His Defiant Wife, the Adventures of Linnett Wainwright, Book 2

by Vanessa Brooks

  John laughed. “I have been frantically carving the lid each time you went and saw to the stock. I was so sure that you would come back and catch me at it!”

  Linnett giggled, “And I have sat freezing cold in the barn each day sewing until my fingers were too numb to sew!”

  John looked startled. “So you haven’t been feeding the stock? Poor creatures will be dead from hunger!”

  Linnett tapped his arm playfully. “You! They are a pampered and spoilt lot of beasts that seem to demand more of my time each day that I visit them!”

  John bent his head and kissed her. “I know that you spoil the wretched creatures, and that they will be totally unmanageable come spring! How is that meat coming along? It smells absolutely delicious!”

  Linnett checked on the progress of their meal. “All’s well,” Linnett reported. “Shall we play a game of chess and nibble some sweet tarts while we play? The meal will not be ready for us to eat for at least a couple of hours yet.”

  John nodded his agreement and set up the chess pieces at the table. They spent a happy day enjoying one another’s company. After the game, which John won yet again as he had all their previous games, they played parlour games that Linnett had learned as a child, giggling and teasing one another, each acutely aware of the other.

  It had been a few weeks since they had last enjoyed conjugal relations, and John was determined that bad leg or no, he would pleasure his wife this Christmas Night. The roast venison, glazed with honey, was mouth-watering, and the accompanying suet crust and peas complemented the venison perfectly. The two of them made complete pigs of themselves, so that they had no room for the plum pudding that Linnett had made for their dessert using a mixture of dried fruits that Sarah had packed from her own stores.

  “Never mind the pudding, it will keep for tomorrow.” Linnett put all the dirty dishes in boiling water and left them to soak overnight, having no intention of washing them on Christmas Day. They played cards until it grew dark and then John suggested they fetch quilts from the bed and lie in front of the fire and he would read aloud to her.

  Linnett wrapped a blanket around them and John read to her from his favourite book, The Iliad, by the Greek writer Homer, whose writings John much admired. The book belonged to Sarah and was one of the books given her by her studious parents on her marriage to Hans.

  During one of their conversations, John had mentioned his love of Homer’s writing and Sarah had risen and fetched the book, insisting that John borrow it to read through the long winter months. The Iliad was about the Greek Trojan war and John chose to read the tale of the Trojan Horse, a tale that Linnett had not heard before. She listened, entranced by the tale of stealth, intrigue and deception.

  When finally John stopped reading, she pleaded with him to continue the exciting tale, but he shook his head, “No more! Enough is as good as a feast!” John declared, snapping the book shut.

  Linnett pouted. “You do not even love me enough to continue reading to me,” she sulked.

  John was amused. It had been a long time since he had seen Linnett in one of her “little-girl moods.”

  He pushed her flat on her back and bent his head, firmly kissing her pouting lips apart. His tongue thrust between her lips and he moved his mouth against hers, demanding a response, but Linnett resisted. Worried about John’s leg, she turned her head away. “John, stop, we cannot do this, your leg...we might re-open the wound!”

  John grasped her chin and turned her head so that she faced him. He looked down at her, his gaze unblinking. “I want you now. I will be careful of my leg, but I can wait no longer.”

  He bent his head again to her lips, and this time Linnett wound her arms around his neck and clung to her husband, her need for him as great as his own need for her. John pulled away and started to remove Linnett’s clothes. He stripped her slowly and kissed each unclothed area of tender flesh as he uncovered her. Finally naked, her skin turned a burnished rosy gold by the flickering flames of the fire. As John removed his shirt, he savoured the sight of her voluptuous body as she lay on her back watching him, impatient for him to join her.

  Her honey-gold hair spilled around her, the colour intensified by the fiery red light thrown out from the fire. Her eyes flashed from turquoise to green as she moved and stretched seductively in the warmth of the glowing firelight. John flung his shirt aside and unbuttoned his breeches, easing them down so that his engorged manhood sprung free. Linnett stretched out a languorous hand and ran her fingers lightly up the length of the firm shaft. He pulsed at her touch and she slid her hand downwards, cupping all of him in the palm of her hand.

  “Why do you not remove your breeks?” she asked.

  “I thought they may lend protection to my leg,” he replied.

  Linnett nodded while raising herself up to kneel before him. She tossed her head, throwing back her hair, which cascaded and rippled down her back like molten gold. Leaning forward, she drew John’s shaft into her mouth. Her breasts were thrust forward, her nipples taut with excited anticipation. John lifted her breasts and rubbed his thumbs across her aching nipples, the peaks growing swollen and hard at his touch. He looked down at her sweet mouth working on him, teasing his swollen member with her darting pink tongue, a sensation of exquisite delight flooding up through his manhood. He freed himself from her tender mouth and pushed her down onto her back. He lay with his head at the cleft between Linnett’s legs and placed his manhood close to her mouth.

  He felt her grasp him, once again greedily filling her mouth with him. John parted her legs and explored the soft inner folds of her wet feminine cleft with his rapier tongue. John flicked at the centre of her delight, savouring the feel and the salty taste of the small swollen nub that was the source of her joy. But after only a few moments of his attention, Linnett released him from her mouth, writhing amidst moans and mewling of pleasure. Her hands entwined in the thick hair of his head as she tried fruitlessly to pull him away, afraid that she would climax too soon.

  “Hush love,” John soothed her. “It matters not if you take pleasure now; I will soon build another fire within you.”

  He lowered his head to his task and sure enough, arousing shivers curled and pulsed as Linnett cried out with the erotic pleasure of her orgasm. John kissed the damp gold curls of her groin and raised himself above her. He suckled her breasts, taking each nipple into his mouth in turn, taunting them with his circling tongue. He ran his hands over the soft contours of her body, stroking and petting her. His manhood was heavy now, aching with the need for release, but he resisted the urge a little longer, waiting for her to quicken again. He ran his hand up the length of her arm and grasped her wrist, which lay flung above her head. He brought her hand down between their bodies and placed his aching phallus into her open palm. Her fingers closed over the large throbbing shaft caressingly and slipped lower, cupping his tightened sac, rubbing the soft area until he groaned.

  He slipped his hand into the dampness between her legs and frigged her with his finger until he felt her slick and ready for him once more. His breathing came fast and urgent. Ready, he raised himself above her until finally he mated her with a sure thrust that sheathed him to the root. With deep slow strokes that gradually increased their tempo, he carried her with him to the edge of ecstasy. They hung together on the peak, experiencing the all-encompassing emotion that comes only to those who truly love, and they gazed deep into one another’s eyes in ecstatic delight, realising fully the deep love that lay between them, bound each to the other by body and soul. Afterwards they simply held one another, still joined as man and wife, and slept deeply in the knowledge that they were as one.

  CHAPTER 8

  The weeks following Christmas were extremely cold. They experienced severe blizzards that lasted two full days. The wind howled and shrieked outside the cabin, and snow piled high against the cabin door. It required a lot of force and digging to free up their entrance when the blizzard finally passed. The animals all survived, and although t
he cow was in some discomfort, she seemed to be none the worse for her period of slight neglect. The winter seemed to continue interminably until early March when Linnett first noticed the faint sound of running water. The stream had started to thaw. Linnett ran excitedly into the cabin to tell John and met him coming back from the barn.

  “Listen!” she called to him.

  “What is it? Is something wrong?” John shouted, limping over to her, concerned.

  Linnett shook her head, her eyes shining. “Just stand still and listen and tell me what you hear.”

  John did as she asked and a dawning realisation spread over his face. “It’s thawing!”

  Linnett nodded excitedly. “John, isn’t it wonderful? Now we can visit Sarah and Hans and soon we can travel to Boston!”

  John kissed her swiftly and began to walk back towards the cabin. “I want to brush that snow off the cabin roof before it slides off and catches one of us unawares!”

  Linnett caught up with him and asked him excitedly, “When do you think we will be able to travel, John?”

  “Not for a while, love, the mud is almost as dangerous as the snow, and besides, although it is thawing now, the snow could still return. I should think perhaps we could leave at the beginning of May.”

  “Not until May!” Linnett was disappointed. She had thought they would leave soon, perhaps even the following week.

  “We could visit with the Lammers as soon as the snow melts,” John added upon seeing his wife’s disappointed face.

  “I guess I should like that,” Linnett said and shrugged dispiritedly. She went into the cabin and placed the risen dough in the oven to bake. How nice it would be to see Sarah again and share their winter experiences with her.

  John’s leg was healed now and the pink scars grew paler by the day. He was able to clear the cabin roof of snow and they waited to see if the thaw would continue. It did, and by the end of the week, they had made plans to travel down to visit the Lammers family on horseback. Linnett baked and cooked provisions and made a seed cake for young Peter.

  Linnett had also sewn a pretty purse out of the same green velvet from which she had made John’s waistcoat. She had worked on the purse through the winter, along with a riding skirt and habit for herself from the grey serge. The riding outfit was as yet unfinished, but Linnett liked to have two or three sewing projects going at once so that she could diversify and keep from boredom.

  She and John had made Hans a tobacco pouch between them. John had prepared the hide from a piece of deer skin, scraping it and soaking it, drying and oiling until it was supple enough for Linnett to sew. Finally, with all preparations complete, they were ready to set off on the first journey they had made for some months. Saddling Amber was rather like trying to hold onto a slippery wet fish, Linnett decided as she waited for her naughty horse to breathe out.

  Amber had become a very spoilt filly through the winter months and she filled her lungs with air so that Linnett couldn’t tighten the girth. If Linnett had ridden her like that, she would have fallen along with the loose saddle as soon as Amber let out her breath.

  “You bad girl!” Linnett scolded her. Amber rolled her eyes and danced sideways. “Oh, if only one could spank a horse!” Linnett snapped.

  “I don’t know why you bother to scold her, Linnett; both she and I know you don’t mean a word of it! … here, let me.” John strode up to the horse and slapped her rump hard, “Behave!” he told her firmly.

  Amber seemed to know he meant business and let out her breath, allowing John to tighten the girth. “Well!” exclaimed Linnett with disgust. “I’ve been trying to do that for an age, and all it took was a smack from a man!”

  “Women and horses, they are much alike.” John said smugly.

  Linnett immediately bristled but grinned at her puffed up husband. “Ooh you arrogant swine!” Linnett grabbed a handful of hay and deftly thrust it down John’s neck. John spun around and caught Linnett as she scuttled towards the barn door. He swung her against him and captured her arms behind her back, grinning down into her face with one eyebrow cocked.

  “Just for that, a kiss is forfeit!” He lowered his mouth to hers, and when his hands slid around to her bosom, Linnett deftly stuck her foot through his legs and hooked it behind his knee, unbalancing them both. They fell into a heap as John over-balanced and ended up in a tangle of arms and legs on the floor. John tickled Linnett unmercifully until they were both laughing so much that their sides ached and they fought to get their breath back.

  Eventually, John managed to stand and helped Linnett to her feet. They brushed one another down and Linnett helped John empty his shirt of hay. They returned to the task of saddling up and tying on their bundles of provisions. The fire was fully dowsed and the cabin made secure; they wrapped up warmly and mounted, setting off. Daisy the cow was tethered to John’s horse as they couldn’t leave her behind on her own.

  The snow had receded, but there were still patches about making the ground slippery under foot and the journey tricky. They had left in the early morning, but because they had to travel so slowly they didn’t reach the farm until the afternoon. Linnett’s heart raced as they rode up to the house. She was slightly nervous about the reception they would receive, arriving so unexpectedly.

  She had been hurt that Sarah hadn’t wanted them to stay with them throughout the winter. Although, now that she had experienced the isolation of the winter here, she could understand Sarah’s reservations. Linnett need not have worried; the door to the farm house was flung open and Peter ran out shouting with excitement, followed by a beaming Hans and a waddling Sarah.

  Linnett gaped.

  “Well, are you getting down or staying up there all night?” Sarah asked, grinning up at Linnett’s astonished face.

  “You’re with child, Sarah!” Linnett squealed.

  Sarah nodded delightedly. “Yes, isn’t it wonderful? I didn’t realise at first! Hans noticed that I was unwell most mornings and suggested that I might be with child, and I snapped the poor man’s head off! It turns out he was quite right after all!”

  Linnett dismounted and hugged her friend, careful not to squeeze her too tightly.

  “What are you doing here? You are mad to travel yet!” Sarah scolded them both

  Hans came up behind Linnett and gave her a great bear hug, swinging her up off her feet. “It is wonderful to see you both. Is that man of yours keeping my cabin in good repair, eh?” he asked jovially.

  John answered him. “It is in excellent repair. No thanks, though, to a large bear who tried to destroy both me and the cabin!”

  Peter caught John’s hand excitedly. “A real bear? Did you kill it, Mr. Foster? How big was it? Was it a grizzly bear or a black bear?”

  “Peter! Peter! Let us go inside and John can tell us all about it over supper.” Sarah ushered them all into the warmth of the house.

  It was wonderful for all to have company and conversation once again, and the evening turned gaily into a party. Each couple shared their winter experiences, but Hans and Sarah seemed to have had rather a quiet time compared to John and Linnett’s adventures! Sarah was intrigued by Linnett’s encounter with the native child and asked her no end of questions. Hans was concerned by the sighting of natives so close to home. He had heard that a number of attacks had been levelled at white settlers farther inland, but John assured him that these natives had seemed reasonably friendly. Sarah’s talk was of the coming babe, which she judged would arrive some time at the end of May. She was full of pleasurable surprise that after all this time, she should conceive again.

  Sarah observed a new maturity in Linnett and a new closeness between Linnett and John that had been lacking when she had last seen them together. She was relieved that they had achieved a good bond and wished them the good fortune that she and Hans now shared. Hans was delighted with his tobacco pouch and Sarah with her purse. She insisted that John keep The Iliad as a gift, and to Linnett, she gave a small peridot brooch that had been her grandmo
ther’s. Linnett gave the cake she had baked to Peter, and he insisted on cutting it up and sharing it out. Finally, full of cake, he went cheerfully off out into the cold, slamming the door and disappearing outside. The adults settled down to chat, sharing news they could not share in front of the young boy. Hans presented John with a beautiful map for their journey to Boston, and the two men poured over it and sipped whisky together.

  Linnett and Sarah sat and talked of children and men, fashion and remedies. Sarah suddenly reached out and placed Linnett’s hand on her swollen belly and Linnett felt the miracle of life moving within. Bumps moved across the tight surface of Sarah’s belly, rolling from side to side. The two women smiled at each other and Linnett leaned over and gently kissed Sarah’s soft cheek.

  “I am so happy for you,” she said softly.

  Sarah nodded and patted Linnett’s hand. “It will be your turn soon, Linnett, don’t fret, just wait and see.”

  “Oh, I do hope so! Ever since I held that little one in my arms and cared for him, I’ve wished for a baby.” Linnett sighed.

  “Much better to wait until you are returned to Boston, though. Carrying a child on such a journey would be too risky,” Sarah told her sensibly. Linnett knew Sarah’s words to be true. Such a long journey on horseback would not be wise if she were with child.

  The outside door opened, letting in the fresh, icy, evening air, and they all turned to see Peter standing holding something that wriggled dementedly in his arms. Linnett gasped, recognising the creature straight away, and she flew off her chair to Peter, who grinning widely presented her with a fat pink piglet.

  Linnett took the small, wriggling bundle and spun around laughing, holding out her prize for John to see.

  “Linnett has a special affinity with hogs,” John proudly told Hans and Sarah. “When I first met Linnett, she showed me her friend Esmerelda. She is an enormous hog that was tame enough for Linnett to pet!”