To Be by Your Side

by Lilybeth Zefram

  The wedding feast itself was being staged in the Pump Room. They had organised a finger-food buffet and a string quartet for the music. It was only lunch so there weren’t going to be dances—that would really put a few noses of the ton matrons out of joint.

  George was anxious to whisk his bride away. More than anything, after the wedding and finally being able to touch her without repercussion in public, he wanted to take her to his rented townhouse. He intended to make a direct path for his bedchamber and stay in bed with her until the following morning.

  ‘How much longer must we stay?’ George muttered to his bride more than an hour after the food had been served.

  ‘I thought that you would know this, George,’ she chided and he snorted.

  ‘I don’t know about weddings staged in the middle of the afternoon beyond being a guest,’ he retorted.

  ‘I think we can get away,’ Evelyn added, chuckling softly. ‘They are probably waiting for us to leave anyway.’ She leaned up and pecked a kiss on his cheek, ‘And that was our first argument as a married couple.’

  ‘I am sure we can work on better disagreements, love,’ he murmured, grinning. ‘Besides, it’s always about the lovemaking when we make up,’ George whispered. She blushed. ‘God, you are beautiful when you blush and get all embarrassed.’

  ‘We’re in public, George,’ she whispered.

  ‘And it is our wedding day.’ He grinned. ‘There, our second disagreement.’

  Evelyn leaned into his chest. ‘Surely we can make a getaway now.’

  ‘Surely,’ George echoed. ‘If nothing else, I am a duke and you are my duchess, power and all the rest, you know. Let us find James and then we can do our farewells.’

  It took them more than an hour to make it to the ducal carriage that would take them back to George’s rental. James’s valet and the maids the Earl had hired had shifted Evelyn’s belongings to her new husband’s home during the ceremony. All of Evelyn’s other belongings at her home in the city were going to be moved, along with Ruby’s belongings, while the couple were away on honeymoon.

  ‘Here,’ George told his new wife as they made it to the front door of the home. ‘I will carry you over the threshold, Evie.’

  She laughed. ‘George, don’t...’ Her protest ended in a squeak when her husband lifted her in his arms with ease.

  ‘And now,’ George murmured when his valet closed the door behind them. ‘Now, I will kiss you, Evelyn, my beautiful wife.’ He did so, taking his time. Evelyn wound her arms about his neck and deepened the kiss. ‘We need to get to bed.’

  ‘Mm, I think you are right, husband.’ Evelyn smirked.

  ‘Of course I am, wife.’

  She shrieked. ‘Then let me down. We can get there quicker.’

  ‘Always thinking, my dear.’

  George made sure that they made it to the bedchamber without any further stops. He groaned when Evelyn said, ‘Wait!’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I want to see.’ She slipped her hand down the front of her dress, extracting a pair of spectacles.

  ‘How the hell did I miss that?’ George demanded, startled.

  Evelyn shrugged, giggling. ‘I wanted these with me. They are my new lenses and they are much better than anything else. I cannot wear them all the time, and far distance is still not clear, but I can still see in front of me and middle distance.’ She slipped them on over her eyes, tucking in the golden-coloured wings behind her eyes. ‘There. I wanted to be able to see this moment.’

  George stepped up and cupped her face. ‘Of course. I hope that I am extraordinarily appealing for you.’

  ‘These things are not a fashion statement,’ Evelyn said softly, ‘but I know that you are handsome. I do not need improved vision for that.’

  He leaned down and kissed her. ‘You look beautiful, no matter what, regardless of whether or not you choose to make a fashion statement.’

  ‘So you will not object if I wear these while we are making love?’ she asked. ‘I want our first time as husband and wife to be special and I want to remember everything, including the details.’

  He chortled, nipping at her bottom lip. ‘You might not want to tell your physician how well you can see my cock when he next examines your eyes.’

  Evelyn shook her head, amused. ‘No, I could not do that,’ she said and blushed.

  He ran his hands over her back and then her front, finding the fastenings of her dress. ‘It is time for me to ravish my wife, I believe.’

  ‘I want to be on top.’ Evelyn pouted.

  ‘We will get to many positions, my dear,’ George replied, ‘and I love it when you ride my cock.’ He kissed her, undoing the last of the buttons and laces. ‘I still have a couple of more things I want to do with you.’ Evelyn buried her face into the crook of his neck while he worked her dress down her shoulders. ‘I want to taste you, pleasure you with my tongue.’ He moaned when she cupped his hard cock. ‘And then I want to feel your lips on my cock. I want you to taste me.’

  ‘George, so wanton,’ she murmured.

  ‘That’s it, honey.’

  George helped her make quick work of stepping out of her dress and then shedding her stays and drawers. He kneaded her breasts, causing Evelyn to close her eyes and moan. He teased her, knowing that he was doing exactly what she wanted.

  ‘You have too many clothes, husband,’ Evelyn told him.

  ‘As my wife insists,’ he said with a rakish grin.

  ‘Your smile is so beautiful when you are in the midst of passion,’ she murmured.

  ‘I am glad you enjoy seeing me thus.’

  George allowed Evelyn to undress him. They had not needed the words. He knew that this exploration was new for her. She had used her spectacles to look at him before. However, with the impulsiveness of their previous lovemaking, she had never had the chance to see. He groaned when she finally removed his shirt and explored the expanse of his chest with her hands and eyes.

  ‘So beautiful,’ she whispered reverently. Evelyn traced the outline of his nipples, seeing that small nubs hardened—much like her own, and much like his cock. ‘Sit down,’ she ordered. ‘I need to take off your boots.’

  George decided that he was in heaven as his wife slowly stripped him. Their first time as husband and wife was probably going to be a short event. He already felt the wet spot on his drawers where his cock leaked and strained. He closed his eyes when Evelyn knelt in front of him, removing his boots and then his socks.

  ‘Fuck,’ he groaned. George had not noticed that Evie had started making her way up his legs. She had got as far as undoing the flap of his trousers.

  ‘Here, let me.’ He quickly stood and dispensed of his trousers and undergarments in one movement.

  Evelyn’s eyes widened and she found herself staring at George’s long, hard erection, proudly standing up for her attention. She felt her cheeks burning red. She saw the vein that she had previously felt pulsing under her hand. She could now see the variation and contrast in colour, as well as the contrast between the head and the shaft, the shaft and the nest of hair. Breathlessly, she murmured, ‘So…so wonderful.’

  George, feeling rather exalted from the wonder and the passion, covered the space between them. He drew her into his arms, kissing her.

  ‘This is what you make me feel. All the time.’

  Evelyn whimpered.

  ‘Get on the bed. I need to fuck you hard and fast…’ His voice was lowering and getting husky. ‘We will make love after that.’

  Evelyn did not argue with that. She lay on the top of the covers in the centre. She was grinning in anticipation as George immediately followed her. Instinctively, she spread her legs, bending her knees. ‘George, I need you,’ she told him, arching her body when he touched her between her legs.

  ‘My wanton duchess,’ he rumbled, ‘so hot and wet for me already.’

  ‘George!’ she gasped.

  He did the wicked thing he had been talking about. He used his tongue between
her legs, making her want to climax. But then he stopped. He swiped his tongue up her body, swirling at her belly button and then paying the proper attention to her breasts.

  Evelyn was gasping. She clutched the bed covers, lifting her hips.

  ‘So impatient, my love,’ he murmured against her skin.

  ‘So are you!’ she cried back, retorting. She started to scream but ending on a sob, or maybe it was a groan. ‘God, George!’

  ‘I am a God, eh?’ He grinned.

  ‘George!’ This time his name came out as warning, with more than a bit of irritation.

  ‘My love.’ He groaned softly. He rubbed his hardness against the soft skin of her abdomen. ‘Are you ready for me?’

  ‘I am always ready for you,’ she whimpered.

  George positioned himself a little better so that he could be gentle as he slid inside her body, seating himself to the hilt. They both cried out in pleasure as soon as the connection was made. He groaned then. Evelyn moved her legs and wound them around his back, taking him in deeper somehow.

  ‘Fuck, yes,’ he hissed, desperate not to climax quite yet. He took deep breaths to compose himself.

  ‘Move,’ Evelyn ordered, frustrated from the need to continue on to completion.

  Finally, George moved out slowly before plunging inside again.

  Evelyn made her pleasure known, loudly.

  In fact, he was quickly discovering that they were a perfect match in the bedchamber when it came to the amount of noise they were making. They had known that they were perfect for each other on other levels, but the passion was just indescribably erotic and completing. Now that they no longer needed to hold back, the passion was fit to explode. As he thrust, they were both very vocal, demanding and expressing their pleasure. George had never had sex this wonderful since he had lost his virginity.

  ‘Mm-mmm-mm,’ Evelyn moaned as his thrusts became increasingly erratic.

  George knew that she was close to completion.

  He momentarily paused before driving in one more final time, in a hard thrust. That was the moment Evelyn’s muscles tightened around him and she cried out his name. She tossed her head from side to side on the pillow, unable to control anything that she was feeling. George roared her name as he finished, his orgasm forcing his seed to spurt out. His balls were tight against his body and rapidly draining.

  George rolled, taking Evelyn with him so that she was on top of his and he was still inside her body. They were panting hard, neither in a rush to catch their breath after their first passionate coupling as husband and wife.

  ‘I’m tired.’ Evelyn yawned delicately. She was now back to being shy after, as if the passionate woman who had fallen apart in his arms disappeared, albeit temporarily.

  ‘Me, too,’ he agreed. ‘Clearly, we’ve done something right.’

  ‘Mm, yes,’ she agreed, sighing softly. Then unexpectedly, she murmured, ‘After we sleep I want to lick you, like you did to me.’

  George groaned, his cock twitched, and he knew he would be hard if he had the energy to do so. ‘Sweet Jesus, you have no idea how I am looking forward to that now.’

  She sighed softly. ‘Sleep first. Then maybe food. Dinner will be in a few hours.’

  ‘Yes, my wife.’ George kissed her gently, holding her firmly in his arms.

  Epilogue

  Eight Months Later, London, Summer of 1919

  ‘We really should not have done this,’ George murmured into his wife’s ear.

  ‘What is your excuse this time?’ she asked lazily, rubbing her backside against his groin. ‘I would have thought that you have run out of them by now, George.’

  He thought for a long moment. Absently he stroked Evelyn’s swelling stomach. She was five months along with their babe and the bump was very prominent already. Evelyn was convinced either she or the baby were getting fat. She thought she was too big. However, the physician had seen no problems thus far. In the last week the babe had also started moving so much so he could feel his miracle.

  ‘I cannot think,’ he finally admitted. ‘I think I have lost all my energy making love to you.’ In spite of what he had heard friends say about their wives carrying, George had quickly discovered that his wife wanted sex more and more while in her delicate condition. Frightfully, he had feared he would not be able to keep up with Evelyn’s pace. She was all wanton love and passion.

  Evelyn turned onto her back and sat up in bed. ‘Well, I would think that the best reason would be that we should be out of bed at this time of morning. It is almost nine.’ She ran her fingers through his hair. ‘I think we have well established the fact that having two members of my family under the roof is not going to help. And I of course convinced you we could come to London, but nothing has happened that that could possibly be your argument. Neither,’ she added, ‘will using the excuse of the babe stop us from making love. The physician said as long as there are no complications we can be intimate for at least the first six months.’

  ‘Well, we are rather loud, love,’ he said ruefully.

  A fact he had been told by his brother after they had returned from their honeymoon. They had certainly developed a reputation among their staff as well. Lucas had wanted to see George in his office one day but of course, Lucas hardly got near the door. George had not told his wife—that would not be the thing to point out to a lady—yet in that case he had been the one making the noise. In actual fact, he had probably been demanding his wife to not stop sucking his cock—an act Evie enjoyed immensely, just as much as he did.

  Evelyn smacked his arm. ‘Hush. That is not the thing people make mention of in civilised company. We do what we wish in our bed.’

  ‘Then let us just settle on it being early and we have both your uncle and cousin in residence.’

  Evelyn just sighed. Her thoughts turned more sombre.

  ‘Uncle Thomas is much better, isn’t he?’ she asked her husband.

  ‘Indeed,’ George replied. ‘Being in a household with a soldier who suffered similar injuries has helped him, which would be why James’s physician suggested the change in residence.’

  Evelyn nodded.

  Her uncle had been shipped back from India, long before any of the correspondence arrived. He had been injured in attack, sustaining burns and losing his left leg. He had also contracted an infection on the ship back. At the time, Evelyn and George had not told anyone of their babe and had not been planning on going to London. But Evelyn wanted to be closer to her family. That was when the physician suggested that her Uncle Thomas be placed in a more understanding household. George had agreed and made the necessary preparations he knew to make after having had his own brother recuperate with him after Waterloo. In addition, George had also asked if his brother would attend in London to be with the older man. Uncle Thomas had been relieved by the arrangement. After recovering from his infection no one hovered over him significantly at the Duke and Duchess of Windermere’s household.

  ‘He is too busy ensuring that you and the babe are healthy,’ George told his wife. ‘I am quite certain he came so that he could make sure for himself that I am a proper husband to you.’ George wasn’t about to admit that he had had a rather threatening talk from the man of what would happen if he ever hurt Evie.

  Evelyn leaned down and kissed her husband. ‘You are right. He has been talking about going into politics, too.’ She added, ‘He wants to do something for the good of soldiers.’

  ‘Christ, Evie, the man is barely forty-seven. He is nowhere near his dotage,’ George retorted. ‘Just think, I will be that age myself in ten-odd years.’

  ‘And you will be very handsome and I will still love you more than life,’ Evelyn soothed her husband. ‘This conversation is getting too serious for bed. We should have breakfast.’

  George rubbed her stomach. ‘Yes, well, we need you and the babe fighting fit. Thomas will not forgive me that, I know.’

  Evelyn sniggered, getting out of bed, ‘I know you love my uncle. Stop being si
lly.’

  George smirked at his wife.

  Then a shrill voice down the hall, in the direction of the nursery, called. ‘I want my papa!’

  George grinned, hearing Ruby. ‘Ah, that would be my princess. I better see what she wants before the rest of London hears.’

  ‘You spoil her too much.’ Evelyn shook her head.

  ‘That is why you are her mama.’ He shrugged.

  Soon after their return from their honeymoon, where he had surprisingly also missed the little imp, he and Ruby formed a very close father-daughter bond. He would only admit it to his wife, but he loved Ruby with all his heart, as though she were his natural daughter. He often enjoyed romping about the nursery floor with her.

  Evelyn sat on the edge of the bed. First she rubbed her rounded stomach and then massaged her back. ‘Can you ring the bell for Sophia?’ she asked, naming her personal maid who often helped her dress when George was not available to do so.

  ‘And the day begins.’ George sighed.

  He went to his wife, kissed her on the forehead, and then kissed her stomach.

  George was fully aware that he was a picture of domestic bliss which was generally not thought of when it came to the ton. However, he loved his wife, his daughter, and the new babe yet to be born. He knew he was one lucky sod. He quickly dressed in trousers and shirt, and rang the bell for his wife’s maid. The Duke of Windermere barely had himself together when he went to his daughter, who was trying the patience of her nanny already.

  Fleetingly, George wished the same happiness for his younger brother, despite his injuries. He knew that Evie had much the same hope for her older brother, too, as well as her cousin. In fact, his wife had plans for matchmaking. George knew that his duchess was a force of nature. However, it was good that his brother and Evie had become good friends as of late. Lucas had spent time with James and Ruby when he and Evelyn had been on their honeymoon.

  ‘My great niece has lungs like her mother and uncle,’ Uncle Thomas rumbled, limping in the direction of the nursery as he met his niece’s husband.