In her story, Bad Kitty, Debra Glass introduces us to Miss Katrina Hartford who is reluctantly fascinated by Bram Barkley, the earl of Wiltshire, who has a sordid reputation for punishing women-at their request. Katrina has a secret life as a political satirist for a London rag, although she writes under a male pen name. Deciding that she needs to bring the scoundrel's sins to the public eye, she makes the huge mistake of masquerading as a maid named Kitty, seeking employment in his household. Just how colossal this error of judgment is becomes immediately apparent when she finds herself naked within a matter of minutes, bent over Bra's desk, receiving her first spankings... and loving it!

Bram recognizes her at once, yet despite his best intentions, finds himself increasingly attracted to the adventuresome "maid", finally giving into temptation and taking her virginity. Driven by his conscience and undeclared love, he forces a resistant Katrina to marry him, which is when she must face her feelings for him. However, several obstacles stand in the way of their marital bliss, primarily how is she to explain the scathing article she wrote about his depraved appetites? Not to mention his jealous ex-lover.

Debra Glass does an excellent job of once again revealing the underside of the English ton, which was rife with sexuality, and hypocrisy. Witness here the behavior of Bram's erstwhile lover, a bored, yet married woman. If accounts are believed this behavior was all too common among the upper classes, with the titillation of forbidden "carnal relations" a frequent pursuit, although virgins were usually eschewed for fear of the parson's noose. Indeed it was the only honorable thing for Bram to do, to offer for a Katrina's hand to spare her from ruin. Of course, servants were not held in such high regard, so Bram might not have felt any such sense of responsibility to protect Kitty.

In any event Bad Kitty might leave even the modern reader flushed, as Bram and Katrina explore love-making that is still frowned upon. Rumors of mild bondage, and erotic spanking among the well-heeled such as portrayed here would probably provoke the same type of scandalized, yet fascinated gossip even in today's worldly society. Four Angels

Reviewed by: Lynn