"And yet love transforms people," Ellen reminded him gently. "You’ve transformed me."
He kissed her gently. "Not really. You’re essentially as you always were, warm and loving. Now you have an outlet for this, me, your very proud and happy husband. Who doesn’t want to waste a minute of this incredible night talking about your sister of all people."
His mouth on her breasts, his fingers teasing her, he brought her to the height of bliss once more, and watched her for a time until she insisted, "Oh no, no hanging back. I want you deep inside me, thrusting even more."
Ash shook his head. "I don’t want to make you sore. The friction is going to be—"
"Exactly what I need. Come into me now, and stop treating me as though I’m going to snap in two."
"I don’t mean to. I just never want to— Oh hell and damnation."
"What?" Ellen asked in alarm as he rolled half way out of the bed like a scalded cat. "What is it?"
He thumped his head with the heel of his hand. "I got so carried away we didn’t even talk about preventing conception, let alone do anything about it."
Her face fell. "I’m sorry."
"It’s not you, love, it’s my silly fault."
"Well, I didn’t exactly give you much choice, now did I," she said, patting the bed invitingly.
He flashed a grin at her and began to slide between the gold silk sheets. "I’m beginning to really enjoy living in your matriarchal society. I can’t tell you how glad I am you proposed to me, and how you've seduced me."
"Oh, stop teasing."
"I’m not. I can’t tell you what a thrill it is to have you look at me like that. But first things first."
He fished out of the side table drawer an item that looked like a sponge with a string attached, and one that looked like a sausage casing.
Ellen listened, wide-eyed with wonder, as he explained what they were both for.
"Do you understand?" he asked at the end of their discussion.
"Well, all I can say is we try them both, and then you can use your third alternative if the worst comes to the worst."
"Me or you?"
She gave him a small happy smile. "You first, but I’ll go next. After all, my love, you did say we have all night."
He grinned happily, and bounced into the bed, already rolling the condom onto his clamoring cock, and reaching for some massage oil to coat himself with. "I did indeed. And I always keep my promises to my darling wife."
"A fact I fully intend to make the most of. Oh, my…"
Chapter Thirty
Now that Ellen and Ash had consummated their relationship at last, their pleasure took on a whole new height and level of meaning.
From experimenting with every position in the kama sutra, the book of positions, to sharing their fantasies, they enjoyed and worshipped each other until they were exhausted.
Ellen couldn’t even recall a time when Ash had not been in bed with her, for he was so much a part of her that she could feel his imprint deep with her secret core.
Her only misgiving was that he alway seemed so controlled and contained. She longed for a bit more spontaneity, and did her best to promote it in the tub, their living quarters, and even in the woods when she was sure they were alone.
Ellen went out of her way to surprise Ash, slipping under his disciplined exterior to touch the raging passions within.
It was easiest just before dawn when, relaxed from sleep, they simply melted into one another.
Often he would slip in from behind and rub her peaks and valleys until she could barely speak. Some mornings she had to admit she really wished the world would go away and she never had to get out of bed.
But everyone in the district seemed to count on her husband the doctor more and more, at least amongst the poorest class of patient.
As the weeks passed, Ash's worst fears regarding the Duke's threats materialised. Ash’s reputation suffered so greatly due to the Duke's dismissive attitude, that everyone in the area seemed to have taken sides, and were giving him and his wife the cold shoulder whenever they were out amongst society.
On the other hand, whilst they might well think Ash was the worst degenerate, and never spoke a word to them at the Assembly balls. Ash was often the man they called in a medical crisis. He was always so unfailingly calm, and Ellen said to be such an angel, it was hard to believe these were the same people the Duke disapproved of so heartily.
Not everyone listened to Thomas’s opinion, of course. Philip and the Avenels told Thomas he was being absurd, and Juliet Howard, their closest neighbour, shrugged off the gossip as so ridiculous as to not even be worth the breath to waste to refute it. Their friendship grew as Juliet gained in confidence.
They were never quite sure how it was that she had come to marry Lawrence instead of the dreadful Matilda, but it was a fact they were very grateful for, since she fit into the Rakehells set almost seamlessly.
As the weeks passed they watched her come out of her shell, and Ash and Ellen were delighted to discover that her husband was no longer abandoning her to pursue his business interests, but being kind to her, and even asking her to take an active interest in all his affairs.
"The family that works together, stays together," Ash said, bringing the conversation around from Juliet and Lawrence to their own circumstances as they worked in the dispensary side by side one evening.
Ellen nodded happily.
"You don’t mind, do you dear?" Ash asked suddenly.
"Don’t be silly. It was my choice."
"Still, if there are other things you’d rather be doing--"
"Nonsense. Knitting and tatting?" She grimaced. "No thank you. I’ve learned so much from you about nursing, and from Martin about being an apothecary. It’s been wonderful."
"And wonderful seeing you coming out of you chrysalis and transforming into this beautiful butterfly."
"It needed your warmth and nuturing to bring me out. That and these lovely clothes. I adore the freedom of the salwar and kameez."
"Though I have to say you dressing in your Indian rather than English clothes more often than not only makes the neighbours gossip about us more."
"Let them talk," Ellen said airily. "These everyday clothes are more practical and modest than having my bosom spilling over the top of my gown."
He flashed her a heated grin. "Perhaps I should buy you a few more frocks then."
Ellen giggled happily. "Yes, but I would only wear them for you."
"Just as well, really. They already think we’re lewd enough as it is without adding fuel to the fire."
She shrugged. "I don’t care for myself, darling. But you would think after all these weeks they would get tired of cutting you or whispering behind their hands. Anyone would think you were the Devil incarnate they way they're going on. All it was was some mirrors and a lingam , for pity's sake."
Ash refrained from pointing out that not all that long ago, her reaction might have been quite similar to the Duke's. Love truly did transform.
Instead he said, "Do you want to avoid the Assembly Ball next week?"
She nodded. "We’ve put in an appearance and danced one dance at every social function in the area since we got married. The bare minimum, but we made our point, and we are newlyweds. If we don’t go, they’ll think we have something to hide. Thomas will think he’s won. Though if we do go, we need to be prepared for more rudeness. But I’m game if you are."
"And you shall wear the midnight blue gown for them all at last."
"I had rather thought a sari."
He nodded. "Why not. And for me a kurta and—"
She looked at him carefully. "But I can see you’re worried. And a bit, well, discontent?"
Ash sighed. "You know me too well. I’m still thinking about India. It galls me for us to have to dance attendance on some of these people, who aren’t even worth your little finger. And look at all the good we’ve done here. Think how much more good we could do in Calcutta."
"Or Lo
ndon," Ellen pointed out softly. "We don’t have to travel half way around the world when there are so many needy right in England. If you want to work at the clinic with Dr. Herriot, I’m sure—"
"I love working with children too."
"An orphanage, then," she suggested with a smile, before turning her attention once more to the herbs she was frinding in a mortar and pestle. "We could volunteer. I’ve had all the main childhood diseases. We would just need to be careful not to bring anything communicable home to Ranjeet and Jayashri. We would never forgive ourselves. And there is little Jo too, if you’re feeling paternal. She could always use our help."
"Are you feeling maternal?" Ash asked softly.
"No," she said honestly, shaking her head. She gave an apologetic smile. "Oh, that sounds awfully selfish of me, but I love there being just the two of us. Having the freedom to make love with you all night, every night. And I can guess, darling, that that was also a roundabout way of asking me if my monthlies are here. Yes. But don’t worry, I’m fine. We will have children one day. Just not now when things are so unsettled. You need to establish yourself in your profession. Thomas will come around eventually. Once Charlotte is in the clear, she'll tell him the truth. We just have to ride out the storm. We have plenty of good friends. The Devil with what he says."
He grinned. "I love it when you’re feisty, my little tigress. And now, if you’re quite finished filling those bottles I’d rather like to take you up on the making love all night part."
She dropped what she was doing in an instant. "I thought you'd never ask. Lead the way, darling."
Chapter Thirty-one
Ash and Ellen went to visit Juliet Howard at her new tea shop in Bath to see how she was getting on with the decor and menus in preparation for her grand opening on Monday.
They both partook of the different proposed dishes, and expressed their opinion on her final choice of menu.
"Keep it simple but exclusive," Ash advised. "Nothing too exotic, though my mother makes a chicken in creamed coconut which is simply divine.
"The secret is matching the tea to the food. So, for example, with Assam, a cucumber or tomato sandwich, a lemon tart. With Darjeeling, cream cheese or egg and cress sandwich, and creamy desserts. With your former favourite, Lapsang Souchong, chicken or smoked salmon sandwiches, walnut cake. And with the tea with bergamot, fine pate or a ham and mustard sandwich, and most definitely creme brulee."
"Thank you both. You’ve been a big help," Juliet said with a grateful smile, her rare violet eyes shining.
"We’ll be here for the opening. In the meantime, let us both wish you luck."
They both gave her a warm hug and kiss, and nodded to her tall, broad husband Lawrence, who had just come in the door and witnessed the exchange.
He tried to tell himself there had been nothing in the gossip that his factor Nash had seen Juliet and Ash together, especially since was sure Ash had been up in London for Holi, and was newly married to a lovely wife.
Still, Ash could see him bristle with jealousy. Damn . Not another suspicious husband.
"If I were even one-tenth as licentious as I’m being accused of, I would never be out of bed, whoever’s bed it happened to be," he grumbled to Ellen as they left.
"Oh, darling, I’m so sorry."
"No, it’s my fault. I should never have had the Elthams in our house, our rooms. I thought Thomas was open-minded. I mean, he does enjoy the festival at Holi. But I suppose he’s much more prudish than I gave him credit for."
"Well, if Bridges were to gossip about me too, it would appear we’d be labelled a most hot couple," she said with a wan smile.
"Except that in your case it could be quite dangerous. We know what Bridges tried to do once. He won’t dare, but there are others who—"
"I just can’t bear what my parents are having to put up with. Now thanks to Thomas, they no doubt think I’m fallen and married to a lewd rake who cares nothing for me."
"So long as you don’t ever think—"
She silenced him with a kiss which had him springing to attention at once.
"Never," she vowed. "I know you’re mine. Always. But this can’t be helping your medical ambitions. At the rate you’re going, you won’t be able to attend a single woman in the district without—"
"Any wealthy women you mean. I generally find the poor are more than grateful for any doctor wiling to try to save their lives and not charge the earth for it."
"Very true. There are too few of them about."
"You know, I really do want that hospital for the poor. I wonder if we could perhaps look at our finances and—" He sighed. "It would been beyond us, I fear. I wouldn’t wish you to have to do without anything."
She shook her head. "I don’t mind. Honestly, you spoil me so, it seems a bit absurd to allow me to be so wealthy and thus deprive the barest essentials to the many who really need it. I mean the champagne and so on are lovely, but all I really need is you. The way you—" she said, whispering in his ear to complete the rest of the sentence.
Ash laughed in delight. "Glad you like it. I love it. It sounds like an excellent suggestion for when we get home." He helped her up into the carriage and closed the door.
Then he grinned. "Actually, I’ve got the horn so badly now I don’t think we’ll wait for home. Close that shade, will you love?"
She beamed up at him. "Just what I was thinking myself. Yes, darling. Gladly."
As she closed the shade she wished it could always be so easy to make the rest of the world just go away, all their duties and cares vanish, so they could love each other without restraint, or constantly having to worry about what the morrow would bring.
Chapter Thirty-two
On Monday Ash and Ellen dressed in their best in preparation for lending their support for Juliet Howard’s grand opening of her new tea shop in Bath.
Ash had no doubt that every single one of the Rakehells would be there, and knew it was going to be trying for Ellen more than himself. She really did want to fit into her society. Yet with Thomas having taken against them so, there seemed little hope of that.
Ash could also tell by the look on her face that Juliet was having a wretched time despite her total triumph. It was easy enough to see why. There wasn’t much he could do about Lawrence’s former fiancee Matilda Barnet draping herself around his neck like a feather boa.
But he could do his best to deflect his sister-in-law Georgina, who was practically throwing herself at the poor man. He could see that the two women combined were more than enough to ruin what should have been Juliet’s happy day.
"Don’t pay either of them any mind. They’ll try to quiddle anyone’s cod," Ash said with a dismissive wave of his hand, putting his arm around his wife.
Ellen nodded. "It’s true. My own sister tried to poach my husband right out from under my nose."
"But I was chaste before I wed, and shall remain so."
Juliet sighed pensively. "Lawrence told me the other day that he couldn’t promise to be faithful to me for the rest of our lives. That he would be a liar if he did. That any honest man would tell me the same thing. Yet you tell me with such certainty—"
Ash stroked his wife’s cheek. "It's an active choice. I make it every day. Mind over the body, or fleshly desires. I love my wife too much to ever pollute what we share, dissipate my energies which should be focused only upon making her happy."
"There’s also your work. Surely—"
"But it’s all part of who I am, and Ellen understands that."
"Or at least I’m beginning to. It has got us into a couple of scrapes, though," Ellen confided.
"Oh, really?"
"The Duke still thinks I’ve been futtering his wife," he whispered in her ear.
Juliet’s eyes flew wide, and Lawrence could not help catching his wife’s look.
"Oh, no, Ash, surely he hasn’t got such absurd ideas in his head."
Ash nodded. "He misunderstood and is, well, upset. Jealousy kills."
/> "I had heard rumours that you were a rake, but running after Charlotte? I shall of course defend you if asked."
"Thank you, but I fear it will do little good."
Juliet stared at him. "But you just told me your principles—"
He shrugged one shoulder. "Ah, but some men do not understand them. Perhaps it is because so few live up to them."
"But what on earth would make Thomas think—"
He shook his head, and said quietly to the brunette beauty, "I can’t break a confidence. But I think if you told him your story again, it might clear things up for him?"
The Rakehell Regency Romance Series Boxed Set 5 Page 64
