A Seven Year Hitch (27 page)

“Sleeping. The poor gel was suffering from delayed shock and could not stop shaking, which is hardly surprising considering what she has been through. But she’s had a soak in a warm bath and a lovely cup of hot chocolate liberally laced with brandy. She is now safely tucked up in bed and her maid is staying with her.”

“I think
I will go up and relieve Ellie,” said Fiona standing up.

“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea!” Stephen told her.

“Why ever not?” Fiona asked amazed that he should think such a thing.

“Because she’s asleep and you might disturb her,” he answered.

“I do know how to be quiet, Stephen!”

“I know you do sweetheart, but tomorrow is when she’s going to need you most and if you sit up with
her now, you’ll be too tired,” he replied inspirationally.

“I suppose so,
” Fiona sounded sceptical but sat down again.

Stephen and Gerald exchanged relieved glances and headed for the brandy decanter where they poured themselves a generous measure.

“But we could take it in turns, just as you men are taking turns with guard duty. Sophie, Charlotte, you don’t mind taking it in turns with me to sit with Erica, do you?”

“Of-course not
,” replied Sophie.

“I’d love too,
” Charlotte assured her.

“That’s settled then
,” Fiona stood up for the second time, glad that she had hit upon the idea.

Gerald and Stephen exchanged anxious glances and took a gulp of their drinks.

“You girls are so kind, but I really think it is best if you leave Ellie with Erica tonight. As I understand it, she has been her maid for many years and will be reluctant to leave her. Indeed, I very much fear she may not appreciate you trying to usurp her position,” The Duchess of Penkhill intervened. “ Stephen is right, you know. You would best serve your cousin by being fresh for the morning.”

Fiona considered for a moment and then said, “Perhaps your right.” And sat down again.

Stephen and Gerald traded smiles and relaxed.

             
The house and many of it’s occupants were wrapped in slumber when, a couple of hours later, Ross crept along the dark corridor. Robert had come to relieve him from guard duty and had told him of the lengths to which they had gone to dissuade Fiona and her cousins from sitting with Erica.

“Her maid is with her at the moment, but will be glad to seek her bed and snatch a few hours of sleep.”

Expressing his thanks, Ross had bid him a good night and headed for his wife’s bedroom.

             
Opening the door softly, he crept into the dimly lit room and startled Ellie who was yawning in a chair close to the bed.

“My Lord?” She whispered, suspiciously looking at him.

“It is alright, Ellie. I shall be staying with her tonight so off you go to bed. I’ll ring in the morning when she wakes.”

“But sir, you should not be here. I cannot leave you alone with her. It would not be proper.”

“It is proper Ellie, for I am her husband, she’ll be perfectly safe with me,” he assured her.

“I know that, Sir, but Miss Erica is seeking an annulment
,” Ellie replied doggedly, determined not to desert her mistress.

“It’s fine, Ellie
,” Erica had woken. “We have decided to remain married. Thank-you for sitting with me but off you go now and don’t get up too early.”

“V
ery good, Miss. I mean, My Lady,” She bobbed a curtsey and with a huge grin at the ‘happy couple’ hurried off to bed.

Dousing the light, Ross quickly undressed and climbed into bed beside Erica and drew her close. Placing her head upon his shoulder, she nestled into him, and for the first time since her ordeal, felt totally safe and at peace.

“I am so sorry I behaved like a veritable watering pot, I pride myself on my common sense and yet at the first sign of crisis, I turned into a complete ninny. I feel so ashamed.”

“At the first sign of crisis and throughout it, you remained calm and focused
enough to make a difference,” Ross assured her. “You persuaded Harrison to arrange the meeting in the Abbey ruins, giving us a huge advantage which paid off. You even managed to get away from him. It was only when it was all over that you went into shock and that can happen to the most hardened soldiers, believe me.”

“I was so scared he would kill one of you. He has no conscience at all, he didn’t even show remorse at
shooting one of his own men!” she told him.

Ross kissed the top of her head and tried to reassure her.

“In his eyes everyone is expendable. Fortunately his kind is very few and far between. Even in your work for the Government, dealing with scoundrels and cheats, it is unlikely you’ll come across many so devoid of basic human decency and compassion.”

“Thank goodness
,” she yawned.

“Try to rest now,
” he said, but she had already fallen asleep.

Ross gently stroked along her bare arm, marvelling at the softness of her skin and noting the subtle perfume of roses that delicately clung to her. He gathered her auburn curls into his hand and gently raked his fingers through it, all the while thanking God for the peculiar circumstances that had led to his marriage to the beautiful woman lying beside him, and to the set of coincidences that had led him back to her, seven years after the event. Although his body had raged to make love to her since his arrival at Monksleigh, at this moment he was content to just hold her to him, gently caressing her while she slept, safe in the circle of his arm. He smiled into the darkness and then drifted off to sleep himself.

              Expecting her to sleep late, Ross was surprised to be woken early the following morning by her trying to extricate herself from his embrace. During the night they had shifted position so that Erica lay on her side with Ross spooned in behind her, his arm slung around her and holding her flush to his naked body.

“Good morning, wife
,” he murmured, his eyes still closed.

Her wriggles, more especially those of her bottom, had not only awoken him from sleep but had also had the affect of arousing his body and she could not mistake the growing hardness that was pressing into her buttocks. Embarrassment brought a flush to her face and she could hardly return his greeting. Obviously, she had never before been in such close proximity to a naked man and although she rather liked the sensation; she still felt shy and a certain amount of trepidation of what was inevitably about to take place.

              Breathing in the scent of her, Ross trailed his hand up from her waist to her breast, stroking gently and teasing her nipple until it hardened and peaked. When he heard the soft moan of growing desire he allowed his hand to drift down across her stomach and over the curve of her hip, ending on her thigh.

“I think we should dispense with this, don’t you?” he asked, gathering the fine lawn material of her nightdress and tugging on it.

Erica gave a noncommittal sound but did not demur when he raised the hem, his fingers caressing her silky skin on their journey upwards. The gown duly dispensed with, Ross leaned upon an elbow and by the early morning light, drank in the sight of her. She was all he’d dreamed she would be and more, all luscious curves and lithe limbs.

“You are so beautiful,” h
e told her, his gaze following his hand as it explored her contours wending its way down to the thatch of soft curls and then returning to lightly knead the perfectly formed orbs. Having feasted with hand and eyes, Ross lowered his head, wanting now to taste with his mouth. His lips and tongue flirted with her dusky pink aureole, wringing a gasp from her, before he drew it into his mouth to suck and nip. Once satisfied with the hard little button, he rolled his tongue around and over it before transferring to the other breast and repeating the exercise again. Erica arched her back, her hands of their own accord going up to rake through his hair and hold his head as he suckled and tormented. Glancing up long enough to see her eyes heavy with passion, Ross then began to trace a path of kisses downwards and when he touched his lips to the sensitive skin of her inner thigh, she could not prevent a shudder. 

“I want to taste you, Sweetheart!” he told her and before she could wonder at what he meant, he kissed the tangle of curls and then slipped his tongue between her folds and licked. Erica stifled a scream and tried to pull his head away before the sensation turned her bones to liquid and waves of pleasure washed through her. Her body demanded release, its urgency building and growing until she shattered, crying out as she experienced her first orgasm, but before she had completely recovered, Ross replaced his tongue with his finger, stroking the sensitive nub hidden beneath her folds before finding her entrance and pushing inside. She was hot, tight and dripping wet and for a moment, Ross had to rein in his urge to plunge his throbbing member into her there and then. He breathed deeply, reminding himself that he needed to go slowly, needed to remember it was her first time. Mastering his own impulses, he added a second finger and felt her react to his erotic touch.

              Feeling the tide of sensual delights rise inside her, Erica called his name in a voice deepened and husky and Ross chuckled.

“I knew I would enjoy hearing my name on your lips as we make love!” he murmured before covering her parted lips with his own. He plundered her mouth with his tongue, stroking the inside and tangling his tongue with hers, distracting her as he pushed her thighs further apart and settled himself between. The kissing became frenzied as Ross grabbed her breast and kneaded, whilst finding her entrance and gently pressing his throbbing erection inside.

              Erica was aware of him entering her and stiffened at the unfamiliar sensation. He felt so big that she could not prevent a moment of panic.

“Will it fit? You are so big I don’t think it will.”

“It will be fine sweetheart, I promise,” Ross again claimed her mouth and when he sensed her begin to relax he thrust into her, burying his cock deep and tearing through her maidenhead. Again she stiffened, this time in pain but Ross would not release her mouth from his onslaught, demanding, taking, distracting. Erica was no longer riding a wave of erotic pleasure but uncomfortable and wanting her husband to remove himself but he would not allow her to speak to voice her sudden reluctance. Only as the pain subsided did he raise his head and look into her face.

“The worst bit is over, my love and w
ill never be like that again,” he told her and keeping eye contact, he began to withdraw until he had almost left her before thrusting back in. Erica gasped at the sheer physical delight that whirled through her and as Ross set the rhythm, her body responded, joining him. Placing his hands beneath her hips, Ross tilted her slightly, wanting to plunge even deeper into her tightness. He felt her stretching to accommodate his stiff phallus and little erotic sighs escaped her, the sounds of which hardened him still further.

“Wrapped your legs around me!” he ordered and when she complied he surged into her, making them both pant. The tempo picked up and Erica felt an implosion of exquisite delights as she reached a climax and toppled over the edge. Aware of relatives in the adjoining rooms, Ross smothered her cries but as they abated, he gazed into her passion filled eyes, before reaching his own climax, ejecting his seed deep inside her. Erica felt its warmth as it spilled into her still tingling body and felt an overwhelming sense of happiness. Ross had slumped onto her and they lay panting, still joined but satiated and as their heated bodies cooled they both feel into post coital slumber.

Shrugging into his coat, Ross leaned over and leisurely kissed his wife as she lay luxuriating in the aftermath of their lovemaking. They had made love again upon waking and no longer nervous, Erica had relished the opportunity of studying her husband’s naked form and marvelling at the feel of his hard, muscled physique.

“Come back to bed,” she coaxed now but he demurred, albeit reluctantly.

“Temptress! Your relatives are stirring and would have an apoplexy if they discovered me here. So put away your siren’s lures and kiss me goodbye like a good little wife.”

“I may yet request an annulment, unless you convince me otherwise by making love to me again, and again, and again.”

“Too late, my love. You lost the wager and are tied to me forever! Besides, should anyone see you now, they would never believe you to be an innocent virgin. You look like a woman who has been thoroughly ravished and enjoyed ever
y moment of it,” he caressed her flush cheek with his forefinger.

“Are you sure you won’t come back to bed?” she sat up, allowing the bedcovers to fall thereby exposing her breasts to his gaze. He groaned but remained resolute.

“Later! The anticipation will make it all the sweeter,” he kissed her nose and crossed to the door, opening it slightly to check that the corridor was empty before quietly slipping out. Erica lay back on the pillows, but sat up again, this time clutching the sheet to her chin, as the door opened and Ross poked his head around it.

“Did I mention that I love you?” he asked