A Countess of Convenience (13 page)

His other hand moved up her thigh and toward her center and despite the excitement he generated at her breast, she felt a wave of apprehension. Then one of his long fingers pressed into the crease between her legs, and she could feel nothing but that. She opened her legs to accommodate him as he eased more fingers into the area.

He reached and began to toy with her opening. A fire much hotter than the one his kisses caused raced up from his touch and into the pit of her stomach—the core of her being. She felt new sensations and could hardly control her desire to push herself onto his fingers. And then two of his fingers did plunge into her and his thumb reached up to cover a sensitive spot that Prudence didn't even know she had.

He murmured, “Let yourself go, darling."

And she did. Her hips thrust against his fingers, her head went back, and she began to make little, high-pitched cries. She wanted more and more until there could be no more. Her back arched, her body went rigid, and pleasure ran through her and out of her on a long exhaled sigh.

His embrace tightened and she curled against his chest, feeling content and safe.

"Did you like that?"

"Yes."

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Prudence awoke in the bedroom as rays of morning sunlight stabbed through small openings in the drapery and then filtered out to dimly light the room. When had she come to bed? The last thing she remembered was resting comfortably in Malvern's arms after he had done that wonderfully strange thing to her.

The sound of falling water startled her. Then she realized it came from behind the dressing screen where the commode chair stood. Noting the empty space beside her, she realized she must be hearing the Earl of Malvern relieve himself.

How embarrassing. But he would shortly be hearing her do the same thing unless she hurriedly dressed and sought an outdoor privy. All of her life, she'd been taught to be secretive about things concerning bodily functions, but that wasn't possible while sharing a bedroom with a husband.

Just something else she had to adjust to in married life.

Then Malvern walked from behind the screen stark naked. She'd gotten glimpses of his body last night, but it had been darker then and she'd tried not to stare. Now he was fully displayed in a stream of early morning sunlight. Without a trace of modesty, he grinned cheekily and said, “Good morning, sleepyhead."

It would have seemed silly for her to look away then, so she murmured, “Good morning,” and let her gaze travel up and down his body. Men certainly were hairy, and his man-thing had once again changed size and shape; not soft and flaccid or hard and jutting as it had been at different times last night, but somewhere in between those two states. It must be disconcerting to have a body part that kept changing like that.

As he slipped under the covers on his side of the bed, she slipped out from under them on her side.

"Where are you going?” he asked.

She pointed toward the dressing screen and hurriedly followed her finger. When she returned, he lay with his head propped on one hand. The covers on her side of the bed were turned down, obviously waiting for her return.

"Aren't we going to get up now?"

"It's still pretty early.” He patted the white space beside him.

Prudence returned to the bed. Before she could cover herself, he reached out and began to undo the buttons at the neckline of her gown.

"What are you doing?"

"Helping you out of this gown."

"But you said we were going to stay in bed."

"I'm not wearing anything, and I'd very much like for you to be in the same condition.” The opening at her neckline fell apart and he began to pull on the sides of the gown.

"Oh, you want to...” She raised her hips and the gown swiftly rose up her body. After pulling it over her head and her raised arms, Malvern threw the gown to the floor. Then he paused, and staring at the patch of golden hair between her legs, slowly let his gaze sweep over her body.

He had removed all of her clothing the night before but had quickly moved on to activity. This slow perusal made her uncomfortable. What was he thinking? Did he find her body lacking the desirable attributes of other women he had known? Mistresses? Women who knew a great deal more about bed-play than she did?

He began to lightly trace his fingertips on her belly. “Don't look so sad, Pru."

"I'm not sad."

"Are you frightened? Didn't you like what I did to you last night? The second time."

His fingers moved up to her breast and began to circle one of her nipples. It became hard for her to think of an answer to his question. “I—ah—it felt good."

"Don't you want to feel like that again?"

"Are you just going to use your hand?"

A wry grin pulled at his lips. “When I used my hand I was trying to make up for hurting you. But it wasn't easy to deny myself another dip in your honeypot."

"Honeypot?"

"That's just a nickname for a woman's opening, because it's so sweet and men love to—but let me show you."

Much to Prudence's amazement, he moved down, widely parted her legs, and knelt between them. Prudence was on fire; she had never experienced such uncontrollable urges. Small, breathless moans swept through her.

When he stopped she cried out her sense of loss, but he quickly changed his position so he could sink his now fully erect organ into her. He didn't move as forcefully as he had before, and she felt no sharp pain, only a sense of fullness and greater excitement.

"Put your arms around me, Pru."

She did, flattening her palms against the bunched muscles that rippled in his back as he moved his body in and out of hers in long, even strokes. Urgency built in her and she dug her fingers into his back.

He moved faster. She began to slap his back in time to his movements. He moved deeper. And her world exploded into millions of shiny particles that shimmered for a brief moment before reassembling into a calm, serene world.

Malvern lunged into her for a few more strokes. Then his body went rigid and his face twisted as if he were in great pain as his hot juices shot into her. He collapsed on top of her for just a moment and then turned onto his back, carrying her with him and holding her against his body.

With her head resting on his chest, she could hear his heart beating and his ragged gasps for breath and she thought this must be the most wonderful moment in her life. This total communion of two human beings had to be something more than
just lust
.

She must have dozed, but eventually sounds of movement in other parts of the cottage made their way into Pru's consciousness. As she pulled her face away from Anthony's chest, her cheek momentarily stuck to his sweaty skin, and she giggled.

Then she saw Anthony's opened eyes watching her. “It's always a good sign when the woman beside you wakes up smiling."

"I take it you are not unfamiliar with the experience?” She dropped back to her side of the bed, pulling the covers up to her chin and not feeling quite as contented as she had a moment before.

"I like to give as good as I get,” he said. “But of course, it is especially important that I please you."

"Oh? Why?"

He sat up and looked down at her. “We're married, silly goose. We'll be sharing beds for many years. If I make you happy then
quid pro quo
."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll return the favor."

"But you were quite angry with me last night."

"That was our shakedown cruise, darling. Always a few adjustments needed before a ship plows the waves at peak performance."

She stared up at him, not quite sure what he was talking about.

He yawned and stretched, raising his arms above his head and causing muscles to bulge in his upper arms. “I don't know about you, but I've worked up quite an appetite and I've heard people moving about. Shall we see to getting breakfast?"

She hesitated for a moment. Dare she disagree with him? “I'd really prefer to bathe first."

"Ah, I can see how you might.” He stretched for the bell pull that hung near the head of the bed. “Let's see if we get any results from this."

In moments, a short knock sounded at their door. Prudence slid further under the covers, not wanting to shock Annie or Clarence with her nudity. Much to Prudence's surprise, her maid opened the door.

"Janie. What are you doing here?"

Being careful not to look directly at Malvern's exposed chest, the middle-aged woman said, “Her ladyship sent several servants to put things to rights, but we'll be going back to the big house as soon as we finish."

"Is my valet with you?” Malvern asked.

"Yes, my lord."

"Excellent. Her ladyship and I would like baths before breakfast. You can attend to Lady Malvern in this room and Victor can set up something for me next door."

After breakfast, Malvern led Prudence out to the stable. She'd worn her new riding habit, as he'd suggested, but he could tell she had no enthusiasm for mounting a horse. Knowing he was partly responsible for that, he decided he'd give her another day to get acquainted with her horse. When they reached Madge's stall, he placed an apple in Prudence's hand and said, “Feed her."

Hesitantly, Prudence extended her hand. Madge eagerly reached for the apple, pulling back her lips and exposing her large teeth. With a small squeal of alarm, Prudence jerked her hand back and the apple fell to the stable floor.

Malvern picked it up, wiped it on his trousers, and handed it back to her. “All she wants is the apple, Pru. Don't be afraid."

Looking a bit shamefaced, Prudence said, “I'm not afraid. She just startled me.” She extended her hand again and although she winced a bit as the horse's teeth clamped down on the apple, Prudence smiled broadly as Madge swept the piece of fruit into her mouth and chewed contentedly.

Thor nickered impatiently from his stall, and Malvern turned and gave him an apple also. “I need to give this big-boy some exercise or he'll be kicking his stall down. While I'm gone, why don't you curry Madge?"

He picked up the currying comb and handed it to her. “It always pays to be nice to the horse you're going to ride."

Moving inside the stall, Prudence rather gently pulled the brush along Madge's back.

"Bare down,” he called to her as he went for Thor's saddle. “Horses enjoy being curried."

She focused her attention on the task, using more force and making longer strokes. Malvern watched her expression grow more intent as she warmed to her work. It was soon obvious that she wasn't just scratching the horse's back, but also grooming the animal by sweeping away bits of straw. Color flooded her cheeks from the exertion, and a ribbon of golden hair escaped from her upswept hairdo to tickle her cheek.

He was about to tell her not to work so hard, that someone else would actually groom the horse, but as Prudence moved to curry Madge's rear flank, the horse suddenly shifted, it's large rump pushing and trapping Prudence against the side of the stall. With a small cry of alarm, she looked to Malvern for assistance.

He couldn't stop from chuckling over her surprised expression. “Just push her away."

She pushed hesitantly and then with more force. The horse didn't budge. Finally, she pushed with one hand and slapped with the other and Madge obligingly moved over. To Malvern's surprise, Prudence laughed. “Wilbur used to do things like that."

"Wilbur?"

"Our pony. I had to be careful when I harnessed him, or he'd step on my toes. I was almost sure he did it on purpose.” She walked toward the front of the stall, paused, and threw one arm around Madge's neck. “Still and all, he was a good pony, just like this old horse."

She pressed her cheek against the horse's neck as she hugged it. “I'd forgotten how much I missed that pony."

"What happened to it?” he asked, suddenly thinking it had been wrong to separate the girl from her pet.

She released Madge and assumed a more dignified stance. “Uncle Horace sold him along with Primrose Cottage."

"That was your home?"

"Yes. I knew after Mother died that I couldn't live there alone; still, it shocked me to no longer have a home of my own."

"Now that you're the Countess of Malvern, you'll never have to worry about that again."

She stepped out of the stall and handed him the currying comb, her expression suddenly serious. “Then why am I worried about where I'll live after this week?"

"Do you like Malvern Hall?"

Her expression brightened. “Oh, very much, but it's your mother's home."

"It's the traditional home of the Earl of Malvern. Technically, the management of it falls to the current countess, but since mother has pretty much run the entire estate all these years, I'm hoping the two of you could come to some sort of compromise."

"I'll be perfectly happy to live there and let her go on running things, but what does she think about it?"

After putting the comb back on its shelf, he tucked her arm through his and strolled out of the stable. “When I spoke to her, she seemed to think the two of you would get along well together. But you should insist on making some changes, just to let her know you are a countess too."

"Malvern Hall is perfect just the way it is. I wouldn't want to change a thing.” After a short pause, she continued. “Except, I do miss the garden we had a Primrose Cottage. It was rather small, but we had a lot of different flowers all massed together. Something bloomed all summer. It was very colorful."

"I don't see why you couldn't get the gardener to do something like that."

She shook her head. “The gardens at Malvern Hall are so formal. I wouldn't want to spoil them."

Malvern patted her hand that rested on his arm. “Talk it over with Mother. I'm sure she'll come up with an out-of-the-way space you can use. If you have any problems, I'll look into it for you."

She smiled her appreciation up at him.

He smiled back. This was just the sort of tempest-in-a-teapot type of problem he'd expected from a wife and he had handled it with aplomb. Perhaps being married wouldn't be such a bother after all. Not with a compliant wife like Prudence.