Love Sneaked In (Montgomery Family Trilogy) (17 page)

When Helen looked at herself in the cheval mirror, she noticed that the gown she had picked out accentuated her slender figure. It was a silvery blue satin with a pale gray underskirt, and it had silver ribbons that tied in front under her breasts, and it fit her perfectly. Trying not to show her embarrassment, but blushing anyway, Helen turned to Sally. “I won’t need you tonight, so please take the evening off.”

Turning red, Sally replied, “Thank you, my lady. If you’re sure you won’t need me. I’ll see you in the morning then.” Then she curtsied and quickly left the room.

As Helen descended the stairs, Matthew walked out of his study and looked up at her. His eyes darkened with desire as he watched her come down the stairs. When she stepped onto the floor, he took her hand and kissed her fingers, while gazing into her eyes. “My dear, you look magnificent tonight. The others have already gathered in the drawing room, so let’s join them.”

When they entered the drawing room, they noticed that Margaret was in deep conversation with Peter Boling. He was the most handsome of the three young men that Gregory had invited to stay with him. Helen worried that Margaret was infatuated with him. Being sure that Peter was up to no good, she whispered, “Matthew, we should go over to your sister. I just don’t trust Mr. Boling.” When they approached the couple, they stopped talking and looked up.

“Good evening, Puss. What were the two of you talking about?” Matthew asked, as he stared intently at Peter.

“Oh, we’re just talking about the weather and how nice it’s been lately. We’re going riding tomorrow on the beach.”

Matthew casually said, while glancing over at Peter, “Well, make sure you take a groom with you. You may run into Helen and me because we ride there every morning.”

Rolling her eyes, Margaret replied, “Of course I’ll take a groom. I do know what’s expected of me! Besides, Gregory is going with us.”

Wells came into the room and announced dinner. The soup course was She Crab soup, which was one of Helen’s favorites. As dinner progressed, Gregory and his friends were talking about going into the village later. Margaret was covertly making eyes at Peter. Helen was worried about the way Margaret was behaving and decided she would watch her closely, since she didn’t want her to get hurt. After the dessert course, she stood up, and she and Margaret left the men to their port and cigars.

Once they got to the drawing room, Helen turned to Margaret, and with concern in her voice, she said, “You seemed very friendly with Mr. Boling. Please be careful and don’t go anywhere alone with him. I don’t trust him, and neither should you. He’s wild and will lead you astray if you aren’t careful. You’re too young to be flirting with him, and it could be dangerous, as it could send him a message that you may not want him to have.”

“You…are not my mother and you…cannot tell me what to do. I’ll flirt with whomever I want! Besides, I’m not taking him seriously. I just want to have a little fun!”

“I don’t want to be your mother, but I would like to think that we’ve become friends. I just worry about you because I know that men will take advantage of you if you let them. I know this because it happened to me. This past spring a gentleman was courting me and engaged my regard. I believed he was going to ask me to marry him, and then all of a sudden I read in the newspaper he’d become engaged to someone else. It hurt very badly, and made me determined to never give my heart again. I just don’t want you to experience that pain of rejection.”

Helen hoped she wasn’t coming on too strongly about this, but she was very concerned about what seemed to be happening between Margaret and Peter.

Margaret looked slightly puzzled by what Helen was telling her, but then she replied, “I’m sorry you had that happen, but it all worked out because now you’re married to my brother, and he cares for you. You surely know that he would never hurt you. I promise I’ll be careful, and I won’t go anywhere alone with him.”

Helen changed the subject and soon they were discussing the latest fashions and talking about London. Margaret warmed up to Helen as she told her about all the entertainments that were available in London. It was one of the nicest conversations she had had with Margaret.

Chapter 11

Late July 1820

After the men enjoyed their port and cigars and joined them in the drawing room, everyone agreed to play some cards. Helen had never played whist with Matthew and found him to be an excellent card player. They were playing Gregory and Melvin, and they easily won the set. After they finished the game, Gregory and his friends took their leave. Once the young men left, Margaret decided to retire for the night. She told them goodnight and left the room.

Matthew turned to Helen and asked, “Are you ready to retire for the night? I know you said you were ready to consummate our marriage, but I’ll understand if you’ve changed your mind and need more time. I, of course, am more than ready, but I just want you to be sure.”

“Matthew, I’m sure about this. I’m ready to become your wife in the fullest sense of the word. So let’s retire for the evening.” They walked upstairs, and the closer they got to their rooms, the more nervous she became. Perspiration trickled down between her breasts and her legs felt weak.

Matthew opened the door to their setting room, and as they entered, he asked, “Do you need a few minutes before I join you?”

“Yes, give me ten minutes, and then come to my room.” Looking embarrassed, she asked, “Can you unbutton my gown and loosen my corset for me? I told Sally I wouldn’t need her tonight, and I can’t reach all my buttons.” Matthew turned her around and slowly unbuttoned her gown and loosened her corset, while he kissed the nape of her neck.

Finishing, he gently stroked her shoulders. “I’ll see you ten minutes.”

When Helen closed the door to her room, she leaned back against it and took a deep breath to steady her nerves. She took off her gown and put on a beautiful ice blue night rail that Melody had given her before she had gotten married. It had a matching dressing gown of watered silk that was so sheer, it was almost transparent. After she put on her nightclothes, she sat down at her dressing table and brushed her hair until it shone. At a time like this, she almost wished she’d left her hair long, because it would have helped to cover her a little bit.

Helen’s hands were trembling from anticipation. While lying her brush down on her dressing table, she heard Matthew knock on the door, then come into the room. Glancing around, she noticed he was dressed in a deep green silk robe, which matched his brilliant green eyes, and she could tell that he only had his trousers on beneath his dressing gown. The gown gapped and she could see some curly chest hair poking out, and she felt the thrill of anticipation run through her body.

He stopped, looked over at her, and as their eyes met, she looked down. Matthew quietly said, “Helen, if you’ve changed your mind I’ll understand. I want you to be fully ready to become my wife in every sense of the word. I want you to desire me, as I desire you, not just see this as a duty.”

“I do want you. I’m just nervous because I don’t know what to expect. Melody talked to me, but I still don’t fully understand.” Helen hoped her nerves would calm down. Her hands were shaking, and her knees were trembling. She wished Matthew would start kissing her, because then her desire would flare, and she would forget to be so nervous.

Matthew was standing by the chair in front of the fireplace and smiled. “Why don’t you come over here and sit down? I’ll give you a back rub, which should help you relax.”

Hesitantly, Helen walked over to the chair and sat down. Matthew stood behind her and started to massage her neck and shoulders. His fingers felt magical, and soon she felt herself begin to relax. Sliding his hands down her shoulders to her breasts, he began to fondle them. She felt her nipples harden, and the place between her legs began to throb. Slowly, he moved around the chair and knelt before her, as he continued to fondle her breasts.

As Matthew gently stroked her breasts, he murmured, “Your breasts are perfect. They fill my hands just as I imagined they would. I’ve been dreaming nightly of finally being able to see them.”

Leaning forward, Matthew gently kissed her. He nibbled at her lips. She parted them and let him slide his tongue into her mouth. With her mouth pliant and hungry, she returned his kiss. Pulling her into his arms, he nudged her legs apart and slipped in between her parted thighs. She could feel his sex hard against her soft belly. Then he stood up, pulling her to her feet. He picked her up and carried her to her bed.

“Let me go turn down the lamp and blow out most of the candles.” After doing that, he approached the bed, took off his robe and dropped it on the floor. He was a gorgeous man, and she felt her belly flutter, seeing him without his shirt. His chest was broad, and there was a light dusting of light brown hair between his flat male nipples. His slim hips and muscular thighs captivated her, and she could feel her desire rise.

Slipping into bed, Matthew pulled her into his arms and began to kiss her tenderly. He stroked her breasts through her gown and gently squeezed her nipples as her breasts became heavy and swollen. Lowering his head, he suckled her breast through the silk of her gown and it felt so sensual that she began to feel the most marvelous sensations course through her body.

Matthew softly ran his hand down her belly and pulled up her gown to her waist. Slowly, his hand traveled down her body and slid between her thighs. She felt his finger slide inside her, and as his thumb stroked the spot between her thighs, she felt her passage tighten around his finger. A second finger joined the first, and he increased his stroking. Wave after wave of sensation raced through her body. The incredible sensations continued to build, and she remembered what Melody told her would come next and she was ready.

Matthew pulled his hand away, and she felt frustrated, but soon he was back and he had removed his trousers. Parting her thighs, he moved in between them. Then he pulled her night rail off over her head, tossing it to the floor. It felt marvelous to be skin to skin, and Helen felt her body quiver with anticipation. He began to rock gently, and she felt his manhood against her thigh. He was fondling her breast again, and she felt a rush of sharp tingling pleasure rush to the center of her sex. Placing his shaft at the entrance of her body, he nudged the tip of it inside. She felt him stretch her as he slid further inside. It didn’t hurt, but she tensed up anyway, preparing for what she knew was coming.

“Relax, I promise to be as gentle as possible so that I don’t hurt you.” He took his thick shaft out and began to rub it back and forth across her moist heat, and she began to relax and open up for him. He slid slowly and gently back in, then he stopped and said, “Darling, be brave.” In one quick thrust, he pushed past her barrier, all the way to her womb. Helen cried out as an instant of pain shot through her, a searing moment that had her clenching her teeth against it. But as quickly as it came, it was gone. As he kissed her petal soft face, he said, “I promise, everything will be all right. I know that hurt, but from here on out, you’ll only feel pleasure.”

Raining soft kisses all over her face, Matthew remained still, and Helen felt her body begin to relax and adjust to him being inside her. Matthew began to move, and she felt her entire body tingle. The place between her legs began to throb again. Soon, Helen picked up his rhythm and was meeting him stroke for stroke. He stroked in and out, faster and faster, and her muscles tightened around his shaft. Feeling herself begin to splinter apart into a thousand pieces, she fell beyond the realm of reality.

Once Helen found her release, Matthew plunged in faster and harder, until his body clenched, then shuddered with his release, as his seed filled her tight sheath for the very first time. Helen relished the feel of him inside her, overcome with the most sublime sensations she had ever felt. She almost felt deprived as he gently pulled out of her body, rolled over, and pulled her into his arms. They lay there as their breathing slowed down and their hearts stopped pounding. “I’m sorry that I hurt you,” Matthew softly spoke, “I tried to be as gentle as possible. I promise that it will never hurt again.”

Helen lay there in a state of euphoria. “It was just a little pain, and then it felt wonderful. I never imagined that making love would feel so incredible. Has it felt like this every time you’ve made love? I felt as if I was soaring and then fell into a soft cloud.”

While stroking her shoulder, he replied, “What you felt was what the French call ‘La petite mort,’ and that was only the beginning. It just keeps getting better and better. I can honestly tell you that this was the most amazing sexual experience of my life. So no, it’s hardly ever like this. Let me show you again…how marvelous it is.”

When Helen woke up the next day, Matthew was already gone. She could see the dent in the pillow where he had lain, which brought everything back that had happened the night before. As she hugged his pillow close, she smelled his spicy citrus scent, the essence of Matthew, and immediately felt that tingling sensation between her thighs.

Oh my, what an amazing feeling.

It had been the most remarkable experience of her life. She had no idea that the marriage bed was going to be so enjoyable.

Helen stretched and felt soreness, but it just reminded her of all the amazing sensations she had experienced last night. He’d made love to her two more times, and each time had been better than the last. Sally had already been in, because there was steaming water in the pitcher. She poured it into the basin and she wiped off the traces of her virgin’s blood from her thighs. She blushed all over, but she now knew that she was Matthew’s wife in every sense of the word. The water soothed her, and the soreness lessened. Once she finished her morning ablutions, she was ready for her day.

Helen went down to the breakfast room and realized that she was famished. She filled her plate with coddled eggs, sausages, and buttered toast. When she sat down at the table, Margaret came into the room. After she filled her plate, she sat down across from her.