Unedited Adult excerpt: THE MERRY WIDOW

"I heard he's hung like a horse.”

Phillipa Jones's violet eyes swung up from the stack of
missives in front of her to settle disapprovingly on her
office clerk. Despite celebrating her fourth year
anniversary at the job this past summer, Lucy never ceased
to amaze. Her brand of frankness was more suited to the
docklands than a place of business. "Miss Pemberton, I'm
sure that piece of information may be of interest to those
within your own set, but—”

“Pardon me, ma'am," Lucy said with dignity, "but it's not
just me set. It's the entire ton that knows it as well.
Why, just last week, I read in the Evening Marlborough
about him fuc—I mean having a dalliance with a certain
Italian duchess at the opera.”

Phillipa pursed her lips at the mention of the daily
newspaper, which had become popular for its weekly gossip
column, the “Ruffler of Victorian Feathers.” As if she
didn't have enough to worry about as a female business
owner. She also had to worry about her recent decision
being uncovered by the 'all knowing and all seeing' Lady
Cherbourg.

“O' course, they ain't mentioned his name for they never
do, but everyone knows who the honorable Viscount of Equine
is.”

“Viscount of Equine?” Phillipa's lips twitched in bridled
amusement.
“Yes, it's a reference to his cock. Like I said, hung like
a— ”

Lucy didn't finish, but her brassy curls bounced around her
face as she nodded in excitement.

Phillipa was not entirely unfamiliar with the male sex
organ, but she couldn't help the blush staining her cheeks.
Proper ladies just didn't speak so freely on such a
subject, not even in intimate circles. Once again, she
questioned her hiring of her young charge in order to her
provide her with a better opportunity than the one she
would have faced working on her back or eking out a
pittance as a washwoman.

“Despite Lord Bellomont's special attributes, Miss
Pemberton, I will not see him,” Phillipa replied
brusquely. “Furthermore, I know very well that this is his
third visit, but I am not interested and will never be
interested in anything he has to say. Harry and I built
this shipping company from one small frigate to the five
steam liners we have today all with the sweat off our
backs. And I will not see it lain to waste regardless of
the large purse he's offering. Now please go back out
there and tell his Lordship good day.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Lucy turned to do her bidding but came back
around, a queer look etched on her face. “Mrs. Jones, I
almost forgot. Your coach is ‘ere. Oscar arrived right
before the Viscount came calling.”

Phillipa looked up so suddenly her spectacles slipped down
her nose. “My coach? What time is it?” she asked, reaching
inside her jacket pocket.
“It's a quarter past three, ma'am.”

Phillipa confirmed the time on the silver pocket watch
Harry had given her thirteen years earlier, on her 25th
birthday. Despite its age, it still told accurate time.

Hell's bells! she groaned. She'd been so busy with making
sure the books would be closed by the end of the month
she'd almost forgotten what was happening tonight.

“While you tidy up your loose ends, I’ll get rid of ’is
Lordship.”

“Thank you, Lucy.” Phillipa snapped the watch closed, the
click resounded loudly in the quiet room. It was even more
quiet now because she no longer shared it with Harry. Yet
despite his passing and her subsequent taking over of the
business, her routine had not changed.

She always started work promptly at eight o’clock and she
never left her offices before six o'clock. Her driver
arriving three hours early was due to only one thing—this
was the evening of her first visit from Madame Valant's
stable of young gentlemen.

Rising from her desk, she walked over to the coat tree in
the corner and removed the black bonnet hanging from the
branch. As she tied the grosgrain ribbons under her chin,
her fingers shook with nervous excitement.
Ironically, she’d read about the Madame and her
notorious "stable of studs" in the Evening Malborough. The
prime attraction was that the Madame, or at least her
stable, made house calls, for Phillipa doubted that she
would have had the nerve to visit the infamous Pall Mall
and its stretch of gentleman's clubs.

Not really knowing what to expect, she had been surprised
by the middle-aged woman who floated into her home a month
ago. Petite of stature with pale blonde hair and strikingly
beautiful, Madame was a ray of light in the dark room.

“For now, all you want is a companion?” Madame Valant
regarded Phillipa closely over the rim of the delicate tea
service.

Phillipa took a deep breath and replied, “Yes. Although
Harry died over three years ago, I am not eager to enter
into the confines of a conventional marriage. I just want
the company of a man to brighten the halls of this home
again, even if it's just for a few hours,” she added
quietly, unable to meet the other woman's gaze. Instead,
she looked down at her dress and straightened her tartan
skirt for the hundredth time across the mahogany sofa.

“I truly understand, ma cherie. When my benefactor died, I
was surprised at how much I missed not only him, but his
very maleness, and the security and protection that his
mere presence provided. And perhaps one day you will feel
comfortable enough with one of mes garcons that you might
be willing to quench your baser needs.”

Phillipa opened her mouth to refute that prediction, but
Madame Valant leaned over and placed a creamy, heavily
bejeweled hand on her knee. “Tut, tut, cherie. You are a
woman in your prime. And one that I assume was well loved
and was used to the pleasures between a man and woman. If
you were not, you would never have called me. Sooner or
later, I hope you will indulge in my fine stock to satisfy
all your womanly needs.”

And tonight might be that night, Phillipa mused as her
coach ambled through the crowded streets of inner London.
Over the course of a few short weeks—while the Madame
searched for a suitable placement—her initial disquiet had
turned into one of anticipation.

Like a connoisseur of fine wine, Madame Valant had
supposedly chosen her bevy of male companions well. Not
only were they rumored to be handsome, but well educated as
well, many of them the bastard children of the nobility.

So even if her visits remained innocent in nature, such as
sharing the occasional evening meal, playing backgammon or
even discussing the evening papers, she had the option of
tasting from the Madame's stock if she was sorely tempted.
And considering her heightened eagerness for her
unconventional company, sooner might be now rather than
later.

Copyright © KOKO BROWN, 2009

All Rights Reserved, Red SagePublishing, Inc.