A Lady's Passion Knows No Distance: A Historical Regency Romance Book

by Henrietta Harding

  Once the final course had been served and all manner of topics had been discussed, William stood from the table and asked Lord Murphy, “May I escort Miss Caroline down to the beach? I wish to speak to her concerning certain matters.”

  Lord Murphy set is fork down and looked hard at William, his eyes narrowing. He then looked towards Caroline as though to gage her reaction. “I see no harm in that,” Lord Murphy said after a time. “I simply ask that you are careful on the stone stairs leading down to the water’s edge. Be mindful of the tide, as well, for it tends to sneak up on you.”

  “Don’t worry, Lord Murphy. I’m quite familiar with the coming and going of the water,” William said with a smirk. Feeling confident now that he had Lord Murphy’s blessing, William rounded the table and helped Caroline to her feet before leading her back into the drawing room and out of the open doors.

  “The weather is rather warm, even though the sun is setting,” Caroline commented once they were alone.

  “‘Tis the best part about summer. The days and nights are equally warm, and the sun seems to stay in the sky for longer. I find it quite comforting,” William replied.

  “As do I,” Caroline agreed as they looked at the waves crashing against the shore below them. With Caroline’s hand firmly in his, William led her down the stone stairs at a steady pace, in no hurry and not wanting either one of them to come to any harm.

  “I see some shoes and stockings have been left behind,” William said with a chuckle as they reached the bottom of the stairs and William pointed to what lay in the sand.

  “Oh, goodness, we had completely forgotten about them upon returning to the house with all the seashells Miss Gwendolen and I had retrieved from the beach. I should take them back up with us later,” Caroline explained.

  “I shall help you in the task,” William offered as he took her by the hand and led her down the beach. “I honestly can’t believe I’m here with you.”

  “Why do you say such a thing?”

  “I had just returned home from the King’s palace to see your engagement announcement in the papers. I thought I had lost all chances of being with you, but dearly hoped that I could win over your father’s opinion of me if only I could get a chance to speak with him. I figured at this point in my life I could finally be worthy of you.

  “Then, when I discovered you at the masquerade ball, all my thoughts and plans seemed to fade away. I simply wanted to just be with you regardless of your engagement and understand for myself if you would still have me.”

  Caroline stopped walking then, pulling William to a stop and forcing him to look down into her brown eyes as she placed a hand to his cheek. “So, is it true, then, that you have strong feelings for me?” she asked, her eyes pleading.

  “Yes, Caroline. I have never stopped loving you and only took Lord Canton’s money so that one day I could become a better man for you. So that I might be able to provide for our family and gain a reputation that would mean something to your father,” William confessed. She smiled up at him, seeming to relax as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

  “I had hoped for years that some way fate would bring us back together. I feel as though everything I have experienced these last few weeks has all been for a reason. I would never wish for my parents to pass away, but I am grateful to have you still in my life.”

  “Oh, Caroline. You must understand that I left that night for a reason. I knew you loved me, and I had hoped that you would not be married to Lord Canton right away. All I can say is that I’ve been rather lucky these last few years and finally feel ready to offer you the life that you deserve.”

  “Being with you is all I’ve ever wanted in life. I won’t try to guilt you into thinking that what you chose to do all those years ago was wrong. But I will say that as long as you still love me, then that is all I want in life.”

  William’s heart seemed to burst with love for Caroline as he dipped his head and began to kiss her passionately. He parted her luscious lips with his tongue, missing the taste of her essence. Ravaging her mouth with his own, he tightened his arms around her waist so that she was forced to draw closer to him. Her arms came to settle around his shoulders as she hung onto him, allowing him to freely take of her of what he wanted.

  “Come, William,” Caroline said as she broke off their kiss and found his hand, unravelling from his grasp as she pulled him after her. “I know a place where we can go.”

  Eager to see what Caroline was suggesting, William gladly allowed her to lead him further down the beach till they came to a small fissure in the stone wall. As they drew closer, William saw that it was just wide enough for a person to pass through while standing sideways.

  As Caroline let go of his hand and moved through the small gap, William was surprised by how quickly she disappeared from view. He followed after her, pleasantly surprised when he pushed through the gap and came out on the other side to stand in a large cavern that had sunlight pouring in through the top.

  “Gwendolen and I discovered it earlier in the day,” Caroline explained. A small pool of sea water floated in, creating waves against the stone walls.

  “Perfect place for a little bit of privacy,” William said in a low growl, his passion for Caroline rising as he once more pulled her into a tight embrace. He continued kissing her then, letting his hands wander up and down her back. The feeling of her in his arms made him feel more relaxed than he had in years. He’d often dreamed of kissing Caroline again like they used to when they were alone together, and now it felt as though all his dreams were coming true.

  William became startled when he felt Caroline fumbling with the snaps of his trousers. The moment she was able to get his trousers loose, she began to pull at his muslin shirt, freeing it from his pants. Once she had gained success, she allowed her hands to roam his bare torso, making him shiver with pleasure despite the warm weather.

  “Oh, Caroline. The feel of your hands on my bare chest makes me want to do unthinkable things in return,” William said as he broke their embrace and began to trail kisses down her neck as she tilted her head back.

  “I feel the same way,” Caroline whimpered. William cradled her head with his one hand and allowed his other to grasp her rear end, bringing her closer. Her hands came around his back and found their way up his shoulders, her nails scraping against his flesh.

  “We must stop before we both do something that we will regret,” William hissed against her neck, loving the warmth of her hands on his bare skin.

  “I told you, William, that I wanted you years ago. After all the years between us and the grief that I’ve had to endure, I don’t want to have any more regrets in my life,” Caroline said as she withdrew her hands and tilted William’s head so that he was looking down into her eyes. “Please, William. Take me here and now. That way, no matter what happens, I can at least know that I felt true love in my life.”

  William stared down into her eyes for several long moments before deciding that Caroline was right. He had so many regrets when it came to leaving Caroline all those years ago. Though he had succeeded in what he had planned to do, he still felt the heavy weight of guilt upon his shoulders for having hurt Caroline for so long.

  “This is not how I envisioned our first time together. But I also can’t deny my love for you,” William said as he guided Caroline down to the stone floor of the cavern.

  Chapter 26

  The stone was cool to the touch and William thought it fitting for how hot his body felt at that moment. They both took their time stripping each other of their clothes. William made sure to lay their garments underneath Caroline’s bare frame as she laid open for him to devour.

  “You’re so beautiful,” William said as he settled between her wide-open legs, running his hand up her naked torso and settling between her large, round breasts.

  “I’m so excited, William. I can’t wait to be joined with you,” Caroline said in a breathless voice. She arched her back slightly as he continued to trail his fin
gers over her flesh. Since they were both inexperienced with lovemaking, William took his time. He let his fingers brush against her soft peaks, teasing her nipples till they were hard and taut. William had never imagined that seeing Caroline naked would do such tantalizing things to him. He wanted to spend the night pleasuring her body and making her climax.

  “Your body is like an ocean that I want to sail through time and time again,” William muttered before leaning down and capturing one of her nipples in his mouth, flicking his tongue over the mound as Caroline gasped in delight. She raised a hand and laced her fingers into his short hair, her grip encouraging him to continue as she held him firmly to her.

  With one arm supporting his weight, William used his other hand to trail down Caroline’s body. He loved the silky feeling of her skin and watched as gooseflesh appeared all over her body as he let his fingers dance over her. Feeling brave, William reached between them both and found her most sensitive nub that he started to rub with his fingers.

  “Oh, William! I never knew I could feel like this,” Caroline cried out as she raised her hips slightly, seeming to enjoy what he was doing to her body.

  “I have read some concerning the art of making love. I wish to use all my knowledge to pleasure your body,” William confessed as he raised his head from her breast. He looked into Caroline’s wide eyes as he rubbed her sensitive nub, her lips parting as she began to pant. He lowered his head down to her other breast and began to tease it with his tongue as well, enjoying the sounds she was making.

  “Please, William. I want to feel you deep within me,” Caroline moaned. Her free hand reached between his legs as she grasped his manhood, making him lift his head in surprise. She began to stroke his cook then as he stared into her eyes, curious to know how it would feel to enter Caroline.

  “If we do this, Caroline, there is no turning back. One way or another, you shall be mine forever,” William said in a husky voice. “It’s time to finish what I promised you years ago.”

  “You really mean it?” Caroline asked as her grip tightened on his shaft and her movements became eager and urgent.

  “Yes, my love. I will marry you no matter what,” William panted, needing to find a release he had never felt before. All he knew was that his skin felt feverishly hot and he yearned to sink his manhood into her wet core.

  “Oh, William! I can’t wait to be your wife,” Caroline said with a bright smile. “But first, you must make me a true woman.” Her voice was so incredibly sultry that William knew he would never be able to deny her anything.

  Removing his fingers from her sensitive nub, he used his hand to pull both of Caroline’s above her head. Keeping them there, William guided the head of his throbbing member towards her wet opening. There, William slowly pushed his hips forward till the head of his member disappeared.

  “My God, Caroline. You are so tight and wet. I will never grow tired of making love to you,” William hissed with pleasure as he slowly inched his way inside of her. William looked down into Caroline’s eyes, seeing her face change from one of pleasure to sudden pain.

  “Fear not, my love. It shall only last but a moment,” William encouraged as he quickened his pace, thrusting in and out of Caroline so that she too could feel the waves of pleasure he was currently experiencing. He could feel her inner walls clamping down on his shaft, allowing him to feel even more pleasure.

  “Oh yes, William! Just like that,” Caroline began to pant as she lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist, encouraging him to plunge deeper into her core.

  “I love you, Caroline,” William cried out as he began to climax. He thrust his member into Caroline’s wet core as fast as he could, the sound of her moans rising in pitch. She began to spasm all over his shaft as he felt an intense sense of warmth and wetness surround his member.

  Eventually, they both came down from their high as they breathed hard. William lowered himself onto his elbows and kissed Caroline gently. He never knew that making love could be anything like this and would greatly look forward to doing so again with Caroline at their soonest convenience.

  “I love you, too, William,” Caroline said softly once she was able to regain her breath. William smiled down at her, wishing they could stay joined forever.

  After a time, William pulled his still throbbing member out of her wet core as they both whimpered with delight. Had Caroline been able to stay much longer with him, William would have continued his explorations of pleasure with her. But for now, they both seemed to be satisfied enough. From the pool of water, they did both clean one another before dressing once more and returning to the beach.

  The sun was low on the horizon as William guided Caroline back to the stone stairs. They made sure to collect her and Miss Gwendolen’s shoes and stockings before making their way back to the house. William’s heart was filled with love for Caroline, and he didn’t like the idea of parting with her. He wanted to spend the rest of the night in her arms and never have to let go in the morning. He knew that the only way he’d be able to do that was to marry Caroline, and to do so quickly.

  “Caroline, I must discuss something with you,” William said as he pulled Caroline to a stop a few feet away from the open back door of Lord Murphy’s estate.

  “Yes?” she asked.

  “I know that your parents are recently deceased and that your broken engagement is recent. I wish to marry you as soon as possible, but I understand if we must take things slow because of the current situation,” William said softly.

  “I rather don’t care what anyone thinks,” Caroline replied, her voice full of confidence. “I wish to marry you soon as well and will speak to Lord Murphy about the arrangements. I am sure he will give his approval.”

  “Then at least wait to tell him until I have secured a ring for you. I want things to be proper, even though it is rather sudden.”

  “Very well. I shall allow you to purchase me a ring and propose to me in a more proper way,” she said with a bright smile.

  William leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead before leading her in through the doors and back into the drawing room. There, they saw Lord Sergio and Gwendolen sitting off to one side of the room together, speaking in hushed tones while Lord and Lady Murphy were on the other side of the room, giving the young couple a bit of privacy.

  Soon after he and Caroline returned, William and Lord Sergio said their goodbyes to the family and Caroline. William looked deeply into Caroline’s eyes upon leaving the drawing room, having a strong yearning in his loins to gather her in his arms and lay her down in his bed so he could properly make love to her body. But knowing that she returned his feelings was contentment enough. Especially since she’d agreed to marry him once more.

  ~*~

  The following day, Caroline woke with a soreness between her legs. As she opened her eyes, she smiled because she knew why she felt such an ache. She reasoned she was now officially a woman after experiencing such an amazing feeling with William. She was so glad that he had been her first, and if all went well, he would be her one and only.

  After pulling the servant’s cord and requesting a bath to ease her soreness, Caroline dressed for the day. She wasn’t sure what the day would bring for her, but she had very little cares in the world at the present moment. Once she was dressed in a crème-coloured gown, a ribbon around her waist, she finally made her way downstairs to enjoy breakfast with the Murphys.

  “Ah, there you are,” Gwendolen said the moment Caroline stepped into the dining room. “I was worried I would have to come looking for you.”

  “Please, dear. Don’t be a rude host. I’m sure she simply needed some extra rest after our travels,” Lady Murphy spoke up as Caroline took a seat at the large mahogany table with detailed inlays of flowers and leaves.

  “I will not deny that it felt rather good to catch up on some much-needed sleep,” Caroline admitted. “Thank you all for your patience.”

  “Take heart, Miss Caroline. It does us all to see you so ha
ppy. I must thank my thoughtful daughter for the suggestion of coming to the coast. It was a rather smart idea,” Lord Murphy declared.