Lord Greyton's Fall From Grace (Lords of Avalon Novella Series) (8 page)

“Of course I will be comfortable there, Owen
.
I assumed that is where we
will
live.”

“It would be my preference, for I do worry about father’s health
.
But if you
fe
l
t
uncomfortable
doing so
, I would purchase or let a house
somewhere nearby
.”

“That’s nonsense, Owen
.
Roseland is your home, and you must stay with your father and sister
.
I love Roseland Abbey
and your family
, surely you know that!”

“
I knew you liked my family.
I hoped you
would
find
Roseland
comfortable
, Grace
.
The Viscount and Viscountess’ apartments are large
.
There is a large sitting room, two bedrooms and dressing rooms, and a small parlour you can call your own
.
You may re-decorate as you wish
.”

“It sounds perfect, Owen
.
I’m certain the furnishings are fine for us
.”

Owen smiled at her
.
Us
. He liked the way she already spoke about them as a couple
.

“What?” Grace asked as she noticed him grinning at her.

“I’m so happy, Grace
.”
He caressed her fingers already engulfed in his hand.
“Oh, I nearly forgot. T
omorrow, the Inwoods are coming to visit at Roseland
.
The Earl of St. Erth shall be there as well
.
Will you come join us
? 
I can bring the phaeton and pick you up
at ten tomorrow morning
.”

“I would love to.” Grace beamed
.
“What is the occasion?”

“If there
was
a reason, it would be for St. Erth’s visit, I suppose. We get together with the Inwoods quite f
requently as you might recall.”

“I do
.
We do n
ot have many visitors at Radley,
”
Grace remarked.

Owen
said nothing
.
W
ell aware the Squire was not generally liked
about Hartland
;
Owen knew his
late
wife
had been
held in high esteem
as was his daughter
now
.
Grace
possessed
the sweet temperament of
her mother
.
“I have visited you four days in a row, Grace, and I intend to visit you ev
ery day until I leave for Italy,
” He teased her.

“I expect to see you every day until you depart for Italy
.”
Grace shook a finger at him and smiled
.

Owen stopped and pulled Grace against him
, his hands
slid down her sides to
the indent of
her
waist
then rested
lightly
on her hips
.

She looked up and noted his sapphire eyes were dark and his expression serious
.

“I have to visit you everyday Grace, for how could I
talk to you and
kiss you if I did not
.
I feel I may go mad while I’m
in Italy
not being able to hold you and kiss you
.”
He kissed her
and did so
quite passionately
.
Again Owen toyed with the idea of staying behind and allowing the others to go to Italy
without him
.
No, he
must
go
.
He was committed
.
Grace promised to wait for him.
There wa
s no reason for him not to go. He re
turned his full attention to the
lady in his arms
.

They kissed for what seemed a very long time
, their hands exploring, giving tender caresses
.
Their passion flamed, their kisses grew heated, their bodies molded to one another.
Owen even ground his hard cock against the swell of her belly once.

Owen
got
himself
in check
.
As much as he wanted her, he could not have her before he left for Italy
.
He removed his hands from her breasts, and lifted his head to gaze at his love
.
Her cheeks were flushed, her brown eyes
were
dark,
and
her lips
were
moist and swollen
.

“Owen I feel so…I wish we could – oh, what am I saying? I know we cannot
…
”
She turned crimson
.
“It’s just I seem to ache so for
more.
”

“Shh, dearest.” Owen placed a finger to her lips. “I ache for you too
.
Three mo
nths, Grace
.
Just three months,” h
e whispered in her ear as he pressed his lips to the tender skin behind her
lobe
. And ache he did
.
He lo
n
ged to lift her skirts and bury himself
deep
inside her
.
He would not do that to Grace
.
Everything must be proper for his
lady
.
He wanted it that way
.

“Three months.” Grace knew it would be the longest three months of her life
.
Would the ache between her legs ever go away
? 
She had never known such sweet torture.

“Just three months,
” Owen whispered as he placed a tender kiss to her lips
.
“We must return, your maid will be wondering where we are.”

Owen led his lady back toward the garden.

Squire Brackenridge brought his dinner guest into his study
.
He poured them each a generous amount of brandy
.

“You told me I could have your daughter
!
I do not like Greyton always about
, her mooning over him so
.
S
he scarcely speaks to me
anymore
, Brackenridge!
Tonight at dinner she said no mor
e than two words to me,
” Lord Marston said bitterly
.
He took a long draught of brandy
.

“Have patience, Marston
.
I know exactly what I am doing
.
Grace has fancied herself in love with Greyton for years now
.
I sent her to London for a full year in hopes her feelings for him would dim and they have not
.
She is just like her poor mother, god rest her soul and
as
stubborn as my wife was as well.”

“She’s your daughter, she has no say
in whom she weds
!
Just arrange this marriage between us and let’s be done with it.”

“And you want her coming to you as
your
wife still in love with another
? 
I think not
.
Greyton is leaving next week to go to Italy for three months on his historical society business
.
I am purposely allowing them to get close so Grace can truly fancy herself in love
.
I can assure you, that in three months time, I can arrange things so s
he thinks he has forsaken her.
”

The squire chuckled and continued, “
Her maid, the buxom and amorous Jenny makes certain they have
a little
time alone
.
I must
stray from the topic of my daughter to
comment on Jenny,
Marston.
I’ve never met a woman who could please my cock more!” The squire laughed lewdly
.
“Perh
aps you will stay the night, eh
? 
I could let Jenny cheer you up, Marston
!
The things she can do
with that sinful mouth of hers-
”

Marston grimaced
.
“The only woman I want beneath me is your daughter, Brackenridge
!
You know I have offered a very large sum for her.”

“You shall have her, Marston
.
Trust me when I tell you I know what I’m doing
.
Jenny and I have things well in hand
.
Grace’s heart shall be completely broken
.
And she will willingly marry a man who wi
ll have her and who wants her. She will appreciate you when she comes to you.
How do you think I
happened
to marry her beautiful mother
, eh
? 
It certainly took
some
work on my part,
” Brackenridge laughed boisterously
.

The squire added with a menacing chuckle
, “Greyton has been sowing his oats this past year while Grace
resided in London
.
I
f need be I can
also arrange for
a woman who served as
his
casual
mistress to let loose a few well-plac
ed words
.
Thi
s
widow
in particular
,
I currently have eating…out of
my
hand
, I should say
.
For I have visited her often of late
.
I shall pay her a handsome fee to help my daughter fall out of love with Owen Darrington, Lord Greyton.
” The Squire shrugged, “
Grace will willingly meet you at the altar, it will be her idea, and all will be well
!
She will come to you as a willing bride.
”

“I hope for your sake you are correct, Squire
.
Else your creditors shall eat you aliv
e, for you’ll not get a penny
more
from
my purse until I am wed to Grace!” Lord Marston drained his brandy, rose and faced the Squire. “Good evening, sir
!
And exactly how long must I wait for this miraculous turnaround in her affections?”

“Six weeks
.
And you’ll be married and might even get an heir on my daughter before Greyton returns.” The Squire watched as Marston’s face lit up with an evil grin.

“I’d like that
.
I wait for the day he returns to find Grace is mine.”

“That day shall soon
be upon you.” T
he S
quire called for the footman to see his guest out
.
When the footman returned he barked, “Send Jenny to me at once, Wilkins!”

“Yes
,
sir
.
A
t once, sir.”

“You wished to see me, Squire?” Jenny slipped into the study.

“Shut the door and lock it, woman.”

“Yes, Squire,
” Jenny offered him a sultry smile
.
Once the door was locked she turned around to face him
.
She
sauntered
slowly toward the desk
.
She could tell by his red face and his movements he was pumping his cock to get ready for her
.

“How is my daughter progressing with Greyton?”

“Not well, sir
.
Though her bodice
appeared
wrinkled again, I could tell it hadn’t been retied
.
And his cock strained against his trousers once again
.
He left the woodland path unfulfilled
.”
Jenny wished she could get her mouth on Greyton’s cock
.
She could tell he was well-endowed.
She had yet to see such a finely formed
man
.
She sighed.
“It seems he is
indeed
a gentleman.”