Here's the next chapter.  I hope you enjoy it!  Please VOTE and COMMENT!  I would really appreciate it!!!

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S xo

Chapter Four

Day after the sex party……..

“Come in” replied Stephen looking up to see who was knocking on his door.

“Lucas…..you are up early this morning.    I saw you lead an enchanting woman off to one of my chambers.   I would have thought that you would have been taking it easy this morning” chuckled Stephen.

“Who was she Stephen?   I know it’s against your rules, but I want to see your list of the women invited to the party” asked Lucas.

“Lucas….you know that I cannot reveal to you who is on my guest list, please don’t ask me to do so.   I guarantee secrecy to the woman, leaving it up to them if they get involved with someone, to reveal themselves.     I take it you have no clue who the woman was you were with last night?”

“No, I haven’t a clue who she was, but all I know is that she had never attended any one of your parties before.   Can you tell me if you invited someone new?”

“ No, I did not.  I only invited the usual and that’s about all I’m going to tell you Lucas.  I’m sure from that you can figure out who the “usual” is.”

 “Come……join me in a cup of coffee Lucas.   I haven’t eaten yet this morning”.

“Neither have I Stephen, I woke up and rode straight here”.     

Chuckling, Stephen replied……..”So what is with this woman that you want to know so badly who she is?    You do realize that she was at one of my “sex” parties, that she’s probably a board-line whore”.

“There was just something about her Stephen.   She spoke softly, she had this aura of innocence, I can’t quite put my finger on it, but she was intoxicating.    I would love to see her again, perhaps even make her my mistress.    She was costumed as Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love.   That's about as much as I know about her".

“ I can assure you Lucas that the women that come to my party, if they showed any kind of innocence, it was all an act.    If by chance one of them does come to me, asking perhaps about the man that she spent time with and wanting to know who he was, I will inform you”.

“Good….thanks  Stephen”

“Milady……milady…..are you ill”   asked Annie, Clarissa’s lady’s maid.   “It is almost noon and you are still abed.   Do I need to call physician?”

“Annie…I’m not ill, just tired” blushed Clarissa thinking about what she did last night.    It was the most amazing night of her life.    Sex with her husband was nothing compared to the intimacy’s she share with the gentleman last night.    Her husband never afforded her any pleasure in the few times that they made love.   

“Annie…….please have a bath run for me and then I’ll take my lunch in the sitting room” asked Clarissa.

“As you wish milady” replied Annie.

Lying in her bath, her vanilla scented bath oils surrounding her, Clarissa was still so overcome with her boldness last night.    Live a little is what her friends told her and last night she did.    They made love twice and once she knew that he slept, she crept quietly out of the bed, changed, donned her mask and snuck out of Stephen’s home by the service entrance.   That is how she got into the party without being noticed.    If Stephen ever found out that she attended his party, he would be livid with her.

“Milady……….sorry to interrupt your bath, but Lady Sarah has arrived with the children.   She apologized for the short notice for her visit.  Shall I tell her that you will receive her after your bath?  asked Annie.

“Yes, a visit with my sister-in-law would be lovely.  Perhaps you can ask cook to prepare something special and we can all dine together with the children.    Please inform Lady Sarah that I will be out in about a half hour.   Thank you Annie”

“Auntie Clarissa, Auntie Clarissa……look at me” shouted James.      I watched my brother’s second child, he looks just like my brother, riding atop of the horse.  The oldest, Alfred, is a good mix of Sarah and Mark, but James is all Mark.   My niece, Elizabeth is all her Mother.   Blond curls and blue eyes.  Actually, all of the children have blue eyes, but James is the only one with darker hair like my brother and I.

“James…..you get bolder and bolder the more I see you.    Please be safe atop of the horse.”   I motioned to one of my grooms to keep an eye on him and he nodded at my silent command.

“Sarah……I’m so happy to see you and the children.   Will you be staying in London for a while? I didn’t even know that you were all coming.”

“I’m not sure how long we’ll be staying, I don’t think for very long.   It was a last minute decision.  You know how I do not like to attend parties and balls.   As soon as it was known that I had come to London, I’ve been flooded with invitations.     I just not ready to go out into society yet.”

“Sarah……I know that you loved Mark, but it’s been two years.    You need to get out more, spend time with adults.  You are a widow and you have a level of freedom now that does not require that you have a chaperone with you at all times.   In three days time,  Stephen and I are attending a ball, why don’t you come with us?    I know that Stephen would love to see you and the children.  I will have to send him off a note letting him know that you are in London.    Please say yes Sarah, it’s just one night.”

“I don’t have a gown to wear, I haven’t been to a seamstress in so long, I’m sure that all of my gowns are now out of date.  Three days is not enough time to have a new gown made.”

“Well since I have plenty of gowns, some that I have not even worn yet and you are my size, I will give you one of mine.   It’s settled then Sarah, you will come out with Stephen and I.   Let’s finish our lunch and I’ll show you some gowns.  I’m sure that Annie can alter one if need be, the girl is a godsend with a needle.”

“Clarissa…..what has gotten into you?    You are so happy, your face, you are glowing.   The last time I saw you, you were somber still, not even knowing if you wanted to come to London for the season.”

“Perhaps I am glowing, I’m enjoying myself Sarah.   I’m helping Stephen out, attending parties, I’m just so glad to be out of mourning.   I think that London is good for me.”

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