I remember reading in Shojo Beat's editorials a girl asking why Cain walked with a cane. Did he have some kind of disability? Well, the men back then use to carry canes around as a fashion statement and not for medical purposes. But fashion wasn't the only reason for carrying a cane. Men would have swords, knives, and various other things hidden away in the innocent looking accessory. They never knew when they had to protect themselves.

            These men may have been rich and high up there, but they still seemed to be street wise. So were a few women. Not many though. Most of your street wise women were your whores, or harlots as they sometimes called them back then. When they died, women would cut their hair off so they would be unattractive to men.

            It was perfectly acceptable for men to sleep around, but if a woman did so. She was looked down upon in society as a whore. Women whose hymen was not intact was considered "damaged goods". Whether it was broken horseback riding, was barley there, or was never there, it did not matter.

            Women were not allowed to leave the house, or sit in a room with a man without an escort. It did not matter if it was great-grandma Blackhair; the woman had to have someone with her.

            When a man and woman walked down the street, the man had to put her on the outside to keep her from being hit by water and other things. (You wouldn't believe the things people threw out the window back then.)

            Women couldn't approach a man unless they had been formally introduced. After the intro, it was up to the man whether or not he wanted the acquaintance to go on.

            Personal cards were exchanged during meetings, so one could call on someone again if they wished.

            Since interacting between the sexes was pretty limited, they would use little signs, nods, winks, etc to communicate. But if they were really clever, a couple would meet in secret.

            If a man was said to have compromised a woman, he had to marry her. Or face embarrassment, dishonor, and be slighted by society. Then no woman would have him.

            Most women in high society frowned upon sex, and were living statues in bed. They would tell their daughters to lay there as he did his business, and then wash and go on with life after he was done. (And then these women wondered why their husbands had wandering eyes and looked elsewhere for sexual gratification.) A woman could not refuse her husband, for it was "his husbandly duties". Men could also get away with raping their wives under the said duty. And men were also rarely punished for raping a woman period back then. Unless a male relative called that person out for a duel or so, to right the wrong that was dealt to his family's honor.

            Some marriages were arranged and rarely involved love. The emotion was snubbed, as the arrangement was suppose to provide wealth and power.

            Then of course people did marry their cousins, but if the bloodline was too close. The children would sometimes die, or come out a complete nut-case.

            High society didn't usually sleep in the same bed as their spouse. Only if they wish to mate did they meet in the same bed.

            Of course, people in the country were much different from the city people. Women crossed their legs, and enjoyed other tabooed pleasures. As life in general was different for couples.