Poor Molly, I feel so sorry for her. Sir Rupert is a cad and Florence is no friend. In fact I get the feeling she is about to be cast aside and left to drift. I almost think she would be better off following Jesse and becoming a chorus girl. At least that opportunity may be open to her, thanks to Florence introducing them.

As always, I just love all your detail. Sir Rupert’s amorous advances were written with startling clarity. You always make things so visceral.

Florence sounds to me like she is going to get a paddling. I love it! Lol
After all, Lord Hunter-Fox seems determined to have her and I am sure once he does, he will teach her some manners. It makes me all giggly just to think about. :D

I think this story is wonderful Shez! I am so happy you are continuing it! I promise I will be faithful reviewer, always! :D

Author's Response: Thank goodness - I'm so grateful for your loyalty; I always know I can count on you for a word of support :).rnrnFlorence is going to run into a whole lot of trouble with the uptight Lord - and I mean a LOT, lol!rnrnAnd you're sadly right about Molly - really she has no true friends - but she will have cause to be grateful for meeting Jessie and her friends. (Let you into a secret - all three of the girls have happy endings - but I can't comment on the men...)

I love the Victorian era, show an ankle and the men go wild. I guess there were women who were suitable to be wives and women who were fun/entertaining to be with. Perhaps Florence is just realizing this.

;).

Author's Response: Lol, that was meant to be my response to Scary B's review. *sigh*, Will I ever be techno-literate?

I love this story Shez. All your characters are so perfectly drawn.

Florence is so naïve, I think she is going to get into a lot of trouble. But since she is rather snobby and prim, I do believe I will enjoy her comeuppance. That is, as long as you don’t take her down the Edith Wharton path where she is completely ruined. I absolutely love Edith Wharton, she is one of my favorite authors of all time. I can’t read her books though without getting depressed and extremely angry. I do believe Edith was one pissed off woman. You are a much more sunny writer then her though, so I am much relieved. :D

I worry about Molly too. I know in that time period it was so frowned upon to try to get above your station in life. Yet Molly is so hopeful and filled with dreams, I feel rather sad that her ambitions will most likely be crushed. I get the feeling though, she wouldn’t hesitate to sell out Florence if she had too. She is a bit of a mercenary at heart.

Now Jesse is rather the most enigmatic of the three women. I am not exactly sure what her motives are. Yet I do feel she has some feelings for Florence and is not out to harm her. I’m not quite sure where she stands yet though. Now I am assuming she has a ménage a trios going on between Vyvyan and Alex, so I am definitely looking forward to the next chapter.

Lovely writing as always! Just keep it up Shez. I think you are weaving a fascinating tale of sex, power and intrigue. :D

Author's Response: I love Edith Wharton, but yes, she does tend to evoke a sombre mood. Florence will get into a lot of trouble - but without going too far down the road to ruin. Indeed, most of it will be the kind of trouble I quite like...if you catch my drift.

So now we get to meet Molly, the beautiful maid. I love how you have introduced the three main characters. With all your rich description and your fascinating array of characters, I feel like I am settling down for a wonderful Victorian romp. I truly believe you could publish this, so I am thrilled that you are deciding to share it with us instead.

Now as for the character of Molly, it seems she instinctively knows which way her toast is buttered on, and I have no doubt that she will become the Master’s bed warmer. Of course, how this will all work out, I have no clue, but I am convinced you have a complex and satisfying plot lined up for us. I’m so impressed that you are going to weave all of these different stories together. I am certainly nowhere near comfortable enough to tackle anything this complicated myself. So kudos to you for going for it! I am very impressed.

Please keep up the excellent work!


PS. I am glad you liked the movie “Camille Claudel.” To be honest, that movie haunted me. Especially since if looked like it was pretty much true to life and they didn’t tamper with history too much. I always felt like Claudel gave Rodin her love and her ‘breath of inspiration.’ So that after their affair was over, she could never get it back. I think it was one of the things that drove her insane. Of course how insane she was, is really quite questionable. Didn’t men just lock up difficult women back in those days? It’s very sad.

Oh my gosh Shez! You have just creeped me out big time and I have only read the first section. I was expecting one of your usual decedent tales, but I just realized you started this story on a grim note. Polly in the beginning is Polly Nichols isn’t she? You wouldn’t believe the cold chill that just ran up my spine. I want to say, “Run…get the hell out of there!”

Now we move to Florence and Jesse. Florence has certainly lived a sheltered life and I get the feeling that Jesse is going to be a bad influence. How funny! I would have liked to see the paintings. Lol

When Molly was helping Florence with her corset I was reminded of something I read by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Laura said her mom suggested she sleep in her corset, so that way she could get used to it, but Laura didn’t want to. She thought they were so horribly uncomfortable, she bemoaned the fact that she just couldn't wear it all the time. Can you imagine? Here they were pioneering woman, farming the land and they still insisted wearing those uncomfortable things. It’s crazy.

Now we get to meet the insufferable Lord Hunter-Fox. Lol
Why do I get the feeling he has his sights set on Florence? Florence’s family life sounds dreadfully stultifying. Of course that just goes with the Victorian period. After all, Edith Wharton described that society as being so repressed you just want to scream. I think Edith felt that way too. Her books reflect her anger.

Anyway, this is wonderful as always. I love all your rich details and your dialog is perfect. I had to laugh at, “You should mind her, Sir, mind her well. She has a dangerous independence of thought.” It so marvelously patronizing, you just want to deck him.

This looks like it is going to be an excellent story. Thank you for sharing it with us!