Married by Morning (4 page)

     Her butterfly hands slid down his chest to his hips, further around to cup his arse.  He turned to stone, pressed against his drawers, begging for release, for some ease, some satisfaction.  Sensing his extreme need her nipples hardened and beaded in his hands.  The material of her gown provided little barrier for the hardened buds and their beading was so erotic to him.  When they had been naked this afternoon and here they were still dressed, it was amazing to him.

     “Sweetheart, I must have you.  I cannot wait until morning, I will die.”

    His fingers trailed up till he found those soft curls.  Connie’s head rolled back lifelessly.  It was so unfair of him to push his advantage.  She was in the throes of passion, and she could not seem to care what he did to her.  His finger slipped between her wet folds, so hot, so full of desire, so ready.  She sucked in a sharp breath.  He was so wonderful, so warm, so masculine and she wanted him.

     “Kiss me again, he demanded,” arching over her body.  He took her mouth without waiting for her to comply and he was in control of this kiss too, searching and finding the sweetest parts of her.  His fingers played with her femininity as he kissed her and his thumb rubbed that spot that would make her

find her ecstasy.  He felt her shaking, felt it all the way to his soul and he moaned as her tongue slipped into his mouth, mirroring his actions with his fingers.  He jerked down the arms of her dress exposing her lush breast for his passionate gaze.  He drank in the porcelain skin and the rosy tipped breasts.

    “Sweetheart, please?”  He then dipped his head and took the hard peak of one breast into his mouth, his tongue working her nipple as his fingers moved through her wetness.  She cried out, arching her back and he knew she had found her peak.  Lord, he wanted her, like he needed air to breath, he knew now how much he needed and wanted this woman.  Her body tightened around his fingers and he was almost undone.

     “How long I have wanted and needed someone like you in my life.  Dreamt about someone like you in my bed, words cannot express my need for you.”

      Sebastian’s words seemed to take her over the edge and she cried out.  Her body trembled around his fingers and he savored the moment, needing her and wanting her all the more.  There was one long moment she just rested against him and then she threw his arms off her and stomped away from him. 

     He was so startled.  He almost fell; he had wanted to take her completely.  He paced back to her and enfolded her in his arms once again.  His eyes were narrowed in anger.  How could she do this to him?  She pressed her hands into his chest and turned away from him, as if embarrassed, her face turning three shades of red.  Connie wondered, what had just happened to her?  She was so embarrassed by what she had done.  It was not ladylike at all.  Was she ruined?

     “This is crazy; I do not want to go to hell.  You are determined to get me scorched if not thrown in directly.  The bishop told us both not to do this.”  He smiled, nuzzling his face into her hair, breathing in the scent of her.  He relaxed.

     “Yes, my sweet, I am, if it means having you in my bed tonight.”  He chuckled and she scowled back at him with her chin lifted. She slipped under his arms and dashed toward the door, unlocking it. Holding her head up even higher she; marched out of the library and up the stairs.  He felt her absence like a punch to the stomach.  She walked backwards at the top of the stairs, shaking her head no, her eyes dancing in delight, then turned and ran to the room the maid indicated was hers.  She did not know what was wrong with her but she thought she might love this man.  Connie shook her head in amazement.

     He chuckled to himself and then scowled into the room at large.  Yelled up at her with a loud voice,

     “What a little tease you are!  What would you do if I come after you?”

  He deepened his scowl and ran his fingers through his hair. Then he sniffed his index finger and smiled.  His breathing was still rapid and he was a very horny fellow. He had to behave better than a rutting stag.  Then started drumming his fingers on his desk thinking to himself.  What if his crazy family did something to her before morning?  What if something happened to her and he could never have her?  He shook his head no; as if in answer and sat back at his desk to ease himself into control, before he tore up the stairs and had her in the hallway.  She was real.  She was not a dream.  This was really happening to him. He would protect her from his family.   She would be his. He smiled.

Chapter Three

     It did not take his stepmother long before she was in the library pacing in front of him. Her bony shoulders poking through her skin, she pointed one nasty index finger at his nose..

     “What has come over you?  We heard you in here.  In here, in the library, in this very place, rutting like a pig!  What is wrong with you?  If you are in need of a woman, go to Mrs. Redstone’s, that is where I sent your father for his needs.  I cannot have this happening under my roof.  Do you have no respect for me or your sisters at all?”  She pointed a bony white finger at his nose and sat down in the comfortable chair by the fire with a huff.

     “What is wrong with you sweet mother?  Do you never want me to be happy?  I think I care a great deal for Connie and I want her to be respected in this house.  She is to be my wife in the morning.”  He ran his fingers through his hair and stood by the fireplace with his arm laying down the length of the mantle.

     “I will have you know that I asked Lady Penton to come over this evening.  You are engaged to her with your father and my blessings for a number of years.  You will honor the betrothal or I will throw you to her family.  They will wring the life out of you.  You foolish boy!”  She spat at him with red-faced rage.

     “I will break this arrangement with Lady Penton.  When she finds out how poor I am, her father would probably break her arm if she went through with the marriage.  I am not under your thumb anymore, and I refuse to be bossed at like a boy.”  He paced to the window and shook his head in dismay.  Sweat curling in the middle of his back.  This woman would be the death of him yet.

    “Besides, Mama, I thought you would be leaving for the dowager house.  I can not abide your person and you cannot mine.  I have no tender for my sisters either but I will see them wed.  You on the other hand will get an allowance and leave me the bloody hell alone.”  He stomped out of the library and left her with her mouth hanging open.

      Just as he stomped into the hall, a knock came at the front entrance.  He stood in the hall and hoped it was not who he knew it was.  Jarvis went to the door and with a gracious bow, let in Lady Penton.  He just stood there immobile.  He wondered how he could have ever agreed to such a marriage.  The woman was beautiful but a nasty witch.

     Jarvis took the lady’s pelisse and she handed him her card while Sebastian hid in the alcove.  Jarvis walked straight to him and handed him the salver with her card on it.  He bowed to Lord Darby and left.  Sebastian swallowed and came into the light.  Lady Penton smiled and swanned over to him.  He bowed over her hand and felt his cravat tighten.  He could not say anything.

     “I. . . I am sorry Lady Penton but I believe I have another engagement that I must attend.  I am just off right now.  Maybe you could see my sisters.”  He bowed again and strolled out the door she had just entered.  He knew he was a coward but that woman was a hellion.  Let his mother and sisters entertain her.

He grabbed his great coat, hat and gloves off the table near the door and left the house.  Sebastian went to the stables and saddled his own horse.  He was in such a state between his stepmother and Lady Penton.  He had to escape.

     Lady Penton went to the library door and saw Lady Darby. 

    “Well, I say, Lady Darby, your son just left me standing in the alcove.  I saw him running to the stables.  What is wrong with my sweet Lord Darby?”  She smoothed her hair and straightened her skirts.  Lady Darby harrumphed and turned to face Lady Penton.  “Lady Penton, my son has completely lost his mind.  He had taken to some whore off the street.  She is this minute in the guest room and he plans to marry her in the morning.  He has already procured a special license.  I told him that it was ridiculous but he will not listen to me.  I was of the opinion that you could persuade the hussy to leave.”  Her shrill haughty voice traveled the length of the house.  She was positive that all the servants had heard her and hopefully the little chit, herself.  Lady Penton turned wide eyes on her.

     “My Lord Darby?  She wants my betrothed?  She is a whore and he has lost his mind.  I will tell my father and he will shoot him in a duel at dawn.  How could he do this to me?  What will my friends in the ton say?  I will be a laughing stock.  I cannot permit this.  Where is this strumpet?”  She smoothed her hair again.  It was amazing how Lady Penton could talk without moving her lips.  It was a talent the sisters had all commented they wished they had. Lady Penton did not raise her voice or show any emotion on her perfect face.  She was perfectly composed and just swaned to the fireplace.  Her foot tapping was the only sign of any emotion on her body.  Lady Darby smiled.

     “I knew you would not let me down, my soon to be daughter. I have some plans with my daughters about this.  Would you care to join them in the salon?  I believe we can do a better job of discussing it in there with them.”  She stood, then bowed, and winked at Lady Penton before preceding her out of the library.

     Sebastian rode as hard as he could to Mrs. Redstone’s.  He needed to slake his desire or he would die from his stone’s ache. He needed to be away from his own house because his stepmother, sisters, and Lady Penton were plotting against him.  He was just one man.  How was a man to handle seven women at one time?  He knew this would happen but he had hoped he would be married before they made a plan against him.  How was he to get them all off his hands?  He knew one of his sisters wanted to wed.  Why could they not all find men?  That is it!  He would get some men to marry them.  He would pay someone to marry them if he had the money.  He could beggar himself for their cooperation.  His sister’s were quite beautiful but he had a betrothed, a stepmother and an aunt.  Bloody Hell, he hoped they left Connie alone tonight but could he trust them to do that?  He had to come up with a plan and soon.  He turned around and headed for Whites.  His club would have some gentlemen there that maybe needed a woman to marry.  He threw the reins of his horse to a footman and raced up the front steps headed for the gamblers.  They needed wives to curb their horrible habits.  He sat at the first table he encountered.  He licked his lips and ran his fingers through his tousled hair.  His eyes searched the eyes of all the gentlemen seated around him.  Three of the gentlemen were already married. There was a tubby barrister and widower with two children, Mr. Thornton, an old baron and a widower, Lord Fenster, Ralston, a viscount of middle age, never married and on the right of him was the Duke of Avery, a young attractive fellow that was never married.  He would invite them all to supper today.  He gazed over to another table and saw Lord Rathbone, another baron, never married and a very wealthy fellow.  He could come to supper too. Well, that was all he could see.  He needed one more but if he could just get them to come he would be ecstatic.  Sebastian was a reasonable man after all.  He just had to have some peace.  Sy talked with the men and joked and then proceeded to invite them for supper.  They were all delighted to come.  He was excited about this and asked his friend Lord Ralf to go with him to Mrs. Redstone’s.  He had to have some type of relief.

* * * *

      Lady Darby went to Connie’s room and knocked at the door.  “Lady Constance would you please come back downstairs.  We have supper to get dressed for but there is someone I would love for you to meet before supper.  I am sure you are famished since you missed luncheon so I will have tea and scones for you.  Please come down and let us make you welcome to the family.”

     Connie scrubbed the sleep from her eyes.  Her nap had been just the thing to get away from Sebastian and to clear her head.  She dreamed about him.  Oh, Lord what wonderful dreams.  It was so lovely.  She turned to the door and rubbed her hands over her hair and straightened her dress.

     “Yes, Lady Darby!  I will be down directly.  That sounds quite lovely.”  This did not fool Connie one bit, not after what Sebastian had told her about his stepmother.  The woman was a witch and wanted her gone.  She had to be on guard.  She might try a surprise attack on her.  She just prayed that Sebastian was down there and on her side.

     Lady Darby was sitting by the fire in the salon.  She called to Connie and asked her to step inside.  She rose and directed Connie to Lady Penton.  Lady Constance this is Sebastian’s betrothed Lady Penton.  Connie blushed and told Lady Penton, “I am so sorry but I am the betrothed to Lord Darby.  We are to marry in the morning.  He decided that you had a frosty butt and would not suit.  He told me you were a cold witch with no sex appeal.  I see he was quite correct.  Excuse me but I want one of those scones.”  She walked away from Lady Penton giving her the cut direct.  Lady Penton gasped and rolled her eyes but kept her face quite smooth.  “Lady Constance, I am sure you are deluded.  I have an agreement with Sebastian and we have been betrothed for a number of years.”

Connie took two scones and a cup of tea that Aunt Mable offered her, “I am so sorry but he was quite clear about wanting nothing to do with you.  It seems he is quite poor and needs your money but he wants me more.” Lady Penton scoffed at that and sat in the chair Abigail had vacated.  She was very irritated by this chit.  How dare her defy her, why she was Lady Penton.