Chapter 15
She had been to the waterfall, of course. Most people in the village had been at one time or other. Even though it was on Aelton Manor land, most villagers at some point sneaked over to the waterfall to see its beauty. But coming here with the owner of the land, knowing that she was not trespassing and that she could not be caught was quite different. Her mount was a grey mare—a biddable beast who trotted along happily beside Robert’s beautiful brown gelding. When the path became narrower, Robert took the lead, holding branches out of her way and calling out when there was a puddle or tree root to watch out for.
His valet and the maid, who had started the journey with them, peeled off about a mile before the waterfall. They had whispered incessantly to one another throughout the journey and Lucy had been slightly jealous of their closeness.
Eventually she heard the crashing sound of the waterfall and her heart leapt. She had not been here for almost ten years. She longed to bring Eleanor here to see it. Would she be able to once everything with Robert had gone sour? Would he forgive her for not marrying him? He seemed so convinced she would marry him eventually.
He dismounted his horse and tucked in its reins, so they would not get caught, then he walked to her. He put his large hands on her hips and lifted her away from the saddle and down.
“Let me attend the horses and the picnic then I am yours for the afternoon.
He busied himself removing the satchels from the horses and making sure their tack would not get caught in anything. Then he allowed them freedom to wander. She knew this area was fenced in, so they would not go far. He spread a couple of blankets then opened the basket he had carried on his horse.
It was a veritable feast. She sat down beside him and he lay back, looking at the sky. Her gaze raked up his body. Shining top boots, buckskin breeches tapering his slim waist, clothing hiding his flat stomach but accentuating his broad shoulders, a well-shaven, strong jaw, with a smirk playing at the corners of a sinful mouth, brown eyes that glinted with mischief and dark hair that made Lucy’s fingers itch to touch.
“Swimming now or later?”
“It is not warm enough to swim,” she replied.
“The cold is bracing.”
“Only if you do not mind dying of a fever.”
He rolled his eyes. “Such melodrama.”
“It is common sense.”
“I wanted to take you to the inside of the waterfall. It’s beautiful when the sun shines.”
“The inside?”
“There is a cave behind it. You can approach it from the side.”
“Why can we not?”
“You would get wet.”
“Can I not wear just a shift and see behind the waterfall but still not immerse myself in freezing cold water?”
Robert seemed to consider this.
“That would be fine.”
“Shall we do it now?”
He nodded and rose to his feet, pulling a pair of light cotton pantaloons from his bag.
“You may have to help me with my boots.”
It took some effort but eventually, between them, they removed his top boots and coat. He unlaced her gown and stays. She was sitting on the blanket untying her own boots when he turned from her and removed his breeches.
The white round cheeks of his backside were perfect. Lucy swallowed hard.
He pulled on a long pair of white, form-fitting trousers.
“Good God, these are awful,” he exclaimed.
“What are?”
“These inexpressibles. I was given them as a gift. They were the only light weight trousers I owned that I did not mind getting water damaged. By God, how can men walk about the streets of London in them?”
“They cannot be so bad,” she said, a laugh rising in her throat. “Let me see.”
He turned his hands cupping his nether regions, so she could not see. She had her hands folded over her chest because she was aware he would be able to see her nipples through the chemise.
“Tell me,” he said, his voice raspy, “will you be able to put your hair back up if I pull out all these pins?”
“It is a simple knot. It only has six, no seven pins in it.”
“That is very good news,” he said, tugging her arm away from her breast. “Devil take it. You look beautiful.” His gaze was on her breasts and she tried to look away as embarrassment flooded her. “No, Lucy, please, look at me. And take a compliment. You are beautiful.”
“And you are…” Her gaze flitted down to his skin-tight trousers and her eyes bulged. “…practically nude.”
This time Robert looked away. “Are you offended.”
Lucy giggled. “No. I am mildly surprised at how little is left to the imagination. Until yesterday I had never seen a naked man before. Not a real one anyway. It looks very large.”
He seemed to preen. “You think so?”
She bit her lip and nodded. When she had done things to Eddie, it had been in dark places. She had only really felt him and seen the general outline. He had not seemed so large. But it had been years ago. Perhaps her mind had shrunk Eddie and she imagined Robert to be much larger. Or perhaps Robert was larger.
“Does it pain you?” she asked, not sure if she wanted the answer.
He cocked his head to the side. “It aches for you, but it is not distressing me, if that is what you inquire.”
“You are well enough to take me to the cave?”
“Of course.”
“Very well. Let us go.”
Robert gave her a curious look then took her by the hand. He led the way showing her what rocks to stand on once the path to the waterfall became very narrow.
At one point there was a very high step and Lucy had to hitch her chemise high. She knew Robert must be able to see the very top of her thighs and even possibly her most intimate place as he helped her up. But he merely kissed her on the nose and said, “well done,” when she was standing on the ledge with him.
When they edged past the gushing water of the waterfall, Lucy screamed, half in delight and half in shock at the coldness of the water hitting her. It was refreshing and freezing. Robert threw his head back and roared with laughter. He tugged her deeper into the darkness and she batted at his hand.
“You beast. You did not say I would get this wet or this cold.”
Robert chuckled. “I absolutely did warn you, my love. But you wanted to see the waterfall from inside. So here it is. Not many people see the falls from the other side. Not even the people who come up here to trespass and poach.”
“People trespass up here?” She tried to make her voice sound like she was aghast at the very thought.
“Of course they do. And considering you were so completely underwhelmed by the waterfall, I shall assume you have been up here before.”
“I…”
“Shh!” He pressed a kiss to her neck. “I do not mind people coming up here. Except for today perhaps. I do mind them poaching but I also understand that many of them struggle to put food on the table. I just wish they would come to me and tell me they are in need.”
His thumb stroked her nipple as he cupped her full breast and she arched into his touch, her own hand moving to stroke up and down his full length.
He growled and began to move her backwards. She walked willingly, feeling her way with her bare feet. When they reached the edge of the cave he turned her around.
“The wall is flat here, you can lean against it.”
“H-h-have you brought other lovers here?”
He was kissing her neck again and he palmed her breast a little roughly, but she felt his smile against her skin.
“Are you envious, my love?”
“Not really, I mean… no… I was… curious. You seem to… Robert…” He had kissed down her chest before lifting her cotton-clad nipple into his mouth. “I was curious,” she repeated herself.
He licked her nipple then removed his mouth and his thumb took up the sweet torture. “Em and I came here often as children. I know this cave like the back of my hand. Lucy…” he sucked her nipple into his mouth again, but his voice had been dreadfully serious when he had said her name.
“Yes Robert.” She pushed her hands into his hair, curling them into the dark locks as she arched against his mouth.
He was kissing down her stomach now, his finger on her thighs, and then on the thatch of hair at the apex of her thighs.
“Open for me love.”
“Robert I…”
“I only want to give you pleasure love. I promise I shan’t ruin you. I shall not take your innocence.”
Lucy leaned against the smooth wall. What innocence? She had none to give him. She opened her legs obediently and Robert made a low noise of appreciation in his throat. He would not be so happy if he knew. He brushed a thumb through the crease of her sex and she moaned. This was a similar feeling to the one she’d had in the lake when his hard length had rubbed against her.
Robert knelt in front of her, kissing her stomach through her wet chemise. Lucy’s mind momentarily sought the months her belly had been swollen with Eddie’s child. She wondered if Robert would kiss her stomach like this if she was increasing with his child. She shook the silly thought away. Eddie had already come home by the time her pregnancy was showing. He’s been insensible, and she’d been shuffled off to stay with her great aunt.
Her mind came back to the present and Robert’s fingers and then his lips. He hooked her leg over his shoulder and began to work his tongue through the delicate folds of her sex.
“Robert. I… Oh!”
“Lucy?” He licked her on the little pearl at the top of her folds which seemed to give her so much pleasure, then he swirled his tongue over it. She grasped his hair harder. She was sure he growled.
“What!”
“Call me Robbie.”
“Robbie?”
“Mmm.”
“Yes Robbie. Fine. Oh, Robbie what are you doing?”
Robert seemed lost in what he was doing, and Lucy allowed herself to be pulled into the sensations that were coursing through her. Pleasure like she could never have imagined. Was this making love? Was this what Eddie should have done? She did not want to think of Eddie right now. She wanted to think of Robert. No Robbie. The Earl of Whitsnow.
“Oh no, the Earl of Whitsnow.”
“Mmm, I prefer Robbie, darling.” Another lash of his tongue. then he changed it and his tongue was replaced by this thumb. “Also the Viscount Sedghill and Baron Oldsville if using all my titles arouses you.”
“This is not proper, My Lord.”
“My Lord. Interesting. Normally you using that irritates me but at present, in this situation, I like it. And no, it’s not proper. Neither is you wearing a wet chemise and showing me your nipples but we are not in the Duchess of Kirkbourne’s drawing room so the rules of etiquette in Debrett’s are somewhat out the window. But knowing Her Grace, she would not care a whit. She is a rather unconventional young lady.”
He bent his head forward and swirled his tongue around that little pearl which seemed to be attached to every nerve in her body. She moaned.
“Would you like me to stop,” he asked.
“No. Please Robbie.”
He moved one hand up and started to massage her breast, alternatively pinching the nipple then stroking the side of it. Lucy could not help rocking against his face and tongue and seeking something that appeared to be elusive.
She was beginning to feel impatience and a sense of urgency. A need she could not fathom.
“Robbie. Help!”
He pressed her against the wall and sucked the pearl into his mouth, his thumb massaging her folds and one finger just prodding at her entrance. How she longed for him to fill her, even with that finger. She writhed, trying to impale herself, but Robert had more presence on mind than she. Just when she thought she might die from the strain, the dam inside her burst. Little stars twinkled behind her eyelids.
“Yes, my love. Come off for me. You beautiful creature. I can feel your juices soaking my hand. God, you are as wonderful as I thought you would be in the throes of passion.”
Lucy threw her forearm over her eyes as she dragged in huge gulps of air. She had never experienced anything so terrifying yet so wonderful in all her life.
Robbie was kissing up her stomach, stopping to suckle for a moment at each breast. Then he was above her, his chin, glistening with…
“Taste yourself on me. You taste delicious.”
She screwed up her nose.
“Robert!”
“Robbie, and I want you to taste yourself.”
Well, it had not killed him, so it could not be so awful. She allowed the kiss and she had to admit, she had tasted worse.
“I want to kiss you now.”
“Be my guest.”
“Lean against the wall.”
“As you wish.”
They swapped places and Lucy set about kissing his torso. When she licked his small nipples, he groaned. When she bit them then soothed them with her tongue, he caught her hand and rubbed it up and down his swollen length.
“Sorry, just needed a moment’s relief. I am fine now.”
She continues to kiss down his hard abdomen, along the lines of his muscles. His breathing was becoming laboured and she noticed some activity in his trousers. It seemed to be jerking slightly. She unbuttoned his braces and tugged the trousers down to his knees.
“Lucy!” Robbie’s voice was a warning. She did not heed it. She knelt, taking the large... what did he call it? Prick! Yes, that was it. She took his prick in her hand and bent it forward. “God, Lucy.” She licked her lips and heard Robbie make a resigned groan just as she placed the crown into her mouth. “Devil take it.”
She remembered Eddie cursing as she had done this to him. He had pleaded with her to do it.
She took him as deep as she could then pulled him almost out of her mouth and repeated the motion two or three times. Robbie seemed to be breathing through his teeth.
“Am I doing it wrong?” she asked after allowing it to pop out of her mouth. She eyed the slit at the top of it as though it was a snake and might bite her.
“No. God no. It is perfect. You are perfect. I am just trying hard not to disgrace myself and release my seed too quickly.”
“I thought releasing your seed was the point.”
“It is, but half the pleasure is getting there.”
“Oh, I see.” She was not sure she did see but she set about her task of pleasuring him. When he wrapped his hands into her hair and started murmuring encouraging words and making suggestions of how she could make it even better she was delighted.
Robbie started to rock into her mouth, her name almost an incantation on his lips. He placed his hand on his shaft and started to pump it hard and fast and she had remembered Eddie doing the same thing just before he had released the seed into her mouth. She grabbed hold of his hips and continued to bob her head up and down.
“Lucy, no. You must let go. Going to release. Let go. God, Lucy. Luc…. Argh!”
His seed hit the back of her throat and she swallowed hard. Robbie was muttering curses as what seemed like streams of the white liquid deposited itself on her tongue. Some she managed to swallow, some dripped down her chin and onto the stone below.
Lucy swallowed the last of it then swirled her tongue around the head of his prick. Robbie removed it from her mouth and lifted her to her feet. He wiped her chin with his thumb and drew her into a tight embrace.
“Thank you. But firstly, there was no need for you to do that, and secondly, why on earth did you not pull away when I was coming off?”
“You are more than welcome.” It was all she could say. What had happened here had been overwhelming but now she was unsure of herself. Unsure of him. And unsure of how he would view her.
“Do you think me…” She could not form the correct words. Loose? Wanton? A lightskirt?
“I think you are a beautiful sensual woman whom I still very much want to one day call my wife. Now I know you are definitely not deformed down there.”
Lucy was sure that Robert would never know how much those words reassured her. Not that she thought she was deformed. But she had wondered if she looked different having given birth to Eleanor. She did not feel different, but she did not know if there was still a difference. She’d had no one to ask and just like everything else, which was why she was in the predicament she was in, no one ever discussed such things. Perhaps if someone had told her that Eddie’s assurances that doing it standing up would mean she could not get with child was rubbish then Eleanor would not be. She loved the child and would not be without her, but she would have preferred her season in London and the chance of marrying a handsome gentleman.
“Robbie, this is going too far.”
“I would not go this far with a young lady I did not intend to marry.”
“I doubt you are a virgin, My Lord.”
“No but I do not debauch innocents.”
“Is that what you just did? Debauch me?”
“Not quite but the thought did cross my mind. But I have gone as far as I am willing to until you agree to marry me.”
She needed to change the subject. She could not and would not marry him.
“I am hungry. I hope that picnic is good.”
He rubbed a hand over her shoulder, down her arm then onto her breast where he lightly squeezed the nipple.
“Your change of topic shall not deter me Miss Butterworth. You shall marry me, and I shall debauch you. And you shall enjoy every minute of it.”
He took her hand and started out of the cave. Lucy worried that she very well might enjoy it if Robert debauched her. Although in her case, she doubted debauched was the word since she was already very much a spoiled bloom.