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“I feel ridiculous,” sheto”

“But that is exactly why it should be o no further and it will not matter to you, will it, what I think? Because you do not love me as you do Amy”

Startled, Francesca looked into her face

Aphrodite was staring back at her with a knowing expression in her eyes “I know this, Francesca You cannot help what you feel, and it will s you would prefer others not to know”

“Madame, I—”

“No, do not fib You will not hurt s, I promise you Tell me what it is that troubles you over Mr Thorne You never know, I ht be able to help,” she added, with the sort of sested she had helped many others before

Again Francesca opened her mouth to protest but the words died on her lips Aphrodite had spoken the truth, and rong with being truthful? Far better that their relationship should be based upon honesty than any false hopes She nodded

Aphrodite removed her arm, but she did not move away

Francesca took a deep breath and plunged in “I have always sworn never to become involved, passionately involved, with a man I don’t want to be like you, Mada of a man, of men But now I find myself drawn to Sebastian in a way that is almost impossible to resist I think about him all the time I drea ave myself to hi? A feeling like this cannot last—it is too intense But if I turn away froret it all my life”

Aphrodite’s silk skirts swished as she moved about the room “It is a dilerand passion?”

“This is my first passion, so I have no experience as to whether or not it is a grand passion”

“I see It is intense, though, oui? Sometimes passion such as you describe wears itself out It cannot be sustained, and soon it dies and goes cold”

“But now I have tasted this passion, won’t I wish for more?”

“You mean you will seek it out with other men?” Aphrodite said dryly “You do not need a man’s love to make you whole, Francesca, but your body may crave a man’s touch You may take lovers for that reason, but if you are a woman who loves one radation of your spirit”

She returned to her chair and sat down, steepling her fingers under her chin “A courtesanfrom the men who love her, admire her, need her to be their companion I did love the fathers of reater love A love that I had lost long bef