by Jolie Cain
A Lady’s Pleasure
Jolie Cain
Published 2011
ISBN 978-1-59578-800-9
Published by Liquid Silver Books, imprint of Atlantic Bridge Publishing, 10509
Sedgegrass Dr, Indianapolis, Indiana 46235. Copyright © 2011, Jolie Cain. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.
Manufactured in the United States of America
Liquid Silver Books
http://LSbooks.com
Email:
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Editor
Devin Govaere
Cover Artist
Lyn Taylor
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.
Blurb
Lilith Laughton, Lady Morely, is quite content being a well-to-do widow. After a miserable marriage, she sees no reason to ever wed again. She does her best not to call attention to herself, living her life quietly in the country and avoiding anyone who might disrupt the peaceful life she has created for herself. When her good friends the Earl and Countess of Brentwood invite her to a house party, she goes so far as to disguise herself as a frumpish dowd to keep from attracting attention.
Her masquerade doesn’t fool the Duke of Carlisle, however. It just so happens that the handsome and wealthy duke is finally looking for a wife, but the twittering debutantes of the ton hold no interest for him. No, he wants someone more interesting with whom to link himself for the rest of his life. And Lily seems like the perfect choice. But what can he do to convince Lily that marriage to him would offer her more than she could imagine? The wily duke decides he must teach Lily all about the pleasure a lady can find with the right man in order to change her mind and win her heart.
Chapter One
Richard Wentworth St. John, the fifth Duke of Carlisle, strode down the back hallway in search of his friend Stephen, the Earl of Brentwood. They had planned to go riding this morning, but his friend was nowhere to be found. The duke suspicioned that Stephen was closeted with his lovely wife somewhere. They hadn’t been married all that long, and, unlike the majority of tonnish couples, the man was quite enamored of sweet Caroline and she with him. So he couldn’t fault the man for wanting some private time with his beautiful bride, which was hard to come by when one was hosting a house party at one’s country estate. Nevertheless, Richard thought, if he didn’t get away from the determined matchmaking mamas and their twittering daughters soon, he was liable to do something quite unforgivably rude, like shoving the lot of them into the fish pond. And his own mama would be completely mortified…again. The duke was not known for his tolerance.
Luckily, as a frequent and welcome guest at the Brentwood’s country home, he knew of Caroline’s private sitting room tucked away in a quiet corner of the second floor. He was certain that that was where Stephen and Caroline had hidden themselves away. Well, enough was enough. Stephen was going to have to forgo his morning cuddle and rescue his friend from certain disaster or at the very least a social faux pas.
As he approached the room, the sound of voices reached his ears, and he paused outside the partially closed door to Caroline’s sitting room as the trill of female laughter emerged. Humph. Sounded more like a morning gossip session between girlfriends than the romantic tete-a-tete he had envisioned. It was obvious Stephen was not there since there was absolutely no deep masculine rumble joining the feminine voices. He was about to knock and ask Caroline if she knew where her husband was when he was startled into stillness by a comment made in the dulcet tones of his friend’s wife. “No, really. It is just too bad of you, dressing like a dowd around all my friends. I almost fell off my chair when you first walked into the parlor last night. What on earth were you thinking?”
A husky chuckle sent an unexpected shiver down Richard’s spine. “Well, what else was I to do when you absolutely refused to take no for an answer to your invitation to this house party? Really, Caro, you know I have no love for the social whirl and absolutely no desire to attract an eligible bachelor, yet you insist on thrusting me into mobs of them at every opportunity. And don’t even try to deny it. We both know it’s the truth, otherwise you would have invited me here when you didn’t have so much company. Ever since you married your Stephen, you have become one of those dreadfully boring matrons who believes that everyone should share in the same connubial bliss. Well, I have become wise to your ways, my friend, so…my disguise. I thought it was rather clever myself.”
“It’s definitely effective, I must say,” came Caroline’s admiring if somewhat annoyed voice. “The spectacles are a particularly good touch. They completely disguise those beautiful eyes of yours.”
“As far as my beautiful eyes go, don’t be a silly chit. You’re a married woman now, Caro. Eyes are eyes.”
“Yes, but yours are such a striking emerald green. I used to long for your eyes, you know, back when we were in school.”
“Gad, well, I’m glad you never took them. I’d be quite blind without them.”
Another trill of laughter. Richard’s mouth curved up in a half smile.
“Anyway, gentlemen these days want blue eyes and blonde hair. Little cupid’s bow mouths and waists the size of a noodle. No, I hardly think even without my ‘disguise’ that the gentlemen would be flocking to me. However, I did think it best not to take any chances.”
“Oh, now you’re just being silly. You have plenty to offer the right man. You’re intelligent and witty, and you know you look quite attractive when you exert yourself.”
“Humph. Whether I do or whether I don’t is beside the point. I don’t want a man, Caro. Whatever would I do with him? I’m quite sure he would get in the way of my amusements. And he’d want to start telling me where to live and how to dress. You know how they are. Why, they actually believe they are in charge of things. Can you imagine?
Ugh! No, thank you. I’ll stick to my disguise, thank you very much.”
She, whoever she was, was quite amusing and had a devilish quick wit. Spectacles?
He cast around trying to recall which of the ladies he’d met last night wore spectacles, but he couldn’t remember anyone young enough to have been at school with Caroline.
There was a moment’s pause, and he could hear a shuffling sound that was soon explained by Caro’s next comment.
“How do you even see through these things? Good grief. Everything’s a complete blur.”
“I must confess it has been a bit difficult. I swear I nearly sat on Lady Ellwood last night. And everyone’s face is a bit…fuzzy. Sometimes I’m not exactly sure who I’m talking to, but I am managing.” She laughed. “Somewhat.”
“And that mob cap. Heavens, do people still wear those? It’s absolutely dreadful.”
“Well, I am a widow, after all. Not a young girl.”
“Ha! You’re twenty-five not eighty-five. You’re much too young to be dressing like your grandmother and burying yourself in the back of beyond.”
“Darling, Melksham isn’t the back of beyond. We’re actually quite civilized there, you know. And Bath isn’t very far away, and they have a quite lovely social scene.”
“Pooh. Old women and men with imagined illnesses gone to take the waters. Some social scene.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Caro. You know you enjoy visiting Bath whenever you come down.”
“Maybe. I do enjoy visiting the Grand Pump Room.” Richard could hear the reluctant agreement in Carolin
e’s voice. “But I’m serious, dearest. You are dressed so frumpishly, and all you do is stand against the wall and act like you cannot string two words together. I cannot stand it. Not when I remember how popular you used to be.
Remember in school. We all quite hated you, you know. Whenever we went to the dances, all the young men just flocked to you and the rest of us had to make do with the leftovers. We all expected you to make an absolutely brilliant match, with that beautiful black hair and your impressive bosoms.”
“Oh, lord.” More laughter. “Scamp. I think you say outrageous things just to put me to blush. And I believe your own bosoms would rival mine any day. I think we’re much of a size these days.”
“Yes. I can tell you it was a relief when I finally grew some breasts, late bloomer that I was. Stephen quite likes them.”
The lady gasped and let out a peel of laughter. “Heavens, Caro.”
“What? It’s the truth. Anyway, you should have married some outrageously handsome peer and become a leader of the ton. I remember the Roxham twins were quite enamored. And Lord Kemp’s son was forever trying to steal a kiss.”
“Well, that didn’t happen, did it?”
“No. Your papa married you to that ogre right out of school. How old were you?
Sixteen? I remember us all being quite shocked.”
“Seventeen. And Edgar wasn’t an ogre. He was—”
“He was an old tightwad who didn’t want you to have any fun. All he wanted was to breed you.”
“Caroline! Really.” He could hear the shocked tone, but thought there was also a touch of humor in the response.
“Well, it’s the truth. What were you? His fourth wife?” Caroline was unrepentant.
“His third.”
“And he blamed you constantly for not giving him an heir. Like you were supposed to do something his other wives couldn’t do, either? It’s obviously the old beast was incapable of fathering children. And to blame you…”
“I know. It wasn’t fair…”
“Not fair? It was outrageous. When you told me some of the things he said to you, I wanted to strangle him with one of my mama’s crocheted stoles.”
Another peal of laughter. “Dear, dear, Caroline. What would I ever do without you to brighten my days?”
“You deserve so much more, my friend. You’re still young. You need to think about marrying again…”
“Never.” The passion in that reply made Richard’s eyes widen.
“Oh, but you would make an absolutely wonderful wife. We’ll find you a man who will spoil you silly and treat you like a queen.”
“I will never marry again. Ever.”
“You can’t judge every man by Edgar Laughton. Just because he was a ninnyhammer of a husband, that doesn’t mean you can’t find one who is perfect.”
“Sweet Caroline, I will never again give any man that kind of power over me. To not be able to control my own money, my own household. To be forever at some man’s beck and call. Told how to act. What to wear. No. I went from my father’s house to my husband’s without knowing any better. But I’ve been on my own for over two years now.
Edgar left me quite comfortable, you know. I find that I like making my own decisions.
Women are just as capable as men, you know, of deciding how to live their lives.”
“You’ve been reading that Wollstonecraft woman’s book again, haven’t you?”
“A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. Yes. Wollstonecraft said she did not wish for women to have power over men, but over themselves. Brilliant, isn’t she?”
“Yes, yes, of course. But don’t you long for a family of your own? Children? You would be a wonderful mother.”
“Mayhap I cannot have children. You know I didn’t in the six years I was married.”
Richard thought he detected a wistful note in the reply.
“Oh, you and I both know that Edgar was probably to blame for that…even though he tried to make you think it was your fault. I’m not even convinced that he was able to perform his husbandly duties. Was he?”
“Sometimes. Not often, thank God.”
“Don’t you remember how we used to talk of raising our children together? How we could holiday together at the seaside and watch them run in the surf? You longed for a large family then.”
“I remember, but I’m not a child anymore. I’ve put away foolish dreams and am quite content with my reality. No, marriage is not for me.”
“Well, then. If not marriage, you should definitely take a lover.”
“Good lord, Caro. Where do you get your ideas? Does Stephen know the kinds of things that come out of your mouth?”
A giggle. “Oh, yes, indeed. In and out.”
A gasp and then a laugh. “He’s spoiled you rotten, hasn’t he?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Richard could easily picture the innocent expression on Caroline’s face. “Anyway, there are many attractive men here, don’t you think? You could take a lover, and no one would know. It’s perfect. You know people do have all kinds of assignations at country house parties with no one the wiser.”
“I don’t think…” Richard could hear the reluctance.
“You know it’s true. House parties are notorious for providing ample opportunities for romantic trysts.”
“Perhaps, but I don’t…”
“Take for instance Carlisle.”
“Carlisle? Good heavens! Do you mean the duke?”
“Yes. He and Stephen are exceedingly good friends, and I find him quite tolerable.
He’s very rugged and masculine, isn’t he? Not like some of those ridiculous dandies you see preening and prancing around. And from what the ladies tell me, he definitely knows his way around the boudoir. He would make you an absolutely delicious lover.” Richard raised his brows as his best friend’s wife expressed her appreciation for his…manly attributes. It actually made him a trifle…uncomfortable…to know that she knew so much about his…activities.
“Good lord. No, thank you. I do not want to take a lover, Caroline. And especially not a rake like the Duke of Carlisle. Even in the wilds of Melksham we’ve heard of the notorious Duke and his numerous conquests. Why just last month there was gossip about some Cyprian who caused a scene at a ball. Threw a diamond bracelet at his head, I believe.”
“Oh, twaddle. Who cares about some foolish gossip?”
“I do. You know what they say, where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
“So what if it is true? You said yourself you’re not looking for a husband. We’re talking a brief connection only. And he is a beautiful man, you must admit.”
Richard could feel his cheeks heating in embarrassment. Good lord, Stephen really did need to take his wife in hand. He leaned forward, surprisingly eager to hear the unknown lady’s opinion of him.
“Indeed. And no doubt has been told that countless times by opera singers and merry widows eager to grace his arm and his bed. I’ve no desire to become the next in a long, long line of castoff ladybirds to the devilish duke.”
“Hmmm…mayhap you’re right. You probably need someone a little less…
experienced. How about Lord Brandon, then? Now he’s a very nice man. Quite attractive, too, if you like that studious type. Or Sir Evan Spencer? He’s a terrific horseman, and you know how you love to ride. Stephen admires him greatly. Though I do believe he is a bit of a rake as well. Why is it always that the most interesting men are rakes, do you suppose?”
A heavy sigh. “I told you, Caro, dear. I do not want a lover. Not a husband. Not a man at all.”
“But why ever not?” He could hear Caroline’s disappointment. He also wanted to know the answer to that question. The longer he had listened, the more intrigued he had become.
The lady’s voice dropped to almost a whisper, and Richard had to strain to hear her response. “Truthfully, dearest, I didn’t exactly enjoy the marital act.”
“What? Not at all?” Caroline’s shock reflected his own.
“It was…uncomfortable at best and painful at worst. I have no desire to repeat the experience, I assure you.”
“Oh, pish posh. Just because your husband was hamfisted in the bedroom, that doesn’t mean that another man couldn’t make things more pleasurable. Indeed, Stephen is quite the best lover ever, though to be honest, he is the only one I’ve had. But he did tell me that other men weren’t as talented in the boudoir as he.” The last was said with a hint of pity, obviously for all the ladies who would no longer be lucky enough to receive the attentions of the oh-so-talented Earl.
It was all Richard could do not to chuckle aloud at that comment delivered so seriously by his friend’s wife. He would really have to poke a little fun at his friend about his bedroom talent. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time he had heard a married woman complain about her husband’s poor performance between the sheets. Which was one of the reasons he’d always been so successful with the ladies. He’d never subscribed to what he believed was the ridiculous opinion that real ladies should not enjoy themselves in bed.
“No. Caroline. Really. I do not wish for a lover. I am quite content as I am.”
“But, sweetheart, it breaks my heart to think of you rattling around in that big old house all alone with no one for companionship. You’ll grow into one of those bitter old women with a houseful of cats who does nothing all day but sit around and eat macaroons. I couldn’t bear it.”
“I’m hardly alone. I have a housekeeper, a housemaid, a cook, a gardener, and a lady’s maid. I assure you, I have plenty of company. Besides, Rose Cottage is not that large. I haven’t heard a single rattle. And I haven’t got a cat. Well, except for the cook’s tabby and a lovely little mouser that stays in the barn.” A hint of humor again crept into the lady’s voice.
“Oh, servants. It’s not the same. I’m talking about your peers, people you can associate with, not people you order around.”
“I’m not really much of an orderer, Caroline. And I do have friends, you know. My neighbors, the Leyworths, invite me to dine quite frequently. Pastor Merson and his wife call on me every week. And there’s the occasional assembly. Plus I have my charities.
