Her unblinking eyes held his gaze as she guided him inside her. She was yielding, yet in charge, setting the rhythm, controlling him with her eyes, seeking something within him that made him feel jealousy in his want, and redoubled his desire. At the height of her orgasm she closed her eyes, and gave herself up to the helpless pleasure that comes in waves and ends in ripples. Derek came at the same time, and as the intensity of his surrender faded, his first thought was, She must realise I’m the one who gave her this. Not Thomas, me. She shifted her head so she could look at his face, and said, with less urgency than before, “The eyes—let me see. Let me see them.”
“You don’t need to find Thomas every second, do you?”
“No. I’m just curious to know that he’s there.”
“Is he?”
“I think so. Yes, I’m sure he is.”
They were both still breathing raggedly, warm and damp with a cleansing, cathartic sweat. He lay on his back so that she would have to look at him in profile, without the soul-piercing contact of the eyes.
“I hope he liked it,” Derek said. “I know I did.”
“I did too.”
“Maybe we should show him some more. I bet he’d like to see some tricks they didn’t get back in the day.”
“We already showed him how to put on a condom,” she smiled. “What else did you have in mind?”
“Oral pleasure.”
“Are you sure you’re only thinking of him?”
“Of course. Him, and you. I’ll do you first.”
She sat up on an elbow. “Eye contact would be tricky.”
“But not impossible.”
“I think I’d rather be on top next. I’d like him to suck on my breasts. You, I mean. You too. But first let’s rest a bit, let’s snuggle and you hold me. I think I’m feeling him, even through your skin. You have nice skin, Derek.”
43
Married life—all forty-eight hours of it—had profoundly changed Mabel. She was no longer a spinster, or a virgin, she was now fully a woman, and a wife. To her mind she had attained a status higher than Sylvanne, whose position in society was precarious, as a widow without protection of family. As Mabel bustled into her former Lady’s presence she resolved to hold her head high and seize the initiative. After an exchange of pleasantries she got straight to the point. “Madame,” she exclaimed, “I’ll speak plainly. My husband let slip a hurtful remark that quite rightly alarmed you. But within it lies a truth that’s been kept from you too long. Your Gerald was unfaithful. There, I’ve said it.”
Sylvanne felt as if the floor were cracking open beneath her feet. As calmly as she could, she asked, “How do you know that for certain?”
“Everyone knew it, my dear. The man wanted an heir, and you had failed to deliver, so he looked elsewhere.”
“Where, exactly? Don’t spare me particulars.”
“Alright, if I must.” Mabel began to itemize. “There were milkmaids, the kitchen help, any number of pretty girls plucked from farm lanes in the countryside—Oh Madame, the man was quite notorious.”
“To all but me, it seems. If you knew, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Oh my poor dear,” Mabel cried. “Don’t you know how many times I was tempted to tell you, especially here in our new circumstances, as you plotted revenge on his behalf? But I held my tongue, as a loyal maidservant should. Instead you discovered it inadvertently, by chance. My Gwynn has many fine qualities, but a discreet tongue is not among them.”
“I don’t believe you,” Sylvanne said softly.
“I think you do.”
“Not so many days ago you took orders from me.”
“Yes. And not so many years ago you sold me milk in the market. Now we’re as equals again, and I feel brave enough to speak the truth freely.”
The truth. Surrendering to it, Sylvanne felt her spirit break, and she began to cry. Mabel came to her and very tenderly embraced her. “There, there, my sweet Madame,” she cooed softly.
“Oh Mabel, what am I to do?”
“My dear, there is a silver lining, if you wish to see it,” Mabel gently suggested. “Take notice that your Gerald tried to make a child with so many other women, and yet always failed in it. What does that show us? That the fault lay with him, not you.”
”My mother said the same,” Sylvanne murmured. “That his family’s bloodline was feeble, while mine was chock full of fit and