The most sensational gossip around the Court that season was all about the Lady Bathory. Tales were being spread from the lands to the south about the woman, tales of which the like had never been heard before. On this particular morning, the Ladies Suzana and Ilse were seated in one corner of the walled garden, supposedly developing superior embroidery skills, but more often than not it was the gossip that they embroidered and passed on. Suzana was 20 and to be married off next year to some son of an earl she hadn't met yet, and Ilse was 18 but rather sheltered, having been sent to a very strict (yet, oddly, hanky-panky-free) nunnery for schooling at an early age.
"She does...things...with her servingwomen!" said the young Lady Ilse, trying to look suitably outraged yet as curious as any.
"What things?" asked Suzana. "Beats them? That's not so unusual, my aunt once--"
"No!" interrupted Ilse. "Things...worse than that...they say she takes her pleasure from them."
Suzana raised an eyebrow. "Really?" she asked, stifling a smile. "And how do you think she does that?" She looked directly into Ilse's eyes, and this action had the required effect - Ilse blushed deeply and hid her face behind her embroidery.
"I - I don't know..." Ilse stammered.
"Come now. Surely you've thought about it?" Suzana asked, and leaned in closer to Ilse. "I bet those nuns of yours know."
Ilse was mortified now, and speechless. The truth was that she had thought about it, and what she'd imagined had sent her heart racing - she knew these things were forbidden and shameful. She refused to look up at Suzana and pretended to be very interested in her stitching.
Suzana of course knew exactly what Ilse had thought about and how she felt about it. Never one to pass up an opportunity, she took the younger girl's hand and smiled, saying, "I was only teasing. I'm sorry. Come on, let's go inside and I'll show you the new gown I had made, it's finished now."
Ilse followed her down the corridors and stairs to the large chamber where Suzana slept and dressed. A heavy four poster bed curtained with rich brocade drapes stood in the room, and the fire was lit. In front of it, covering the cold stone floor, were several fur rugs. The two young women knelt on the rugs and Suzana opened a heavy wooden chest that was at the end of the bed. She carefully pulled out a beautiful gown of golden cloth, and Ilse exclaimed "It's so beautiful!", reaching out to touch the velvet trim.
"Would you like to try it on?" asked Suzana. "Here, let me help you." And she helped Ilse to her feet and began to unlace her simple day dress. Underneath she wore nothing but a plain linen chemise, and Suzana began to remove that, too.
"Wait! What are you doing that for?" asked Ilse, panicking slightly.
"Silly girl, you're just a little bigger than I am and the gown won't go on if you're wearing a chemise, too."