Taming Maria (6 page)

'Isn't it
possible that he might see your parents and tell them how he feels
about you?' This seemed a sensible approach, though Maria knew all
too well the restrictions put upon girls of their class.

'He did meet
them when I was leaving the school, and Mama liked him, but he's
not titled or wealthy enough to be taken seriously as a suitor.'
Tears welled up in Jane's eyes and she turned to Maria. 'Oh, I love
him so much, and we've made love...'

'What? You've
lost your virginity?' Maria was both envious and appalled.

'No, no... not
exactly, but I did give him the ultimate pleasure and he caressed
me like you have done, so I feel already committed to him.'

'Was it good,
better than when we've pleasured one another?' Maria was filled
with curiosity, wanting to know every detail.

'It was
wonderful. I can't begin to describe what it is like to be held by
a man so strong and passionate... and to fondle his thingy to feel
it throb and spurt.'

Jane sat there
as if transfixed by memories.

'I think I
understand,' Maria said slowly. 'Of course, I've not yet
experienced it, but today I felt such strong feelings towards my
guardian, meeting him for the first time under unusual
circumstances. I can imagine what you are telling me.'

Jane sat
quietly while Maria recounted the race, the wagers, the shame of
being defeated and the strange thrill when she had tasted Damien's
whip. 'He is very handsome, but there's something frightening about
him,' Jane said.

'Don't you
see? That's part of his charm. One could never be certain what he
was going to do. He could be angry or loving, fierce or gentle.
He's an enigma and I'm certain there's something going on between
him and my aunt.'

'But she's
married!' Jane was genuinely shocked.

'That doesn't
seem to stop her encouraging other men,' Maria responded. 'This is
a liberal household, Jane, and I've been invited to a party at the
viscount's house tonight. If we can persuade your mother to let you
stay with me, then you can come too.'

'I'd like to
do that, but nothing can take Robin's place. Oh, what are we to
do?'

'We'll think
of something. My maid, Emily, is very resourceful and likes to
deceive Mrs Jenkins, if she can. I'm sure she'll help us.' But Jane
continued to look so miserable that Maria took her in her arms to
comfort her. She rocked her as if she was a baby, but soon that
maternal feeling changed.

She kissed
Jane's lips tenderly, and they parted slightly, the tip of her pink
tongue meeting that of her friend's. They had played like this
together so often that it came as second nature to both. Jane
relaxed, and her hands came up to caress Maria's breasts. It felt
wonderful, and the tension that had been building within Maria ever
since meeting Damien now demanded relief. She sighed and lifted her
tingling nipples towards Jane's fingers in an ardent quest for
further pleasure. Her chemise was loose-fitting and slipped from
her shoulders and uncovered her to the waist. Jane did not hesitate
to take advantage of this, admiring Maria's beautiful assets,
kissing and fondling them.

They pressed
their bodies even closer, and Maria found Jane's smaller breasts,
baring them to her touch. As they lay back among the pillows she
whispered, 'Tell me about Robin's manhood. Did it grow big for you
as it did when we watched him playing with it?'

'Oh, yes, even
bigger.'

'What was it
like to touch?' Maria asked, feeling Jane going limp beneath her
hands as she pushed her skirt up to her waist and worked her hand
past her flat stomach and started to comb through the curly fair
hair that covered her mound.

'Incredibly
smooth and silky,' Jane gasped, her hips rising to meet Maria's
touch.

'And
hard?'

'As a lance...
reaching to his navel...'

Jane began to
return Maria's favour, diving a hand under her short chemise and
inserting her middle finger into her damp cleft, rubbing the labial
wings and exciting the stiff nodule at their crown.

'Was it as
good as this?' Maria asked, hardly able to speak.

'Almost,
though perhaps not quite as good,' Jane averred, repeating that
enticing friction, while Maria bent to suck one of her friend's
nipples into her mouth, lapping at it with the tip of her
tongue.

'Let us try to
come off together,' Maria freed her lips to suggest, and her
fingers rubbed each side of Jane's pleasure nubbin, making it
slippery wet with her juices, while Jane did the same for her.

Delight raised
Maria to the heights and she continued to rouse Jane, even though
she reached the pinnacle, dying a little as she plunged down from
the peak, her body shuddering. Jane gave a strangled cry and Maria
opened her with gentle fingers, pressing into her virgin hole and
finding an obstruction.

'You didn't
lie, my dear. You still have your maidenhead.'

'I wouldn't
lie to you,' Jane insisted, wrapping her legs around Maria as they
lay in abandonment on the crumpled quilt, still caressing, still
rejoicing in one another's flesh.

Then, without
any warning, the door opened. Damien stood there, backed by the
chaperones.

There was a
startled pause before he said, with an amused twist to his lips,
'Ah, I see that you two young ladies are... resting.'

Maria
recovered her aplomb first, straightening her chemise and reaching
for her dressing robe that lay at the foot of the bed. 'Indeed yes,
sir. I have had an exhausting morning. Now, if you will be good
enough to leave I shall ask Jenkins to attend me while I
change.'

Her coolness
astonished her. She didn't even blush, but Jane was considerably
rattled, swinging her legs over the side of the mattress hurriedly,
head hanging down and scarlet in the face. Maria took one look at
her guardian and realised he found the situation arousing. His lips
twitched and he could not hide a smile, and his eyes went from one
girl to the other in a speculative manner.

He had changed
from riding attire and was now wearing beige breeches cut so tight
that they outlined his phallus. Hessian boots rose to his knees,
and he had on a dark blue velvet cut-away jacket over a
double-breasted waistcoat. Lace showed at his cuffs and gold fobs
glittered from a watch-chain, while a diamond pin flashed amidst
the frills of his shirt-front. His hair was ruffled in the latest
'Brutus' style, falling across his brow and curling about his neck
like that of a Roman emperor. He was the epitome of a very fine
gentleman of leisure, wealth and impeccable taste.

'I have seen
your Mama,' he said to Jane. 'And she is perfectly agreeable to you
staying here with Maria. A valise will be sent round containing
articles you may need, and another for Bailey who will, naturally,
accompany you.'

Jane almost
jumped for joy, forgetting her embarrassment. 'Thank you, sir.'

'Jenkins,
conduct Lady Jane and her chaperone to guestrooms, while I take a
look through the armoire,' he ordered, in complete command of the
situation.

The duennas
and Jane curtseyed and took themselves off, and he paced towards
the wardrobe, flung it open and perused the contents. It contained
everything a lady of fashion might require; hats, bonnets, wraps
and shawls, dresses in a variety of pastel shades as well as white.
There were drawers containing delicate chemises and petticoats and
stockings, and shelves holding pumps and shoes, Grecian sandals and
riding boots. He rifled through it then stood back, apparently
satisfied.

'Clothe
yourself in suitable apparel for luncheon and tonight I shall
expect you to look even more beautiful,' he said. 'But now I want
you to strip.'

'What?' Maria
was flabbergasted. 'How can you say such a thing?'

It was bad
enough that she was alone with him, though his position of
authority made this acceptable, but his suggestion was outrageous.
He smiled and seated himself in a wing-chair, elegant and perfectly
relaxed, one knee crossed over the other. He did not take his eyes
from her.

'I wish to
ensure that you are flawless,' he said, touching the silver top of
his black Malacca walking cane to his lips. 'Am I not about to
enter you on the marriage market? Why, even slaves at auction are
put on the block for the prospective buyers to examine.'

This
infuriated her so much that she stood before him, arms akimbo,
glaring down into his face and shouting, 'I'm not a slave! And I
shall marry whoever I please!'

'I think not,'
he said, shaking his head solemnly, hands clasped around the cane.
'You have a duty towards your name and estates, and must bear this
in mind when you take a husband. Not just any chancer shall have
you, but a man of refinement and taste. Now, stop arguing and get
undressed.'

She was
wearing nothing except her shift under her over-robe, and held this
to her as if it was a suit of armour, protecting her from his gaze.
'No,' she said mulishly.

He moved so
quickly it took her off guard. He leapt up, wrested the robe from
her, seized the hem of the chemise and pulled it off over her head.
She gasped, and so did he. It was as if one was as surprised as the
other, he by her peerless beauty and she by the shock and sexual
thrill that raced through her.

'Don't hide
your treasures from me,' he said huskily, as she placed an arm
across her breasts and a hand over her mound.

'You should
not see me thus, sir,' she quavered, cheeks flushed and her whole
body trembling.

He stepped
closer and she caught the pungent odour of his hair pomade coupled
with that of shaving soap and the personal smell of him. It was a
potent brew and she could not stop swaying towards him. He held her
for a second, closing a hand over her bare breast and holding it. A
spasm of voluptuous pleasure shot through her, entering her womb
and making her wet. She was astonished at the effect this had on
her. Every vestige of reason seemed to desert her and she wanted to
pull him down into the depths of the bed and encourage him to have
his wicked way with her.

'So young and
fresh,' he murmured, his thumb stroking her nipple. 'Would that
such innocence might last forever, but it never does. Soon you will
be as wanton as the rest of the jill-flirts.'

'You will make
me so, sir, if you don't let me go at once!' she grated, eyes on
his mobile mouth, longing to feel it close over hers. 'It is your
duty to safeguard, not corrupt me.'

He did not
relinquish his hold, and she was certain he could hear the loud
thumping of her heart. He dropped a hand down and cradled her
pubis, one finger opening her cleft and caressing her bud. She was
wet from her encounter with Jane and the way he had aroused
her.

'You were
exciting each other, weren't you?' he muttered, and she could feel
his erection pushing against his breeches.

'No, sir.'

'There's no
need to lie to me,' he continued. 'Though it may be necessary to
chastise you for it. Would you enjoy that?'

'Being beaten?
No, sir. I've watched it happen at school but was always glad it
wasn't me being punished.' She backed away from him, her clitoris
tingling from his touch.

He laughed
lightly and then lifted a finger to his nostrils, inhaling her
fragrance that lingered there. 'I don't think you are being quite
truthful. You felt my whip during the race. Did the blow excite
you?'

'Of course
not!' She voiced indignation because he had hit upon the truth and
she was ashamed of such confused feelings.

He laughed
again. 'So adamant! What is it Shakespeare says in his great play
Hamlet? "The lady doth protest too much, methinks".'

'You imagine
that you're so clever and superior, don't you?' she hissed, beside
herself with annoyance because he disturbed her so much. 'Well you
won't get the better of me, my lord viscount. Leave me alone before
I scream for help.'

'Do you really
believe that anyone would answer?' Despite his tight smile he
seemed annoyed and she was glad to have riled him.

'Oh, so you
have them all in the palm of your hand, have you?' she challenged.
'You forget that this is the earl's house.'

'I forget
nothing.' He was so much in control of himself that she yearned to
strike him across his handsome face, to break his cool reserve, to
really get to him and have him lose his temper. 'You are simply a
saucy chit who has never been shown her boundaries, like a filly
that needs breaking.'

'Nothing you
can do will break my spirit! I'd rather die!' Now she had gone
beyond reasoning, fists bunched ready to defend herself against
attack.

'Your father
should have used his crop on you.' Damien's eyes glittered with
rage. '"Spare the rod and spoil the child" applies to you in full
measure.'

She squared up
to him, naked as she was, a wild-haired, wild-eyed harpy waiting to
take on all-comers. 'Leave my father out of this! He was kindness
itself. I loved him and I miss him. I don't want you ordering me
about! Go away!'

For answer he
grabbed her, taking her completely off-guard. Before she knew it
she was stretched out over his knees, face down, hair dangling
towards the carpet. She yelled, kicked and struggled but to no
avail. He was far stronger than her and equally determined. She
knew she must present a lewd spectacle with her bare bottom in the
air. Helplessness swept over her.

'Let me go!
You can't do this to me!' she cried, very aware of his hard thighs
beneath her belly and his hard penis pressing into her side. 'How
dare you? I'll tell Arabella.'

'Tell who the
hell you like, but it won't stop me. You need a thorough spanking,
wench, and I'm the man to do it.'

She lay there,
wriggling and spluttering, then shot forward as his first blow hit
her with resounding force. Her buttocks went numb, followed by a
rush of fire as the flesh came to life. He struck her a second
time, before she could recover from the first.