"A pity, really, for some of 'em are quite amusing," he said.
"You mean quite obscene."
"That's what's so amusing about 'em. Here, this place should do, I know the proprietor." He had the driver stop and led the way to a spot that was half shop, half open stall, lighted now by several lanterns. Every horizontal surface was covered with books and manuscripts of all size and description. It was just the sort of place to appeal to my own sense of the hunt, though in terms of knowledge, not for trophies or food. The time fled and so did a goodly quantity of coin from my purse. In a very short hour I had not only a stack of books containing plays suitable for a young lady to enjoy, but several volumes for my own amusement. The weather for the coming year promised to be vile, so I'd probably not be as inclined to fill the early morning hours with outdoor exercise as was my habit. Better to settle before a warm fire with a book when the time came than to brave the fury of the elements.
"I think you bought the store out," Oliver commented, eyeing my purchases.
"Not yet, but next time for sure. Good thing we have the carriage. All this would be a bit much for a sedan chair."
"It may be a bit much anyway. Where are we to sit?"
"I thought we could send the carriage home without us."
"Did you now? To what purpose, other than leaving us stranded?"
1 gestured slightly with my head in the direction of a nearby gaggle of trollops who where presently trying to attract business. Some of them were very fine looking, indeed. "Remember at the Three Brewers you suggested we treat ourselves to a real celebratory outing?''
"No, but it certainly sounds like something I'd suggest."
"I was still recovering from the ocean trip at the time, but I gave you my word that'
He raised a hand. "Say no more, Coz, I take your meaning exactly. Now that you've brought the subject to my attention, it seems to me that we've been denying ourselves a real sampling of the pleasures of life for far too long."
"Have you also a mind to do something about it?"
"More than a mind, though I think we can do a bit better than those ladies, excellent though they may be."
"The Red Swan?"
"Oh, better than that. Since we've been forced to delay celebrating your arrival, I propose we avail ourselves of a place with more sophisticated forms of diversion. What do you say to a few hours at Mandy Winkle's house?"
That surprised me. "I thought you didn't care for Turkish bathing."
"Indeed not. As a doctor I know that frequent indulgence in full bodily immersion in water can be very dangerous to one's health-however, this is in your honor, so we shall yield to your preferences this time. Besides, Mandy has added some dry rooms for her more sensible customers." He jutted his long chin out to clearly indicate himself to be a part of that select group.
"Say no more and lead on, then," I said, laughing. A night at Mandy Winkle's had ever been a favorite diversion during my student days. Not only did I share company with a delightful lady, but had soaked to my heart's content in hot scented water up to my chin. Though free running water had become a nuisance to me since my change, I had no trouble with the contained sort-especially if contained in a large tin tub with a near-naked woman standing dose by to scrub my back before proceeding on to other delights.
My heart did provide me a slight twinge of guilt for thinking of having sport with other women when the possibility of seeing Nora again loomed so near. However, she was not near at the moment, and they were. Having a positive horror of any form of jealousy amongst her gallants, she applied the same rules of conduct to herself, so when apart from her I'd ever been free to nourish my carnal appetites without incurring her disapproval. But I was sensible and sensitive enough not to speak of such little encounters as I had to her. That would have been extremely boorish.
Oliver instructed the driver to go home without us, that we'd find our own way back later. If the man held an opinion on the business he kept it to himself, but the footmen exchanged knowing grins with each other, indicating they were well aware of the nature of our plans.
"Rogues," Oliver commented to their backs as they trotted off with the carriage in their wake. "Heavens, but we should have given some message for Elizabeth so she wouldn't worry."
"She won't. She understands these things."
"Indeed? Doesn't that make her a rare jewel? Well, come along, then." He started off in what I first took to be the wrong direction.
"I thought Mandy's was back that way."
"Not anymore. One of her neighbors was a magistrate and getting too demanding for his bribe money. Mandy found it cheaper to move to new digs. Wait till you see the place."
He threaded his way across the square, down one street and up another, finally stopping before an unpretentious door. He knocked twice and was admitted by a half-grown black child. The boy was such as you might find serving in any genteel home, except for his clothes; he wore sweeping silk robes, had a curved sword thrust through his belt, and perched on his head was a purple and green striped turban trimmed with glass jewels.
Oliver greeted him. "Hallo, Kaseem. Very busy tonight?"
"Busy, but not too busy, sir," came the reply in a very London accent, giving lie to his having any possible eastern origin despite his exotic name. "We have room for you and your friend."
"More than a friend, my lad. This is my cousin from the American colonies, Mr. Barrett. If Mrs. Winkle does her job right tonight, you'll be seeing a lot more of him in the future. He's fond of bathing, y'see."
A flash of white teeth appeared in the boy's dark face, and he bowed, indicating the way with one hand while holding his turban in place with the other. Oliver led me down a short hall, and pushing aside a dark red brocaded curtain, ushered me into a most surprising room.
The war between the Turks and the Greeks had created a vogue for all things eastern in certain quarters, but I'd never seen so much of it gathered into one place before. My eye was so diverted by the mass of colors revealed by the light of dozens of candles that I honestly did not notice the girls at first. The floor was awash with layers of patterned rugs, low tables of intricately carved wood, and mountains of pillows, and it took a bit of concentration to finally pick out the lovely hour is reclining over them like so many flower petals. Once partially accustomed to the confusion, I spotted one beauty after another, each a sultan's dream, wrapped in bright wisps of scarves, some of the fabrics so light you could see right through to the charms of the lush flesh beneath.
The only prosaic element in the whole fantastic chamber was Mandy Winkle herself, who was dressed in the normal fashion, and a rather sober version of it. In the past, I'd learned that such conservative garb often served her well when dealing with the forces of morality. On those rare occasions when the law was compelled to take notice of her business, her habit of looking and behaving like any respectable, well-to-do matron was very advantageous. She swore that such affectation had ever kept her out of the stocks.
"Dr. Marling, isn't it?" she said, coming forward, all warm smiles.
"It is, Mandy dear," Oliver replied with a slight bow. "You remember my cousin, Mr. Barrett?"
"Of course I do. The girls still talk about 'the 'andsome infidel from 'Merica.' " She turned her warmth on me. "Where have you been keeping yourself, sir? It's been much too long since we've enjoyed your company."
"He's here to make up for it, I'm sure, so mind you to put forward someone with a hardy constitution."
"My little pets are very sturdy, else they'd not handle all the traveling they've done," she said with a perfectly straight face. Mandy Winkle maintained the illusion for her customers that all her girls had been liberated from the seraglios of various unnamed sultans. Since they knew no other skills than those required for the arts of lovemaking, they were more than happy to exercise that knowledge in order to earn honest living. Some of her customers believed the story, and for the rest of us it was an innocent enough fancy to carry forth.
&nb
sp; Mandy did have a fine eye for the exotic, and though none of her girls could have come from farther east than Dover, they yet looked as foreign as one could ask for. Instead of wigs powdered the usual white by rice powder, theirs were made by Mandy's orders to be black as jet. It was at first a shock to the eye, and then a compelling lure to all the rest of the senses, for the dark color made a striking contrast against their pale skin.
"They certainly look to be in excellent form," Oliver said, casting about him with an admiring gaze.
"I'm sure any one of them will be happy to prove themselves to you. Would you gentlemen prefer some refreshment for starters? We have tea or stronger if you like."
With this gentle prompting, Oliver tore his attention from the girls and settled the business side of things with Mandy. It was expensive compared to the Red Swan-guineas instead of shillings and lots of them. I protested, but he insisted.
"Think of it as a present to welcome you back to England, Coz."
"A Turkish hareem? Not terribly English, y'know."
He shrugged. "No matter, just so long as you feel welcome."
"No fear of that."
Several of the girls were eyeing me speculatively. Playacting, perhaps, but ably done and thus quite tempting. My previous experiences at Mandy's old location had ever been satisfactory, and it had not been nearly so well trimmed. This event promised to be even more memorable.
"You may recall that Mr. Barrett is fond of the full treatment," he said to Mandy. "I hope you have room for him."
"Him and all his cousins."
"Ah, no, not this time. I should prefer something a bit less aquatic for my own entertainment tonight, if you don't mind."
"Lord bless you, sir, if I minded anything you gentlemen did, I'd lose all my custom before you could turn 'round."
Mandy got things started with a quick double clap of her hands, and the girls came to their feet for inspection. Unfortunately for me, they all appeared to be equally tempting.
Perplexed for a choice, I appealed to Mandy. "I recall you had someone named Fatima the last time I was here. Might she still be around?''
Mandy was all sympathy. "She's busy with another gentleman, sir, but if you'd like to wait... ?"
Hardly, I thought to myself, shaking my head.
"If I might make a suggestion?"
"Suggest away, dear lady."
"Yasmin over there is enough like Fatima to be her sister."
To be truthful, I wouldn't know Fatima from Yasmin or vice versa, the former having been but a name dredged up from memory to help make a choice, but I promptly expressed my pleasure to become better acquainted with the celestial Yasmin. Mandy clapped her hands again and one of the girls swayed over to take my arm, smiling-as far as I could tell-through the folds of the nearly transparent veil she wore over the lower half of her face.
"Charming," I said, bowing slightly and patting her hand. "Yes, I think we shall get along just fine."
"If I might be so bold..." said Mandy.
I reluctantly paused. "Yes?"
"The specialty of the house has been paid for, sir, so if you would care to?E'
Shocked, I rounded on Oliver. "You didn't!"
He grinned and nodded. "Welcome back to England, Coz."
Mandy, reading this as a sign to proceed, called for another girl named Samar to come forward. Like Yasmin, the lower part of her face was concealed by a veil, and neither of them wore very much else, only a few scarves with some beads and bangles. Their eyes were thickly outlined in black paint; their eyelids dusted in a soft gold. The effect on me was not altogether different from the influence I used on others, the difference being that I was yet able to rule my actions somewhat. One of the things I could not rule was putting up any and all resistance to being led away by Yasmin and Samar to the inner areas of the house. The last thing I heard as we departed from the receiving room was Oliver calling after us, wishing me to have an excellent good time.
Given the circumstances I didn't see how I could possibly have anything else.
Giggling, the girls took me step by step down a wide hall. I had an impression of more eastern decor, but didn't pay all that much mind to it, not with these two squirming against me. Well-a-day, but I was already primed to make a conquest of them here and now. My body felt very alert and flushed with desire, and my corner teeth were out. I smiled with my lips sealed shut, not wanting to alarm my companions.
I eventually noticed the air becoming warmer and more moist as we progressed, a reminder of the other unique offerings of this particular house. That helped me shake off some of the combined spell these beauties had cast. I was here to loll about and enjoy myself for as long as it suited; it would be ridiculous to hurry things. From the sounds coming from behind some of the doors we passed I could tell some of the other customers might disagree with me. Their loss, I suppose.
I was ushered into a charming room, and Samar cautioned me against falling into the bath. No fear of that, I had to stop in my tracks and gape a bit. Mandy had gone to considerable effort to enforce her illusion of foreign elegance; I felt as though I'd been whisked halfway 'round the world in a blink.
No tin tub for the sultans in this palace-the bath was a great square pool set right in the floor. I'd read descriptions of those used by the Romans, and this seemed to be an accurate recreation of one. Small tiles, carefully placed in intricate patterns, lined the thing, spilling over the edge to cover the floor. Away to one side was a sort of couch, having a very broad sitting area and armrests, but no back. It was covered with shawls and cushions and looked just as inviting as the bath.
"Does the master wish some help undressing?" asked Yasmin.
Oh, but this girl knew her business. I answered that their help would be very welcome, and she and Samar set to work, leisurely removing my clothes. Each piece was carefully placed on a delicate-looking chair that was far enough from the bath to avoid being splashed. They worked their way down through my coat, waistcoat, neckcloth, and so forth, and, once stripped of everything but my growing feeling of well-being, took my arms to lead me into the bath.
Without removing her own insubstantial garments, Yasmin eased into the water first, drawing me after her. The pool was nearly a yard deep and provided with foot-wide steps along one side so that one might have a choice of depth in which to sit. Samar followed, descending into the pool like a swan. The loose scarves she wore spread out on the water, and once soaked through, flowed around her body like feathery seaweed. I thought of mermaids, and if such creatures bothered with clothing, then this would likely be the kind they'd bother about.
As the hot, scented water crept up my bare chest, I knew without a doubt that this bath was to be the second best thing I was going to feel tonight.
Yasmin continued to hold my arm, and Samar backed away to give her room.
"No need to be shy," I told her, drawing her close again.
"Does the wise master desire both of us at once?" Yasmin asked.
"Yes, but I doubt that would prove me to be very wise. But what do you think of making the attempt for a while and seeing what happens?"
"As the master wishes," they whispered in unison, closing in on me.
It was a difficult thing, but I just managed not to cry out for mercy.
CHAPTER
-7-
After an initial frenzied bout of shared kissing and fondling that overwhelmed my senses to the point where I hardly knew which girl was doing what, we paused more or less at the same time to collect ourselves.
"Does the master desire refreshment?" asked Samar, whispering in my left ear. Yasmin was busy putting her tongue into my right.
Oh, how did I desire just that, but not in the form they might be expecting. Still, I was polite and told them to refresh away. Samar clapped her hands twice, and immediately another young lady appeared from behind a brocaded curtain. Instead of a black wig, she wore a turban with a veil attached to conceal her lower face. She also affected a short satin coat with n
o sleeves or buttons that ended just above her trim waist, and draped around her hips was a length of thin silk that revealed far more than it hid. She carried a huge silver tray loaded with wine, goblets, fruits, and other edibles.
"Have you got any more like her hidden about the place?" I asked as she set the tray near the edge of the pool.
"We are your two most obedient servants tonight, but if the master should desire to have more companions..."
I knew my limits-at least for the present. "Very kind of you, I'm sure, but I think you'll both prove just fine for me to be starting with."
The serving maid giggled and bounced her way out.
P N Elrod - Barrett 4 - Dance of Death Page 16
