The Infamous Marriage (Regency Short Story)

by Emily Ward

  Edward's hearty chuckle confused her. Why was he laughing when his plan failed?

  “Clarissa, he was in on it the whole time. I went to Father Gregory when I found out where you'd be getting married. He was skeptical about helping us, but when I explained our love story to him he decided to. Isn't that, right?” Edward asked, beaming at Father Gregory.

  The older man smiled right back, his face soft and non-threatening as he looked at Clarissa. “You have nothing to fear, child. I'm not here to return you to your father. We're here to celebrate the joyous occasion of two wonderful kids who love each other. And Edward's parent wholeheartedly agreed to be the witnesses,” he explained.

  Edward's father smiled warmly at her when their eyes met. “I'm very proud of the young woman my son has fallen in love with. And I wouldn't miss the opportunity to see him wed.”

  His mother nodded in agreement and gave her a fond look. “We love you, dear. It's a shame that your father doesn't agree.”

  Clarissa felt accepted by his parents and it gave her the biggest confidence boost, she beamed as she stepped out from behind Edward. “So, we did it? The plan worked and we can get married now?”

  “If you're ready, I can begin the ceremony,” Father Gregory announced, holding up a thick book with golden sigils on its cover.

  Edward turned to Clarissa, beaming at her as he grabbed her hands tightly in his own. “So, what do you say, my love? Are you ready to become Mrs. Clarissa Grey?”

  She exhaled in relief that the plan had gone off without any problems, beaming at him as she nodded. “I couldn't be more ready to marry the man who has had my heart for ten years.”

  Eager to be married, the couple rushed down the make-shift aisle to stand by Father Gregory, who had already begun reading through the marriage ceremony. He read of commitment, of love, of faith in each other. The promises the couple would have to make to one another for the rest of their lives, in sickness and in health. All the while, Clarissa and Edward couldn't take their eyes off of one another, hands clasped so tightly they feared they'd break but couldn't be bothered if it happened.

  They hadn't had time to prepare their own vows, though when asked if it bothered her, Clarissa assured him that all she wanted was to be married to him. So, instead, Father Gregory had them repeat the standard vows after him.

  “Edward, repeat after me. I, Edward Grey, take you, Clarissa Wakefield, to be my wedded wife,” Father Gregory began.

  “I, Edward Grey, take you, Clarissa Wakefield, to be my wedded wife,” Edward repeated.

  “To honor, respect, and love you with every part of my being. I will remain faithful, encouraging, and loving to you, through sickness and health, until death do us part,”

  Edward smiled at her with such intensity as he continued. “To honor, respect, and love you with every part of my being. I will remain faithful, encouraging, and loving to you, through sickness and in health, until death do us part.”

  “Excellent, now, Clarissa, repeat the same words,” he encouraged.

  “I, Clarissa Wakefield, take you, Edward Grey, to be my wedded husband. To honor, respect, and love you with every part of my being. I will remain faithful, encouraging, and loving to you, through sickness and in health, until death do us part,” Clarissa spoke, tears brimming her eyes, and voice thick with emotion as she looked into the eyes of her one true love.

  He brushed a tear from her cheek and she laughed softly.

  “Oh, I almost forgot!” Father Gregory exclaimed, slapping his forehead softly. “Could I get the rings, please? Normally we would have done this during vows, silly me.”

  Clarissa and Edward laughed softly, but then she realized something. She didn't have a ring for him, and to her knowledge, he didn't either. But, just as she was about to ask him, his parents came up to them, and each gave a ring. His mother handed Clarissa a golden band and smiled at her fondly as she squeezed her hand. His father handed Edward a beautiful set of rings, one identical to hers and the other held an intricate set of stones placed in a pattern to the others.

  “Place the rings on each other's fingers,” Father Gregory instructed, smiling at the happy couple encouragingly.

  Edward went first, placing the set of rings one at a time on her finger and then kissed the back of her hand lovingly. “I would have loved to give this to you sooner, my love.”

  She smiled a hint of a blush on her cheeks and nodded in understanding. “I would be happy even without the rings to prove our marriage. All I want is you,” Clarissa told him, placing the ring on his finger and threading her own fingers through his.

  “By the powers vested in me, given by the church and by God, I happily pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride!” Father Gregory cheered.

  Edward pulled Clarissa close as she giggled, dipped her low and kissed her passionately as his parents cheered, clapping. At exactly 6:55 pm on January 6th, Clarissa married the man of her dreams, effectively isolating herself from the clutches of a man she never could have loved. She knew that her father would be furious, that she could never go back to the life she once had; but somehow she didn't care about all that, all she wanted was Edward Grey and she got him.

  Chapter Five

  “What will we tell people? Do you think my parents will try and dissolve our marriage?” Clarissa asked Edward later as they ate dinner with his parents.

  Edward's father chimed in, smiling at her warmly. “A marriage cannot be dissolved if the party has been married for two months or longer. What we will do is hide the two of you away for two months and then you can rejoin society without fear.”

  “Are we hidden here? I didn't recognize anything as we were traveling. I'm still not entirely sure where we are,” Clarissa admitted, spinning her fork around absently.

  “This is our family's cottage, nobody besides the Greys know where it is, or how to travel here safely. You shouldn't be worried at all, my dear,” he assured her.

  Edward's mother smiled at her with a devilish look in her eyes. “It will be just the two of you, all alone here. You can start your marriage without any influence from prying eyes, and with any luck, I'll finally become a grandmother.”

  Clarissa's cheeks flamed and her palms started to sweat nervously.

  “Mom!” Edward scolded, shaking his head at her.

  She only waved her hand and laughed. “Oh, come on, son. You are eventually going to have children, why not start tonight? We'll get out of your hair and leave you crazy kids to get your barrings. Your father and I have to get back anyway, I'm sure Clarissa's parents are already waiting for us back home.”

  Edward gave Clarissa an apologetic look as his parents stood up. “I'm sorry about her, there's no pressure on you tonight. We can take our time,” he whispered, squeezing her hand.

  Clarissa squeezed his hand in return and started thinking about what she wanted from the evening. Did she want to have sex tonight? It would be expected of her otherwise if she had ended up married to Alexander. She likely wouldn't have had much choice in the matter and that had been one of the scariest parts of marrying a stranger. But, with Edward, he gave her the option to choose when they had sex for the first time.

  On the other hand, watching Edward fight for her hand and the adventure they went on to get married had Clarissa feeling excited to be completely intimate with him. She wanted to give herself to him body, mind, and soul. Now that they were married it wouldn't be shameful for her to act on her impure thoughts or dreams. It was expected and Clarissa's fears about sex felt so foreign to her. She's ready and once they were alone, Clarissa planned to act on it.

  “Thank you so much, Mr. and Mrs. Grey, you made today even more special than I thought possible. I'm very proud to be your son's wife and I promise you won't regret letting us get married,” Clarissa told them, standing herself.

  “Please, call us mom and dad,” his mother told her fondly, coming around the table to pull her into a warm embrace. She smelled like vanilla and the hug made Clarissa feel
at home, the kind of hug you would expect from a mother.

  “We will be back on March 16th to help you two move back. If you need anything, don't hesitate to send word to us. Your brother is just a few miles west and he is in on it, too,” Edward's father told him, hugging his son.

  “Welcome to the family, dear, we are so proud of you and excited to have you in our family,” his mother whispered before letting Clarissa go.

  Clarissa's heart was so full it felt like it might burst out of her chest at any moment, watching her in-laws make their leave with a wave before the door shut behind them. Once they were alone, the air felt different. It felt warmer, sweeter somehow. Was it the sexual interest between them that filled the air? Or the joy and fulfillment of finally getting what they always wanted?

  Whatever it was, Clarissa wanted him more than ever.

  “What do you want to do now, Mrs. Grey?” He asked, wrapping his arms around her waist to gaze lovingly into her eyes.

  Clarissa's cheeks went warm again. How do you initiate sex? She wondered. Could she just take her clothes off? Or maybe she had to touch him there to let him know she was ready? What if he didn't want to because he was too tired from running around all day?

  Edward's eyebrow rose in intrigue. “Are you embarrassed to tell me what you want to do? You can tell me anything, you know. I could never judge you.”

  Gathering all of her strength, Clarissa blurted it out. “I want to have sex with you. Right now, in front of the fireplace.”

  He smirked at her in amusement. “Is that so?”

  She nodded, biting her lip softly as she ran her hands up his broad chest. “I want to give myself to you. It's all that I've ever wanted.”

  Edward's hands ran up her back soothingly and caught in the lace from her wedding dress. “And you're sure that you are ready?” He asked her, pulling on the bow slowly.

  “I've never been more ready for anything in my life,” she assured him, standing on her toes to capture his lips in a tender kiss. Their bodies pressed firmly together as the kiss engulfed them in passion and unearthed the sexual tension neither knew existed.

  Edward didn't need more than that to move forward, quickly untying the lace from her corset and loosening it until he could pull it from her body. Clarissa helped him and stepped out of it as he slowly backed toward the living room, undressing as well. Her skin felt alight everywhere his hands touched, caressing down the smooth skin of her back, hugging the curve of her hips and the roundness of her buttocks as he lifted her.

  She gasped as his fingers grazed the sensitive area near her sex in the effort, kissing him eagerly as she wrapped her legs around him. As Edward carried her the rest of the way, Clarissa's blossoming core ached with desire for his touch in more intimate areas of her body. To feel the caress of his fingers on the heart of her femininity, the soft brush of his lips on her budding nipples. She welcomed what others had described as pressure inside, imagining it building until something wonderful happened. Clarissa craved every inch of pleasure that Edward could give her, even if it hurt at first.

  “Let me grab some blankets from the bedroom and I'll be right back,” Edward told her, setting Clarissa down on the couch with a lingering kiss.

  She took the time to catch her breath, the quick beating of her heart was thrilling. This is really happening. Edward and I are actually about to have sex, Clarissa thought as she wrapped her arms around her bare breasts. A smile graced her lips as she grew increasingly excited for Edward to return and embrace her.

  When he did return, Clarissa watched impatiently as he laid out three thick blankets in front of the fire. While he had his back to her, she sneakily took her underwear off and stood proudly before him, awaiting his reaction to her stark nudity. He laid one partly folded, and turned to her with lustful eyes. “Come here, my love. I cannot wait another second to have you in my arms.”

  She nearly ran to him, closing the distance between them in an instant and wrapped her arms around him. Edward's hands returned to the small of her back, caressing the skin as he lowered to her buttocks, giving it a little squeeze.

  The sexual tension had built until it met its peak, devouring their senses and Clarissa couldn't wait any longer. She ran her hand between them to sink into his underwear, fingers grazing the warm, thick flesh of his member and she blushed when he groaned in response to her touch. His lips traveled down her slender neck as he lay her down on the blankets, hovering between her legs.

  “Oh, Clarissa,” he whispered as she grasped his member and stroked it in exploration, surprised when it started to grow and harden. “I can't wait any longer, I must have you.”

  Clarissa's hand continued until Edward gently pushed it away and pulled his throbbing member out for her to see. She thought he was very well endowed, though there wasn't anything for her to compare it to. And when she felt it brush her flower, Clarissa gasped softly.

  “I'll go slowly, I promise,” Edward told her, looking into her eyes lovingly as he pushed his hips forward. The action caused their sexes to mingle, penetrating Clarissa's quivering flower in a slightly painful sensation.

  She gasped and closed her eyes, grabbing onto Edward's shoulders tightly as he slowly thrust in and out of her. The building wetness between her legs allowed him to move easily, his member penetrating and caressing her inner walls in slow, steady movements. It still hurt, but Clarissa could feel the pleasure starting to radiate from her core.

  “I'm not hurting you, am I?” She heard him whisper, the movement stopping altogether while he remained inside of her.

  Clarissa opened her eyes to find Edward looking down at her with concern. “No, no. You're not hurting me, please keep going,” she assured him, capturing his lips in a lustful kiss.

  Edward kissed her back passionately, his thrusts resuming at a slightly accelerated pace. His hand caressed her breast, teasing at the sensitive nipple as they kissed. The desire inside of Clarissa rose with each passing second, she wanted more and more of the building feeling between her legs, tingling and spreading through her body.

  She moaned as his lips left hers to tease the flesh of her nipples, capturing them, sucking on them softly. His arousal penetrating, softening her inside as the pleasure continued to climb to unknown heights, the little bundle of nerves caressed with each thrust of his hips.

  “Oh, Edward,” she whispered, arching her back and shuddering pleasantly.

  Clarissa lost herself in their love-making. Nothing in the world mattered at that moment, there was only the two of them and the endless amount of pleasure as Edward and Clarissa reached climax together. Bodies entangled in one another, passionately kissing and then dissolving into another session of love-making. They spent the whole night curled up by the fire, enjoying passionate sex over and over again until their bodies had given up on them.

  ********

  Just as Edward's parents had promised them, nobody found the happy couple for two months. They spent day in and day out enjoying married life. Eating each meal together, curling up by the fire while Clarissa read and Edward wrote poetry when they weren't busy rolling around the cottage entangled in each other's arms. By the time it was safe for them to rejoin society and go on with their lives, neither one wanted to leave the serenity of the cottage.

  Unfortunately, the couple had to leave. Duty called and Clarissa needed to see a doctor, the small bundle of joy growing in her womb was a blessing, but also a curse. She had become dehydrated from throwing up each morning, the first sign that something was growing inside of her. So, the couple packed up the small number of things they'd brought, and set off to his parents' house.

  The journey wasn't nearly as cold, winter slowly changing into spring around them, and once they'd arrived the sun had completely risen. Clarissa enjoyed the feeling of it shining down on her face as they climbed the stairs to his home – their new home.

  “Are you ready?” Edward asked her as they stood before the heavy oak door.

  “For what?” She q
uestioned, eyebrow raised.

  He smiled at her and quickly whisked her into his arms. “To cross the threshold as a married couple, of course, Mrs. Grey!”

  Clarissa giggled, wrapping her arms around Edward's neck tightly. “I was born ready, Mr. Grey.”

  Neither of them knew what was waiting for them on the other side of that door. Surely it would be the happy, smiling faces of Edward's parents ready to welcome them home from their honeymoon. The other Mrs. Grey would probe them for details, hopeful that Clarissa had gotten pregnant. Mr. Grey would congratulate them on two months of marriage and assure them that nobody could do anything about it now.

  However, when the door opened, Clarissa's heart dropped to see not just Edward's parents standing on the other side, but her parents as well. “Mom? Dad?” She asked, the smile long gone from her face as she gazed at their crossed arms and scowls.

  “Hello, Clarissa,” her father greeted, his tone stoic and hard as ever.

  “How was your honeymoon?” her mother asked, eyes narrowed.

  Clarissa looked to Mr. and Mrs. Grey for help, hoping that her parents hadn't caused them too much trouble while they were gone. But, they just gave her a sympathetic look, embraced further back in the entry way with their heads low.

  “You made quite a mess pull that stunt, I hope you know that. Alexander's parents were furious and threatened to have us kicked out of our home. You could have ruined our lives and all because you were selfish,” her father lectured.

  Edward gently set Clarissa down, pushing her behind him protectively. “I hope you know that you're in my house, and when you're in my house you will treat my wife with the respect she deserves. If you cannot manage that, then kindly see yourself out.”

  Clarissa watched her father's face start to turn red, anger rising in his chest. “Young man, you need to respect your elders.”

  “I respect my elders when they respect me, and you, sir, are being very disrespectful to my parents, my wife, and frankly to me,” Edward retorted.