Chapter Seventeen
HE WAS UNDONE by her sob, the clenching of her cunnie, and the spasms of her limbs. With his own body falling into that tantalizing paroxysm, Alastair withdrew before the pressure raging inside of him shot forth, though his seed sprayed onto her belly before he could direct it elsewhere. He tried to contain the shudders from collapsing him atop her as pleasure ripped up and down his legs. When the last of his seed had been milked from him, he remained hovering above her to catch his breath.
Looking down at her, he realized he had been undone minutes earlier when their gazes had locked. The bloom of her earlier orgasm and the flush of desire renewed, mixed with a look of wonder, had pushed him past the point of no return. Seeing the furrow of her brow, knowing that euphoria approached for them both, was the most scintillating moment.
Lowering himself, he kissed her brow before rolling off of her. She caught his arm before he left the bed to fetch linen.
“Thank you, Alas—my lord.”
He would have allowed her the use of his name. Taking her hand from him, he kissed it and smiled at her. He glanced down at the emission sliding from her belly.
“Your pardon,” he said.
She followed his gaze, and an impish smile hovered about her lips. He stayed the temptation to kiss her again and went to the sideboard, where he found linen in one of the drawers. He wet the linen in a basin of water. Returning, he cleansed her belly and her thighs. She might not have the most perfect form, but, with her unblemished skin, she was worthy of painting.
“Thank you,” she said again.
There was a captivating sparkle to her eyes, and he gave in to the temptation. He tilted her chin and took her lips, admiring their soft fullness. She gave a contented sigh after they parted. He went to pour her a glass of water, but when he turned to face the bed, he found her stretched upon the bed, her head upon the pillow and her eyes closed.
The bed was barren save for a single bedsheet and the plainest of pillows. He found a blanket in the armoire and covered her. His nightgown was in his bedchambers, but he did not wish to leave her alone.
Climbing into bed beside her, he let out his breath. A part of him wondered that he had taken matters as far as he had, but once he had entered the vortex, he had found his cousin more alluring that he had ever expected. He was glad that she had enjoyed the evening, but would she wake with regrets in the morning? Should he renew his scolding—and add Katherine to his admonitions?
He fell asleep before putting his questions to bed.
* * * * *
When his cousin awoke the following morrow, it was nearly noon. She opened her eyes to find him fully dressed. He had been sitting in a chair, viewing her as she slept, still in amazement of what had happened last night. He had a whole new appreciation for Millie.
Poor Millie. Her misery over her engagement to Haversham was greater than Alastair had cared to understand. It took courage to venture to a place such as the château to honor the carnal cravings inside her. He would never have guessed that she had already compromised herself, but it did not diminish his admiration for her spirit. But now that the port had worn off, would the light of day bring with it the remorse he had sought to save her from?
“Good morning, Millie,” he greeted, and rose from his chair to ring for a servant.
She flushed. “Good morning, er, my lord.”
“It is Alastair now. How fares your backside and other parts?”
She shifted beneath the blanket. “Well, my lord.”
He resisted taking a seat on the bed and returned to his chair. “I will have breakfast brought to you—or lunch, if you prefer.”
She sat up, drawing the blanket over her bosom. “Lunch! Good gracious, what time is it?”
“The noon hour.”
“Heavens! I never sleep this late!”
He smiled. “You did have a strenuous night.”
“Yes, I did,” she said slowly.
He expected the repentance to emerge at this time, but, instead, she smiled and looked at him. “Thanks to you.”
He cleared his throat and crossed one leg over the other to contain the surge of tension at his crotch.
“You have no regrets?” he asked.
“I am fully content with what has transpired.”
“You will think differently with time.”
“You are presumptuous, sir.”
“There are few who would dare speak to me in such a manner, and fewer who could do so without raising my ire.”
If they had not resumed their identities as Alastair and Millie, he would have taught her more courtesy. A spanking or a flogging would do nicely.
She lowered her gaze for a few seconds. “Your pardon, but, really, Alastair, you do not know me well enough to make such a claim. In truth, I am quite surprised that you seem to harbor more shame than I.”
The thought seemed to amuse her, and he bristled. “I was only worried for your sake. My sex can dispense with guilt much more easily than yours, especially over matters of the flesh.”
She was silent in thought. “Am I more the wanton jade if I harbor no repentance or shame? Am I a…slut?”
He groaned, and he felt another unsettling tug at his crotch. He had thought such sensations would not have persisted past the night.
“Millie, that is not at all what I intended with my words! I applaud that you honored the natural cravings inside you and sought to fulfill them without fear.”
“You tried to stop me.”
“That was before I knew you had already forsaken your virtue!”
“Then you have no need to worry of me, though I appreciate your concern. It is quite hopeful that you may not be as unredeemable as society deems you to be.”
He growled at her teasing smile. Women. If he had had a choice, he would have selected one of his own sex to fulfill Katherine’s birthday wish.
“My dear cousin,” Millie said. “I will forever be grateful to you for last night. My one fear is that you will henceforth be awkward in my presence.”
“You think our relationship can remain the same after what happened?”
“Why not?”
“Your naivety is charming at best.”
She pursed her lips. “Well, we are not often in each other’s company. I expect it will be even less once I am Mrs. Haversham. The night will hold little significance for you after you have had a tumble with Miss Hollingsworth or whomever you choose next. I daresay you will have forgotten the night altogether after your next visit here.”
He rather hoped this would be the case. Theirs had been an easy interaction till yesterday, and he now believed he enjoyed her company as much as he could enjoy the company of anyone.
“And what of you?” he asked. “You blushed at a mere greeting of ‘good morning’ from me.”
“I did? Well, that will not always be the case.”
He did not refute her wishful thinking and rose to attend the knock at the door. Bhadra held a tray of tea, toast, and eggs. She bobbed a curtsy before entering.
“Lady Katherine is just arrived,” Bhadra said to Millie. “Shall I bring items of dress down here?”
“You may bring Miss Abbey a robe and dress her in the comfort of her chambers,” he instructed. “I will attend my aunt.”
“I pray you will not be cross with her,” Millie said quickly.
He gave her an admonishing look for speaking in front of a servant. Chastened, she fixed upon the toast before her. He held the door for Bhadra before following her.
“Where is Lady Katherine?” he asked the maid.
“In the red drawing room with Madame Follet.”
He made for the drawing room, bowed upon his entry to the two women, who seemed engaged in quite the feminine intrigue, and addressed Marguerite. “May I have a word with my aunt?”
He could see Marguerite hesitate, but his tone would not be denied.
“Bien sur, mon cheri,” she said. Before whisking herself away, she bid Katherine make Follet her second home, as she had once done.
“You look well, Andre,” Katherine remarked with feigned nonchalance when they were alone.
He put his hands on his hips. “You set it up on purpose.”
It seemed she suppressed a smile. “Whatever do you mean?”
“The promise you exacted from me on your birthday. Then, bringing Millie to Château Follet. My God, bringing Millie to Château Follet! What were you thinking?”
His aunt was not intimidated. “Take care of your tone, Andre.”
“Your actions merit more than a stern tone, and do not suppose just because you are my aunt that I will refrain from—”
She beamed. “My, my! You care for your cousin much more than I thought possible.”
He frowned.
“That you would risk affronting me in order to protect her concerns,” Katherine explained.
“You put me in such a position.”
“You could have elected to go about your own affairs.”
“Have you forgotten the rogues and rakes that abound here?”
“I adore the greatest one of them all, and perhaps you have forgotten that I married one!”
“Richard was a rarity. And it was foolish of you to have staked Millie’s reputation on my having a conscience.”
“First of all, Millie and Château Follet are perfectly suited to each other.”
“How long have you been cognizant of her past?”
“For quite some time. Saw it with my own eyes. Poor creature was absolutely mortified,” Katherine continued, “but it was truly the best thing to have happened for her. And as you would not rescind her dowry, I thought she should make the most of her last days as a bachelorette.”
“By taking her to Château Follet!”
“Did she not enjoy herself? That would be my greatest regret.”
“Not that she might have destroyed her reputation? That would be a sure way to expel Haversham.”
“There is little chance that Millie will be discovered.”
“You risk too much, my lady.”
“I commend your concerns on behalf of your cousin. Marguerite told me you were quite insufferable last night in your attempts to whisk Millie to safety. I knew there was good to be found in you. But you were not successful in your attempts.”
“Because I could find no woman of reason.”
“That is not impediment enough for you.”
“Marguerite refused my request for her carriage.”
“But you did not press her a second time?”
“She threatened to throw me out! As long as Millie was kept safe, it was just as well that we did not attempt to travel at night.”
“And did you? Keep her safe?”
He shook his head. Women, once fixed upon an item, could be as relentless as the bite of a ferret. “I forbid you to bring Millie back to Château Follet,” he said.
“I vow I will not aid and abet in adultery. But as she had already forsaken her virginity, my only hope was to provide her one night of delight, where her desires could be met in a way that a lifetime of nights with Haversham will not.”
He bristled in discomfort.
“I hope you did not destroy her one opportunity?” Katherine tried again, but she received no satisfaction.
If Millie elected to confide in Katherine, that was her prerogative, but he would not divulge the events of last night.
“Millie is having breakfast but should be ready shortly thereafter,” he said.
“Are you staying the remainder of the weekend?”
“Why should I not?”
“You could escort us to Bath.”
“You know I have no fondness for Bath.”
“No, but I thought…”
“I think you overestimate the good in me.”
She sighed. “I suppose. Can you fault me for trying? I am fond of you, goodness knows why, and of dear Millie. She is a singular young woman, is she not? And much more than meets the eye.”
His anger placated by his aunt’s assurances that she would not be bringing Millie back to Château Follet, he became mildly amused at her efforts at matchmaking.
“She is that,” he acknowledged, ignoring her frown, for she had clearly hoped for more of a response. He made a bow and took his leave, promising himself that, in the future, he would be a lot more careful in granting birthday wishes.