Scandalous Mystery

A reader wrote to me recently that she was looking for information about a particular Scandalous Woman.

"Here is what little I know of her: She was married and widowed, seduced her next husband by literally serving herself up for dessert. She was carried into the dining room while laying nude on a silver platter, covered only in fruit."


Wow, I would love to know who this woman is. If anyone has any ideas, leave a comment or email me. I would love to share her story with readers.

Comments

Sarah Johnson said…
The "serving herself up nude on a silver platter" part makes it sound like Cora Pearl, though she was a courtesan who never married. Maybe there's someone else who fits the description better.
October 8, 2008 at 1:02 PM
Elizabeth Kerri Mahon said…
Sarah, that's exactly who I thought of when I read the email. Cora is definitely on my list of women to write about in the next few weeks. I find her story fascinating.
October 8, 2008 at 1:59 PM
Sarah Johnson said…
I'll look forward to reading that piece!
October 8, 2008 at 4:18 PM
Holly said…
I have no idea...but what a life! Sounds like something right out of Desperate Housewives.

Holly
http://wwww.wondersandmarvels.com
October 8, 2008 at 10:18 PM
Heather Carroll said…
That sounds so familiar, I wish you were quizzing us. No idea on the time period?
October 8, 2008 at 11:07 PM
Elizabeth Kerri Mahon said…
She didn't say. I wrote back to her but she hasn't replied. Mercury in Retrograde.
October 9, 2008 at 8:08 AM
Bill Peschel said…
Lady Caroline Lamb was supposed to have been served to her husband in a soup tureen for his birthday. I had been searching for the origin of that story, but hadn't found it.

Perhaps it's a secret, more common act that we've thought, hm? The mind reels....
October 9, 2008 at 5:34 PM
Anonymous said…
I have no idea, but for some reason one of Napoleon's sisters comes to mind. Can't wait to find out the answer.
October 9, 2008 at 8:10 PM
Elizabeth Kerri Mahon said…
Sharon, Pauline Borghese did many things like bathing in a tub full of milk (I actually blogged about her back in May), but I don't think she ever served herself up for dinner.

Bill, I had never heard that story about Lady Caroline Lamb when I researched her for an earlier blog post that I wrote on her. Interesting, although I could see her doing that more to Byron than William Lamb.
October 10, 2008 at 8:49 AM
Nina said…
It reminds me of Cleopatra but mayby that's because of the desert part. But she wasn't served on the platter.
October 10, 2008 at 11:49 AM
Elizabeth Kerri Mahon said…
Thanks Nina. I know that Cleopatra supposedly rolled herself up in a rug and had herself delivered to Caesar but that's completely different. I love that bit of her story though.
October 13, 2008 at 9:09 AM
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