Regency Romance: The Rake's Fake Marriage (Historical Arranged Marriage Romance) (19th Century Victorian Romance) (4 page)

''The best barrister in the country. Stabbed to death on his way home from court. It's in the newspaper.''

''Pimms, I've met someone called Pimms,'' Nicholas began to think. ''No she wasn't called Pimms, her sister was. She was called Julia......''

''Leatham,'' Adele said.

''Yes, Leatham. She said you were her sister's best friend. She was called Pimms. Is it any relation?''

''His wife,'' Adele sat down.

''You look terrible. Did you know him?''

''Of course, I knew him very well.''

Nicholas sat down next to her. His father left the room, shaking his head. ''Can I get you something?'' he asked.

''Perhaps a little brandy,'' she said. ''A terrible shock indeed,'' she added.

As the weeks went by, their agreement held wonderfully.
Adele had thought it would be tedious to have to pretend to be his fiancee, and, even more, tedious to have to spend so much time in his company.
But she began to look forward to her visits to his house.

When Nicholas made love to a woman, he was finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate. All too often his thoughts would drift to Adele. It was her moving under him, her kissing him and her legs wrapping themselves around his back.

Adele spent most of her free time comforting Eleanor. Eleanor had always complained about Bartholomew, but now he was gone, she could talk of nothing else but her beloved husband. Inside, Adele was riddled with guilt. She tried to dismiss any thought that it was her money that had financed Bartholomew's death. No, Peter would never have wanted to have him killed. It was all a cruel coincidence.

One day, however, her illusions were shattered. She woke at seven in the morning to hammering on the door. When the butler opened, two
policemen
pushed him aside and stepped into her house. ''Where's Lady Vaughan,'' the larger of the two asked.

''In bed.''

''Then wake her and ask her to come downstairs, we want to talk to her.''

When Adele saw her
visitors,
she felt faint. Two men dressed in blue uniforms with numbers on their shoulders and truncheons hanging from their belts.

''Lady Vaughan,'' the more senior of them began. ''We understand you knew Mr. Bartholomew Pimms.''

Adele sat down, her ghostly complexion already answering his question. ''Yes.''

''We believe you had something to do with his murder.''

That was it. She would rot in a damp prison cell, surrounded by women as evil as her. ''What makes you think that?''

''We have arrested a man called Wright, a grave digger.''

Adele didn't know a gravedigger called Wright. ''I have no idea who he is,'' she said honestly.

''He has confessed to the murder of Mr. Pimms and has told us that he carried out the killing on your behalf.

Adele knew Kellet, but not Cyril Wright. Keep denying it, she told herself. You
really
don't know this man. ''But I don't know
him, really,
I have no idea who he is.''

''Adele Vaughan, I am arresting you in connection with the murder of Mr. Bartholomew Pimms.'' He finished the usual speech about staying silent and took her by the arm. As they escorted her from the house, she was all too aware of her servants, as they watched in disbelief.

*****

When Adele didn't come to see him, as arranged, Nicholas became agitated. He'd begun to look forward to her visits, and her sudden absence made him aware how much.
He
took his horse and rode to
Newdene
Hall. When he knocked on the front
door,
Arthur answered.

''The police have taken her away,'' he said, white as a sheet.

At the police station, he was greeted by Sergeant Musgrave. “Where is she and why are your holding her?'' Nicholas demanded to know. 

The sergeant looked at Nicholas as if he was insane. ''Who are you talking about?''

''Lady Adele Vaughan, who else?''

''She's helping us with our inquiries,'' he said, pushing Nicholas away from him.

''Into what? She's a lady, not a common criminal.''

''It's none of your business. Who are you?'' the sergeant was thinking of arresting him for impertinence.

''I'm her fiancee.'' He was surprised how proud he was calling himself that.

''Then you should know she's
being held
on suspicion of murdering Bartholomew Pimms.'' He folded his arms and looked please with himself.

''Are you out of your mind?'' Nicholas said. ''What on earth makes you think that?''

''We've got a witness.''

''This is
the most ridiculous
thing I have ever heard. How do you think a delicate female
could possibly
murder a man in that way?'' Nicholas had read that Pimms had
been stabbed
to death.

''I'm not saying she did it herself, but she organized it.''

''You haven't heard the last of this. By the time
I'm finished
with you, those stripes on your arm will be a distant memory as you walk down the street behind a broom.'' Nicholas was incensed.

*****

Lord Fletcher of Banbury was at home, luckily. The last time Nicholas had spoken to him, it was to apologize for taking his daughter to bed. He'd done what his father had requested, and begged for forgiveness,
really
begged
for the first time in his life.
He
hoped he wouldn't bump into
Georgina,
that would be too embarrassing.

As he stood in the same place he had a few weeks earlier, nerves began to get the better of him. It was the incessant ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner of Lord Fletcher's study. He'd been ushered into the room by a footman and left waiting. When the door
opened,
he stood upright.

''You again,'' Lord Fletcher said. He was tall and lean, like a military officer. ''What do you want now? You haven't been with my daughter again, have you?'' he held Nicholas by the shoulder and squeezed.

''No sir. I come
about
something else.''

''Well, it was very brave of you to come and apologize last time. Very manly to stand in front of a woman's father and admit you'd bedded her. So speak, what do you want?''

''You are the highest policeman in the land, are you not?'' Lord Fletcher nodded and scratched his gray sideburns. ''The police in Banbury have arrested Mrs. Adele Vaughan, on suspicion of having something to do with Bartholomew Pimm's murder. She's a
lady,
I'm sure she didn't do it.''

''I can arrange bail for her, nothing more. I am not in the habit of interfering with my detectives.''

''If you could arrange for her to
be released
on bail, I would be most grateful.'' It was better than nothing, Nicholas thought.

*****

When Nicholas collected Adele from the police
station,
she looked drawn. ''I'm taking you back to my house, you need looking after,'' he'd said. But she'd refused. She wanted to go
home,
she was exhausted.

''I don't know how you did it, but thank you for securing my release.'' She held his arm, as he helped her to her front door.

''I did it because I ......'' he stopped, unsure of himself.

''Because you what?'' she looked at him.

To hell with it. ''Because I have grown very fond of you.''

''Fond?'' she repeated.

''Alright, more than fond, I am in love with you.''

Adele looked at him. Poor man, he's fallen in love with a murderer, a woman who will
be locked
up forever. ''Nicholas, I have developed strong feelings for you as well. But I have to talk to you about something.''

Arthur held the door open, pleased to see Adele again. ''Tea, my Lady?'' he asked.

''Yes, please, tea.''

They sat opposite each other and said nothing. Nicholas felt vulnerable. He'd told her of his feelings and received little in return.

''Nicholas, I have to confess to something, something terrible, that will prevent us from ever being together.'' She looked at his expression, and her heart sank. ''I am in love with you too.'' Nicholas beamed and took her hands, but she remained
serious,
and something told him to pull away again. ''But I did have something to do with the death of...''

She stopped as someone knocked on the front door. She remained silent, waiting
for Arthur
to deal with it. But Arthur came into the room with a disapproving look on his face. ''Mr. Kellet is here again.'' Adele got up and followed Arthur to the front door. Kellet was standing on the doorstep. He was holding an envelope.

''May I come in and speak to you?'' he said.

Adele drew breath. She stood aside and showed him into the dining room. ''Say what you have to say and leave, I'm already in enough trouble.''

''This is for you,'' he handed her the envelope.

''What is it?''

''Thirty thousand.''

''What?''

''The money you gave me, I'm returning it.''

''I don't.......'' Adele was
speechless
.

''It seems we were too late. So I'm doing the honorable thing and returning your cash.''

''What do you mean, too late?''

''Well, someone got to Mr. Pimms before we could. Someone else killed him. It seems he had more than one enemy.''

''Do you mean you didn't kill him? Or anyone to do with you?''

He shook his head. ''No,''

''Why did my husband want him killed
anyway
?'' She'd been too afraid to ask before, but now it didn't matter.

''Mr. Pimms had been blackmailing your husband.''

''Why?''

''I'm sorry to tell you, your late husband was having an affair with Mrs. Pimms younger sister. Miss Leatham. Pimms found out about it and threatened to tell you.''

''What?'' Adele's heart was racing. ''I don't believe it.''

''Well, believe what you want, but you have your
money,
and your conscience should be clear now.''

Adele went back to Nicholas after Kellet had left.

''You were about to tell me something important I think,'' he said.

She looked dazed. ''What? Oh, no it's not important now. Do you think I could become you
proper
fiancee?'' she asked.

He didn't care what had changed. He just got up and took her in his arms. ''I would like nothing more.''

*****

That evening, Adele gave Nicholas the money back. He didn't want to know what had happened. He assumed something positive had taken place and relieved her of debt.

That evening, she also gave herself to him for the first time. She'd flirted mercilessly with him at dinner, and by the time she let him into her bedroom, he was on fire.

Nicolas undressed Adele hastily and threw her onto the bed, catching a glimpse of her pink folds between her legs. Still dressed, he placed his mouth on her and ran his tongue around her entrance. Adele shivered with pleasure. Then he used his tongue to
stroke her folds, flickering upwards to find her bud. Adele let out a moan, so Nicolas inserted a finger into her wet womanhood. Adele moaned louder this time. When he inserted a second finger, he felt her tighten and heard her scream out his name. When she relaxed again, he paused to let her catch her breath. Then he kissed her clitoris ever so slightly, and he heard her gasp. He moved his fingers slowly, massaging the swollen spot deep inside her. Her moans sounded more desperate this time, and as he moved his tongue gently in circles, she came again, and again.

Nicolas wiped his mouth and removed his trousers, his penis yearning to break free. Adele lay motionless on the bed, spent, her eyes taking in his muscles and all of his manhood, large, red, throbbing. She rose to her knees and took his penis into her hand and drew it into her mouth. She loved how soft the skin felt, a silk cover for a hard rod.

“Stop,” Nicolas said with a husky voice. “I wish to pleasure you. I’ve never before felt such a desire to pleasure a woman.” He lowered his fiancee onto her back and gently placed himself ontop of her. He kissed her like he had kissed no other woman, gently but passionately.

“Enter me,” Adele whispered, feeling his member tease around her opening.

Nicolas lowered his hand to his penis and guided it to the entrance. Then he slowly thrust his hips forward, Adele gasping as it slid against her walls. She raised her hips and Nicolas moaned this time. He moved slowly, sliding in and sliding out, and when Adele grabbed his buttocks, he started to pound against her, driven by the rhythm of her moans. Adele felt the pressure building in her vagina, up through her abdomen, and when Nicolas rubbed her clitoris, she came again. She tightened around him, and he could no longer contain himself, and he came, spilling his warm seed inside the woman he loved.