by Jane Charles
Audrey panted and relaxed back against the bed and looked at him as he removed his fingers, shifted and pressed into her tight heat. She winced.
“I’m sorry. It only hurts the first time, I promise.”
She nodded and bit her lip as he pressed further and withdrew and repeated the movement. He slid his fingers into the folds once again and caressed her. Audrey’s breath hitched.
She was probably the most passionate woman he had ever met. He’d never known a woman to find release so easily and he continued working toward her release as he slowly entered her channel. When Audrey screamed out again, he plunged and filled her completely, the walls of her womanhood pulsating around him from her orgasm. He could not last long in this state and began to move within. It took but a few thrusts before he joined her in the little death. He hadn’t come so quickly since he had first discovered intercourse. Jordan collapsed on his side beside Audrey.
He would make it up to her. In time, after he recovered.
Audrey woke as the sun was beginning to rise. She shouldn’t be laying here without any clothing when Patricia brought them breakfast but she wasn’t ready to be dressed for the day either.
Jordan lay on his side. The growth on his chin tickled her shoulder and an arm was draped across her middle. She had slept deeper last night for the first time in a very long time and it had nothing to do with being free of the shackles. Though she didn’t want to get out of the bed or pull away from Jordan, she needed to put something on. A lady did not lay around unclothed.
Slowly she lifted his arm and slid from the bed. One of the blankets had been pushed to the foot of the bed and she tied it around her body, tucking a corner in just under her arm. Jordan had mentioned he had nightshirts in his trunk and she settled onto the floor to open it. She glanced back at the bed. Should she ask him to get the shirt? It wasn’t as if she was prying and he did say there was a shirt in here, she just didn’t feel right looking through this stuff.
His breathing was deep and after he had rescued her, removed the shackles and made sweet love to her she loathed waking him so she could have a nightshirt to wear. He deserved to sleep. The past few days had been just as awful for him as they were for her.
She lifted the lid. Clothing was neatly folded but she didn’t see any night shirts. One by one she took items from the trunk until she got to the bottom. There was nothing in here to sleep in. Had Jordan been mistaken or had his valet forgotten to pack any?
A doll in a lavender dress lay at the bottom of the trunk. She smoothed the wrinkles and wondered how it had gotten dirty. Someone had tried to clean what she assumed was mud away, but there were parts that remained stained. Why would Jordan have a doll?
A piece of hair peeked out of a pocket and Audrey drew it out. It was a light color of red tied with a pink ribbon. Did Jordan have a daughter or had this belonged to his sister, Madeline, and why did he travel with it?
This was really none of her business and she shouldn’t pry. She hadn’t meant to and all she really wanted was a nightshirt, which he apparently had not packed.
With a sigh she began to put the items back in the trunk resigned to put on one of her new dresses.
Jordan knew the moment Audrey left the bed. She was a part of him now and he missed her presence. He didn’t open his eyes but lay there waiting for her to come back assuming she wished to use the chamber pot. Given her reluctance to undress in front of him last evening he doubted she wanted him witnessing such a private moment. Instead of hearing what he expected, the hinges of his trunk creaked. Jordan opened his eyes barely enough to watch. What was she looking for? She piled his clothing on the floor beside her. His heart stilled for a moment. There was one thing he always traveled with and had since he went away to school. It was simply a habit now, but one he had no desire to break. The young boy that still lingered inside hoped to return the doll one day and apologize. Would Julia even remember it?
Audrey returned the items to the trunk and set back on her heels with a sigh.
“Is there something in particular you needed?”
She startled at his voice. “You mentioned nightshirts. I was hoping to put on one.”
He grinned. “I rather like what you are wearing.”
“I can’t lay around naked.”
“I don’t see why not.” If he had it his way, she would never wear clothing again.
Her eyes grew wide. “Because it isn’t right. Besides, I am sure someone will be delivering breakfast soon.”
He glanced out the window. It was getting light. If he could rouse himself from the bed they could be on their way to Grosmont.
“Apparently your valet forgot to pack them.”
Jordan fell onto this back and laughed. “No he didn’t. I don’t own any.”
Audrey came to her feet. “You said last night there was a shirt I could wear to sleep in.”
“Exactly,” Jordan pointed out. “A shirt, not a nightshirt.”
“Oh.” She sank to the side of the bed.
Jordan lifted the covers. “Get inside. It is too early to be up.” They could leave in an hour, or two.
Audrey did as he asked, settling beside him with her head on his shoulder. He waited for her to ask about the doll but she didn’t. If she didn’t ask he did need to explain. He should have told her about Adele and Julia before he made love to her, when she still had a chance to escape marriage to him and suffer because of the possible scandal that would affect his entire family.
“Aren’t you even curious?” His hands stroked over her hair.
“Curious?”
“The doll?”
Audrey tilted her head and looked up at him. “I shouldn’t have pried. It is none of my affair. I really was only looking for a nightshirt. I didn’t mean to snoop.”
Jordan chuckled. It never occurred to him that she was snooping. He just assumed she needed something and hoped he had whatever it was.
She worried her lip and studied him for a moment.
“I love you Audrey Montgomery.”
A smile broke on her lips and tears formed in her eyes. Certainly she knew how he felt.
“You do love me?” He held his breath, waiting for her answer. Surely she loved him as well or she wouldn’t have allowed him such intimacies.
“Of course!”
Jordan released a breath. “You’ve never said so.”
A tear leaked out and slid down her cheek. Jordan put his lip to the salty wetness. What a fool he was. He should have told her long before now and he wasn’t sure why he hadn’t and he most certainly should have said something before he made love to her.
She sniffed and grinned before giving him a quick kiss. “I love you.”
His heart burst. It was a true, honest declaration of love. It wasn’t the first time a woman had said those words to him but this was the first time he believed they came from the heart and Audrey was the only lady he wanted to hear those words from. He had only said it to one woman before but he had been young and foolish and thankfully Angelique had not taken him at his word and had seen it as the simple infatuation that it was. What he shared with Audrey was a deep and never-ending love.
He kissed her again, deeply. He had the overwhelming desire to make love to her again and not because of passion or sex, but to be one with her, to soar and crash with her and to make her heart beat in rhythm with his, forever bonded.
She pulled him close, matching her need to his, he did not hesitate and the blankets fell away and they were joined once again and this time when she cried out, it was his name.
Jordan stroked Audrey’s upper arm as she snuggled against him, her head on his shoulder. They had traveled this way for the past three days and soon they would be at her parents’ home. What if Mr. Montgomery was at a racetrack in another county? How far away? He would be damned if he cooled his heels at her home while he waited for her father to return. He would find the man first and gain permission. Even if it happened to be while his favorite horse was ru
nning.
The need to make Audrey his wife ate at him. It didn’t matter that she was his in every way. He wanted to be able to call her wife!
He must have tightened his hold in his agitation which had been growing the closer they came to her estate. What if the man denied his request?
No, he couldn’t think that way. If necessary, he would tell the man of all the delicious moments he had shared with his daughter on this trip and he would have no choice but to grant permission.
“Jordan?” Audrey questioned. “What is wrong?”
He glanced down into her light brown eyes. “What if your father denies me your hand?”
She giggled and rose up to kiss him on the cheek. “He won’t. On that you have my word.”
Jordan only wished he was as confident as she.
Her hand brushed inside his coat and her fingertips found a nipple. It didn’t take Audrey long to realize this was one of the more sensitive areas on his body. Most women didn’t realize this and assumed they were the only ones who experienced pleasure from such a caress. She squirmed closer and kissed his neck. His future wife was insatiable and Jordan grinned. He had hoped she would not shy away from lovemaking. He just never dreamed her passion would match his.
He shifted and drew her onto his lap and found her lips with his. Before long her bodice lay open and her dress was hiked to her thighs and Audrey was biting her lip to keep from screaming her pleasure so that the driver did not hear her. Jordan was hard and aching but as comfortable has his brother’s carriage was, it was not possible to lay her down. Instead he shifted Audrey until she straddled his lap. It was time Audrey knew there were more ways to make love than in a bed.
Jordan freed his member and pulled her close. There was a bit of confusion on her face until he prodded her entrance and then her eyes grew wide.
“Ride me, Audrey.”
“I am not sure I know how.”
He chuckled. “Yes you do, or you will learn quickly.”
She moved down, taking him inside and groaned. Jordan let his head fall back. He would never be tired of being inside of her.
She didn’t move again and he lifted his head. Perhaps he needed to guide her with his hands. Jordan found her looking at him. “You said ride.”
“Yes.” It was a bit crass but she hadn’t taken offense at anything else he had said while they were intimate and some of his language and suggestions were not usually said in the presence of a lady.
“This is what Everton was referring to in the garden.”
Jordan groaned. He had forgotten about that incident. Well, not completely forgotten about it but it was the furthest thing from his mind at this particular moment. “Yes.”
“Then he meant to…” She stopped speaking when it dawned on her the full extent of Everton’s intentions that night.
“Don’t think about it.” Jordan took her lips with his, lifted her hips and then pushed them down. Soon Audrey was moving on him as if she were born to bring him pleasure, her mouth never disengaging from his. His hand slipped beneath her skirt to touch her and they cried out into each other’s mouth as they gained release as one.
Audrey fell against him panting and Jordan simply sat there, rubbing her back and recovering.
They were nearing her home and he hadn’t yet told her about Julia and Adele. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t had several opportunities, he simply avoided the topic. But, he couldn’t put it off any longer.
Audrey slid from his lap and straightened her skirts. “That was delightful.” She grinned up at him.
Jordan merely chuckled and pulled her close and placed a kiss on her forehead. He had to tell her now or it would never be told and she could easily be shocked when all of London learned and ended up resenting him for keeping something so important from him.
“I need to tell you about the doll.”
Audrey pulled back, eyes clouded in worry. “Do you have a daughter?” she asked slowly.
Jordan laughed. “No. To my knowledge I have not fathered any children.” He should be offended but he wasn’t. Given the number of women he had made love to over the years he could easily have a passel of bastards, except he had always been very careful so that the woman he was with never conceived. Audrey was the first lady he had never even thought about being cautious. It didn’t matter if she found herself increasing and he hoped it was sooner than later.
“It belonged to my sister.”
“Madeline?”
“No, Julia.”
Audrey studied him, a quizzical frown on her face. Her brows lifted a few moments later. “Oh.”
The fact that she didn’t ask who Julia was meant she knew the story.
She grasped his hand. “I am so sorry. It must have been so difficult to lose a sister so young.”
Jordan should have expected nothing but compassion from Audrey. It was one of the many reasons he loved her.
“Yes, it was,” he admitted. “However, we learned last year that they didn’t died.”
“They didn’t?”
“No.”
“Where have they been?” she asked slowly.
“France for a number of years, apparently.”
“How very odd.”
Yes, it was, but Audrey didn’t know the half of it and Jordan explained what had occurred, from the very beginning, including how he had torn Julia’s doll and that father had struck her for crying.
“It wasn’t your fault. You were a child.”
“I know that in my mind, but it hasn’t lessened the guilt.” That was the first time he admitted his deepest feelings to anyone. It was also the reason he was so close to Madeline and was glad when she was sent to school. At least he knew she would come home from there one day and not run off.
Jordan continued with what he knew and how Clayton learned the truth last spring and that they had been searching for them ever since.
“They are in London yet you haven’t found them.”
He shook his head.
“Do you think Adele will try to contact the family?”
“I assume she will, in time. Why else would she come back now?”
She fell back against the seat and nibbled on her nail. He simply waited for her to reach the same conclusion as the rest of the family. Her mouth popped open and she turned to him and he knew she had. “Oh dear, what will this mean for your step-mother? The one everyone believes to be the true dowager?”
“That is our main concern. At least now that Madeline is married we don’t have to worry about her birth status being an issue.”
“Does Lord Brachton know?” She cringed with the question. Most gentlemen did not willingly marry a bastard.
“Before they married. He loved her too much to care.”
Audrey relaxed. “That is good to know.”
“We will deal with the situation when and if they are found or it becomes public knowledge.”
“There isn’t much you can do besides continue to search for them,” she agreed.
“But,” he pointed out. “As my wife this could affect you as well.”
“I don’t see how?”
“It could be a horrible scandal. Rose could be shunned as well as the rest of us. We simply don’t know how bad the repercussions could be.” He grasped her hand tight. “I wanted you to know all of this and have a clear understanding before you became my wife. You still have the option to change your mind.”
Audrey brought a hand to his cheek and cradled it, a loving smile on her lips. “The largest scandal in all of England would not keep me from marrying you.”
Relief swept through Jordan and surprised by how much he had really feared her reaction to the truth.
“I love you,” he murmured before the carriage came to a halt before a large brown manor house.
“We’ve arrived,” she grinned.
All relief he felt only a moment before disappeared. It was time to meet her father.
Audrey allowed Jordan to escort her to the door. The ne
ws had stunned her but not for herself but what it could do to Jordan, his current step-mother and the rest of the family. Nothing would make her ever turn from Jordan and she would be by his side through this and support the rest of the family in the days or years to come when the truth finally emerged because the truth always did, especially in London Society.
The door was opened by Wilton, the family butler for as long as she could remember.
“Your parents are gathered in the drawing room with Mr. Trent’s family,” he announced.
“My family is here?”
The man nodded. “They have been for a day and have recently begun discussing sending someone after the two of you.”
How did they all get here so quickly and why?
Wilton leaned in. “Some suspected you might have gone off to Gretna Green, Miss Montgomery,” he whispered.
Audrey giggled. “I wouldn’t do something like that to my mother. She would never forgive me.”
“It did cross my mind, several times,” Jordan admitted.
Audrey looked at him in surprise.
“I am a bit anxious to marry you,” he admitted in a way that warmed her heart.
She linked her arm in his. “Shall we see who all is waiting for us?”
“Yes. I am a bit curious myself.”
The parlor, her mother’s favorite, was up one flight of stairs and faced south, overlooking the gardens. Audrey and Jordan stepped inside the room and she was shocked to discover his entire family present. Well, not Adele and Julia of course, but the ones she had met in London.
