Chapter 12
Just for a change, it was raining when they awoke. Emily had dressed, with the help of a maid who had styled her hair simply but prettily. Too bad she would spend most of the day in a carriage with a gentleman who was likely not pleased with her. She had dismissed him last night rather abruptly because she was embarrassed. Robert would never allow her to borrow his books which was why he had organised her a membership of the circulating libraries both in the country and in town. She was just too clumsy and he would not have her damaging his books. He also bought her the cheaper membership of circulating libraries because they were cheaper and the books were usually already slightly damaged.
They had been quiet at breakfast, Emily allowing Gideon to read the newspaper which was one day out of date. They were in a private parlour and she mused about how she could entertain herself on the long journey. She had finished the book she had been reading on the way to Beattie Park and had not brought another book with her. It had been a book which she had saved up and purchased herself. She had read it four times but never tired of it. Oh, how she would love to read Mansfield Park. No matter. She would not ruin Gideon’s books.
They climbed into the carriage and settled down, Gideon helping her off with her bonnet and him removing his hat. He tossed both on the seat in front and dug under the blanket that was sitting next to their valises.
He produced two books. He laid one on his own lap and handed her the copy of Mansfield Park he had shown her the previous night.
“Your book, my lady.”
She looked at it and then out of the carriage window.
“I would prefer not to read, my lord.”
He sighed audibly.
“I do not understand. You have professed a desire to read this book. I have a copy. Soon all my books shall be your books too, once we are wed. It is a long journey to Cumbria, I am happy to talk and play cards but even that, after a while, shall become mundane.”
“My company is mundane, my lord?”
He raised an eyebrow. “I did not say that, Emily, and you know it.”
“If I damage the book…”
“Then nothing terrible shall happen. The book shall be damaged. I shall either purchase a new copy or if it is not so badly damaged that it can go back in the library, then that is what shall happen. It is only a book.”
“But books are expensive.”
“They are meant to be read. If I thought you would wilfully damage a book then I would reconsider allowing you to read my books, but your concern about damaging them probably makes it more likely to happen. If I am not concerned, it may lead to you being less… concerned about damaging it. Please, read it and enjoy it.”
He was so kind. Not at all like Robert. Oh, she loved her brother but he was such a dry old stick.
“I… thank you,” she said, as she capitulated and accepted the book. His grin was huge and he lifted his own book. “Is this how our marriage is to be?” she asked.
“Sitting reading in a carriage in the rain. God, I hope not.”
“I meant me having to follow all of your orders.”
He pursed his lips and considered her. “Come now, Emily. You enjoyed our sparring. You were almost as aroused as I was.”
“A-a-… I apologise, my lord. What did you say?”
He chuckled. “You heard, my lady. Suddenly you have a hearing impediment and you have become coy.”
She opened her book and pretended to be engrossed looking at the title page.
He leaned close.
“I find that a book holds much more enjoyment for me if I hold it the correct way up, my lady.” His breath tickled her ear and caused her to shiver involuntarily. She snapped the volume shut, turned to him but his lips, so close to hers entranced her and his piercing green eyes were hooded and seductive. “Tell me you were not aroused when you argued with me.”
“I would not even know what aroused meant, my lord.”
“Excited, scintillated, wanting more, a heightened state of desire.”
“Desire for what?”
“It matters not for now, you desire me, do you not?” He lifted his hand and cupped her chin, stroking her cheek. She leaned into the touch. “You desire my touch.”
She nodded and he pressed his lips to hers for a few moments then pulled away.
“I cannot wait to feel your touch on me, but for now, I shall have to make do with Patronage by Maria Edgeworth.”
“Oh, I should like to read that book too. Do you have all four volumes?”
“I do though I only brought the first two with me. Once you have finished Mansfield Park, you are more than welcome to read it.”
She sat back and opened her book, satisfied and happy. He looked at her for a long moment before turning to his book.
It had been a dashed long day. The roads were muddy and the travel had been slow. They had not wanted to push the horses hard so Gideon had told the coachman just to keep the pace steady. He was happy to make as many stops as necessary, but he had to keep his cattle fit.
Now she slept in the room adjoining his and he was sure he could smell her on his shirt. It was keeping him awake, and hard as a rock. He could take himself in hand and relieve the tension, he supposed but he did not like doing that with Emily just on the other side of the door.
A loud rumble of thunder made him jump. He’d been aware that the rain was particularly heavy but he’d not seen lightning. Just then his room lit up for a second and then the eerie light was gone again. A squeal from next door made him sit bolt upright.
When no more noise came from the room adjacent, Gideon relaxed. Maybe Emily had a bad dream and had settled down again. Another deafening thunder crack brought a high pitched keening sound from the other side of the door. Not caring that he was only in his shirt, which hung low enough to cover the important parts, Gideon opened the door and was at the side of her bed.
“Emily, my love, are you well.”
She had started to turn to face him and her face lit up with another flash of lightning. Terror etched her features and she curled into a ball with a little squeal.
“The storm,” she managed. “I… I…” This time when her wide eyes poked out from beneath the covers they were wide and pleading. “I hate storms. I was caught out in one when I was a child. I… my horse… she died…” She sniffed. “I’m so afraid, Gideon. I always am. I used to climb into bed with Robert when I was a child, but now I climb in with Aunt Gertrude.”
More thunder, she squeaked and curled up under the covers. Devil take it. He could not leave her, petrified and cowering. Against his better judgement, he pulled aside the covers and encouraged her to move over. She did not protest. Instead, as soon as he lay down, she wrapped her arm around his waist and buried her head into his chest.
His shirt had ridden up as he had settled. His arse was bare, as was a more pertinent part of his anatomy. He could only pray that her hand did not go wandering.
As another clap of thunder shattered the silence, Emily moved with a whimper. She began to climb up his body, her leg curling around his, her arm moving over his shoulder as her other arm burrowed under his body. Was she trying to send him to Bedlam?
“Lay still, my love, all is well.” As lightning lit up the room again, she tightened her grip with her leg and started to rock against his thigh. He dropped his hand to her bottom. Powerless to do anything but encourage her, he moved his leg slightly and rocked his own hips. His hard cock was throbbing, but she continued to rub herself against him and he did not care.
“Gideon?”
“Shh, Emily. All is well.”
“I feel…”
“Excited? Stimulated?”
“Yes.”
“That is how you should feel.”
“Is this…appropriate?” Now she was asking? He smiled closing his eyes and relishing the feel of her in case his answer put an end to their little interlude.
“No, but then neither is eloping and it has not stopped either of us from doing it. I shall not ruin you tonight, my love, but I can show you pleasure.”
He tipped her chin and took her mouth in a searing kiss. She responded immediately, both in the thrusts of her hips and by kissing him back. Her moan of desire sent a spear of need through him. He would not take his own pleasure now. He was aware of the storm still raging outside but Emily seemed to have forgotten and was completely absorbed in what was going on in the bed. Their tongues danced and their teeth clashed as they tried to consume each other.
He’d had many women, but somehow this innocent creature was pulling more passion and desire from him than the most practised courtesan. She was finding her pleasure through sheer instinct. Her lack of practised seductive techniques was more enticing and driving him towards the edge of his sanity.
When he moved his free hand up to her breast and brushed his thumb across her nipple, she gasped into the kiss. Oh, she liked that. He would enjoy doing that to her, regularly. Her breasts were soft and full and seemed to be very sensitive.
Suddenly it was no longer enough to allow her to find her own release against his thigh, He eased her onto her back and unwrapped her arm from his neck. When he broke their kiss, she made a little noise of protest.
“Open your legs to me, love.”
“Gideon…” her voice trembled with nerves.
“I promise you, just pleasure. Let me touch you. Drop your knees to the side.” He pressed his lips to hers and she complied. He pulled up her nightgown the final few inches, uncovering her nest of curls which, as his fingers brushed towards the bottom, proved to be already damp. As he moved his fingers through her folds, he was delighted to find her already wet as she writhed into his touch.
“So… perfect… so…. wet!” he punctuated each word with a kiss to her jawline.
“Wet? That is good?” she enquired.
“Very good.” She was rutting against his fingers and he was massaging her pearl with tiny deft strokes. Her quick breathing and the grip she now had on the bedsheet told him she was close to release. He moved his head to her breast and sucked her nipple through the cotton of her nightgown. Of course, he could have stripped her but although this act was completely inappropriately, somehow it felt less so if he had not seen her body. She would be pleasured and hopefully sleep through the rest of the storm.
“Gideon, please…”
He flicked his tongue hard over the distended nub of her nipple, making up for the reduced sensitivity through the wet cotton as his thumb worked the bud at the apex of her thighs, harder and quicker. She was moaning now with every thrust and Gideon was biting his lower lip. He was so hard and pained, but watching her strive for her own release was a pleasure in itself.
When she splintered suddenly, she cried out his name, reaching her hand into his hair and grabbing it, hauling his head to her mouth for a hard and bruising kiss as she thrust against his fingers to ride out her release. For an innocent, she was not slow to demand what she required at the height of her pleasure.
Gideon was pleased with this knowledge. It would mean that once she was more confident and informed, she would be an excellent bed partner. She jerked slightly against his ministrations and he revelled in the sensations he was still pulling from her. She was over sensitised. He would sell his soul to plunge into her warm, willing body right now. That said, were he to do just that he would probably lose his soul because he had promised her he would not. And he was an honourable man.
His aching cock-stand would survive another night of unsated lust. His honour would never survive not just disappointing Emily, but losing her trust completely.
“Oh my,” she gasped. “It is no wonder no one explains what happens in the bedchamber before marriage or no young lady would ever make it to her wedding day a virgin.” Her arm flailed onto the pillow beside her head. He wished he had lit a candle before climbing into bed. He would love to see her face properly now, flushed and bright. With one last swipe through her folds to gather some of her nectar, he raised his fingers to his mouth and sucked.
“Gideon,” she wailed.
“Yes, my love?” He was enjoying himself.
“Your fingers. They were just on my… my…”
“On your…?”
Her lips thinned and her brows knit together. “You would make me say it, my lord?”
“I was merely interested to know what word or phrase gently-bred young ladies of the ton use for their most intimate area.”
“That would have been how I would have described it. Why? What would you have said?”
“I would have used that exact phrase to you, my love.”
“And among your gentlemen friends or to yourself?”
“I would not sully your dainty little ears with such words, my lady.”
He continued to lick her juices from his fingers and thumb. She tasted divine. Emily wrinkled her nose.
“You should not do that, my lord.”
“It is delicious. I cannot wait until I can spread your legs apart, put my head between your thighs and lick you. He opened his index and middle finger slightly and ran his tongue up the middle. Her jaw dropped. The little whimper she made sounded less than human.
“You would do that?”
“With pleasure and I believe you would enjoy it.”
She frowned then pulled her into a sitting position. “And what about you?”
“What about me?”
“What have I to do to you?”
“Whatever you wish.”
She shook her head.
“That is not an adequate answer, my lord. You use your mouth down there,” she waved in the general direction of her hips, then gestured to his. “Do I use my mouth down there.”
God, yes.
“If you wish. If you do not wish to, I shall not force you.”
“But, my lord…”
“Emily, come and lie down. You will end up in a fit of the vapours.”
“I want to be a good wife,” she said quietly.
“You shall be. Devil take it, woman. It has taken every ounce of willpower not to make you mine tonight. For I promised you that, but you were so responsive and I ached to do it. You were perfect.”
“I wish you had made me yours.”
“I promised I would not and it would have been dishonourable to go back on my word. Now, go to sleep. You must be tired now.”
“Will you stay with me until the storm has passed?”
“I thought you had forgotten about the storm.”
“No, but it does not frighten me as much with you here.”
He snuggled her pert little bottom against his hard, aching cock and somehow, he did not mind that the storm still raging inside his body would likely not abate until long after the one outside had. His woman was content and already her breathing was slowing.