Seduction

Sophy had liked both women on sight and it was a fortunate circumstance because Julian had more or less abandoned her to their company. Sophy had seen very little of her husband for the past week and nothing at all of him in her bedchamber. She was not quite certain what to make of that situation but she had been too busy, thanks to Fa

"Now then, Fa

Sophy looked at her hostesses. "Are these Memoirs actually written by a woman of the demimonde?"

"Not just any woman of that world but the woman of that world," Fa

"The first installment came out a week ago and we have all been eagerly awaiting the second," one of the other ladies a

"Makes an interesting change from the sort of thing we usually study and discuss on Wednesday afternoons, doesn't it?" Harriett observed blandly. "One can get a little tired of trying to muddle through those rather strange poems of Blake's and I must say there are times when it is difficult to tell the difference between Coleridge's literary visions and his opium visions."

"Let us get to the heart of the matter," Fa

A

"A royal Duke? This Miss Featherstone appears to have fancy tastes," Sophy observed, intrigued.

"That she does," Jane Morland, the dark-haired, serious-eyed young woman who was sitting next to Sophy, remarked. "Just imagine, as one of the Fashionable Impures, she's met people I could never even aspire to meet. She's mingled with men from the highest levels of Society."

"She's done a fair bit more than just mingle with them, if you ask me," Harriett murmured, adjusting her monocle.

"But where did she come from? Who is she?" Sophy demanded.

"I've heard she was nothing more than the illegitimate daughter of a common streetwalker," one of the older women observed with an air of amused disgust.

"No common streetwalker could have caught the attention of all of London the way Featherstone has," Jane a

Sophy nodded slowly. "Just think of all she must have been obliged to overcome in her life in order to have obtained her present position."

"I would imagine her present position is flat on her back," Fa

"But she must have cultivated a great deal of wit and style to attract so many influential lovers," Sophy pointed out.

"I'm sure she has," Jane Morland agreed. "It is quite interesting to note how certain people possessed only of flair and intelligence seem to be able to convince others of their social superiority. Take Brummell or Byron's friend, Scrope Davies, for example."

"I would imagine Miss Featherstone must be very beautiful to have become so successful in her, uh, chosen profession," A

"She's not actually a great beauty," Fa

The other women all glanced at her in surprise.

Fa

"Dear me, yes. Quite a sight."

"She was seated in the most incredible yellow curricle," Fa

"Then why are the gentlemen of the ton so taken with her?" Sophy asked.

"Gentlemen are very simple-minded creatures," Harriett explained serenely as she lifted a teacup to her lips. "Easily dazzled by novelty and the expectation of romantic adventure. I imagine the Grand Featherstone has a way of leading men to expect both from her."

"It would be interesting to know her secret methods for bringing men to their knees," a middle-aged matron in dove gray silk said with a sigh.

Fa

"True enough," Harriett agreed, pursing her lips. "No matter how infatuated with her he might be, no matter how many expensive necklaces he might bestow upon her, no nobleman in his right mind is going to propose marriage to a woman of the demimonde. Even if he forgot himself so far as to do so, his family would quickly quash the notion."

"You are right, Fa

A ripple of shock went through the small group. But Fa

"Do you know something?" Sophy continued impulsively, "I believe I should like to meet her."

Every other pair of eyes in the room swung toward her in startled disbelief.

"Meet her?" Jane exclaimed, looking both scandalized and fascinated. "You would like an introduction to a woman of that sort?"

A

"Hush, all three of you," one of the older woman snapped. "Introduce yourselves to a professional courtesan? Have you lost all sense of propriety? Of all the ridiculous notions."

Fa

"Do you think Julian has ever met her?" Sophy asked.

Fa

"Are you all right, dear?" Harriett asked with mild concern as Fa

"Yes, yes, fine, thank you, Harry." Fa

A

"Lord Ashford gave Featherstone a necklace worth five thousand pounds?" a horrified member of the group exclaimed at one point. "Just wait until his wife hears about that. I know for a fact that Lady Ashford has been forced to practice the most stringent economy for years. Ashford is forever telling her he ca

"He's telling her the truth. He probably ca