Chapter 1
With Love, Life is Beautiful
Arthur shut the door quietly behind them. What they were attempting to do was slightly scandalous, and it would be best that they kept it a secret as much as possible. Only the chief steward knew that they had left the ball, and Arthur wanted to keep it that way. How would he explain leaving a ball his father hosted? He was the first son of Lord Philip Bexley, the Earl of Derby, and here he was running off with his darling for a session of snatched romance. Not that it mattered much to Rebecca; she didn’t care much about rules and customs. Rebecca revelled as much in breaking rules as he had ever seen anyone do.
The ball itself had fagged him out which was why it was so easy for her to get him away from the ballroom. It had started since noon, and he had either been supervising, socialising with guests or tending to arrangements. He had no time to himself and had only managed to get a dance with Rebecca once.
Well it’s mid June in 1917, the height of the season. I should be prepared for this.
He wasn’t. He was tired of attending ball after ball. His mother was the most eager socialite and would attend almost every ball and party, attempting to drag Arthur along with her and many times succeeding. She had received a voucher to Almack’s Assembly rooms five years ago and had been attending since then. Arthur didn’t want an invite. He wasn’t interested. But he found that he did a lot of things because he had to do them.
“You are the Earl’s son, the next Earl of Derby. If you do not adequately respond to these official requests, I wonder who will,” his father sometimes said, anytime Arthur showed a reluctance to respond to assignments.
“You could send Teresa. She loves these kinds of assignments,” Arthur would counter.
The Earl would then, always, shake his head.
“Teresa might be my first child, but she is not going to be the Earl, you are.”
Arthur used to wish Teresa was born male so he could be free of all the responsibilities that came attached to being the first son. And regardless of that, Teresa seemed to enjoy covering for him. He saw it a lot in her eyes sometimes, she wished she was him and he her.
He never wished he wasn’t male whenever Rebecca was around, though. He had known Rebecca since he was a child. His music teacher was also employed by the Baron Zouche, Rebecca’s father to instruct his children on music. Arthur, till this day, wasn’t sure what happened, but a few months after the man was employed, Rebecca and her sister started coming to his father’s estate to take music classes. Those were part of the best portions of his life, that time with Rebecca. She was just a year younger and was therefore an automatic playmate.
The music instructor kept coming and Rebecca kept visiting. And when he finally stopped, Rebecca didn’t stop visiting. That was more than 19 years ago.
Now, he wasn’t just intrigued and interested in Rebecca Fitzroy. She wasn’t just a playmate anymore. Now, he was in love with Rebecca Fitzroy. And he had followed her with no other thought when she suggested they escape his father’s ball to share some alone time in the gardens or anywhere private. How she had gotten rid of Miss Wendy, her doting maid, he still didn’t know. Miss Wendy was a hawk, her eyes miss nothing, and she never left Rebecca’s side.
He ran faster, closing the gap between Rebecca and himself. He could catch her now if he wanted to, but where was the fun in that? He stretched his hands in an ungainly manner, signalling Rebecca that he was about to catch her. Rebecca squealed delightfully and ran faster, turning away from the path to the garden. Instead, she took the path through the side of the house till she got to the back. Rebecca knew the house just as well as Arthur did. She knew the entire estate just as well as he did, in fact. Arthur trusted that she knew where she was going. She ran through the back, till she pushed through the door leading to the field at the back of the house. Arthur could see where she was heading now. She was going to the main stable but through the back, where they would only be in the company of a few horses and lots of hay and straw. Arthur smiled, but he was starting to get tired of the chase.
He ran faster and caught up with her. In a swift motion, he bent down and swept her from her feet, allowing her to lie horizontally against his chest. His first hand cradled her neck while the second wrapped around her buttocks to her lap. Arthur had discovered after that first day with her that she had been wearing heeled shoes. She was a tall woman, but not as tall as he was. And despite her size, she didn’t weigh much.
Or you are so used to carrying her now?
Rebecca giggled, her cheeks pink from her excitement. She struggled gently, a playful attempt to release herself from his grip. Arthur smiled and bent in low, kissing her softly on her cheek. Rebecca then stopped struggling. She nuzzled closer to Arthur’s chest and raised her chin again. Arthur dipped his head and enjoined his lips with her in a gentle kiss. The impact of her soft lips on his mouth was immediate as Arthur started to feel light-headed. After a few seconds, the kiss became deeper. Arthur slipped his tongue into her mouth as she slightly parted her lips, giving him more leverage. Arthur poked with his tongue till his tongue met hers, tasting her and the softness of her mouth. He withdrew a bit, to suck her lower lip, drawing a moan from her throat.
Her arms tightened around his neck and pulled him closer. A chuckle rose up his throat as she did this, making them break their kiss for a moment. Arthur raised his head and looked into Rebecca’s eyes. Her blue eyes sparkled in the evening light, making them look more attractive. She struggled slightly to release herself from his hold. Arthur obliged her and dropped her feet to the ground. Thinking she wanted to talk, Arthur took a step back but was surprised as she jumped on him again, laughing until their lips locked, this time with hungry fervour. Arthur dropped his arms behind her, laying each palm on her buttock. His hand squeezed gently, feeling its softness between his fingers. Rebecca broke off the kiss and ran off suddenly, laughing and causing Arthur to chase after her until they entered the stable.
The stable was calm. They came in through the back, which had only one horse. Arthur could see the other horses at the front of the stable but one needed to go down the passage, opening a few wooden doors before he got there. This part of the stable was usually used to store hay and straw.
We tend to use it nowadays too.
Arthur met up with Rebecca, as she sat on a heap of hay. As he sat beside her, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Then she stood up and raised her gown so she could properly mount him, before jumping on him, sitting on his lap with her face directly facing his.
“Rebecca, you are so playful,” Arthur said.
“I thought that was why you loved me,” Rebecca answered.
Arthur laughed.
“One of a plethora of reasons,” he answered.
She was wearing blue today, a short blue gown that showed the lacy edges of her petticoat. It had short, draped arms. Arthur wondered if her gown would stain and give a hint of where she had been, but he didn’t mention it to Rebecca. It didn’t matter because he could guess her response.
“Let them think whatever they want to think,” she would answer.
Rebecca threw her arms around his neck, interlocking them behind his neck. Arthur looked at her arms, searching for a hint of her pink skin but saw nothing. Her gloves consisted of very long, white material stretching all the way into the short sleeves of her gown. Her embrace brought his chest closer to her, pushing the tenderness of her bust against him. Arthur bent down, dipping his head at the drop of her dress’ neckline where there was a crack of her cleavage. He kissed her skin tenderly there.
He raised his head and caught her gaze, her blue eyes locked on to him with a loving stare.
“I love your eyes,” Arthur said.
“Just my eyes?”
“And your small lips, your nose, your ears, your –” Arthur ran his hand through her hair, “– curly hair.”
He dropped his ears to her chest and heard a small, steady beat.
“The rhythm of your heart is the reason I smile.”
Rebecca laughed.
“I love you too, Arthur. Before I met you, I thought I would never get to like a member of the ton, with their highhandedness and lavish character. Then I met you and you taught me what love is,” Rebecca replied.
Arthur chuckled before raising her chin with his right hand. He saw her lips quiver in anticipation of his kiss before he met her eager lips with his. His top lip slipped into her mouth, getting entrapped in the hunger with which she kissed. He wrested it free soon, turning his head to allow more leverage. There was a gradual movement in him, a pooling of desire that ran through his entire body before dropping between his legs. It was filling his member now and causing him to hunger even more for Rebecca. His hands ran quickly to her back, loosening the draw ropes that were tied there. He loosened them quickly, seeing as the neckline of her dress dropped to her shoulders. Arthur pulled the dress downwards at both shoulders as Rebecca removed her hands from the sleeves. Arthur salivated as he saw her naked bust, each sizeable mound holding his attention captive. He attacked them with animalistic energy, sucking each nipple hungrily.
He flicked his tongue, brushing the nipple upwards and downwards. Her excited giggle led him to repeat the exercise. He finished on one and moved to the other, biting it gently between his teeth. Arthur could feel the desire take hold of him. He needed to have her.
He ran his fingers up her legs till he got to the edge of her gown. Then he moved under, moving under her flimsy petticoat. He felt another fabric. She was wearing drawers, but those were no bother. He moved his right hand over her drawers, seeking out the centre of her womanhood. His fingers stealthily reached there, meeting her wet, eager and ready. As his hand brushed against it, Rebecca jerked, making Arthur withdraw his fingers.
“What is wrong?” he asked.
Rebecca shook her head but didn’t speak. She looked down, focusing on the button of his shirt as if in it lay the answer to his question. Arthur raised her chin up gently, but she still stared downwards.
Something is wrong.
“What is it, Rebecca?” he asked.
Her lips moved, but Arthur didn’t hear what she said. He lowered his head to her mouth.
“Rebecca, talk to me, what is the matter?” he asked.
“I might not be ready,” Rebecca said.
Her voice was strong despite the fear that Arthur saw in her before she spoke.
“Ready for what, Rebecca?”
Rebecca raised her eyes, matching his gaze. Arthur knew what she meant. He hadn’t followed her here with a plan to do that but in the heat of the moment, his hands had forayed.
“I am sorry,” he said.
“No, do not apologise. We are betrothed. I should be the one apologising,” Rebecca said.
Arthur laughed but it was short and quickly died to give rise to a frown.
“Since you know we are betrothed, then why stop me?”
Rebecca opened her mouth, but Arthur could see that she had no ready answer. He shook his head. The hunger that had coursed through him moments ago had died. He was angry, put off by her rejection and eager to get back to the open arms of his father’s ball. He held her first sleeve up, telling her with his eyes to put her arm into it. Rebecca refused.
“I want to stand up now; please could you move to the side a bit?” Arthur asked her.
Rebecca didn’t answer. She remained as she was, statuesque with her eyes focused on him. Arthur refused to meet her gaze. Anger was starting to brew in him. He was tired of being rejected by her. Why did she agree to his marriage proposal if she didn’t feel safe with him, if she couldn’t offer him her body?
“Stand up, Rebecca,” Arthur said.
She shook her head again, throwing her brown curls left and right. Arthur placed his hands under her legs and stood up, lifting her with him. Then he turned and dropped her on the stack of hay. He straightened up and turned to the door, but he had not taken two steps yet when she bundled in front of him. Despite the anger he felt, the sway of her breasts caught his eyes and dried his throat. Arthur thought not about the response of his member.
“What is it?” he said.
Rebecca drew closer to him and pulled his hands around her waist. She looked into his eyes and smiled broadly, giving him a glimpse of her small white teeth and the open gap between the front teeth on the lower row. Normally, if she did that, Arthur smiled back, but today he didn’t. He was put off by her stubbornness and apparent lack of trust in him, despite what they were to each other.
“Let’s go back to the party, Rebecca. My mother will have noticed my absence by now, and trust my sister, Teresa, to link it up to your absence in the most negative manner possible,” Arthur said.
Rebecca laughed, miraculously drawing a smile from Arthur. Lady Teresa was always antagonistic to Rebecca.
She’s antagonistic to almost everyone that isn’t a Bexley.
Rebecca’s reaction to his sister’s malevolence was always a mixture of indifference and humour.
“I love you, not your sister,” she said, anytime Arthur brought it up.
“It doesn’t matter what Lady Teresa says, as long as I am with you,” Rebecca answered.
“But you do not want to be with me,” Arthur answered, finally feeling a slow thawing of his icy anger.
“I do,” Rebecca replied, soundly slightly flabbergasted.
“No, Rebecca, you don’t. You hold your body away from me.”
Rebecca shook her head.
“You do not understand,” she replied.
“After years of being together, please explain yourself,” Arthur replied.
Rebecca shook her head. She dropped her forehead to his collarbone, resting her head on his chest. Arthur, despite the bristling feeling he had for her at the moment, could only obey the yearning to wrap his arms around her. The press of her bust against his shirt reminded him that she was still naked. It made his thoughts run off in a direction that was not fitting to the moment. Arthur’s member awoke, nudging his trouser forward against Rebecca’s thighs.
“I –” Rebecca started, unable to go any further.
“You are reluctant to give yourself to me?”
“I – this would be my first,” she said in the smallest voice Arthur had heard her speak with.
Arthur burst out into his deep timbre laughter. Rebecca pressed herself more into him as if trying to hide herself in shame. Arthur waited a few moments till he was done laughing before he raised her chin up gently.
“We are going to get married, Rebecca. You do remember that, don’t you?” Arthur said.
Rebecca nodded slightly.
“Are we going to have a marriage unconsummated?” he said.
Rebecca didn’t reply. Arthur shook his head. This was ridiculous. The anger was rising, and he didn’t want it taking charge, so he had better leave. He placed his hands on Rebecca’s shoulders, trying to ease her to the side, but she didn’t budge. Arthur put in more force and moved her out of the way. He was walking out of the room when Rebecca rushed past him and stood in the doorway.
“I’m ready now,” she said.
Arthur shook his head.
She’s just saying that because of a guilty conscience.
“I am not bitter, Rebecca. I just don’t understand the fact that you don’t trust me enough,” he said.
“I do, I do,” she answered.
Arthur shook his head and was about to take another step when Rebecca, with incredible speed, stripped out of her gown. Her petticoat was shed in a moment, and her drawers followed immediately after. Rebecca stood before him, naked, ready, and tempting.
Arthur swallowed hard. His throat was dry suddenly. His palm watered, and his member tugged hard against the fabric of his trouser. Rebecca moved closer to him, walking gradually till she was a hair’s breadth away.
“Take me, Arthur. I am yours,” she said.
Arthur smiled and wrapped his hands around her, meshing his lips with her in a kiss that had his senses fleeting. He bent, wrapped his hands around her buttocks and lifted her up. Rebecca chuckled as he carried her back to the stacks of hay.
Arthur took her that evening, exercising patience and guile in his loving ministrations. Their sighs and moans of pleasure filled the stable air as they communed, enjoying each other’s bodies. Arthur didn’t rush; taking his time with her, helping her to the moment of truth and helping her cross the divide. The pain was fleeting. The pleasure seemed like it would last forever. It didn’t, couldn’t. But after their session of love making, Arthur was sure their love would last forever. And just by gauging with the amount of love she poured on him, Arthur was sure she felt the same. Their wedding was in a month’s time. Life was beautiful. What could go wrong?