hands, she didn't blame her sisters. "Frederick died while attempting to perform his husbandly duties. I already knew he'd planned to attend a club he frequented because he had a costume ready for the event. I also understood this club catered to unsavory characters and lewd and lascivious acts of a sexual nature. And I wanted to see for myself."
"Just like Mary."
Catharine knew that, among the four, Mary was considered to be the most promiscuous. She'd always been closest to Mary for that reason, but she'd never divulged the bent of her thoughts to any of her sisters.
"I'm like Mary and proud of it, except for the predicament thrust on me because of my curious nature. I brought my fantasies to life in a journal, which fell into the hands of my husband's nephew."
"Lady in a Box."
Catharine winced at Lydia's tone. "Yes, it's one of my renderings."
"Where is it? I want to see it," Caroline Francis insisted.
"It was never returned."
"Then be very specific about what we would find in 'Lady in a Box.'"
"The rendering was my naked likeness surrounded by four naked men at the same time. Two buried inside my lower openings, and my hands were on the cocks of the other two males. I drew four smaller pictures, surrounding the final rendering in the middle. Each showed what was happening individually with each man, so there could be no doubt what occurred to the lady inside the box of male bodies."
"What an imagination. No one would believe you possible of ... I don't believe anyone would be capable." Lydia face was red as she spoke.
Caroline Francis was the exact opposite as she clapped her hands in appreciation.
"Not only is it possible ... I performed the rendering that night with four men at a private club the same night my husband died."
"You didn't!" Lydia turned even redder. "How could you meet with these four men at the same time?"
Caroline Francis jumped from the chaise. "You fucked all four men?"
Fucked? Where had her sister picked up such language? "You might say that. I dressed Henry in Frederick's costume and went to Frederick's club to attend a masquerade. I knew it would be a debased gathering and I intended to--"
"And there is a baby coming?" Lydia spoke over her.
"All of the men wore masks that night. I never saw their faces, but only one could have given me a baby. The one who wore a jester mask and the same who has come to this room for the last week to..."
"So I was right--the baby isn't Fredericks. Whatever will you do?"
"What can I do?"
"The rake will marry you, of course. How can we determine which one?"
)
