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His large dark eyes sparked with a light of something. Curiosity? Humor? For the first time on meeting a customer, she felt a stirring within her.

No wonder. What a glorious man. On closer inspection, she understood that some of his features—a large mouth, slightly crooked nose, circles under the dark eyes—might be considered flaws. . . The whole effect of his appearance caused her body to prickle with the same joyful attraction she’d felt long ago for the curate in her village.

Pure pleasant excitement.

Only now she knew too well what men and women did and she knew he’d pay to do just that with her. Yet instead of feeling that strange distant sensation or revulsion, her two most common responses, she grew dizzy with something new. It took a minute for her to realize the heavy sensation and her quickening breath was anticipation. She imagined him undressed and her stomach gave a tiny flip and an aching heaviness began to throb within her.

He hadn’t even touched her.

A hint of panic cut through her. Charity must keep apart once his hands reached for her. Cherry would take charge, though at the moment she felt too rattled to take on that confident persona.

She dragged her attention back to Madame, who had adopted her ‘customer manners’. The older woman gave a high-pitched imitation of a governess with the faintest trace of a false French accent. “My dear, the gentleman only wants to ask you a few questions about your interests.”

“No,” she whispered to Madame. “I do beg your pardon, but I-I—”

Madame’s dark brows knit. “I don’t think we have asked for too much from you.” A veiled threat. And no wonder. Cherry balked at standard house requests such as threesomes. She remained too shy, even after several weeks of employment.

“I understand.” She made a last attempt. “Madame, you have been very generous. I can’t explain.” She risked a glance across the room at the customer. He watched her, amused. Charity stumbled back into speech. “That is, I don’t wish to offend, but I am not at all sure I have anything of interest to say—”

The customer interrupted. “Thank you, Madame Suzette. I’ll take it from here. That’ll be all.” His drawl marked him as a foreigner. American, perhaps?

Madame winked at Cherry and blew the man a kiss. She closed the door quietly behind her.

He grinned at Cherry. “Did I do that right? Or should I have been more groveling, you suppose?”

She smiled, choosing not to play to his bantering manner. Lord, she hoped to get this one done fast. With a shrug and wiggle, she allowed her wrapper to fall to the ground. She wore only an elaborate lacy corset over short, gauzy pantaloons.

He gave her nearly exposed body an appreciative inspection, but as she walked to him, he held up a hand, palm out. “I hope you don’t mind, but might we talk first?”

Her smile remained plastered to her face, even as her mind raced. Damn him, Charity, behind the tattered curtain of Cherry, cursed silently. Blast him to the devil! She wished she could think of stronger obscenities but could not, another consequence of her genteel upbringing. She felt jarred, and as violated as if she’d never done this before.