Surrender Your Grace (6 page)

“Before she caused such an uproar with her feather-headed behavior?”

Eyes as round as saucers, she looked at him in surprise. “Well yes, but I wasn’t going to put it quite that way.” Then she giggled, and he smiled in return. “I was going to say ninny hammered.” It was his turn to stare in surprise and soon they were both laughing. The staff smiled discreetly at their lord and new lady’s joviality, which they took as a good sign for their nuptials that had a less than promising beginning.

Chapter Six

C
ici didn’t notice the door softly latch behind her maid as she exited. Gowned in her white muslin night rail, she continued to brush out her long hair. She wasn’t sure what to expect tonight. Coming to her marriage bed a virgin was expected of young women of her class. She couldn’t have asked about the mechanics of it all from her mother. She had nearly died of apoplexy when she had tried to tell her what to expect on her wedding night. And Elizabeth, Maggie and most of her friends were still unmarried. She would just have to trust Andrew to guide her.

As if conjured by her thoughts he walked in, closing and locking the door behind him. She set aside her brush and rose to meet him. Her breath caught at the sight of him in his dark blue silk dressing gown. It was open at the throat and he wore no neck cloth, exposing a goodly amount of tanned neck and bare chest. A few tufts of curly blonde hair were peaking over the collar at the open neckline. She averted her eyes and felt the heat scorch her face. Oh my!

Peeking at him from beneath her lashes she looked to his lower half expecting to see bare legs to match his bare chest, but to her relief saw he wore soft trousers beneath his robe. Her eyes fell to his shockingly bare feet and she coughed discreetly in an attempt to mask her surprise. Silly ninny, she thought, it is simply a pair of bare feet. It’s not as though it was his… Her eyes flew to his midsection where, despite her innocence, she could tell he was already aroused. “Oh my,” This time she said it aloud.

“Nervous?” he asked. Aware of her chaste state, he indulged her apprehension keeping calm while he spoke softly to her as if gentling a wild animal.

“Fearfully so, I don’t know what…” She lost her train of thought as soon as he untied his belted robe and let it slip from his broad shoulders. “Oh my gracious...”

Laughing softly as he approached, he belatedly noticed what she was wearing. “Where on earth did you get that enormous nightgown? It has you swallowed up whole.”

“Mama packed it for me.” She frowned down at the boring garment. The high neckline choked her and the too long sleeves, which she had cuffed up several times, still hung past her fingertips. The hem, which was obviously stitched for a much taller woman, pooled around her feet. She looked like a little girl playing dress up in her mama’s clothes. “I didn’t have a trousseau… there was no time. “ Tears pooled in her eyes; this was obviously not what he was expecting of his bride on his wedding night and certainly not the bride he had in mind. He had been courting Elizabeth after all.

“I am dreadfully sorry about all this, My Lord Andrew. It is unfair that you had to settle for me as your bride after that, uh... rather unfortunate incident. I know I'm not quite up to snuff.” The tears had begun to flow and she wiped at them with the sleeves of her ridiculous gown. “I shall attempt to be a good wife to you Andrew. I swear.”

Stepping forward, he pulled her against his broad chest. “What you say is utter twaddle, Cecilia. I have thanked the Almighty every minute of every hour that your sister did not agree with my suit and planned that, what was it you called it? Ah yes, the unfortunate incident. To have been stuck with that shrew for a bride….” He shuddered. “Perish the thought!”

He drew away enough for her to be able to look up at him. “Look at me, wife.” He waited patiently until those beautiful green eyes were staring up at him; innocence, anticipation and concern easily decipherable in their depths. “I am happy with the wife I have and I won’t have you refer to yourself as accidental or not up to snuff. Do you understand me?”

She nodded her agreement, not really knowing how to respond. He was happy with his new wife? Still staring into his handsome face, expecting any minute to wake up from this dream and find out it was all a lark created by her overactive imagination.

“Pinch me, Andrew, so I know I’m awake.”

He smiled down into her beautiful face, “I think I’ll do something better.” Pulling her against him, he bent his head and captured her lips in a slow, sensuous kiss. Lust swept through him and he had to control his hunger for her. He wanted to take her, possess her, to ravage her soft mouth with his own lips and tongue. Tamping down his carnal nature he bade her softly, “Open your mouth for me. I want to taste you now.”

When she hesitated, he captured her lower lip between his teeth and nipped her. As he soothed the mild injury with his tongue she gasped at the sensation and he capitalized on the opportunity. His tongue drove inside tasting the warm sweetness and then proceeded to make her his own and plunged, played, lapped and licked the warm recesses of her mouth. Overheated by her taste, her scent and the feel of her soft body against his hardness, he gathered the yards of muslin in his large hands and pulled it up her body. “Let’s get this ridiculous gown off you.”

The cool air of the chamber hitting her exposed skin flustered her. “But the lamps My Lord, it is indecent.”

A pop sounded and then a stingy burn exploded on her bottom. She yelped in surprise. “I will not have you ‘My Lording’ me in my own bedroom, wife. Call me anything but My Lord during the heat of passion, but I will not remind you of this again. Is it so hard to think of me as your husband and lover?”

“I’m sorry Andrew, but all of this is so new to me. Please, be patient....”

“Of a certainty, but I must insist on this one simple rule in our bedchamber. I will have intimacy between us.”

“Yes Andrew, I will do better. I promise.” Suddenly, she started sobbing. He looked down at her in alarm. He had given her nothing more than a gentle love pat; surely she wasn’t overset about that little swat.

“Sweetness, what is it? Did I hurt you?”

“No. But I am such a ninny hammer, Andrew. I don’t know what to do, or how to act, or what you expect. Mama only said…” Embarrassed, she couldn’t repeat it. Surely from what she had overheard her few married friends say, the marriage bed was not all that bad. Some had even said they enjoyed the bedsport with their husbands. Others said they sought out their husbands and asked for it. They said they were trying to be a lady in the parlor, but a whore in the bedroom in hopes of keeping their men from seeking out mistresses. Their plan was whispered secretively in the privacy of rooms far away from their prim mothers’ and prudish chaperones’ ears. They would be horrified if they knew these young women spoke of “the act”, let alone enjoyed it.

“Exactly what did your mother tell you?”

She shook her head violently and hid her flaming face against his chest. She was beginning to enjoy having his strong arms around her and the feel of his springy chest hair tickling her cheek. “I couldn’t repeat it.”

“You can and you will, Cecilia. I need to know how much damage she has done so I can make the necessary repairs.”

“Well… she told me to let my husband…, uh, she was telling me this in the most general of terms, you see. She gave me this little lesson right before my debut.” He lifted her chin and gave her a look that let her know he knew she was stalling. “Well… she told me to do what Her Majesty, Queen Victoria suggested.”

“What is that?”

“She said Her Majesty gave her eldest daughter this same advice, so it should be good enough for an Earl’s daughter.”

“Out with it Cecilia, before I lose my patience. What was this sage piece of wisdom she laid at your feet?”

“She said to… lie back, close my eyes and think of England.”

There was a long pause and then he began to shake. Before long he was howling with laughter and had pulled her close enough that she felt every shake and shudder that passed through him. He continued with his amusement until he finally slowed to an occasional chuckle.

“That is a tale bandied about by old biddies who aim to discourage the wanton ways of young innocents like yourself. Take for example our beloved monarch. She loved Prince Albert madly, her four years of full mourning following his death illustrates that fact. Although she has a strict moral code for what should be seen and heard in public, the queen is actually a very sensual and romantic woman in private. She is an artist, and has drawn several male nudes, one of which she gave to her husband as a gift. I know this for a fact because I have seen it.”

Flabbergasted, Cici stared at him with her mouth open. He chuckled at her expression and taking a long finger to her chin, gently closed her mouth. “Dear one, I know you are young and naïve, but surely you have to know how they ended up with nine children.”

While they spoke he had been stealthily guiding her toward the bed. A maid had already turned it down, so all he had to do was free her from her gown and tuck her straight in. When he had accomplished this task and she lay in his bed without a stitch of clothing, he turned his back and rid himself of his last article of clothing, his trousers. He already had an impressive cock stand and not wishing to intimidate her further, he kept his front side carefully averted as he followed her in under the covers.

Pulling her up against him, he gently stroked her hair in long sweeps down her back. It was silky soft, and smelled sweetly of vanilla and some other scent he couldn’t place. He continued to gentle her, speaking softly into her ear. “It will be alright if you just trust me. Can you do that?”

She nodded and he noticed with amusement that her eyes were tightly closed and her hands gripped the linen sheet so tight her knuckles were white. “Relax my beautiful bride.” He soothed her as he gently but firmly pulled the sheet from her grip. “Let me look at you.”

“Can’t we just get it over with?”

“Absolutely not, I intend to savor each moment with you. Now, open your eyes and look at your husband. I won’t have you lying there thinking of England.” He waited for her to comply. “Now, Cecilia.”

Obeying just enough to avoid further scolding, she peeked up at him between barely cracked lids. In the dimly lit room he could just make out the deep green of her eyes. “You can do better. Open them for me. I want to see all of you.”

Finally, she looked at him. “I want to share something special with you.” Grinning, he bent his head and brushed her lips with his. “Despite what all the prim and proper old ladies of the ton espouse, pleasure can be found in the marriage bed and I mean to show you that.” Gently pressing kisses over her cheek and across her jaw, he rolled her to her back and began to move his hands over her arms and soft shoulders.

“Scandalous as it seems to you now, I assure you that men and women, husband and wives, and lovers throughout the ages have found copulation joyous and mutually agreeable.” His kisses wended their way to her neck and chest then across the upper curves of her breasts. He heard her begin to pant as he approached one of her most private areas. Pushing back, he lifted his chest off hers and gazed down at her bountiful breasts. Once again he thanked fate and divine intervention for his fortune. His new wife was stunning, with the prettiest full rounded breasts tipped with rosy pink nipples. He lowered his head and blowing a gentle stream of his warm breath over her skin, watched as her nipples peaked. “Exquisite.”

Unable to resist, he sipped a tender bud into his mouth and sucked gently. Her sharply indrawn breath signaled her arousal and he felt her press against him as she instinctively arched into his mouth. He played at her breasts for a long while, sucking, licking and gently biting the firm peaks. Then he rose above her, bending his head and fixing her with his gaze.

“As my wife, you belong to me now, Cecilia. I have the honor of guiding, protecting, and caring for you. I take that responsibility seriously. All that I ask is that you submit to me and I shall take care of you, always.” His hands began gliding over her entire body, claiming each and every part as he caressed her. “This glorious mouth is mine...” He kissed the lips he praised, and then progressed lower. “...as is your smooth soft skin and these breasts with their deliciously firm nipples.” Putting words into action he plucked the tight peaks gently. Large hands smoothed over her narrow waist and softly rounded tummy, spreading out over her rounded hips. He slid one hand underneath her and palmed a full bottom check, pulling her more firmly against his body. Instinctively, he rubbed his length against her.

“These hips and this gorgeous, full derriere are mine; all of you, from the top of your head to the bottom of your tiny toes belong to me.” Abandoning her tantalizing breasts, he slid down until he rested on his side between her legs. He then reached for the soft red patch of hair at the apex of her thighs.

“And this velvety soft area between your legs is mine as well; to touch, to tease and yes, even to lick and to taste. You belong to me now Cecilia and I plan to take full advantage of your charms. I will have you often and possess your body until it learns to crave mine. I promise.” He pressed warm wet kisses against her soft belly and pubis.

“And are you mine also, Andrew?”

“Absolutely, I am not only your husband, but your lord and master, your protector, mentor, and guide. And soon, very soon, I will be your lover. Now along that path, I want you to spread your legs for me, so I may claim what is mine.”

She parted her thighs as ordered, but not enough to his liking. “Wider, my sweet bride, I have to be able to lie fully between your soft thighs in order to take your virginity.”

“Oh Andrew, the things you say are frightfully lurid.”

“Does it make you feel wanton and naughty?”

“I fear so, husband.”

“Excellent, then I am doing my job.” Rising to his knees, he wrapped his big hands around her thighs and spread her legs. “I want your legs this far apart.”