His American Fling (29 page)

“Thank you, Nigel.”

“Is my sister right?  Are you going to stay with us in England and marry our Campbell?  I thought you and Henry were an item.”

“I’m so confused Nigel, I just don’t know. Speak of the devil.”

Henry bounded over, reached out and
shook Lord Stratford’s hand. “Lord Stratford.” He turned and smiled at Fiona’s mother, “Lady Stratford.”

“Henry, it’s good to see you. We don’t see you anymore now that Fiona’s moved out.”

“Yes, I’m sorry Lady Stratford, I’m afraid I’m just so busy with my practice and my darling Maggie.” Henry reached over and kissed me gently on the cheek.

Lord and Lady Stratford gave each other a puzzled look. I’m sure it confused them that Henry was escorting me and yet Fiona was betting that I was going to marry the Earl of Falkirk.  Frankly, I was as confused as they were.

He turned and took both Fiona and me by the arm. “Darlings, I’ve had them put your things in my room. I understand we’re all bunking together for some reason. Something about you both batting for the other team?”

Fiona frowned. “What makes you think we want to bowl with your balls?”

Henry grinned.

I blushed and stuttered. “We’re in with you?”

He leaned in and raised an eyebrow, “Yes, is there a problem?”

I was about to say something when someone grabbed Henry by his upper arm and
literally dragged him away. It was only then that I was able to take in the hall that we had just entered.  I tried not to look like a kid at Disneyland, but I felt small, really small. The hall was at least as long as a football field is wide and the ceiling went four stories high. The deep red damask wallpaper could hardly be seen behind the numerous portraits and pieces of art that hung along the entire length of the wall. I looked up at the ceiling in awe, immediately belying the fact that I was not part of the aristocracy. Studying the artful fresco work on the ceiling tiles framed by wide walnut beams, I must have looked like the tourist I was. The marble floors and high ceilings gave the room horrible acoustics with everyone’s voices reverberating and sounding like half of England was in attendance. 

Fiona touched my elbow to indicate that I should follow her into the reception. We went into what must have been the ballroom. It measured almost the entire length of the building and had three chandeliers hanging from 18 foot ceilings. There were chairs and a few tables for the older mourners. The rest were expected to graze the banquet table, grab a drink and either stand or find their own place to sit outside in the garden or in other rooms of the manor. My head kept swiveling on my neck
as I gawked at the details of the architecture. There were sconces that hung between the large two story windows which were highlighted by the gold brocade wallpaper above the chair rail that reflected light from the chandeliers and windows.  I was sure that during the night, the room must look like a scene from Cinderella.

Campbell came over to Fiona and me and allowed himself a quick half-smile. He looked sober, but so incredibly handsome in his black suit, white shirt and black tie.  The European Cut made him look taller and more sophisticated than I had ever seen him.  He bent down and kissed my cheek. “You were wonderful in church today. My mother would like to see you.” 

He put his hand on my back and escorted me through the crowd.  Several people turned, smiled and made a comment to me when we walked by, such as, “Well done,” “Lovely, dear,” “Beautiful voice.”

Lady Falkirk was sitting down, her face clearly reflecting the stress and exhaustion she felt. Approaching her, I finally noticed that Campbell had her eyes. They were big, blue and serious, rimmed by the same thick, dark eyelashes.  She interrupted her conversation with a very regal woman sitting next to her and
turned to me. 

“Campbell, the Prince should be arriving soon, could you make sure that Walker is aware of this?”

“Yes, mother, I will.  You asked to see Maggie.”

She smiled at me! It was a gracious, but not very warm, smile.

“Maggie, I wanted to thank you for singing at the funeral. I must admit, I was somewhat upset at first and felt it was very out of place.  But you did such a wonderful job that in the end I could only be grateful. Thank you. Have you met the Duchess of Hamilton?  Duchess, this is Maggie McGee, a friend of Campbell’s.”

Campbell knew that I had no clue what the protocol was so he whispered into my ear, “Just take the hand she offers and give her a little nod, say something nice.”

I took her hand, nodded and blurted out, “Duchess, that’s a beautiful hat.”

I learned later that I was supposed to simply say that I was pleased to meet her.  She looked somewhat startled by my salutation, but then she put her hand on the brim of her hat and smiled broadly.

“Yes, it is, isn’t it?  It happens to be my favorite. Your rendition of Auld Lang Syne was very moving, dear. Well done.” She gave me the same gracious look that was on the face of Imogene Adair, Lady Falkirk.

“Oh, thank you, Ma’ am.”

Campbell put his long fingers on my arm. “We must go find Walker to give him the news.” Campbell led me away. “I haven’t seen the Duchess smile like that in years. She’s a pretty dour woman.”

“How are you doing?”

“I feel like my head is coming off. Come along, I need to tell Walker about the Prince.”

“A prince is coming?”

“Yes, the Queen always sends someone as a representative. Charles was going to come, but he’s giving the speech at a summit in Paris.”

“Charles? You call him Charles?”

He snickered at me, “Well, behind his back. When we’re in the same room, I call him Your Royal Highness. After all Mags, he will be the next king.”

We found Walker, the butler, and warned him that the Prince was going to be arriving soon. Then we walked back inside and Campbell again steered me down the hall and around a corner. There were several doors.  He opened one and we walked into the library, closing and locking the door behind us.  I took
a quick look around at the thousands of volumes carefully stacked in the burl wood shelving. Campbell grabbed me up in his arms and kissed me as if hadn’t seen me in months.  We broke apart briefly.

“Take that hat off.”

“You don’t like it?”

He held his head back to take a look, “It’s lovely, but it doesn’t really make it easy for us to kiss, now does it?”

I took it off and put it on the chair. He took my chin in his hand and leaned down to kiss me, his mouth slightly open. I closed my eyes as his entire mouth covered mine. His hand went down my back and we stayed close even after the kiss was done. I could feel his erection through the fabric of his trousers bulging and pushing into me. 

“Campbell?  What’s this?”  I reached down and stroked over the silk of his suit.

“You see that desk?”

I looked down the room and saw a large cherry desk with simple, but exquisitely carved legs and an ornately carved coat of arms on the front.  He grabbed my hand and we walked quickly to the end of the room.  Putting his hands on my waist, he lifted me, sitting me on the edge of the desk. Campbell reached up under my dress, caressing my thigh and
kissing my mouth.

I whispered into his ear. “Campbell, are you sure you want to do this here?”

His voice was thick from his desire, “God, yes. I’ve been thinking about it every time I see you.” His other hand started traveling up my legs.

“You see me and you think of screwing me?”

“Of course I do.” He grinned and nuzzled me. “Mags, that’s good. I look at Gemma and I think of the races. I’d rather think of sex.”  He slipped his fingers up into the elastic band of my panties and started to pull on them. The panties slid easily down my legs and onto the floor. Campbell undid his trousers, the zipper sliding down effortlessly.  I put my hand inside his pants and felt the erection, firm and thick in my grip. His breath caught and a little flash of pleasure went across his face.

I felt fingers rubbing my slit, trying to part me. He slipped his middle finger inside and found that I was getting wet, but wasn’t quite there. He pulled my legs, moving me closer to the edge and then dipped down, his tongue finding my clit.  He didn’t waste any time teasing me.  The rhythm of his tongue was hard and fast and I as the excitement of
having sex in a large library with Earls and Dukes in the next room was enough to make me not only wet, but ready to come. I couldn’t stay sitting up, I leaned back on my elbows and threw back my head, screaming his name as the orgasm clenched and unclenched every muscle in my groin and then shot through, hardening my nipples to the point that they peaked through the fabric of my bra and dress.

He stood up, wrapped an arm around the small of my back and pulled me into him, impaling me as he did. I let out a quick gasp as he leaned in over my body, slamming into me over and over until I felt the warm ejaculation and heard him grunting. When he was through, he stayed leaning over me, out of breath, his body supported by his hands as if he were doing a push up.

“Oh God Maggie, that was just what I needed.”

The library shelving opened up just behind Campbell. I heard a male voice say, “Excuse me your Lordship.” And then the shelves closed again.

Campbell shook his head, “I forgot about the servants’ entrance.”

“Great, now your servants will think I’m a slut.”

“I think I was covering you, I doubt they saw who it was. They’ll assume it was Gemma, but they won’t say anything. If they do, they lose their job and we sue them since they each have to sign a confidentiality clause.”

“Does it really matter? You’re single and the Earl.”

“Frankly, no. Servants are expected to see you in compromising positions occasionally. Besides, you’re right, a single man having sex in his own home is hardly scandalous. I better get out there, the Prince has probably arrived.”

He dressed and watched as I dressed too. As we walked to the door, he calmly slipped an arm around me and kissed me gently, resting his forehead on mine and staring down into my eyes. We smiled at each other. Breaking apart we made our way back out to the reception where I saw Prince Edward greeting Lady Falkirk. Campbell moved through the crowd, most of whom seemed uninterested in the fact that the Prince had arrived and joined this mother. Gemma saddled up next to him and took a great interest in the Prince and his wife, Sophie. I went into the library and sat down, falling asleep in the chair for an hour.

I woke up to a very perturbed Walker staring down at me. “Is there anything you require Ma ‘am?  We do have a full buffet and drinks in the
Ballroom.”
He emphasized ballroom as if I was a tourist who have ventured off the tour into rooms I shouldn’t be in.

“No, I was just about to join everyone.  Thank you, Walker.” I was surprised that I had fallen asleep, wondering what I had missed.  I snuck out to the hall and peered into the ballroom only to find maybe a dozen people left, the Prince and his wife having left. Lady Falkirk was just leaving the room with another woman that I hadn’t met. I could see Penelope and her children out in the garden playing soccer. I made my way into the room and saw Campbell spring up on his feet as soon as he saw me.

“Where were you?”
he barked, sounding somewhat angry and anxious. The entire room was staring at Campbell, somewhat surprised at his outburst. “Sorry, Mags. I thought that you might have gotten lost since you don’t know your way around the house or the estates.”

“I’m sorry your
Lordship
, but I fell asleep in the library.”

He looked
sheepish, sitting down and smoothing his pants as if nothing had just happened. Gemma grimaced at his outburst and interplay between us.

Fiona smiled and put her arm around me, looking straight at Gemma. “Yes, we had a long night. I think we’re both very tired. Aren’t we darling?”

I had just had a nap and wasn’t in the least bit tired, but Fiona seemed to want to retire to our room or rooms. I still wasn’t sure where I was going to sleep. “Yes, I wouldn’t mind going to my room for a few minutes.

Fiona stared at Campbell. “Well, Lord Falkirk, what are the sleeping arrangements?”

Campbell shrugged. “Henry, pull the bell.”

Henry pulled the Butler’s bell. Walker, still crisply dressed in tails, appeared within seconds and bowed slightly in Campbell’s directions. “Your Lordship?”

“Walker, what are the sleeping arrangements tonight?” Campbell asked.

“The Dowager Countess has been moved into the west wing. Lady Penelope and her husband are also in the west wing along with a room for their children. Viscount Adair and his wife make up the last bedroom in the west wing.

I had to give it to Walker, he looked very much the butler standing straight with his shoulders back and head perfectly centered.  He spoke directly to Campbell. “Your Lordship and Miss Lancaster are in the Earl’s quarters. Vicountess Raleigh is in the garden room. Lord Guilford and Miss McGee are in the guest quarters. Viscount Raleigh is in the morning quarters and Lord Colchester is in the tree room.”

I saw a slight look of horror spread over Campbell’s face and then
disappear. His eyes darted to me and back. I pretended as if nothing was wrong, but if he was going to go to bed with Gemma, he had to know he was in big trouble.