by Sarah Winn
“I'd rather hear what growing up at Malvern Manor was like.”
He nodded. “It was very nice—at first. I was the pampered heir, with an adoring mother, and a doting grandfather. But my grandfather died when I was five and my father three years later. Then my mother became obsessed with training me to redeem the family honor.”
“I'm sure Lady Caroline only wanted what was best for you.”
He shrugged. “Possibly, but sending me off to the rigors of public school freed her to become one of the grand dames of London society.”
She looked shocked by his reply. “Whatever she did, you seem to have turned into a proper earl.”
Malvern grinned. “She wouldn't agree with you on that. To her I'm a wastrel lord.”
“I think you take your rank quite seriously. Look at the sacrifice you made by marrying me.”
He quickly raised a finger and placed the tip across her lips. “Sssh. We just met, remember. Shall we go in the kitchen and see what's been left for our supper?”
Prudence didn't know how to react to this new and much improved Malvern. She offered to fetch their dinner from the kitchen, but he insisted on accompanying her, and once there, he made a game out of sweeping back covers and opening containers. After they decided to make sandwiches from the slabs of ham and cheese available, Malvern sliced the bread.
What had made him so agreeable? Her apology? Her virginity? His sexual satisfaction? Would she have to frequently endure those violent tussles to ensure his good humor? Was a cheerful husband worth such pain?
As he placed their food on a tray, she asked, “Shall I heat some water for tea?”
“Why don't we finish that bottle of port?”
She nodded. Although she never had more than one glass of wine in an evening, she didn't suppose another dram or two would harm her.
Once they were seated at the table, she divided the sandwiches and he refilled their glasses.
She spread a napkin across her lap. “What was public school like? I went to day school while living in Manchester, and took lessons with the vicar in Huffington, but I never went away from home.”
“It wasn't bad. There were lots of boys to get into mischief with and a headmaster ready to paddle our backsides when we got caught.”
“Well, that taught you right from wrong.” For some reason she didn't understand, Prudence felt it her duty to defend Lady Caroline's child-rearing methods.
He chuckled. “It taught me to have a care about getting caught.”
“Did you go to college?”
“Yes.”
“What did you study?”
She had to wait for him to finish chewing. “At Oxford, I learned the value of having a title.”
“What do you mean?”
“I no longer had to be quite so careful about getting caught.” He paused and looked at her with a curious frown. Without thinking about it, she had picked a small piece of ham from her sandwich, and was presently nibbling at it.
Thinking he disapproved of her eating in such a manner, she said, “I'm sorry,” and hastily dropped the ham onto her plate.
“We're here alone, and these are informal conditions; eat however you like. I was just wondering if something is wrong with the sandwich.”
“No. Except that it's rather large and I'm not particularly hungry.”
“Are you—ah—in pain?”
“Pain?” Was he referring to what they had done together in bed? How should she reply? She was feeling a bit of discomfort, but nothing severe. Should she complain to protect herself from more of his attentions in the near future? She drained her wine glass as she thought.
He cleared his throat. “I was a bit rough with you earlier, because I believed you were experienced. Anyway, it always hurts the first time, but it won't ever be like that again.”
“Really?” A wave of relief flowed through her.
He refilled her glass before saying, “Haven't you ever talked to other women about this sort of thing?”
“I've never had female friends my own age. There were girls in Huffington, but Mother didn't want me to become too friendly with them. If you know what I mean.”
“Having been raised by a mother who was desperately determined that I respect my rank, I know exactly what you mean.”
Much to her surprise, Prudence giggled.
Malvern smiled at her. “So we've found one thing we have in common.”
He took another bite from his sandwich, and Prudence propped her elbow on the table, rested her chin in her hand, and watched him. He had straight, white teeth and a strong jaw. She had never noticed how interesting it could be to watch another person chew—especially a man—especially a man who looked like Malvern.
She mused, “I've always wondered why my mother, who was so proud of her aristocratic background, married my father, a tradesman.”
“Perhaps she loved him.”
A wave of melancholy washed over Prudence. “I used to think she did, but after he died she was so bitter. She sometimes said things that were so—so—”
Malvern stood, came around to her side of the table, and dabbed his napkin at her cheeks. “Here, now. None of that.”
Had she started crying? What on earth was wrong with her? She reached for her wineglass and tried to wash away the lump in her throat.
Before she could drink it all, Malvern took the glass away from her. “Maybe you'd better go easy on that for a while.”
“Why?”
“I believe you're a bit foxed.”
“Really? I do feel lightheaded.”
“Come with me.”
He raised his hand, and she stood, and the room seemed to dip to one side. “My goodness.”
He put an arm around her shoulder and led her over to the sofa. She gave a small cry of alarm when he sat and pulled her into his lap, but then he pushed her head down to his shoulder and it felt quite comfortable.
He cradled her body with one arm, resting his hand on her hip. Then he used the other hand to gently arrange her hair so it didn't fall across her face. “You have beautiful hair, so silky.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For saying nice things about my hair.”
“I wasn't being nice, just stating facts.” His hand began to rub from her hip down the side of her thigh and back up again.
She giggled.
“What's funny?” he asked.
“We've just met, remember? And I'm in your lap again, just like the real first time we met.”
He chuckled. “You're right. I'm truly incorrigible, aren't I?”
“And I'm—what am I?”
“You're adorable,” he said as he lifted her chin and bent his head until their lips met.
Tender brushes grew into firm pressure and then his tongue eased into her mouth and the fire she'd felt before began to simmer. She put an arm around his neck so she could press her lips more firmly against his. She let her tongue scrape against his and struggled to twist her body so she could press her breasts into his chest.
He broke away and pushed her back just a little. “Let's slow down a bit.”
Around her breathlessness, she managed to say, “I like kissing.”
He grinned widely. “I can tell.”
“Why don't I like the other?”
His grin faded. “That's something you have to work up to. You will like it.”
She was trying to be agreeable, but she found his last statement hard to believe. Apparently her expression showed her doubt, for he said, “Let me give you a little demonstration.”
He began to pull her gown up, but she grabbed his wrist. “No, not here.”
“We're not going to do it all,” he said in a coaxing voice. Then the arm that was around her back came up and his hand surrounded one of her breasts. Even through her robe and gown, he caught the nipple between his thumb and forefinger and began to rhythmically squeeze, and she forgot her objections.
His other hand moved
up her thigh and toward her center and despite the excitement he generated at her breast, she felt a wave of apprehension. Then one of his long fingers pressed into the crease between her legs, and she could feel nothing but that. She opened her legs to accommodate him as he eased more fingers into the area.
He reached and began to toy with her opening. A fire much hotter than the one his kisses caused raced up from his touch and into the pit of her stomach—the core of her being. She felt new sensations and could hardly control her desire to push herself onto his fingers. And then two of his fingers did plunge into her and his thumb reached up to cover a sensitive spot that Prudence didn't even know she had.
He murmured, “Let yourself go, darling.”
And she did. Her hips thrust against his fingers, her head went back, and she began to make little, high-pitched cries. She wanted more and more until there could be no more. Her back arched, her body went rigid, and pleasure ran through her and out of her on a long exhaled sigh.
His embrace tightened and she curled against his chest, feeling content and safe.
“Did you like that?”
“Yes.”
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* * *
Chapter 8
Prudence awoke in the bedroom as rays of morning sunlight stabbed through small openings in the drapery and then filtered out to dimly light the room. When had she come to bed? The last thing she remembered was resting comfortably in Malvern's arms after he had done that wonderfully strange thing to her.
The sound of falling water startled her. Then she realized it came from behind the dressing screen where the commode chair stood. Noting the empty space beside her, she realized she must be hearing the Earl of Malvern relieve himself.
How embarrassing. But he would shortly be hearing her do the same thing unless she hurriedly dressed and sought an outdoor privy. All of her life, she'd been taught to be secretive about things concerning bodily functions, but that wasn't possible while sharing a bedroom with a husband.
Just something else she had to adjust to in married life.
Then Malvern walked from behind the screen stark naked. She'd gotten glimpses of his body last night, but it had been darker then and she'd tried not to stare. Now he was fully displayed in a stream of early morning sunlight. Without a trace of modesty, he grinned cheekily and said, “Good morning, sleepyhead.”
It would have seemed silly for her to look away then, so she murmured, “Good morning,” and let her gaze travel up and down his body. Men certainly were hairy, and his man-thing had once again changed size and shape; not soft and flaccid or hard and jutting as it had been at different times last night, but somewhere in between those two states. It must be disconcerting to have a body part that kept changing like that.
As he slipped under the covers on his side of the bed, she slipped out from under them on her side.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
She pointed toward the dressing screen and hurriedly followed her finger. When she returned, he lay with his head propped on one hand. The covers on her side of the bed were turned down, obviously waiting for her return.
“Aren't we going to get up now?”
“It's still pretty early.” He patted the white space beside him.
Prudence returned to the bed. Before she could cover herself, he reached out and began to undo the buttons at the neckline of her gown.
“What are you doing?”
“Helping you out of this gown.”
“But you said we were going to stay in bed.”
“I'm not wearing anything, and I'd very much like for you to be in the same condition.” The opening at her neckline fell apart and he began to pull on the sides of the gown.
“Oh, you want to...” She raised her hips and the gown swiftly rose up her body. After pulling it over her head and her raised arms, Malvern threw the gown to the floor. Then he paused, and staring at the patch of golden hair between her legs, slowly let his gaze sweep over her body.
He had removed all of her clothing the night before but had quickly moved on to activity. This slow perusal made her uncomfortable. What was he thinking? Did he find her body lacking the desirable attributes of other women he had known? Mistresses? Women who knew a great deal more about bed-play than she did?
He began to lightly trace his fingertips on her belly. “Don't look so sad, Pru.”
“I'm not sad.”
“Are you frightened? Didn't you like what I did to you last night? The second time.”
His fingers moved up to her breast and began to circle one of her nipples. It became hard for her to think of an answer to his question. “I—ah—it felt good.”
“Don't you want to feel like that again?”
“Are you just going to use your hand?”
A wry grin pulled at his lips. “When I used my hand I was trying to make up for hurting you. But it wasn't easy to deny myself another dip in your honeypot.”
“Honeypot?”
“That's just a nickname for a woman's opening, because it's so sweet and men love to—but let me show you.”
Much to Prudence's amazement, he moved down, widely parted her legs, and knelt between them. Prudence was on fire; she had never experienced such uncontrollable urges. Small, breathless moans swept through her.
When he stopped she cried out her sense of loss, but he quickly changed his position so he could sink his now fully erect organ into her. He didn't move as forcefully as he had before, and she felt no sharp pain, only a sense of fullness and greater excitement.
“Put your arms around me, Pru.”
She did, flattening her palms against the bunched muscles that rippled in his back as he moved his body in and out of hers in long, even strokes. Urgency built in her and she dug her fingers into his back.
He moved faster. She began to slap his back in time to his movements. He moved deeper. And her world exploded into millions of shiny particles that shimmered for a brief moment before reassembling into a calm, serene world.
Malvern lunged into her for a few more strokes. Then his body went rigid and his face twisted as if he were in great pain as his hot juices shot into her. He collapsed on top of her for just a moment and then turned onto his back, carrying her with him and holding her against his body.
With her head resting on his chest, she could hear his heart beating and his ragged gasps for breath and she thought this must be the most wonderful moment in her life. This total communion of two human beings had to be something more than just lust.
She must have dozed, but eventually sounds of movement in other parts of the cottage made their way into Pru's consciousness. As she pulled her face away from Anthony's chest, her cheek momentarily stuck to his sweaty skin, and she giggled.
Then she saw Anthony's opened eyes watching her. “It's always a good sign when the woman beside you wakes up smiling.”
“I take it you are not unfamiliar with the experience?” She dropped back to her side of the bed, pulling the covers up to her chin and not feeling quite as contented as she had a moment before.
“I like to give as good as I get,” he said. “But of course, it is especially important that I please you.”
“Oh? Why?”
He sat up and looked down at her. “We're married, silly goose. We'll be sharing beds for many years. If I make you happy then quid pro quo.”
“What does that mean?”
“You'll return the favor.”
“But you were quite angry with me last night.”
“That was our shakedown cruise, darling. Always a few adjustments needed before a ship plows the waves at peak performance.”
She stared up at him, not quite sure what he was talking about.
He yawned and stretched, raising his arms above his head and causing muscles to bulge in his upper arms. “I don't know about you, but I've worked up quite an appetite and I've heard people moving about. Shall we see to getting breakfast?”
She hesitated
for a moment. Dare she disagree with him? “I'd really prefer to bathe first.”
“Ah, I can see how you might.” He stretched for the bell pull that hung near the head of the bed. “Let's see if we get any results from this.”
In moments, a short knock sounded at their door. Prudence slid further under the covers, not wanting to shock Annie or Clarence with her nudity. Much to Prudence's surprise, her maid opened the door.
“Janie. What are you doing here?”
Being careful not to look directly at Malvern's exposed chest, the middle-aged woman said, “Her ladyship sent several servants to put things to rights, but we'll be going back to the big house as soon as we finish.”
“Is my valet with you?” Malvern asked.
“Yes, my lord.”
“Excellent. Her ladyship and I would like baths before breakfast. You can attend to Lady Malvern in this room and Victor can set up something for me next door.”
After breakfast, Malvern led Prudence out to the stable. She'd worn her new riding habit, as he'd suggested, but he could tell she had no enthusiasm for mounting a horse. Knowing he was partly responsible for that, he decided he'd give her another day to get acquainted with her horse. When they reached Madge's stall, he placed an apple in Prudence's hand and said, “Feed her.”
Hesitantly, Prudence extended her hand. Madge eagerly reached for the apple, pulling back her lips and exposing her large teeth. With a small squeal of alarm, Prudence jerked her hand back and the apple fell to the stable floor.
Malvern picked it up, wiped it on his trousers, and handed it back to her. “All she wants is the apple, Pru. Don't be afraid.”
Looking a bit shamefaced, Prudence said, “I'm not afraid. She just startled me.” She extended her hand again and although she winced a bit as the horse's teeth clamped down on the apple, Prudence smiled broadly as Madge swept the piece of fruit into her mouth and chewed contentedly.
Thor nickered impatiently from his stall, and Malvern turned and gave him an apple also. “I need to give this big-boy some exercise or he'll be kicking his stall down. While I'm gone, why don't you curry Madge?”
He picked up the currying comb and handed it to her. “It always pays to be nice to the horse you're going to ride.”
