Lilly halted her steps, grabbed Claire’s arm, and turned her so they were facing each other. “You dressed up as a stableboy?”
She glanced behind her to make sure Nate’s carriage wasn’t coming down the street. “To see our parents, but mostly to see you.”
“To see me?”
“Because you said Lord Hedwrett had taken an interest in you, and I wanted you to marry Mister Morris.”
“Ladies, can you discuss this later?” Mister Robinson interrupted them.
Claire glanced to where he was pointing and saw Nate’s carriage heading their way. Startled, she and the others hurried down the street.
“You don’t have to worry about me,” her sister told her. “I won’t have anything else to do with Lord Hedwrett.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. Once she reached her townhouse, Mister Robinson darted down another street, and Claire urged her sister into the house where they snuck up the servants’ stairs and to her bedchamber.
In all her life, Claire had no idea she could change clothes as fast as she did, and afterwards, she stuffed the chambermaids’ clothes and wigs into a trunk and slammed the lid. Out of breath, she motioned for Lilly to hurry to the drawing room. Once downstairs, they passed a surprised butler and made it to the room just in time for the front door to open.
Gasping, Claire sat down and struggled to slow her breathing. Lilly sat beside her, also out of breath. Nate was talking to the butler, and she decided that was her cue. She laughed, making sure it was loud enough for him to hear, and said, “Oh Lilly! You say the funniest things!”
To Lilly’s credit, she joined her and laughed, too.
Nate entered the room, and she studied his face to judge whether or not he knew it’d been her dressed as a chambermaid outside Lord Hedwrett’s house, but he gave no indication if he knew.
“Miss Lowell, it’s a pleasure to see you again,” he said with a bow.
Claire and Lilly stood, and Lilly curtsied. “It’s a pleasure to see you as well, my lord.” She turned to Claire and clasped her hands. “Thank you for everything. I must leave.”
Claire smiled. “Thank you for coming.”
“My coachman will take you home,” Nate said.
Thanking him, Lilly left the room.
After a few moments of awkward silence, he walked over to Claire and kissed her. “Did you have a good visit with your sister?”
Unsure of how to best proceed, she cleared her throat and nodded. “It was very enlightening.”
“I’m sure it was.”
She bit her lower lip, wondering if he was going to mention Lord Hedwrett.
“Lady Roderick, the strangest thing happened tonight,” he said.
Her eyebrows rose. “Oh?”
“Yes, there was this person who reminded me of you. I saw her just as I was leaving Lord Hedwrett’s residence.”
Blast it all! He knew! Just like last time, he was letting her know it right away, too. She got ready to defend herself when it occurred to her that someone might be watching them. “Wait a moment. I’ll explain everything soon.”
Without waiting for him to ask what she was doing, she hurried out of the room and checked to make sure there weren’t any holes behind any of the paintings adjoining the drawing room. When she was assured that no one could spy on her and her husband, she returned to the drawing room. She shut the door and faced him. “I can explain.”
Though he looked curious about why she left the room, he focused on her. “All right. I’m listening.”
Good. It was a start. At least he wasn’t judging her…yet. She went over to the settee and patted the space next to her. “Will you sit with me?” She expected him to insist he’d remain standing, but he complied and settled next to her. Good. That was definitely a good sign. “I wanted to show my sister that Lord Hedwrett wouldn’t make a suitable husband, so I thought it’d be to her benefit to see him as he really is. The only way I could do that was to convince Mister Robinson to lend us some clothes—”
“Mister Robinson?”
She stared at his incredulous expression for a few seconds before she nodded. “Yes. Lord Clement’s ward. So I wrote him a letter and asked—”
“You contacted Mister Robinson? The one who is supposed to be at Weston emptying chamber pots so he could learn responsibility?”
“To be fair, he did this as a favor to me, and he notified Lord Clement what he was doing and why. I think that was responsible of him, don’t you?”
Though he looked uncertain, he said, “I suppose.”
“So I asked him to bring me and Lilly a disguise. My plan was to sneak into Lord Hedwrett’s townhouse so we could overhear you and him tonight. I thought perhaps he’d let something unpleasant slip in his conversation with you since gentlemen are more apt to be bold in their speech when ladies aren’t around.”
“You snuck into his house?”
“Yes.”
“Did anyone see you?”
“His butler.” When she saw his face fill with dread, she quickly added, “But his butler knows someone who is a relative of someone who knows Mister Robinson…or something to that effect.”
He blinked and shook his head. “What?”
“Never mind. That part doesn’t matter. What matters is that the butler was more than willing to turn the other way.”
“The butler could tell Lord Hedwrett.”
“He won’t.”
“How can you be sure?”
She shrugged. “I believe Mister Robinson when he said the butler could be trusted.”
His eyes went heavenward and he let out a long sigh.
“Regardless, the matter is done now, and the important thing is my sister heard the conversation you and Lord Hedwrett shared.”
His gaze returned to her and he grimaced.
“Yes, I heard everything, and Nate,” she added as she snuggled up to him, “I think it’s wonderful you stood up for me like that. It’s nice to know you care about me.”
His face softened and he smiled. “Of course, I care about you. You’re more than my wife. You’re my friend, and I love you.”
Thrilled, she smiled in return. “I love you, too.”
“But I don’t like the way you’re dressing up in disguises and sneaking off to places you shouldn’t be. What if you get hurt? What if Lord Hedwrett had caught you and your sister? You might not always be lucky.”
“I know. I won’t do it anymore. I wouldn’t have done it this time if I wasn’t worried about my sister.”
“You can come to me instead of Lord Clement’s ward.”
Her eyebrows rose in disbelief. “Can I?”
He started to answer her but hesitated. “I would have found a different way of handling things with your sister, but yes, I would have helped you.”
Pleased, she kissed him. “In the future, I’ll ask you to get me a disguise.”
Though he sighed, she noted the amusement in his tone. “I have a feeling that being married to you will never be boring.”
“I should hope not.” Grinning, he pulled her to him, but before he kissed her, she asked, “Do you really know a gentleman at White’s Lord Hedwrett swindled?”
“I’ll tell you, but you must never tell anyone else, not even your sister.”
She nodded her agreement.
“I was bluffing. I don’t have any idea who he cheated.”
“I have a feeling you do a better job of deceiving people than I do.”
“I really hope you don’t make it a habit of putting on disguises.”
“I won’t,” she promised. Then with a wicked grin, she added, “Unless you want me to.”
He chuckled and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave into the thrill of being with him. He deepened the kiss, and she parted her lips so his tongue could interlace with hers. At the moment, it was just the two of them, and as they continued to kiss, she became aware of the ache forming between her legs. Making love to him was still new, but she
was quickly learning what brought her the greatest amount of pleasure. What she wanted to do was learn how she could best please him.
When their kiss ended, she pulled far enough away from him so she could make eye contact with him. “What can I do to please you?”
“You are pleasing me.” He took her hand in his and kissed her palm, an action that caused delightful chills to run straight to her toes.
As he kissed her hand again, her gaze lowered to his pants, noting the outline of his erection. She’d seen him naked, but she hadn’t gotten up the nerve to explore him. She wondered if she should now. He brought his mouth back to hers, his lips more demanding than before, evidence of his building passion.
“Nate,” she whispered.
“Hmm?” he asked as he kissed her jawline and then her neck.
She sighed and leaned into him. This was one of the things that pleased her most. He brought his hand to one of her breasts and cupped it in his hand. His thumb brushed the area where her nipple was, and she involuntarily shuddered. She wanted to feel his bare hands on her flesh, but first, she wanted to explore him, to fully learn his body.
“Nate,” she ventured again, her heart racing at the thought of even asking the question.
“What?”
His breath tickled her ear so she giggled. Thankfully, the simple action helped to ease her apprehension. She cleared her throat. “Can I…? That is, I haven’t touched you everywhere yet.”
He stopped kissing her and looked at her. “You want to know me better?”
That wasn’t exactly the way she would have worded it, but the meaning was the same so she nodded despite her warm cheeks. He released his hold on her and removed his clothes. Her heart raced in anticipation. She wondered if he was nervous, but if he was, he didn’t show it.
He offered a reassuring smile and brought her hands to his chest. “You can touch me anywhere you want.”
Then he closed his eyes, something she appreciated since she felt awkward enough as it was without him watching her. Despite the warmth rising to her cheeks, she explored his chest, her fingers brushing the fine hairs and teasing his nipples which grew hard in response. He relaxed into the settee and ran his hand along her arm, a silent encouragement for her to continue. Her gaze went to his arousal and then to his eyes to make sure he hadn’t opened them.
He still had them closed. Relieved, she lowered her hands, intrigued to find out what he’d feel like in her hands. He’d been inside her, something that brought her much pleasure. Now as she traced his erection, she tried to memorize every part of it. She lightly touched the tip and ran her fingers down his shaft. Tentatively, she wrapped her hand around him and lightly squeezed him. It struck her a strange thing that his skin was silky while he was hard. His hand clasped around hers. Surprised, she looked back at his face, but he still had his eyes closed.
“You can use more pressure,” he whispered and tightened his hand so she squeezed him.
“What else do you like?” she softly asked, almost hesitant since it was a bold move on her part.
He brought her hand to the base of his shaft and then brought it swiftly up to his tip and then brought it back down again. He repeated the process several times until she got the hang of it. When he released her hand, she continued the action. It seemed such a wicked thing to do—touching a gentleman’s naked body while she was fully dressed. But he moaned his appreciation and wiggled beneath her in a way that emboldened her to kneel in front of him so she could take him into her mouth.
He gasped in pleasure as she traced his tip with her tongue, tasting the salty bead of moisture along his slit. She took more of him into her mouth and sucked lightly while using her hand to squeeze the base of his shaft. He murmured his appreciation and cupped her face in his hands so he could guide her mouth up and down his shaft.
She followed his lead, aware of how this intimate contact was making her body ready for his entry. It also gave her a feeling of power to know she could make him moan and squirm in pleasure. She experimented to find out if he preferred it when she was going slow or fast, so she alternated between the two.
When she was satisfied with her exploration, he ordered her to sit on the settee. Highly aroused from being so intimate with him, she obeyed, eager to find out what he had in mind. He proceeded to undress her, his hands quick and sure as they removed each layer of clothing until she was naked in front of him.
Shooting her a mischievous look, he got on his knees. He leaned forward and kissed her neck. She closed her eyes and focused on his lips and his hands as they caressed her body. Her pulse raced as his fingers brushed her breasts and then her nipples, purposely teasing her. His thumb brushed her nipples which grew taut, and the ache between her legs increased, demanding that she find completion.
She whispered for him to touch her down there, and he lowered one of his hands. She wiggled to get closer to him as his fingers brushed her sensitive nub, but he didn’t apply more pressure. She didn’t know if she had the patience to wait. A part of her wanted to draw this out, to enjoy every caress. But another part, a more urgent part, insisted she climax now. She made another attempt to wiggle closer to him but he stopped her. She groaned in frustration, making him chuckle.
“It’s only fair I tease you like you teased me,” he murmured.
He lowered his head, kissing her as he went until his mouth reached her breasts. He kissed one and then the other while two of his fingers slid into her body. She arched her back and moaned. His tongue traced her nipple and he suckled lightly on it, an action that only served to make her more eager for him as he slipped a third finger into her. His thumb pressed firmly on her nub and worked in circular motions. She rocked her hips against him, desperately seeking out the climax that was within reach.
But he stopped stroking her with his thumb and stilled his fingers. She protested, but he ignored her and brought his head between her legs. Opening her eyes, she watched as his tongue went to her sensitive nub. She sharply inhaled and closed her eyes again. He resumed his stroking, his fingers working expertly inside her, rubbing the sensitive region deep in her core while his tongue went in lazy circular motions on her sensitive nub. She spread her legs further and rocked her hips in rhythm with him. Her body quickly built up toward the climax, and she grabbed his shoulders and told him to keep going. This time he didn’t stop. She cried out as her orgasm came upon her, and she savored each wave of pleasure as it crashed into her.
Finally, when her body relaxed, his fingers left her body and he sat next to her. With a wicked smile, he pulled her onto his lap and entered her. She moaned in pleasure, her core still sensitive from her orgasm, and rocked her hips in time with his thrusting. There was no long build up to another climax this time. His actions were determined and focused, his thrusting taking her immediately to another climax, and as she cried out again, he grew taut and groaned while he released his seed into her.
Afterwards, she collapsed in his arms, and he held her tightly to him. He placed her hand on his chest where she could feel his heartbeat. She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder, content to rest in his embrace as she recalled how he told her that he loved her.
Chapter Twenty-Two
October
Claire’s stomach rolled in protest at the thought of eating breakfast. She shivered and pushed the plate away from her. She couldn’t even manage to eat fruit today. Glancing around the dining room to take her mind off the food, her gaze went to the large window and she smiled. Weston was a wonderful haven from the distractions of London, especially when she got to spend her time with her husband. And on this particular day, a nice ride on the estate might be a nice diversion. She’d walk if she had the energy, but expecting a child proved to be a tiring experience, and she spent more time reclining on her daybed instead of going for walks as she often did.
“Are you all right?” Nate asked.
“I’m fine.” She turned her attention to him, noting his smile. “You’re in a good mood.”
His smile widened. “Why wouldn’t I be? It’s a gorgeous morning, and I get to spend it with my wife.”
Her cheeks warmed at his words. “I have a surprise for you.”
His eyebrows rose as he poked his fork into the last of his egg. “Oh?”
“Yes, but I won’t tell you until we’re at the pond.”
“The pond?”
“Yes. It’s a lovely place for a stroll, don’t you think?”
He nodded and finished his food. “All right.” He glanced at her plate. “You hardly ate anything.”
“There’s a good reason for that, but I want to tell you when we get to the pond.”
He placed his napkin on the table and rose to his feet. “Are you ready?”
“Yes, I’m done,” she said and joined him as he left the dining room.
“Are you going to give me any hints regarding your surprise?”
“If I did that, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”
Though he shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh, she noted his amusement. “And you say I’m stubborn.”
She decided to ignore his comment and waited for the coachman to bring the carriage up to the house. Turning to Nate, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. “What I want to tell you is special, and I want the setting to be perfect. You wouldn’t deny me that, would you?”
“No, I wouldn’t,” he admitted with a sly grin.
Her eyebrows furrowed. Did he suspect the truth? It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if he did. Before she could give it any more thought, he led her out of the house and to the carriage.
On the way to the pond, he sat next to her and took her hand. “You look excited.”
“That’s because I am.”
“What are you excited about?”
She opened her mouth to tell him but stopped when she realized his ploy. “You’re not getting me to say anything until we get to the pond.”
He grinned. “I had to try.”
During the ride to the pond, he kissed her cheek and neck, making her giggle. “Nate, you’re tickling me.”
The Earl's Inconvenient Wife Page 20
