An Experienced Mistress Read Free Page A

don’t you know. I think they feel themselves terribly unique,” Coventry added, with more good nature than sarcasm.
    The woman in white might very well be justified in thinking herself unique. As she carried on an animated conversation with her companion, Will couldn’t stop looking at her.
    “The redhead is some sort of cousin to Micajah Visser,” Coventry added.
    “Who?”
    “One of the artists. He is quite successful these days. She’s his mistress, too, I understand. Very sordid.”
    “Mmm.” Jack had already lost interest. “Is that Bolton coming toward us? He’s such an awful bore.”
    The woman in white disappeared into the back room again.
    “You two go on,” Will said. “I’m going to go in back for a moment.”
    Jack laughed loudly. “Yes, tell us if there’s anything worth looking at back there,” he said as he and Coventry melted into the crowd.
    Even as he made his way to the back, Will wondered what the Devil he was about. He could hardly expect to get a private word with the woman, and he had no business talking to some artist’s mistress. Still, he wanted a closer look at her.
    Will stepped into the open doorway, then paused as he heard an angry female voice.
    “How can you say that? You know I deserve more money!”
    Startled, Will looked up to discover that the small room, hung with paintings, was deserted except for the woman in white and a slouching man in a stained greatcoat.
    So this was the artist? The woman’s cousin—and her lover? Will drew back before he was seen.
    “Percy told me what you were paid for that last painting,” the woman said. “I know you can afford to give me more.”
    Will should leave. He had no right to listen to such a private conversation among strangers, but it fascinated him.
    “But you must know that you could never get more.” The artist grimaced, clearly as shameless as she was about their financial arrangement.
    “I should not be so sure of that, if I were you. Ida Keating earns twice what I do! I fancy that I could command that much myself, if I ended our arrangement.”
    As Will listened, he stared at the large painting facing him.
    A nude woman, shown from the waist up, her long flaxen hair only partially obscuring her breasts. One pale pink, life-like nipple poked out from among the tresses, looking erect and wet, as though it had been sucked. The woman gazed down with heavy-lidded eyes at the golden apple in her hand, like some irresistible Eve.
    Looking at this painting, and overhearing the immodest conversation, Will felt as though he’d stumbled into a different world.
    “Now, Genny,” the man soothed. He sounded a little worried by the woman’s threat to leave. “Don’t cut up so rough. This isn’t just a financial arrangement.”
    “Is it not?”
    “Of course not! You’re my cousin. Confound it all, we’re family.”
    Strange family. One might marry one’s cousin, of course, but taking one on as a kept mistress seemed a bit bizarre.
    “That doesn’t mean you can use me so ill. Think of all I’ve done for you. I gave you free lessons for a year, for Heaven’s sake!”
    Now Will was astonished. What sort of lessons did one get from one’s mistress?
    Well, he supposed he knew the answer to that.
    No doubt the woman was within her rights to demand more pay. A year’s worth of lessons in lovemaking from an enchanting creature such as herself, for free? Certainly the artist owed her a great deal.
    Just the fact that she provided enough lessons for a whole year staggered the wits. Will wasn’t sure that even his considerable imagination extended that far.
    She must be an expert in the art of love: a temptress of the highest order. When she entered the gallery, in her flowing white gown, she’d looked so innocent, so dreamy. Of course, that was part of her appeal.
    Will stared again at the painting of the lush, enraptured nude. After more than two years of pointless chastity, he’d enjoy some lessons himself.
    “I’m