Chapter 12
Lady Cindermaine was more than Gabriel could have hoped for. She had apologised to him for following her instincts when he’d taken her virginity. But she had been a revelation. She had followed her own needs and desires, and in doing so, she had made his needs and desires spiral out of control. She had not flinched when he had lost his temper and talked about French pox and whores and now she was kneeling naked on the bed of an inn throwing pillows at him.
He moved towards her, the pillow extended, and she held her ground. Her eyes were narrowed, so she was debating whether to wrestle the pillow from him or grab another. He lifted the first pillow over her head, down her back, to her bottom where he used it to pull her close into his body. Instinctively she wrapped her arms around his neck and he captured her mouth in a kiss. She tasted so sweet and she kissed as if she’d been doing it for years. Her tongue swept his mouth, and she moaned as he brushed the back of his fingers over one nipple.
She pulled her head away and scowled at him. “You are an expert at distracting me. I think we should leave London tonight.”
“I think you have distracted yourself so much you missed me saying Christina and I are not in danger. Besides, Myles needs to collect Henry. We need to wait until he has his son before we can all leave.”
“I see. Are we doing it again then?” she asked, indicating with a nod of her head his throbbing erection.
“No. You will be sore if we do it again.”
“Oh!” She looked disappointed. He was disappointed himself though he had known he would not be able to do it more than once today for fear of hurting her.
“Let me clean you up. There are other delights of the bedchamber to introduce you to before we need to dress. I am sorry that you do not get a proper wedding night.”
“Please stop apologising. It is fine. It is better than the alternative.” He turned and smirked at her as he poured water from the ewer into the bowl. Taking a wet and a dry linen to the bed, he urged her to open her legs. She squeaked a little in dismay but she obeyed him.
“It is a husband’s duty to care for his wife, especially after she has given him so much pleasure from her body.”
“I got pleasure from your body too,” she said, though her head was turned away from him. He could feel the shame radiating from her. She had been so willing a bed partner and now suddenly she was back to the frightened mouse she had been when they had first entered the bedchamber.
“Kathleen, my love, give me your hand.” Despite her discomfort, she trusted him implicitly. When he placed it on her most intimate area, she frowned. Little lines formed between her brows and her mouth turned down almost comically.
“Now, part the way I did and stroke yourself. Move your finger through the wetness there.” She followed his instructions as he wiped himself and returned the linens to the dressing table. When he returned she had a look of concentration on her face.
“This is nice.”
“Does any part feel particularly nice?”
“Here, near the top.”
“Circle that.”
She did as she was told. He watched her expression change as she relaxed into it and found her own pleasure.
“Gabriel, could I… could I… what happened before?”
“Yes. You could do that until you reached your release. Now move your hand out the way. It is my turn. I want to taste my wife.”
“Taste?”
“Yes, taste.”
He positioned himself so they were top to tail. The bed was not particularly long and being used to the beds of governesses and his own small servant's bed, he was used to doing it this way. If he was allowed to remain in Marchby estate, then becoming accustomed to a massive bed would take time.
As soon as he touched his mouth to her flesh, his wife gasped in horror.
“Gabriel, what are you doing?”
“I told you I was going to taste you and I am. You taste delicious.” And she did. Within a few licks and sucks, Kathleen had forgotten her near-maidenly objections and was rocking against his face and mewling her pleasure. He was enjoying the experience so much that he was taken aback when he realised his cock was cold from the damp patch on it and warm from the tongue and mouth currently wrapped around the shaft part way up it. He stopped what he was doing to look at his wife. Of course, with him making a meal out of her, his own groin was right at her face. It had never occurred to him his innocent wife would consider tasting or touching him. And she really had no clue what she was doing, But what she was doing, she was putting a great effort into it.
“Kathleen, what are you doing.”
She let his cock go and it slapped against his stomach. She sucked her lips into her mouth and gave him a wide-eyed half-guilty, half-innocent expression.
“I thought if you were licking and sucking me I could lick and suck you.” And then her eyes widened further. “I shall not get ill, shall I?”
“No.” He was struggling to keep the amusement out of his voice. “You can suck it if you want. It is more pleasurable if you cover the head and move your mouth up and down. Like so.” He demonstrated on two fingers. Then he used his hand to bend his cock forward. When she licked her lips, he thought he might release then and there. Devil take it. Men should be protected from innocents. They had no idea how seductive they were.
He set to work again, and soon she was moaning against his hard cock as she moved her mouth up and down the shaft, sucking and licking as she went. She was close to release. He pushed a finger inside and when she did not complain or tense, he pushed in a second one. She thrust harder against his tongue. He curled his fingers and she let go of him, leaning her head against his thigh.
“Gabriel. It is too much.”
And then her internal muscles were pulsing around his digits as she smothered her own cry of pleasure in the flesh of his leg. He cleaned her with his tongue then turned and moved up her body, pulling her against him as he licked his fingers clean.
He caught her lips in a kiss and she tangled her fingers in his hair. He should not since it was it was gauche. But he took himself in hand anyway and stroked his cock. He needed a release. He had never done this in front of any of his other lovers and they had all been women of the world. But the next few days would be a trial and he could not go into them frustrated. He had to be clear-headed. She laid her head on his chest and watched him. He was close to orgasm and he was stroking hard and fast. His wife looked fascinated. He watched her, and she watched his hand. Again, she licked her lips. It was his undoing. A few more strokes and he buried his face in her hair.
“Kathleen,” he groaned, as he released. With his free arm around her, he was unable to direct his seed as it splashed over both of them. She lifted her face towards him, her eyes alight with wonder and fascination. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “Thank you,” he whispered.
“What for?”
He frowned. “For… allowing me to do that and not being a swooning, delicate lady about it.”
She giggled. “If I had been going to swoon at anything, it would have been your tongue on my… well… You know what I mean. I did not expect that.”
“But did you enjoy it?” Her cheeks blossomed a delicate shade of pink and she sucked in her lips.
“I did.”
“I am glad. You are supposed to enjoy the marriage bed.” He wiped a small splash of his seed from her face and licked it from his finger.
“What was that?” she enquired.
“My seed. I am afraid it travelled farther than I anticipated.”
“Oh. You can put it in your mouth?”
“Well, had you continued to suck me and not moved away in time, I may have released into your mouth. I would have tried to get you to move away in time, but it would not have harmed you if I had. It may not have been terribly gentlemanly of me not to warn you though, especially when you are so innocent.”
“So I can taste it from your skin.”
“I suppose…” And then she moved her head and licked it from his stomach. He groaned. Kathleen Roberts, or rather Kathleen Marchby, as she now was, may well kill him with pleasure. She lifted her head and scowled. Gabriel chuckled. “It is not exactly Gunther’s Ices, is it?”
“No, but it is not unpleasant.”
He sighed and sat up. “Now I have thoroughly corrupted you, Lady Cindermaine, I do believe it is time for us to dress and to repair the damage to your coiffure.”
“Oh!” She lifted her hand to her messy curls with a look of dismay. She looked adorable. “Never fear. Christina came to me when she was a girl and had me fix her coiffure, so she did not get into trouble with her maid. My father, for some reason, gave her a tyrant of a maid. Everyone below stairs was terrified of the woman and so was Christina. Some of the other maids helped her out too, but I was the one she turned to most. Christina was a bit of a hoyden. She was always ripping the hem of her gown or damaging her bonnet or coiffure. You would not recognise her as the same demure lady. I believe Stalwood will have his work cut out with her. Once freed from the stifling environment of Hartsmere House, the real Christina may come back to life.”
“You sound like you would enjoy that.”
“I have no issue with a sister who occasionally rips a hem or has the odd curl out of place. I am more troubled by her natural vivaciousness being stifled by a brute.”
“Then I believe she and Lord Stalwood will be well-suited.”
“What do you think about her taking on the burden of Stalwood’s son?”
Kathleen was pulling on her shift and covering up her beautiful body. He wanted her again already. This was insane. She shrugged.
“She will make a wonderful mother to him. Christina does not have a jealous or vindictive bone in her body. She will love that child as if he was her own and when she has her own children, she will treat Henry no different to her own children.”
“I worry about her living under the shadow of another woman.”
“From what Christina has told me, Lord Stalwood cared deeply for his first wife but did not have a passion for her. They had a comfortable relationship. From what I can see of his relationship with Christina, he is head over ears in love with her.”
“You believe that… after just two weeks?”
“I do.”
“So I could make you fall in love with me in that length of time?” Kathleen looked hard at him and said nothing. Then she put her stays over her shoulders.
“Would you mind tying these tight, please?”
What did her silence mean? Could she never love him? That would be a bitter pill to swallow. He had become very fond of her. Was she already in love with him? Surely not. It had only been two weeks. Yet he could not imagine his life without her. His reasons for marrying her were not entirely altruistic. It had not been just to save her from the clutches of Cedric and to some extent his father. He had wanted her. And now, having had her, he just wanted her more. He now understood those people who were addicted to laudanum and could not survive without it. She was becoming his laudanum.
He finished tying the laces of her stays. “Is that correct?”
“You would make a good ladies maid, my lord.” He saw her smile although her head was turned and then her hand came up to her mouth and she twirled around, her face set in horror. “Oh Gabriel, I apologise. That was thoughtless.”
He grinned at her. “No, it is fine. It is nice that you treated me like a lord and not like a servant for once. It is rather pleasing to know that you think of me as an earl and not as Mr Onslow.”
“I must say, when we came over to England, I had hoped Papa would find me a match with a baron or perhaps even a viscount. I must admit to being disappointed that his choice was the illegitimate son of a duke. But I consoled myself that he may be a nice gentleman and we may have a happy marriage. Even eventually fall in love. And then we met that day when he cast up his accounts on the street. Of course, it was not his fault that he was unwell. But your f… the Duke, he seemed brusque and somewhat dismissive of everyone and Cedric was gabbling away. And he was standing so that his hips were right in my line of vision as I was seated. And it really was quite disconcerting. Gentleman’s clothing, well… young ladies should not be able to see the outline of a gentleman’s…”
“Cock?”
“You are determined to make me say that word, are you not, Lord Cindermaine?”
“I had not been but now you have put the suggestion into my head, I believe I like the idea, Lady Cindermaine.”
“You are very vexing.”
“And you are very arousing. I had better get dressed or we shall be bowling down the highways and byways of England in the pitch black trying to find our way home. And that will not do.”
She glanced down at his semi-hard cock as he moved to reach for his breeches. The little minx would not entice him to go back to bed, much as he might want nothing more in the world. If she wanted to spend Christmas with her family, then he would make sure she did. And then he would whisk her off to Marchby Castle in Buckinghamshire. He hoped her family would come around eventually, but he also knew they planned to travel back to America as soon as the Christmas Season was over. The scandal may send them back on the first available sailing to protect Teresa.
They were soon out of the inn, Stalwood having paid the innkeeper in advance for the night so he would not know they had only used the rooms for the afternoon and their consummations. They had agreed not to meet up and leave together, just leaving when each couple was ready. Gabriel really had no wish to see a flushed, freshly tumbled Christina. While he was close to his sister and looked forward to his renewed friendship with Stalwood, there was much to be said for not seeing one’s sister just after she had been deflowered by one’s best friend.
They settled into the carriage and headed for home. When they arrived back at Kathleen’s family home, Gabriel was somewhat ashamed to have spent part of the carriage ride bringing his new wife to yet another release without removing any of her clothes and helping her to bring himself to one too by only dropping the fall of his breeches.
“I do not know what state Cedric is in. He may want to start calling on you again. If he tries to kiss you or whatever, I suggest you feign maidenly shock. If he tries anything more, push him away. Tell him you have your courses. Whatever it takes. I am sure he will be green at the thought of blood. He never had a strong constitution.”
“I see.”
“I hope I can see you and that he is still not strong enough to be out on the town. He may even choose to go out but not court you. He can be a selfish brute. I will find out where he is going and if it is not a ton entertainment, then perhaps I can still accompany you. It bears a certain risk but we may be lucky.”
“This is altogether too ridiculous. We should just go.”
“It is entirely up to you, my love. But I do not mind staying in the shadows for a few days if it means your happiness.”
“You are so very kind, Gabriel.”
“Do not beatify me yet, Kathleen. I had my own reasons for marrying you. And many of them were carnal.”
It was too dark to see her face, but he was sure she was blushing.
“I must go now. May I have one last kiss before I go?”
He pressed his lips to her and flicked his tongue briefly inside her mouth then released her. “I do not want you to get a rash from my day beard. What would your mother say?”
“What indeed. Can you find a way to get a note to me if you find out what Cedric is up to?”
“I shall try.”
“Thank you.”