Juliana’s throat worked gently at that statement. She nodded. “Yes. For Anne, we must. And we will do exactly that once this wedding is over.” She lifted her chin, and there was the forced smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “But we do have something else to discuss before I send you out into the day to wed this man.”

Thomasina blinked in surprise at the change of subject, though she did feel better knowing Juliana wanted to pursue more information about their sister. “We do?”

“Yes, er—” Juliana flushed crimson and refused to meet her stare. “Er…the expectations of a wedding night. Since no one else is going to step up and offer any advice, I feel it falls to me as your older sister.”

“By four minutes,” Thomasina said with a smile. “And what advice can you give me, unless you have had lovers you never disclosed?”

Juliana’s furious blush deepened in answer to that question. “Of course not. But before we left London for Harcourt Heights, we…Anne and I…we…”

Juliana shifted with discomfort and Thomasina shook her head. “What?”

“We found a book,” Juliana said slowly. “Well, I found a book. And Anne found me with the book.”

“A book? What kind of book? Why wasn’t I invited to look at the book?” Thomasina asked, firing off one question after another.

Juliana shrugged. “You were at the museum with our cousins. And it was a very…a very naughty book. Anne was insistent about reading it from cover to cover. She said it might help her prepare for a wedding night.”

Thomasina stared, her jaw dropped open. “Great God, Juliana! And what did the book say?”

“Show, actually.” Juliana shifted. “There were illustrations. Very explicit. I should have brought it, as it is hidden in London, but Anne had already looked at it and I didn’t think I would be forced to have this talk with you for some time yet. Father would have to be appeased for a while with his earl. We would have had more time before he turned his machinations on you or me.”

“You are purple and you are rambling,” Thomasina interrupted. “So it must have been quite a book.”

She flashed to Jasper, his hand between her legs, his fingers doing magical things. Was that in the book?

“Yes. The women in the illustrations actually looked happier with their…situation than perhaps we were led to believe by our aunts and married cousins.” Juliana huffed out a breath. “But I can explain to you if you’d like.”

Thomasina bit her lip. “Er, no. I mean, I’d certainly be interested in seeing your book when we all go back to London, but I think I shall trust my husband to introduce me to…to the pleasures of our marital bed.”

Juliana tilted her head in surprise. “Oh. So you believe there will be pleasures?”

“I do,” Thomasina whispered with a smile. “He has…he has been nothing but gentle with me since our strange circumstances brought us to this day. And when he kisses me—”