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Violet rung her hands and paced the hotel room. Why hadn't she thought of this before? It was Sunday. She would be most assuredly missed at church. And where was she but on an over-night trip into the city with a vastly handsome man. What in the world would they say at church? Her reputation would be tarnished irrevocably.

Utterly and completely ashamed with herself she stopped in the middle of her pacing and pressed her hands to her stinging cheeks.

"Have I no shame?" she muttered desperately. "Shame is the only thing that keeps us from totally ruining civilization."

"Going away with Victor for his birthday is hardly going to ruin civilization!" her inner voice chided irritably.

If only she could believe it. Victor's birthday, that was the reason for the trip. There was nothing untoward about any of it so far. Although....last night in the carriage ride through Central park there had been a moment, at once exhilarating and frightening in which she was almost certain Victor had been on the verge of kissing her and she had wantonly wanted him to.

"Oh, for shame!" her inner voice shouted sarcastically. "You vile woman actually wanting to be kissed! You'd think you just killed someone."

Yes, perhaps she was being silly. Or maybe not. What would she tell Jolene when she asked her where she was? and Jolene would ask and if she got no answer she would come up with her own sordid explanation. What would Freddy say? Dear God! What if Sophie found out she went away with a man other than her father?

"That you finally are moving on with your life. Richard is dead. About time you started living again, don't you think?" the inner voice said.

"No, I don't," she retorted sternly. She idly went to the stack of gold boxes beside the bed. They were all printed with "Dominique's Chic Boutique" and contained her new wardrobe. How Victor had convinced her to take them all was beyond her.

She lifted the lid of the top box, pulled aside the tissue paper and gasped. She had not tried that on! She lifted the silky chemise and instantly loved it. She opened the next box and gasped again. More lacy unmentionables. Bras in a rainbow of colors stared back at her. Box after box she opened and all of them had roughly the same thing, teddies, stockings, camisoles and panties. All things Victor should not be buying for her.

"The ladies in the dress shop did think you were his concubine, remember? Or was it courtesan? " Violet's inner voice said brightly.

"Omigosh! Victor said it too. He must really think

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