Free The Pleasure Room by Vanessa Devereaux Page A

curiosity had been piqued even more. I fanned myself, knowing I blushed even thinking about such a thing.
    “I must pay a visit. Pray tell where is the club?” asked another woman.
    My ears perked up. I too needed to know.
    “25 Oak Tree Lane, Bayswater. Tap on the door three times and that will tell them the reason for your visit.”
    “Bayswater,” I said under my breath just as Anthony returned with a cup of punch.
    “What about Bayswater?” he asked, handing it to me.
    “I was thinking out loud that I should go to Bayswater one day to visit one of my aunts.”
    He sat. “Then perhaps I should accompany you to wherever it is in Bayswater you need to go.”
    I’d set myself up for this one. I did not have an aunt in Bayswater, and in fact, did not know a single soul there.
    “That will be most welcome, and I will tell you when I intend to travel there,” I said, hoping that would be the end of the matter.
    “Let us set a day right now. I could do with some time in London. Shall we say Thursday?”
    “Yes, yes, of course,” I said, thinking that would give me some time to think of an excuse to cancel our trip to the capital. “I was thinking of a masked ball for the end of the month.”
    I’d brought up the topic so as to have the perfect excuse to go shopping for my mask and have a man offer his opinion on a suitable one.
    “That’s a splendid idea. Would you be offended if we held it at my house? I’d like to show off the new gardens.”
    “I think that would be ideal. Perhaps you can help me select a suitable mask?”
    “Of course, and I hope you will offer your expertise on finding me one that fits my personality.”
    I sipped some of the punch and then answered. “I would be happy to.”
    “Shall I call upon you tomorrow and we can shop in town? I have other errands to attend to so it would be perfect. I will call just before noon.”
    He was right. It was perfect. Tomorrow I would have my mask and the following day I would travel to London. Hopefully, I would gain admittance to 25 Oak Tree Lane and then be chosen to visit the pleasure room.

Chapter Two
     
    I put the mask over my eyes and cheeks, already feeling adventurous. If Anthony knew the truth about what I planned, would he be shocked? Knowing him as I do, I expected he would be. And that was the very reason he could never know.
    I turned and peeped through the tiny holes that had been cut for the eyes, spying on Anthony as he scanned the masks in front of him. His dark hair curled over the top of his morning coat. He, as my husband had, possessed the most thick and beautiful head of hair. A little wavy and ideal to run one’s fingers through. I scolded myself for even thinking of such a thing.
    He picked out a mask with a gold trim around its border, placed it on his face, turned and looked directly at me as if he knew I’d been spying on him the whole time.
    “Is that you, Lucinda?” he asked, stepping toward me. “I hardly recognized you.”
    “Lucinda who?” I asked. He had a wonderful sense of humor, and that was another reason I loved being in his company.
    “You look so much like her. The hair and curvaceous body.”
    So he had noticed my body.
    “What do you think?” he asked, pointing to his mask.
    “I like it, but I think you need to go bolder.”
    “Really?” he asked, glancing at himself in the mirror on the wall.
    “I do. Now what about me?”
    “I think you too could do better.”
    He walked to the shelf housing the women’s masks. He rubbed his chin while perusing them.
    “Let me see. That one is a possible choice,” he said, pointing to pink one. “No, no, this is the one.” He pulled down a red mask with black lace trim. “Here try this one.”
    I took the mask off and replaced it with the one Anthony had chosen. I had to admit I did suddenly feel more erotic, like a gypsy queen.
    “Now that is better. It’s very naughty-looking,” he whispered close to my ear. Once again I smelled his spicy