“Ladies, if you would come and inspect?” invited the midwife to the noblewomen huddled by the door. Janet gave out a little scream and struggled to sit up. The ladies in the corner turned and my heart thumped in horror. If Janet revealed herself in her panic we would be entirely undone.

“My lady, your modesty will be preserved,” I said, leaning over to hide her face from the onlookers, digging my fingers into her shoulders as hard as I dared without making her scream louder. “It is nearly over,” I said kindly, glaring at her in warning through the thick veil. Janet slowly sank back and I breathed again.

Hesitantly, none of them wanting to reveal even a suspicion of eagerness, the noble ladies shuffled to the end of the bed. The candle was held close again and the midwife held the lips open. Janet groaned.

“If you feel about a finger’s length within, you will notice a closing, which shows that no man has ever entered this passage. Lady Carew, would you care to confirm what I have felt?”

“Oh no!” said the good lady, horrified at the thought. She would not be known as the lady with a finger in the Countess of Essex. The midwife looked at the other ladies but all three shook their heads.

“Very well, I will do my best to show you.” The midwife pressed her finger down on the entrance, causing the legs to stiffen again. “I am sorry, my lady, forgive me.” The noble ladies made the briefest and most feeble attempt to peer into the passage, the midwife announced herself satisfied, and the group withdrew.

I helped Janet off the bed, raising her veil to find the girl’s face flushed and sodden with tears.

“Hush, child, hush. You did well and the Countess and your family will be proud of you. A little prodding like that is good practice for when you will be married. Indeed, you’ll be lucky if you get it so gently then.” The girl cringed and I left her to compose herself while I helped Frankie out of the linen press. The necklace was swapped back and Janet sat on a stool in a corner. Frankie did not look at the crying girl.

I hurried into the parlor.

“I am sorry to have kept you. The Countess is distressed,” I told them. The ladies looked drained themselves and even the midwives seemed nervous.

“I shall be able to report back to the Commission that the Countess of Essex is fit for carnal copulation and still a virgin,” proclaimed Lady Carew. “On this we are all agreed.” Within a few moments the women had retrieved their cloaks and were gone.

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