Chapter 14
Gabriel had barely slept that night. Images of his beautiful wife had kept him awake half the night as he had throbbed with the need for her. Taking himself in hand and relieving his need had felt like a betrayal of her, even if her large breasts and delicious taste would have been the exact memories which would have brought him to release.
He was tired and grumpy when Cochrane walked into the room.
“I’ll finish off Mister Cedric’s Hessians, my lord. Lady Christina wants to see you.”
“I can complete this before I see what Her Ladyship is demanding now,” Gabriel grumbled.
“She was very insistent. I think her words were ‘Get my brother’s annoying arse up here or I’ll twist his ballocks off.’”
“Stalwood is having a dreadful effect on her.”
“I like the effect he’s having on her. She’s quite potty-mouthed now.”
“She shouldn’t know what ballocks are.”
“She is a married lady.”
“How the hell do you know that?”
Cochrane raised an eyebrow. “I know everything.”
“Does everyone know?”
“Nah. Her maid does but she can keep ‘er mouth shut and Connors does but he hates the Duke and the Onslow’s, so you’re safe. Otherwise, no one else has worked it out.”
“I’m safe?”
“We know about you and Miss Roberts, or rather, the Countess.”
“Devil take it.”
“Keep yer wig on. No one will tell His Grace. We prefer you to that old blaggard.”
“I had better see what her ladyship wants.”
“I would. She was pretty agitated.”
He passed the boot he was working on and the cloth to Cochrane, washed his hands at the sink nodded to his friend and left the room. He found Christina in the morning room, pacing in front of the fire.
“What took you so long?”
“Cochrane had to find me, I had to establish if you were…”
“Oh never mind. I hear there was an incident last evening at the Arbuthnott soiree. Cedric overstepped the mark with Kathleen and the Duke of Kirkbourne threatened him.”
“Who told you?”
“The Duchess of Kirkbourne sent me a note. She is concerned about Miss Roberts. She is a little cryptic but I believe she knows the entire story. I have spoken to a few of the servants. Cedric rolled in at dawn, which must have been, nearly eight o’clock this morning. He was completely foxed so I doubt he shall see the light of day. You can pretend to do errands for me today. Of course, I can do them myself. You should go to go to Myles’s house. I took your aristocratic clothes around there yesterday and you can change there. Visit Kathleen. Take her for a walk. Find out if she is well and ensure that he did not… well… make sure she is well. That is all. I shall arrange dinner this evening at the Beatties’. You, me, Kathleen, Myles, the Duke and Duchess if they can make it and the Beatties, of course. I shall ensure you have the night off. Gabriel, are you listening?”
He had heard what she had said. He was vaguely aware of having taken it in. Dinner at the Beatties’ house. He was to change at Stalwood’s before going to see Kathleen and before he killed Cedric.
“I shall kill him.”
“No, you shall not. Your concern is your wife, Gabriel. Please go and see Kathleen. Here, take this book. I shall be at Myles’s house when you return with a few packages you can bring back to make it look as if you have been on errands for me.”
Gabriel looked at the book. “This is not even from the lending library. It is a book of Byron’s poetry.”
“I know. Myles loaned it to me and now I am done with it.”
“Why are women so fascinated by George Byron?”
“He writes wonderful poetry.”
“It is not all he does.”
“Why is he in Switzerland?”
“Ask your husband.”
“He will not tell me.”
“Then it is not my place to tell you.”
“I despise both of you.”
“You love both of us. It is why we are all sneaking around like thieves in the night.”
“You love Kathleen.”
Did he?
“I have a high regard for her.”
His sister raised an eyebrow at him.
“Is that all you have for her?”
A hard cock—but he was not about to tell his sister that.
“Stop prying, Tina.”
“Well, you have not called me Tina since I was in the schoolroom. Things must be serious, my lord.”
“I may kill you before I start on Cedric.”
“No, you would not. You adore the ground I walk upon.”
He pursed his lips, looked at the book then nodded. “I shall take this back to Lord Stalwood then, my lady, and I shall do your bidding. Good day.”
It took him half an hour to get to Stalwood’s and get changed. Stalwood had his own valet fix Gabriel’s neckcloth, so it was suitably fussy to look like Cedric’s, should he come across any of Cedric’s friends.
“Perhaps we should get you some inexpressibles now that Cedric is back on the scene,” said Stalwood as he lounged in the chair where Gabriel was getting changed. His lips twitched with humour.
“Perhaps I should plant you a facer, Stalwood.”
“Or I could give you a few coins so you can purchase yourself a sense of humour, Cindermaine. I hear there is an old woman who hawks them just off Bond Street.”
“Very droll. Did you always have such terrible jokes or just since you and my sister became besotted with each other?”
“I would think you were jealous, Cindermaine, were you not besotted with the former Miss Roberts.”
“Why are you and Christina so determined for me to be in love? You both read too much bloody Byron.”
“Well, my dear chap, you may not know it, but it is clear to everyone you are completely head over ears for the lady. At least, it is clear to everyone but you and the lady in question. You are a real pair of dolts. For the record, she reciprocates your feelings.”
Cindermaine raised an eyebrow at this.
“And have you heard anything about what happened last night at the Arbuthnott’s between Cedric and Kathleen?”
“No. I received a scribbled note from Christina ten minutes before you arrived saying something had happened and to expect you and you needed to pretend to be Cedric and go to see Kathleen.”
“Kirkbourne dealt with it, apparently. And Christina believes the Duke and Duchess now know our secret.”
“Kirkbourne is a good man.”
“He killed his friend in a curricle accident.”
“His friend killed himself and Kirkbourne was in a dreadful state for a long time. He was filled with self-loathing. He was on the road to destruction when the Duchess married him and he reformed. They had an interesting start to their courtship. Many say her dying father tricked him into marrying her and he, as an honourable gentleman, would not go back on a wager. Whether that is true or not makes no difference now. The man is like a love-sick pup around that wife of his. And God help anyone who says it is unseemly for a duke to be carrying around his wife.”
The valet finished fussing with his neckcloth and Gabriel checked it in the looking glass. “I look like a damned dandy.”
“That’s the point. Gabe.”
“Quite. Thank you, Thomson.”
Soon he was waiting in the drawing room in the house that Kathleen’s father had rented. He had told the butler that Mr Onslow was here to see Miss Roberts. He could think of no way to let her know it was he, rather than Cedric, that was visiting so he had to hope that she would take the chance. They should have had some code worked out beforehand. He was staring broodingly into the fire when the door creaked open.
Blonde curls and an ample bosom preceded his wife and he could not help but smile and have to tamp down his desire immediately. Her gaze moved from his feet and his boots up to his breeches and her eyebrow raised slightly. By the time her gaze met his eyes, her smile had relaxed and tears filled her eyes. She grasped her skirts and hurried over to him, grabbing him around the neck and kissing him on the cheek.
“Gabriel.”
“Kathleen,” he whispered. “Someone may hear.”
“I apologise. I am just so pleased it is you and not him.”
“I believe something happened last night.”
“Who told you?”
“Christina received a letter from the Duchess of Kirkbourne. Kathleen, walk with me in the park. Bring a maid if you must.”
“I shall get my pelisse and bonnet and my maid.”
She hurried out of the room and Gabriel had five minutes in which to pace. At least the weather was mild for December. Considering how awful the summer had been, he had expected a bad December. That said, it was not over yet.
They walked out of the house, and Gabriel offered his arm. Kathleen took it with a smile.
“My uh, brother.” He turned his head to look at the maid.
“Oh, Patsy knows.”
“She does. Christ, Kathleen, does the whole of London know?”
Kathleen blanched and pulled away but he held her tight.
“When we returned from Richmond, I needed a bath. Your seed had run out of me as well as some blood and it was on my thigh. I did not want her to think ill of me. Patsy is a widow. She is not stupid.”
“I see.”
“Do you, Gabriel? If the servants had learned that I was not innocent and that had got back to the servants at Hartsmere House, what do you think would have happened?”
“How do you know you can trust her?”
“Turn around and look at her.”
He did. The maid looked directly at him.
“Patsy Jones?”
“As was. Now Patsy Edwards.”
“You married Larry.”
Her eyes clouded and she looked to the side. “I did, my lord.”
“Oh, Miss Roberts, I mean Lady Cindermaine, said you are widowed. I am so terribly sorry.”
“Stupid bugger’s own fault. Twas a bar brawl. Some idiot came onto me and he took exception. But the guy was bigger and knocked him down. Larry hit his head on the bar, and that was it.”
“So, now you know why she shall not tell on us.”
“You worked for my father.”
“Yes, Lord Cindermaine. And I am glad to see that you are at last going to take your rightful title. I am also glad that Lady Cindermaine will not become Mrs Onslow. I really wanted to say something to her. To warn her what a brute Mr Cedric is.”
“Tell me. What is Godfrey really like?”
“Mr Godfrey is nice when he is on his own. He’s influenced by Mr Cedric, but alone he can be charming, and he don’t put on them daft airs and graces. Not poshness like you ‘ave and can’t ‘elp cause it was ‘ow you was raised. I mean… Oh…”
“I know what you mean. We call it fashionable ennui. A sort of air of boredom.”
“Yeah, that’s it. Like everythin’ is too much work.”
“Precisely. Now, my lady. Hyde Park?”
“I like when you call me, my lady.”
“It’s going to be a long week,” Gabriel muttered to himself
∞∞∞
Once they entered the park Gabriel drew her down a smaller path away from Rotten Row and the people who were exercising their horses. Patsy walked behind—a far enough distance away to be respectable but far enough to give them privacy too. Kathleen explained the events of the previous evening, trying at first to downplay Cedric’s abominable behaviour. However, Gabriel did not believe a peer of the realm would step in had Cedric just been holding her arm and she had to confess that Cedric was trying to drag her towards the staircase and that she was trying to pull away. When she described falling against the baluster, Gabriel was red-faced and his fists were clenched.
“Were you hurt, Kathleen?”
“I… I have bruising on my back.” Immediately his hand lifted to between her shoulder blades and she recoiled from him.
“Kathleen. It is me, Gabriel.”
“I know. It is painful there. If you had touched it, I would have cried out in pain. I do not fear you, Gabriel.”
“Come.” He took her arm again and started marching quickly along the path.
“Where are you taking me, Gabriel?”
“To the Serpentine.”
“Why?”
“I will see what he has done to you.”
“Gabriel, it is only bruising. And it was my fault. Had I not…”
“What? Had you not what, Kathleen? Resisted him? What then? The Duke of Kirkbourne may not have been able to save you. He should not have been manhandling you.”
“Unlike you now.”
He stopped and Kathleen immediately regretted her sharp unthinking words. He dropped her arm and took a step back.
“I apologise, my lady. You have your maid with you. You are safe to walk back home with her.”
“Gabriel, you know I did not mean…”
“Good day to you, Lady Cindermaine.” He tugged at the brim of his hat and turned to leave.
“Please do not leave like this, Gabriel. I apologise for my words. They were unkind and unforgivable.”
He stopped. “Nothing is unforgivable. Please let me see the damage my brother has done to you.”
Kathleen let out a resigned sigh and moved to place her hand on his arm. “Fine. I shall if I must.”
He placed her hand on his sleeve and started walking again in the direction he had been leading her before. Soon they were at the Serpentine and standing outside a small boating hut. Gabriel turned Kathleen, reached under her bonnet and removed one of her hairpins.
“My Lord!” she exclaimed.
Gabriel did not answer her. Instead, he took the pin and used it to fiddle with the lock until with a grunt of victory he opened the door.
Surreptitiously, he looked around, then held out his hand to her. “Can you wait outside, please, Patsy?”
“Of course. I shall sit on that bench over there and wait.”
“We appreciate it, Patsy.” He nodded to the maid then led Kathleen into the boating shed. It was damp and musty smelling inside but the small building appeared much larger inside than it did on the outside.
“How do you intend to do this, my lord? Do you intend to strip me bare?”
One side of his mouth lifted into a wry smile. “Much though I want nothing more than to inspect your nude form, that shall not be necessary for me to inspect your back and see how much of a brute my half-brother has been to you. Remove your pelisse and I shall lift your gown, loosen your undershirts and pull your shift up to see the damage.”
There seemed to be little point in arguing with him She did as she was asked and soon he was running his hands over her bare back and grunting is disapproval.
“Devil take it, Kathleen, but he has bruised you black and blue. He shall pay for this.”
“Gabriel, it shall heal, and quickly.”
“Unlike him, who shall find himself dead.”
“And then what shall become of me?” she replied glaring over her shoulder at him. “Shall I be married off to Godfrey, or worse, your father? He shall need an heir, shall he not? I mean, once you are hanged for Cedric’s murder. Or shall I return to New Hampshire to live out my widowhood without children, and with the scandal of this hanging over me until I die? Unless, of course, our consummation has caused me to start increasing. Then I shall be beholden to the Duke, and your son or daughter can become his servant. How do you see your killing Cedric playing out, Gabriel? For I do not foresee a happy ending to that story.”
Gabriel dropped his head to her shoulder and his hands onto her hips. “You are, of course, correct, my love.” He urged her gently against him so she could move forward if she was in pain. There were so many layers of clothing between them, but she knew from his ragged breathing he was becoming aroused. His thumbs skated over the smooth skin of her derriere. “You do understand why, at some point, he shall have to be punished for hurting you, do you not? I am not sure how I shall do it. But Cedric shall pay.”
“I believe once that dust settles and the scandal of our elopement is over, he shall suffer. He will have been cuckolded by his brother and fiancé. That will not sit well with a man like Cedric.”
“How does an innocent lady know a word like ‘cuckold?’ Besides, you are my wife, not Cedric’s.”
“But I was supposed to marry him.”
“True. Tell me, was it only yesterday we married? It seems like such a long time ago I held you in my arms and had my…” He had stopped mid-sentence and pulled away from her. “Well anyway…”
“Had your what, Gabriel?”
He made a noise that sounded like a half-sigh and half groan. He tugged the ribbon of her bonnet and tossed the item on top of her pelisse. Then he bent his head close to her ear. “Had my cock inside you, my dear, sweet Kathleen. I apologise. One day, I shall remember you are a lady before I speak. I am still in the mindset of speaking to servants and street hawkers.”
“Yes, it does seem like a long time ago that you had your cock inside me. I do not suppose…”
“Do not suggest we do it in here.”
“Would we be able to do it in here?”
“We could but not in a position I could in good conscience use on my wife.”
“Why not?”
“I shall not take you from behind, Kathleen. I am not the Duke.”
She turned in his arms and cupped his chin in both her hands. He allowed her skirts to drop back down.
“You must explain. Taking a woman from behind is wrong?”
“It is when the woman is not your wife?”
“I am your wife.”
“I know but I shall always think of that position as the position of the two people who hate me and blame me for my mother’s death.”
“Oh Gabriel.” She reached up and brushed her lips against his. “I cannot fathom what sort of life you have led. But I know what happened to your mother was not your fault. How your father treats you is not your fault. I cannot say I know much of the marriage bed and of… sex, but I know that when you and I were together yesterday, it was… well I felt wanted and needed and it was, I’m not sure how to put it. I felt free. You should do with me as you think fit, as I trust you completely. However, you should not allow your past to dictate what we do together. The Duke’s treatment of you is despicable. Please do not let it become a barrier in our relationship.”
Gabriel chuckled. There was not much humour in it but he wrapped his arms around her and buried his neck in her shoulder. Kathleen bit back a yelp of pain as his strong arms covered one of the bruises on her back.
“I never thought I would ever be married to a woman as giving and as perfect as you. One who would beg me to take her from behind in a boating shed beside the Serpentine. Thank you, my love. The offer is much appreciated.”
“I want to do it again too, Gabriel. Yesterday was wonderful.”
“I know. And we shall soon.”
“This is my fault for wanting to spend time with my family for Christmas.”
“It is the fault of circumstance. There are worse things that could happen.”
“Gabriel?”
“Mm?”
“Your… uh… well it seems like it is rather large right now.”
“That is because my nose is buried in your neck and I’m aroused by your scent.”
“Why can we not…”
“Because you are a lady and worth more than being tumbled in an old shed in the middle of Hyde Park.”
“I was only worth being married off to a bastard a few days ago. I still am in my father’s eyes.”
He pulled away from her and looked at her, concern clouding his brown eyes.
“You seem hurt about this. In theory Cedric is not a bad match. It is only that he is a horrible human being that the reality is not such a wonderful thing to behold.”
“I am sad that my father has not met with him to see if he is worthy to be my husband. He met that one day when Cedric cast up his accounts and that was it. Gabriel, please tell me we shall take more care when our daughters have their come out and are looking for husbands.”
He smiled. “Nothing but the best will do for our daughters. Never fear, Lady Cindermaine. I shall chop the ballocks off of any young buck who is not wealthy, does not have a good reputation and is not at least a Marquis.”
“You are not a Marquis.”
“I mean the heir of one. Courtesy titles do not count.”
“I am pleased you have it planned out. It is certainly more than my father has.”
“Do not be too harsh on your father. Perhaps he does not know what to do for the best.”
“I cannot be as generous to him as you are, Gabriel. It is I who would have been in a miserable marriage to Cedric had it not been for sheer luck. All he did last evening was leer at my décolletage.”
Gabriel’s brow furrowed. “I may still kill him. Only I am allowed to leer at your décolletage and only then when we are in private.”
Kathleen tugged her fichu from the neckline of her gown and smiled up at him. “Leer away, my lord.”
Gabriel leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the rise of each breast then lifted his head, clasped both ends of the fichu and tucked it back in. “Tempting, my love. But this is hardly private.”
Kathleen wanted to cry. She knew he wanted her as much as she wanted him. Frustration seemed to be eating at her very soul.
“Let us run away tonight then.”
He smiled indulgently. “I promised you Christmas Day with your family and you shall have it. Here. Rest your bottom on this table.” She did as he asked, and he lifted her gown. It was then she realised he had not refastened her underskirts. She kicked them off. He pressed his lips to hers as his fingers skimmed up her thighs. Soon his fingers were stroking her between her folds and making her moan into his mouth. Kathleen grabbed at his hair and his coat, rocking against his hand. When he plunged one finger inside her sheath, she arched off the table.
“Devil take it. I promised I would not do this,” Gabriel muttered, his voice a growl of frustration.
“Please Gabriel.” It was all she was capable of, but when his dark gaze met hers, he must have seen something in her pleading eyes that convinced him. He unbuttoned the fall of his breeches and stroked himself a few times before positioning the head of his cock at her entrance.
“Let me know if I hurt you since you have only done this once.”
Kathleen nodded. He guided himself into her, one hand on her hip and the other on his hard length. This time she was more in a position to watch, despite her gown. As he plunged in and out of her, she was fascinated by how slick it was from being inside her. She loved the full feeling of him moving inside her. Knowing this was what made them one and would tie them together for all eternity. Somehow, she could not imagine this with anyone else, especially not Cedric.
Gabriel moved his hand between them and began to work the little pearl of pleasure. Kathleen’s fascination turned to need, to frustration and eventually to ecstasy as Gabriel plunged hard and fast into her. She had just lost her bearings as a torrent of pleasure swept through her, before Gabriel lost his rhythm, pulled out of her and stroked himself, splashing his seed onto the dirt floor of the shed.
He gathered her back into his arms and kissed her neck, rubbing her back gently. She suspected so as not to hurt her bruises.
“I have no idea why I tried to stop that from happening. It was perfect.”
“Why did you do that? I mean, why did you spill your seed on the ground.”
Gabriel pulled away and kicked some dirt over the white liquid that had not yet seeped into the dry ground.
“Well, I did not want you having to walk home with my seed running down your leg. I can give you a handkerchief to clean it but I do not believe that gets it all and it would still be uncomfortable.”
“Oh. I wondered if that somehow stopped me getting with child and perhaps…”
“Well it does, but it is not why I did it. Nothing would please me more than to see your belly round with my babe. I was being a considerate lover. Especially considering we are still trying to keep this marriage a secret.”
She nodded her understanding. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“I am sorry that I was unthinking and your maid found out. Even if it was Patsy. She must be cold. Come. We should get going. I believe you shall be invited to dinner this evening at Lord and Lady Beattie’s.”
He helped her into her underskirts and they fixed each other’s clothing before going back out into the December sunshine.
When they arrived back at Kathleen’s parents’ townhouse, Gabriel drew her to one side on the pavement.
“Until tonight at dinner. And thank you for the boat shed.”
Kathleen felt the heat rising in her cheeks, but she held Gabriel’s gaze. “I believe it is I who should thank you, Mr Onslow.”
“I may have to find a unique way to punish you for calling me that.”
Kathleen took a step back from him and felt coldness in the pit of her stomach. Punishment? What did he mean? Gabriel frowned and placed a hand on her arm.
“Kathleen, my love. I am teasing. The punishment will be as much pleasure as pain.”
“I do not understand.”
Gabriel rolled his eyes. “I am an imbecile, am I not? To frighten you like that. I am talking about things we have not yet experienced together in the bedchamber. But please, my darling, do not fear it. I would never harm you.”
Kathleen heaved a sigh and smiled at him. “I know you would not. It was just the word concerned me.”
“One day, we shall be more comfortable with one another and you will understand when I tease and when I flirt and when I just simply want you.”
“I believe I should go inside the house. Apart from the neighbours all talking, I am in danger of re-enacting what happened in the boathouse, my lord.” She whispered the last bit and Gabriel smiled—a smug, satisfied smile. Kathleen turned away before he had any further effect on her already pounding heart.