He felt his wife shatter beneath him, encouraging his strokes to become harder, more ruthless as his own release came upon him. The pump of his hips surged as his ecstasy rose and he burst, sending jet after jet of frothing seed deep into her body. The convulsions of her climax throbbed around his cock as it pumped its offering into her womb. They cried out together, lost in a sea of sensual bliss, their bodies jerking with the force of their passions.
Collapsing on top of her, Edwin rocked his hips more gently, savoring Eleanor’s breathy cries as her climax slowed and softened, her body beginning to relax beneath his. He propped himself up on his elbows and brushed the tendrils of hair from her forehead, staring into her blue eyes as they slowly came back into focus. Red-rimmed eyes, from the crying she’d done when he’d taken the spoon to her bottom. If not for those eyes he could have almost forgotten that he’d just punished her, quite thoroughly.
With a small sigh Edwin kissed the tip of her nose. “My beautiful, rebellious Nell. Why did you run from me this morning, sweetheart?”
“I don’t know,” she said rather miserably, pouting as she closed her eyes to him.
Knowing that he wasn’t going to get any better answer than that for the moment, Edwin let out a little chuckle and withdrew from her body, turning her on her side so that he could curl himself around her and hold her close in his arms. She was so soft and warm, and right now it was as if he’d beaten all the snippiness out of her and had been left with his sweet Eleanor. Holding her tight, he wallowed in the moment.
More confused than ever, both at her reaction to being spanked with a spoon followed by Edwin’s obvious need for her and tenderness towards her, Eleanor wondered what kind of marriage she’d gotten herself into. Would Edwin ever say the words she wanted to hear? At moments like this she was sure that he must feel something more for her than mere affection. Or was she reading too much into his actions?
Was she putting too much emphasis because that’s what she wanted to believe? Was she already dooming herself to be her mother?
She had a moment of pure envy for Irene. If Hugh wasn’t in love with his wife already, he was more than halfway there and she knew her brother wouldn’t hesitate to express his feelings for the woman he loved. He’d probably never spank her either, she thought sourly as the press of Edwin’s hard stomach against her poor, abused bottom made her wince. But not because Hugh didn’t know how to be a disciplinarian, she just couldn’t imagine Irene ever transgressing so badly that he would feel the need to.
Of course she could do the same thing. If she chose to. Still if she ever behaved badly enough that Edwin sent her away, the way she’d originally planned, then his feelings towards her would be rather clear. While he obviously wished that she wouldn’t need discipline, there was no denying the effect it had on him. She thought wistfully back to the rather playfully pleasurable spanking that he’d given her in Paris.
Somehow she just didn’t think it was in her to behave well enough to only ever receive that kind of punishment to her poor bottom. Besides, being spanked and kept close rather than banished from his presence… well, strangely, it made her feel loved.
*******
Hugh studied his bride from across the carriage where she was looking out the window as if the scenery outside was the most fascinating thing in the world. That had seemed somewhat plausible while they were in London and perhaps a bit plausible for the first hour in the countryside, but they’d literally been riding past the same scenery of meadows for close to an hour and a half now. The silence that had lengthened throughout the ride was making him uncomfortable. After all, he could have chosen to ride beside the carriage out in the open air – which he would have preferred – but he’d thought it would be more considerate to ride in the carriage with his bride.
“Well… Irene,” he said, reaching across to take her hand, deciding that she’d had long enough to gaze out the window. She started in surprise, those wide green eyes finding his and blinking rapidly as if she’d truly expected to ride in silence the entire trip. Then again, thinking about her mother, it wouldn’t surprise him at all if Irene was used to riding in silence – it was probably better than starting a conversation with that harpy. He gave his new wife his most charming grin and had the pleasure of seeing her flush in response, her fingers fluttering against the palm of his hand the way a frightened baby bird might. “Are you looking forward to seeing Stonehaven?”
Stonehaven, the great house located in Harrington, center of his father’s Earldom. Irene swallowed, trying to focus on the conversation rather than on the way Viscount Peter- Hugh’s fingers were caressing her palm. It was his family seat and their first stop on their honeymoon. Although he’d asked if she wanted to travel abroad, Irene had insisted they stay in England. Secretly she’d always wanted to see more of the world, but that was when she’d had hopes of marrying Alex. Now she preferred to stay in England, close to her family and her childhood love, the white knight that she could always count on to protect her when the situation called for it.
So she’d informed Hugh that she’d like to stay in England for their honeymoon and he’d suggested that she see her new lands. He’d told her that they’d visit two other estates, the last one being his primary seat in Westingdon until he inherited the entirety of it upon his father’s death. Westingdon’s lands were the ones which abutted her family’s, although she’d never visited the great house there, known to the locals as the Petersham Seat. Named after the heir’s title
of course. The house was called Stanley House. Now it was her home. How very, very strange.
“Oh yes,” she said, a little breathlessly and she told herself it was at the thought of suddenly becoming such an important lady and not because of the warmth of his hand on hers. It truly was strange how her body always reacted to Hugh’s gentle touch in such an odd manner. “I do love to be out in the country. It will be such a relief after all the bustle of London.”
“Ah, but I did see you enjoying yourself at some of the balls,” he teased gently and she looked up into his sparkling blue eyes before her glance skittered away as if frightened by what she saw there.
“I do love to dance,” she confessed. “But the socializing was a bit… overwhelming. And the crush of people! Sometimes I thought I might be squeezed to a tiny sliver of nothing in the press.”
“I certainly won’t miss it,” he said with a chuckle, and her breath caught as he turned her hand over in his and stroked his thumb along the center of her palm. Even through the glove she was wearing, she felt the caress like a hot brand across her flesh. "I look forward to showing you around your new home."
The warmth in his voice should have increased her guilt over her love for Alex when she was married to Hugh, would have at any other time, but she was too distracted by his touch and the nearness of his body as he leaned forward. His eyes caught hers again and held, the way she imagined a snake's might hold a mouse, as he undid the buttons of her glove one by one. Had such an act ever been so strangely exciting? The baring of the skin on her arm made her feel vulnerable, anxious… The jerking carriage seemed to disappear as her heart pounded in her chest, her mouth suddenly dry. Her corset was too tight and yet she couldn't ask him to stop even if she wanted to.
Cool air brushed over her wrist as he flicked back the fabric and began to gently tug it from her hand. Irene was ensnared, captivated, by the hungry look in his blue eyes, the feel of her glove slowly being tugged away. She gasped when he touched her hand without that thin covering, the pads of his fingers almost harsh against her softer palm.
Very slowly, watching her very carefully as if he was afraid she might bolt, Hugh lifted her hand to his lips and pressed them to the center of her palm. Irene's heart felt like it might actually burst out of her chest it was thumping so hard, her breasts heaving against her corset as if she'd just run through a field or galloped on a horse. Soft... his lips were soft... but his eyes were hard as sapphires and that caused just as much consternation in her body as the warm press of his lips against her skin.
Then he was lowering her hand and she was surprised to feel a pang of disappointment, although he kept her hand in his.
For himself, Hugh was all too aware of the need to hold onto his self-control. Irene was a complete innocent, although obviously attracted to him. Her passionate nature was hidden but present, and while he looked forward to undoing her inhibitions he had not meant to finish his quest in a moving carriage. Only to begin his seduction. Her flushed cheeks and quickened breath indicated that he'd awakened some of her senses, and he needed to get his own back under control before he ended up ravishing his bride along a country road.
"I hope you will like Stonehaven and the Stanley House," he said, his voice somewhat rougher than normal as he shifted in his seat, trying to relieve the pressure on his groin without her seeing what he was doing. If she'd even realize the significance of the bulge at the front of his breeches. "Especially Stanley House, as I spend at least half the year there and I'd like you to be there with me."
Irene smiled somewhat tremulously, surprised at her reaction, which was pleasure at the thought. Surely she couldn't enjoy the idea of spending her time with Hugh over being with Alex in London? Even if the time with Hugh would be out in the country. Goodness... she'd almost forgotten Alex completely when Hugh had begun to touch her! Guilt from the other side suffused her. What kind of flighty woman was she, to forget her one true love just because another man was touching her?
True, no man had ever touched her bare skin the way her husband just had, but that was certainly no excuse.
Confused, Irene pushed her feelings to the side and concentrated on what Hugh was telling her about the estates. At least she could appreciate his obvious love for the country. She was rather enjoying his conversation, something else that she hadn’t entirely expected. Irene had become rather used to keeping to herself ever since Alex had gone to school; it was nice to have someone interested in what she was thinking, to ask her questions and want to converse.
"I haven't had the pleasure of seeing you truly ride," Hugh was saying, smiling at her with that almost devilishly attractive smile of his. If she hadn't been in love with Alex, and if Hugh's touch didn't do such disturbing things to her body, she might have been able to fall in love with him for that smile alone. He truly looked like an angel when he smiled like that. "I'm looking forward to doing so once we're in the country."