Ian sat at the small table eating the broiled codfish and butter squash. Across from him were the very naked Teresa and Tracy, along with a sweaty Edward. Their meal had been prepared prior to the staff leaving and kept warm in the oven until needed. Ian ordered Tracy to serve it, one hour after the start of their session.

“I think you two should do something for our friend here,” Ian began, glancing at Edward who mopped the moisture off his brow.

Ian had removed his breeches completely after cumming over Teresa’s breasts, so the heat of the room wasn’t affecting him or the girls as much as it was the older man. He was still in his heavy woolen suit, complete with tie and shoes.

“That won’t be necessary,” Edward smiled. “I just need some air. I’ll return in a moment and then we can continue the second part of our experiment.”

Ian watched Edward stand and walk out of the room. He could hear the old man coughing as he walked down the hall, and again he frowned.

“May I ask you something, Captain?” Teresa asked, bringing Ian’s thoughts back to the room.

“Certainly,” he replied, reaching for his glass of wine.

“Edward is going to take us back to Westerly with him. He has purchased a schooner to carry the furnishings he purchased for the bordello, but there isn’t going to be much room for passengers. Would you consider taking us with you? From what we’ve been told, Westerly is an amazing island. Warm, tropical, beautiful waters. It would make for a wonderful spot for your crew to relax.”

“It sounds like an adventurous journey, but I am not running a passenger ship,” Ian clarified. “I have a ship of nearly two hundred men. Given a few weeks at sea, with two beautiful women - albeit women of specialty - I cannot guarantee your safety, much less my own for hiding you from them.”

“You wouldn’t have to hide us,” Tracy added quickly. “Edward has recruited twenty girls for his home in Westerly. We will all be going with him. If we were to go with your crew, we could use them for our training.”

“You would be willing to be fucked hours a day, every day, by more men than you could have in a year, just for a trip to a new whorehouse?” Ian frowned. The idea did have merit, but it was insane never the less.

“We would have to establish shifts, and the rules would have to be followed, but I think it would work,” Teresa answered. “We need the practice. We need to hone our skills and training before we get to Westerly. Why not use your crew? It would benefit them as well as us.”

“I doubt I would get much work out of them if you came along.”

“If you set the rules and the shifts, they would obey you. Nobody wants to cross swords with Bloody John.”

Ian thought about it for a moment. It seemed like it might work. The men would appreciate women on a long voyage, but what would that do to the command structure, not to mention the food supply. Twenty extra mouths - twenty-one with Edward - would mean having to find sleeping space for them, increasing the stores, the water, the security, and what about the ships they ran across in the open waters? What was to prevent them from attacking, just to get their hands onto the women?”

“We’ll have the schooner with us,” Teresa said, reading the man’s expression. “We can supply it with extra food and water. Edward has hired a crew to sail her, and with the shared experiences of the women, as well as two pirate ships flying your colors, there won’t be another vessel that will cross us.”

“Particularly two ships that belong to Bloody John,” Tracy added.

“I need to think about this,” Ian answered, standing to pace to the window.

He looked out to see Edward sitting on a bench near the side of the house. He was still coughing, though it didn’t seem as rough as it had been inside. His mind returned to the previous subject. He was growing fond of Edward, and he knew he was eager to go home to his island and his daughter, and the idea was appealing.

They would not just have the women for the long cruise, but the added cannons, the extra food, and water, the increased manpower. It was all a very tempting prospect. Perhaps with a little persuasion, he would be able to convince his crew to accept the proposal. The hard one to sell would be Red. He was still very British at heart, even though that heart had been crusted over by years of piracy.

Ian arrived back on the Iron-Fist just before sunset, content, invigorated, and excited to tell Red, Salty, and Roach about his experience, as well as the idea presented to him. Before he left Edward, he told him he would have an answer that night whether his crew would make the trip with him. He knew Edward’s desire to have the girls - all twenty of them - trained to perfection before they arrived on the island. He also knew that having the Iron-Fist to guard his schooner, would increase the chances of successfully making the trip in one piece.

Roach met Ian as he boarded the ship and smiled at the gratified expression on his Captain’s face. The men who had remained on board for their shifts chuckled at their commander’s relaxed demeanor.

“You look rather tranquil, Ian,” Roach said as he walked his friend to his cabin. “I take it, you had a pleasant afternoon?”

“More than words will ever express,” Ian smiled back. “Where’s Red?”

“He and Salty went to town a bit early,” Roach answered. “There isn’t much in the way of whores tonight. People are talking about that king of yours hiring them for his island.”

“I know all about that,” Ian answered. “That’s what I wanted to talk with you and the others about. It has been suggested that we escort our friend to his island, along with a schooner he purchased. He has furnishings for a bordello he built in Westerly. With our aid, he will make it there in one trip.”

“But I thought he wanted to take the women with him?” Roach added as the two sat at Ian’s table.

The captain pulled out a bottle of whiskey from the sideboard and two glasses and began to pour the drinks.

“He does, twenty of them to be exact. In exchange for the escort, Edward will supply extra food, water, and the women for our use. He has a specific set of instructions that have to be met and carried out with the women, but they need experience and he has agreed to allow our men to be their assistants.”

“It sounds like an idea I’d be interested in, but the hard sell is going to be Red. You know how he feels about women aboard a vessel. He thinks they are bad luck. Having twenty of them on board is going to drive him insane.”

“But you are in agreement with me?” Ian asked. He had to have his old friends on his side when he confronted his Quartermaster.

“You bet I am. I would love the idea of being at sea with a crew of sexy, naked whores at my disposal.”

“Well, that’s one,” Ian said contently as he downed his drink. “I promised Edward an answer tonight. When did Red and Salty say they’d be back?”

“They shouldn’t be long. They left about an hour or so before you got back, and as I said, there aren’t many whores left in town.”

Ian nodded his head silently and leaned his chair back on its legs. He knew if he worded it right, he’d have Red agreeing before he even realized what he’d done. He could also pull rank and order the man to go along with his idea, but it would be a very long trip, with a lot of stress between Captain and First Officer. That wouldn’t help in easing an already unusual situation, even if the whores could keep everyone’s nerves under control.

Roach had been correct in his estimation of when the others would return to the ship. Edward had hired so many whores, that those who were left to fill the required duties, were tired and extremely sore. There were less than fifty women left in the entire town capable and experienced in pleasing a man. Those women left behind were either older or had families they were trying to support. They were struggling to take on the many ships and crewmen who visited the brothels night after night.

Ian and Roach continued talking about the day until the others returned to the ship. Salty was informed that the captain had returned and was in his cabin. He was eager to learn what had transpired that day and hurried along to speak with their friend.

Salty knocked on the door then pushed it open, walking into the dimly lit room. Ian smiled and pulled out two additional glasses for his friends and frowned when Red didn’t come into the room.

“Where’s Red?” he asked.

“He left the pub half an hour before I did,” Salty said. “I assumed he’d be here.”

Before they had the chance to raise an alarm, a knock sounded at the door. It pushed open slowly and Red walked in, smiling at the small group of men. He looked calm and relaxed, though there was something hiding behind his steady gaze.

Ian looked at the two men as they joined him and Roach at the table. Salty looked tired and slightly inebriated, while Red was his usual refined self. He was dressed in a clean shirt and breeches, his hair slightly tossed and the thick shadow of a beard across his chin. He smiled as they joined the others at the table, accepting the drinks Ian passed them.

The captain relayed his experiences to all four of his friends. After nearly an hour of listening, laughing, moaning, and shifting awkwardly in their chairs, the story had ended. Ian started to mention the suggestion of having Edward and the women join them when Red stood up and paced his way to the window. The others fell into silence, watching the older man who stood by the open windows. It wasn’t like him to be this solemn and quiet, especially after a night of whoring.

“The town is desperate for women,” Red commented as he stared out at the lights from the town twinkling in the distance. “Your friend has taken a good number of them away, with the promise of a better life on the island.”

“Yes, I know,” Ian said with a frown.

“Does the old man have any idea how he plans on getting a ship of whores across the ocean safely?”

“I was told of one idea,” Ian answered and drew a breath to continue.

“I have an idea as well,” Red said and then turned to stare at the small group. “They’ll never make it alone. They will need an escort. A ship and a crew strong enough to see to their protection. Might I suggest, Captain, that we provide the manpower to see them to Westerly? You said you wanted to go to the Caribbean. This is not that much different. Westerly is a tropical island and it will have twenty new, beautiful, and well-trained women to add to the allure.”

“You’d be willing to provide protection and escort to a ship full of women?” Ian asked skeptically. “Aren’t you the one who thinks women are bad luck on a ship?”

“Aye, but he will never make it on his own, and once the news of his departure filters through the ships, there will be a half-dozen vessels moving in to attack. What crew wouldn’t want a ship full of whores to ravage and pillage? If they sail under our flag and under our guard, the would-be thieves will think twice before approaching his vessel.”

“It will take about eight weeks to get there,” Ian told him.

“He was the purchaser of the schooner we sold a few days ago,” Salty said and for the first time, Ian made the connection.

“He already has a crew, but they aren’t as experienced as we are,” Ian added, glancing at the clock on the sideboard.

He had to send word to Edward within the hour to prevent him from leaving port without them.

“If you still want to sail at first tide, we had better get them ready to go,” Roach added as he stood from the table.

“We’ll need to send word to the king and let him know what the plan is,” Ian said.

“I’ll let the crew know what’s happening and get them ready to pull out,” Salty said as he too stood up.

“Are you sure about this?” Ian asked Red before leaving his cabin, causing the other two to pause and turn to listen.

“Aye,” Red said simply.

Ian nodded and left the cabin with the others. Slowly, Red turned and glanced out the windows again, listening to his friends on the pier beyond the ship, where he had stood a short time before. He watched Ian stroll off in the direction of the livery stables and listened to the men on deck begin to speak about the whores. Their voices echoed through the night like thunder.

Red breathed in the crisp night air, then reached for the window that had been left open earlier that day. He had heard everything Ian told Roach, and he knew how excited his young friend was to take the king up on his offer. It had been many long years since Ian had been this excited about anything, and he couldn’t find it in his heart to disappoint him. He would have to put his superstition aside and support Ian’s decision to go to Westerly and to have the whores onboard the Iron-Fist.

He just hoped his Captain knew what he was getting himself into. Red could only imagine what was happening on the island at that very moment. He wondered if they were going to arrive in time to partake in a battle between the immoral and the righteous, or if the islanders would even accept their king home.

Angelique walked among her guests smiling politely, nodding, and laughing when appropriate. The sun was high in the sky. The scent of tropical flowers filled the air with the rich, relaxing aroma of the island. A soft breeze caressed her cheeks as she accepted the fruity drink from the formally dressed servant, and she briefly closed her eyes. She loved the feel of the ocean’s spray against her face. It reminded her of the last time she’d seen her father.

It was on a day like this when King Edward took his young daughter of eleven to the seaside for an outing. They played in the surf, swam in the crystal-clear waters, and took a small fishing boat out beyond the coral reef. They picnicked at the beach and talked until the sun had set over the horizon. It was a wonderful, happy day, but like the other two times she had seen him, it was over too quickly. He was gone to explore another corner of the world on his quest to discover the perfect sexual encounter.

“Lovely party, Your Highness,” said an elderly island lady as Angelique opened her eyes.

The woman was a descendant of the original inhabitants of Westerly, and a well thought of woman. She had a long thick grey and black braid that hung down her back to her hips. The length of it had been entwined with vines of purple Clematis flowers, while a wreath of pink, blue, and violet blossoms decorated the top of her head like a crown. She wore a long strapless tunic dress of white cotton, while brightly colored flower leis hung around her neck - as did everyone at the gathering.

“Thank you, Madam Mariah,” Angelique answered with a shy smile. “I am very happy you were able to attend today. I heard you had been ill recently.”

“It’s nothing to worry about, my dear. We harvested over three hundred acres of pineapples this season. I suppose it was too much sun and not enough fun.”

“Well, that’s definitely not something we’re lacking, on Westerly,” Angelique smiled cheerfully. “Sunshine, warm air, and happiness are abundant on our island.”

“Speaking of happiness,” Mariah said as the two began walking to the outer edges of the crowd of guests. “What is this about that home your father built? Is it really going to be a whorehouse?”

“That’s what I’ve been told,” Angelique answered shyly.

“You know, I am not a supporter of his plans,” Mariah continued. “However, once you consider the theory behind his idea, it is a sound one.”

“How is that?” Angelique asked with a frown.

Angelique sat down on a stone bench with her guest as they spoke. She had been surprised when the island didn’t break out into a war over the king’s plans, but to hear that his ideas were sound, was beyond anything she could imagine.

“Two of my daughters were sexually assaulted over the past three years,” Mariah said sadly. “Mallalla became pregnant from it, and she was only fourteen. I am not certain if it was a blessing that the pregnancy did not make it to birth or not, but if your father’s plans work, our daughters will be safe to walk the streets alone again.”

“I suppose, if you put it like that, perhaps he does have a point. I just worry that this sort of place could cause disruption among our people.”

“That is a concern,” Mariah agreed with a smile. “But I don’t think it will be as bad as we assume. My husband has spoken of how that home may help prevent adultery and incest. There will be a new place for men to explore their desires and needs, instead of the beds of neighbors.”

“Perhaps,” Angelique answered thoughtfully. “I just hope the rest of Westerly agrees with you.”

“Those I have spoken with do. Many are anxious to see what it will be like. I know a few of us women will appreciate the break.” Mariah laughed a warm, maternal sound that seemed to lighten the grief and fear in Angelique’s heart.

“I have to admit, I’m worried about that type of woman being here, and there are going to be twenty of them if my father has his way.”

“A woman is a woman,” Mariah said. “Whether she spends her life baking for a man, or bedding him, she is no different than the next. Perhaps we all need to think of them as women, not whores.”

“How do you think the younger men will feel about a bordello being available to their…needs?”

“If it keeps them out of the beds of island girls, then they will be eager to explore it. The same thoughts are with a great deal of men. There are those who think it’s a bad idea. They plan to protest the king, demanding he removes the women before they set foot on Westerly. The majority of people are willing to give them a chance, though.”

“Are you?” Angelique asked.

“Yes, I think I am,” Mariah answered. “I will, however, reserve my opinion until I see how it unfolds. Perhaps in time we will all be surprised, whether it is good or not is a subject yet to be learned.”

“Thank you for talking with me about this, Madam Mariah,” she said, hugging the older woman who had once been her teacher for island dancing. “It’s good to hear the people aren’t planning a civil war.”

“Nothing of the sort,” Mariah said, hugging her in return. “Our people trust you, and if you were to support your father’s ideas, then we will support you. I’m not sure how the people will react to having the king back, but to us, you are our true ruler. If there is to be a war, it will be caused by those who want you as our queen, and those who want to keep Edward as our king.”

“I’m not very eager to take over just yet. In truth, I am going to enjoy the break.”

“Perhaps you should consider finding a man and settling down,” Mariah suggested as they walked back to the party.

“I don’t know if I’m ready for that,” Angelique laughed. “What kind of man would want to be the son-in-law to a king who has searched the world over for the perfect way to have sex?”

“Everyone,” Mariah laughed. “They are all in hopes of learning a new trick or two.”

Angelique kicked her shoes off and fell back against her thick, cotton stuffed mattress. It had been a very long, very hot Founder’s Day celebration, but it had been the most relaxing event she had participated in, in a very long time. Thanks to Madam Mariah, she had been able to unwind and enjoy the festivities in a way she hadn’t been able to before.

The party had been a huge success with more food than she had seen in a year. People danced in the streets to the music of the island, while laughter echoed through the air all day. Even now, there were celebrations that continued across the island, in all the regions. Drink was made available in abundant supply, with a variety of island wines and juices from every corner of Westerly. Those who participated in them found their taste a delight to explore.

Pigs, lambs, and cattle were roasted over open fire pits, while fruits and vegetables were skewered and cooked to perfection. Cakes, pies, and sweets in a hundred different varieties were made available and eaten with glee. Teams of ships sailed the ocean offering those who wished a trip off land, a chance to fish the deep waters, swim with the dolphins, or snorkel in the blue waters.

Angelique pulled herself up off the bed and slowly began to undress. She had spent a very pleasant couple of hours in the company of James Holladay, the son of the oldest member of the Elders. They had danced to the music, sampled the tastes of the islands, and walked the shore of the eastern straight. For the first time in her life, she had spent a day in the company of a handsome man, who made her laugh and smile.

Perhaps Mariah was right, she thought as she pulled her silky nightgown across her slender frame. Perhaps it was time to think of settling down. After all, she was young, and many had whispered about her beauty for years. Surely, there was a man somewhere out there that would make her happy and treat her with the love she desired.

She pulled the covers back on the bed and climbed between the cool sheets. As she blew the lamp out, she thought of her father once again. She closed her eyes and whispered her usual prayer for his quick return and safety, then lay staring at the ceiling. She wondered, for the millionth time since getting his letter about his plans, what life on Westerly would be like when he returned. She knew nothing of sex or physical love, other than the time she accidentally saw the Coachman and her maid in the stables.

If sex was filled with deep desire, as they had made it seem, then perhaps having a relationship with a man wouldn’t be as bad as she had always thought. Her thoughts shifted back to James Holladay as she considered marriage. Was he the sort of man she would want to spend her nights with, not to mention her life? He was handsome, true enough, with his long brown hair and matching eyes, but he was thinner than the men she was used to seeing around the palace. He was the son of an Elder, the son of an Earl. His life was filled with leisure and freedom from work. Did she really want that in a husband?

The night grew on and Angelique found her eyes growing heavy. She continued to think of James as she drifted into a peaceful slumber. She began dreaming of her father and wondered what he would expect of her when he returned. She imagined walking down the aisle of the church toward a tall handsome man who awaited her. She found her heart pounding wildly within her chest as she neared him, feeling the heat of love surround her like the embrace of a lover.

As she neared the preacher, a young man stepped forward. His long blonde hair had been tied back with a leather strap, his blue eyes were the color of the island’s water. His smile was filled with love and admiration as he reached forward to take her hand. He was strong, muscular. His touch gentle. Next to his side was strapped a pirate’s sword with a golden and jeweled hilt. Around his waist a sash of blood-red satin. She smiled up at him when he took a step closer to her. His thumb slid tenderly down her cheek, then he leaned into her.

“Angelique,” he whispered in a deep, husky voice, tainted with a British intonation. “You are mine and I will never allow another to touch you.”

As their lips met, the heat of desire filled her soul and she awoke with a start. She sat up in her bed, her heart pounding wildly. The man she dreamt of was the most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes on, and yet she had never met anyone like him before. He was seductive, powerful, strong, and desirable. As she sat there trying to compose her racing heart, she realized that she had fallen asleep thinking of James, and awoke thinking of…who?

The man looked like a gentleman, a nobleman, yet he wore the sword of a pirate. His mannerism was one of passion and possessiveness, and she found herself wanting to know more about him.

Slowly, she lay back against her pillow again and stared at the dark, ornately decorated ceiling. The swirls of vines embossed the white plaster in a pattern she had grown familiar with, but she didn’t really acknowledge it. Her mind was consumed with the image of the blonde man and his beautiful blue eyes.

Her heart ached, and she found herself wanting to know him, to feel his touch and taste his kiss. Eventually, sleep took over and she closed her eyes again. Another prayer silently twisted her lips. She wanted her handsome dream lover to come to her, and she felt the sorrow of not knowing him. She longed to be held in his arms, to have his hands caress her body. She needed to be loved, and she needed this strange gentleman-pirate to be the one to rescue her heart from the years of lonely bondage.

Angelique drifted back into a quiet, happy slumber, a smile pulled at her lips. She knew in her heart, that she would never be happy unless she could find…. him. Her dreams returned to the handsome blonde man. He held her in his arms, comforting and caressing her delicate body. His hands were warm against her flesh and she moaned in her sleep when his lips explored her neck. With meticulous fingers, he undressed her then lay her back against the sand of a deserted beach. She lay naked beneath his touch. His mouth explored hers, his hands touching her in places she had never felt another’s caress.

Angelique began to pant softly in her sleep when his hand moved between her legs, his mouth traveling to her full round breast. She could feel the warm, moist heat burning against his fingers. He caressed her private secrets, gently breaking through the tight barrier that she had saved all these years for him. She gasped, wrapping her fingers in his long blonde hair. Her back arched toward him as she climaxed against his touch and she called out his name.

“Ian…”

Ian stood at the helm as the ship broke through the waves. He loved this feeling. The salt spray of the ocean against his face, the wind blowing through his long hair, the sun tainting the flesh of his exposed torso and arms to a golden brown. This was the life he had dreamt of as a child, the life he would forever relish. The ocean was his home, and he felt certain he would never again feel comfortable living on land.

The shouts of men echoed through the morning air and Ian looked out across the deck. They had been at sea for nearly two months, and so far, all had gone well. The women had been divided between the two ships and sleeping quarters had been made in the crew’s quarters for them.

Next to Ian’s private quarters was a small room that had been set up as the women’s room for rehearsing their sexual depravity. A woman would take a man into the room and practice her techniques for an hour at a time. Edward knew if all the men were to have a turn with the women, they had to shorten their time from three hours to one, but occasionally he would relent and allow more time.

The sounds of women moaning, and men’s deep growls echoed through the ship day and night. It took only two nights at sea for Ian to declare the evening sessions had to be moved to the brig. He hadn’t slept in forty-eight hours and was angry, sleep-deprived, and the crew suffered his wrath. Since then, a routine had fallen across the ships. Four shifts had been set up with five women working each shift.

Edward had insisted the women must remain in perfect physical condition to keep up with their roles of trainer and whore. He made certain they ate three meals a day, drank no more than two alcoholic beverages in a twenty-four-hour period, slept eight hours a night - or day, depending on their rotating shift schedule, and devised a strict exercise program for them.

They were taken on deck every morning in either their shifts, or completely nude - whichever was easier for them to move in - where they performed one hundred push-ups, another hundred sit-ups, and a variety of stretches to strengthen their legs, backs, arms, and necks.

He made the girls run or jog the length of the deck twenty times every day, then run the stairs up to the helm and down to the lower decks ten times. Within a few days, the women were stronger, their muscles no longer ached from the many male partners, and they were sleeping better. After a week, many of the men began to workout with the girls, and before long the deck was filled with grunts and pants of exercising bodies.

A tub was set up and changed after every shift but used for the many sessions of sexual encounters. The crew was happy and healthy, and all seemed content. They had come across only a handful of ships over the weeks they had been at sea, but once the sight of Bloody John’s flag was spotted, the other ships altered course and avoided crossing their paths.

Ian stared at Red who was walking the deck, inspecting the work of the crew. He was a slave driver, keeping the men’s minds on their jobs of attending to the ship’s needs before their own. Ian knew his friend didn’t like the idea of the women being aboard, but he enjoyed their profession just as the rest of the crew did. As time passed, Red seemed to relax his heavy hand and moved at a calmer rate and pace.

Once a week, the two ships would pull close together and crewmen and whores were exchanged in order to keep the men intertwined with each other, and the women’s skills proficient with the different types of men. Edward seemed to be enjoying all the research and participated in the activities occasionally.

As the trip progressed, Edward’s cough seemed to be getting worse with the sea air, and he appeared weaker than normal. He developed a fever the night before last and spent many long hours sleeping. Ian knew there was something seriously wrong with the man’s health and he had finally decided it was time to find out how bad it really was.

Ian sat at his table, tipped back on the chair legs, sipping on his glass of whiskey. Edward had been invited to his cabin for lunch and arrived on time as instructed. He told the women, and crew for that matter, a man of honor and worth never kept an appointment waiting and once his word was given, he never broke it. Red felt certain that was why Ian and the king got on so well - both had the same set of morals.

The door to his cabin opened and Edward stepped in followed by a crewman who had brought up their tray of food. He sat across from Ian and accepted the glass of whiskey handed to him.

“I have to admit Edward, this entire trip has been an experience I will never forget,” Ian said as he took an empty plate and loaded it with pieces of the swordfish caught that morning, baked potato, and bread roll.

“I am very pleased that it has worked out so well,” Edward said as he removed his cloth handkerchief from his pocket and began a long event of hacking into it.

“The women are getting plenty of experience,” Ian said a few minutes later after the king had replaced the cloth into his pocket and picked up a fork.

“Indeed, they are,” Edward answered. “I believe they will be very well trained by the time we reach land.”

“Exactly what are your plans on getting them settled?”

“I have instructed my daughter to have the home built, and knowing Angelique, it was accomplished within days of her receipt of my letter. A smaller home is to be built next to the bordello where the women will be housed until they decide if they wish to remain on Westerly or not. If they choose to stay, they can remain at the boarding house, or they can work toward purchasing a home or land of their own.”

“I have to admit, Edward, this tipping idea of yours is unique and amazing.”

“I devised it in China when I realized that the money I was giving the girls for their participation was being confiscated by the Madam of the home. They worked very hard for a few coins, and even though the house had been paid for their services, they deserved something for their selves. The Madam would search the girls after coming out of a room with a man. If there was any money on them, it was taken, and the girls never saw any of it.”

“Who would have imagined using a woman’s pussy as a coin purse?” Ian commented with a hearty laugh.

“It is the perfect hiding place, and one that is not checked by the whore’s owner,” Edward answered with a brilliant smile that seemed to light up his entire face. “The hard part was finding a way to keep the coins inside. That’s when I realized that cotton, or a sponge, would be the perfect device. Not only are they good for contraception, but they make a great bottle stopper.”

“It also makes for an interesting experience for the man.”

“Quite so,” Edward said as he stuffed a large piece of fish into his mouth.

“What made you decide on cleansing the body and teeth before having sex?” Ian asked, remembering the list of questions he had written weeks ago, and never got around to asking.

“Men don’t like a woman with odors,” Edward answered. “Women, too, don’t like a man who smells. I, personally, do not like to bed a wench who has another man’s semen on them, or in them. Plus, by making the woman clean her portal prior to participation, it ensures that they are clean, and the sponge used will be fresh and clear for protection.

“I discovered during my travels through Asia, that a woman is bathed in scented oils before they are taken to their husbands on their wedding nights. Men have a ritual, as well, of being cleansed prior to the consummation of their marriages. The Egyptians have always been fanatics about cleanliness throughout history. They have used salt to cleanse their teeth for centuries to promote healthy smiles. Mint water is a perfect rinse for any occasion to remove bad breath.”

“And the shaving idea, where did that come from?”

“I spent some time in Italy and after a particularly interesting encounter with a very lovely maiden, I discovered I was infected with crabs.”

Ian exploded in a loud bout of laughter at the expression on the man’s face and his honest reply.

“Don’t laugh,” Edward scolded with a smile. “I itched for weeks before I learned what was happening to me. There is nothing worse than putting vinegar on your dick to get rid of bugs.”

“I’m sorry,” Ian said in a gasp as he tried to control his humor. He wiped his eyes and reached for his glass, taking a long drink to help calm his humor. “I had a reaction to a woman’s cologne once, a few years ago, so I understand what you went through. I thought I had a disease as well until I finally had the courage to let Red look at me. A little salve and I healed quickly, but it was embarrassing and frightening. That’s when I stopped bedding just any woman and started taking the ones who were just reporting to work.”

“That was the final excuse I needed to ask you to participate in my experiments,” Edward commented, loosening his tie, then wiped the beads of sweat from his brow. “Anyway, I learned that if a woman is hairless, like the Egyptian women of ancient times, then there is no need to worry when it comes to bugs. Plus, it makes their skin sensitive to touch.”

“Why did you decide to do all of this?” Ian asked a few moments later as he set his empty plate aside and refilled the glasses. “Why were you so insistent on researching the perfect sexual encounter?”

“It is a personal reason,” Edward answered setting his empty plate aside and lifting his glass.

“So personal that you felt it outweighed the need to watch your child grow up?”

Edward’s hand paused as the rim of the glass touched his bottom lip. He thought for a long moment before completing his actions and taking a drink. He sat the glass back to the table and answered, yes, then wiped his mouth on a napkin.

“I went into this whole thing with blind faith - and a lot of nervous tension - but I found your instructions intriguing and precise. I think you owe me at least an explanation of why you were compelled to spend twenty years searching for the perfect sexual encounter,” Ian insisted.

Edward sat silently at the table for several long moments and Ian thought he wasn’t going to answer until he drew a deep breath and stood up from his chair.

“It’s because of my wife,” he answered in a quiet voice then walked to the row of windows that looked out onto the open sea.

“Maria’s parents arrived by ship to Westerly, like most everyone who wasn’t original to the island. Her mother and father had met by accident and his family was furious when he married her. She was from a small village in Italy, and he was from Spain. Because of their family’s objections, they ran away to sea.

“Maria was born on Westerly weeks after they settled. She was so beautiful, with long dark hair and the most incredible violet eyes I had ever seen. She was mesmerizing, and I fell in love before I had a chance to think. We were married shortly after we met, but once our honeymoon ended, my travels around Westerly began. Maria was very young, just sixteen when we married, and I was ten years her senior. I knew she expected more than I could give her as a man, but I had my duties to my country. I didn’t know how to please her. I made love to her for my own pleasure, not for the sake of love itself.” Edward drew a deep breath to steady his hidden demons.

“We were married two years before Angelique was born,” he continued after a few deep breaths. “I thought we were happy. She seemed content and she loved our daughter so much. She was a good mother and a devoted wife - or so I thought. I was always busy with my duties. I had to travel to all the regions of Westerly, and my travels took me away for days at a time. I tried to come home as often as I could, and I tried to pay attention to my duties as a husband as much as a king.

“I arrived home earlier than anticipated and I was so eager to surprise Maria with news that I wouldn’t have to leave again for four months. Angelique was six months old, just learning to crawl, laughing, and babbling like all babies do at that age. I went into the palace and found the nanny with my daughter. I played with her for a short while then went to find her mother.

“I found her in the arms of another man. I was horrified, angry. I threatened to divorce her, which would have been the first divorce ever in Westerly. I threatened to have her lover excommunicated from the church and hung, not just for adultery, but betrayal with the queen. He left Westerly the next day and was never seen again. He left Maria alone to face my wrath and the ramifications of her humiliation.

“She was forced to face her disgrace from every citizen she saw. The staff was horrid to her, her own parents rejected her, and I refused to speak with her. It was too much for her to bear. She was torn between her shame and her love for me and Angelique. But her embarrassment was more powerful than her love.

“Maria’s body was discovered two weeks after I found her in bed with her lover. She had taken her life by throwing herself off the Cliff of Tranquility. She left me and our baby alone. I turned my grief inward and took the blame of her death onto myself. She felt it necessary to betray me with another man because I did not satisfy her in bed. I’m not sure that he did any better, but he had the time to spend with her, where I didn’t.

“I began to investigate sex by questioning everyone I knew, and I learned that all of the men I spoke with had never brought their wives to orgasm. Hell, they were like I was, they had no idea a woman could experience such a feeling. The women were under the impression that the only reaction they were supposed to have to sex was conception and childbirth. A lot of the men I knew were having affairs, and their wives assumed it was a natural process of marriage. Incest is very common in Westerly, as is adultery, and even rape. I didn’t want that for any of my people, and I feared for Angelique. I did not want my baby girl to grow up as miserable as her mother had been.

“I heard of a place in Europe from a sailor, where women were being taught how to make love to a man. I wanted to know what they were being taught, so I could pass the knowledge along to others. I left within weeks of Maria’s burial, leaving my baby in the care of her nanny and the palace servants.”

Edward paused again as he began a violent spell of coughing. He removed the cloth from his pocket and used it to bury his face into it until the wave had passed. He clung to the back of a chair near the window for support then slowly lowered his frame into it. He returned his handkerchief to his pocket and reached across the table for his glass.

“How does your daughter feel about your travels?” Ian asked after a few quiet moments.

“She is supportive, but she knows no other way. I’ve seen her only three times over all these years, and every time I do, I feel like my heart is being ripped out. She is growing into such a beautiful woman, much like her mother. I have felt the disappointment for not seeing her grow up, but I had to find my answers, for her sake as well as for my people. I suppose I burry my guilt in my research and the presents I sent home for her birthday, Westerly’s Founders Day, and Easter.”

His voice trailed off as he began coughing again, making Ian wait patiently for him to recover enough to continue.

“It wasn’t until I was at a port in the Atlantic that I made an incredible discovery,” Edward said a few minutes later with a little more strength in his voice. “The port had eight bars, complete with whores, just as every other port I had been to. This one was unique in the fact there were so many women, that the men who anchored there found comfort and satisfaction with a whore and not a local girl. Rape and incest were practically nonexistent, and the citizens were happy. The women of the villages knew their men were spending the night in the arms of whores, but it protected their daughters from their lustful frustrations. That’s when I realized how effective a bordello was to a community.

“I began formulating a plan of how I could improve Westerly by bringing professional whores to the island. If the young boys are taught how to make love to a woman at an age when sex is becoming a mind consuming thought, we might just prevent - or at least seriously decrease - the number of sexual assaults that occur. Through the lessons, the women - or trainers as I have christened them - will be available to help the boys relieve their frustrations.

“While the boys are learning, the fathers are going to need to be retaught how to make love to their wives and have a woman available for times of frustration, until an entire generation of males has been taught to please their women. That’s why I needed so many whores at once. In time, I will need to increase the numbers, as well as the homes, but for now, these twenty must take the slack. I would like the men to begin bringing their wives to the home as well and have them taught to enjoy lovemaking as much as their man does. I know most women don’t understand what an orgasm is. It is likely to scare the hell out of most of them.”

“Do you really think a woman will go to a bordello and have sex with another woman?” Ian asked with a frown. “It’s one thing for a man to have two whores, it’s another to have a God-fearing wife and mother committing a crime against morality.”

“But they won’t be committing a crime,” Edward explained picking up his glass again. “They won’t have to have sex with a woman - unless the desire strikes them - and they embrace their curiosity. The trainer will be there only to help instruct the couple. She will teach the wife the art of fellatio while teaching the husband the joys of cunnilingus. Both couples will learn new and exciting ways to embrace orgasm and please each other.”

“In theory, it sounds great, even sensible,” Ian said as he tipped back on the legs of his chair again. “I just don’t know if the church will agree.”

“They won’t have a choice,” Edward said sternly, slamming his fist on the table. “By God, this one so-called infraction is to prevent multiple moral sins. The church will have to embrace this idea or leave Westerly. I won’t put up with their narrow-minded attitudes interfering in my plans to improve my country.”

“I am behind you a hundred percent,” Ian replied with a smile. “I have seen for myself how effective your research is, and the satisfaction for both male and female participants.”

“Will you consider staying on in Westerly - for a short time, of course? I will need help to keep order while the idea of the bordello settles in. You have two hundred men, plus the extra fifty I hired for the schooner. They can act as island guards to keep visitors from interfering and to make certain everyone follows the rules. Anyone who wishes to use the bordello must obey the laws and regulations I have created. They will be posted around Westerly as well as the ports, and the men will understand that paying for the women’s services is mandatory, but the tipping is an obligation that will be supported and strongly encouraged.”

“I have no desire to live on land any longer than I have to,” Ian answered honestly. “I can agree to help for a short time, and I’m sure my men will agree to help as well, for the promise of added benefits, of course.”

“The men will have access to the bordello at no cost,” Edward said with a smile. “However, tipping is an obligation that will not be ignored.”

“Agreed,” Ian said reaching forward and shaking Edward’s hand, just before the old man broke into another fit of coughing.

Ian poured another glass of whiskey and topped off Edward’s then leaned back again and sipped his while the old man gathered his composure. The coughing was getting worse and Ian knew it, which meant it was time for answers. Once Edward was under control and had drunk half of his glass of whiskey, Ian forged forward.

“I want to know about your illness,” he said boldly. “I have only heard a cough like that once before, and that was when my grandfather was dying. You have consumption, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Edward answered setting his glass back on the table. “I contracted it while in Russia and discovered there was no cure. I am dying.”

“That’s why you wanted to go home as quickly as you did,” Ian commented.

“Yes. I want to see my daughter once more before I go. I want to apologize for all the lonely years she suffered because of me. I want to explain the need for my travels and the hopes I have for Westerly. Once I am gone, she will be queen and she will be responsible for carrying out my plans and governing the rules and regulations of their existence.”

“Do you think she will be strong enough to do it?”

“She’s a brilliant girl, and very determined. She’s strong and proud and has basically been running Westerly in my absence. I set up a council of Elders to help her until she was old enough to manage on her own. The time has come for them to step aside and allow my little girl to shine like the beautiful star she is.”

“Do you think they will step aside?”

“I don’t know, but they have no choice. I did not give them control over Westerly or Angelique. I simply put them in charge to help guide her through the hard times until she was old enough to take over.” Edward paused for a moment as he finished his glass of whiskey and set it aside.

“The men on the council are from the finest, most devoted families in Westerly. They have more to gain by Angelique’s involvement in the country than they do without her. They have no legal claim to the throne and there is no way they can extricate her from it. She is the rightful heir and will be queen whether they like it or not.”