Two Notorious Dukes Read online

  Busy?He thought.Busy doing what?‘I really need to see your mistress, will you tell her I need to see her, please?’ Robert asked her kindly. Mary curtsied and ran to tell Elizabeth.

  ‘You’d better tell him to come in, because I can’t stop what I’m doing.’ She ordered and Mary fetched him to the room.

  He stood in the doorway horrified that she was packing her trunks. ‘Elizabeth?’ he whispered her name hollowly from the door.

  She looked up at him, ‘Yes?’ she said almost coldly.

  ‘Where are you going?’

  ‘Back to London.’ She turned to the maid. ‘Can you give us a few minutes, Mary and check to see if Lady Verity has organised the coach for us.’

  Robert moved aside as Mary ran past him. He closed the door and walked towards her. ‘What do you mean London, why are you going back to London?’ he demanded.

  ‘I need time to assess how I feel.’ She snapped without looking up from the gown she was smoothing in the trunk.

  Robert was not a violent man, but he could be heavy handed sometimes if aroused. He grabbed her by the arms and yanked her around to face him. ‘Why?’ he demanded again and a look of pain crossed his face as he saw the distress in hers. ‘What did I do wrong?’ he gasped and she could finally see the expression in his eyes, as they swam with unshed tears.

  ‘You didn’t do anything wrong, Robert. But I have to decide what I want. Do I want sex on a regular basis, do I want another husband to treat me as property.’ She looked down at his chest and shook her head. ‘It’s so easy for men. You just take, wives and daughters belong to you and you can do whatever you like with them. If they bore you, you can look elsewhere and the wife doesn’t even have the right to divorce you. You can treat them worse than your horse and nobody will ever stop you!’ She looked up again. ‘I have to be prepared to live like that. At the moment I have choice. Limited choice, yes, but still choice. The moment I marry anyone I lose that choice completely. So I need to discover what I want.’

  ‘I should come with you.’ Robert said softly. ‘You shouldn’t be on your own.’

  ‘No, Robert.’ She smiled softly. ‘You should be here with your guests.’

  ‘I’ll go to Roding Hall and then you’ll be here, where it’s safe.’ He lifted his hand and caressed her cheek with his fingertips. ‘That’s what was supposed to happen anyway. I can take the others with me.’ Slowly he cupped the back of her head and dipped his head to kiss her. It was a soft and sensual kiss, filled with tenderness instead of passion. As a husband would kiss his wife, rather than a lover’s kiss and Elizabeth did not miss the portent. She felt her heart turn over in her chest. Slowly he removed his lips from hers and looked at her bright green eyes. ‘I love you, Elizabeth, and I never thought I would ever say that again as long as I lived.’ He stroked his thumb under her eye to wipe away the tears running down her face. ‘Stay here. I’ll go and see Burke. We can be gone before lunch.’ He gently kissed her cheek, turned and strode from the room.

  Argyll was in the stables tending to the grey mare, he was checking its fetlocks as it had picked up a stone in its shoe the day before and Lady Sarah had to walk a long way home.

  It would forever be in his memory, as she appeared through the gates, wearing the britches and skirt he’d acquired for her, leading her limping mount. He called the stable boy and ran down the drive. She was pale and dehydrated, but she insisted he check the horse first. He lifted the front leg and could immediately see the coarse stone stuck in the shoe. The boy produced a stone remover and Argyll levered the chip out and gently rubbed the centre of the hoof. He could see the dark bruise on the soft centre. ‘It’ll be fine.’ He said comfortingly as he felt the heat in the fetlock. ‘But she’ll need some rest.’ Sarah handed the reins to the boy as Argyll turned to her. ‘Now, you must be exhausted. How long ago did you start walking?’

  ‘I don’t know. Maybe an hour, maybe longer.’ She said distantly. She looked exhausted, so Argyll swept her up in his arms and strode purposefully for the Manor. She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. He was contemplating the vision that she was as he laid her on her bed when he saw the door open and Robert bustled in to prepare his horse.

  ‘Going riding?’ Argyll said brightly and Robert started, with the headgear in his hands.

  ‘No. I’m going to Roding, as I was supposed to yesterday.’ He snapped as he forced the leather thongs over the horse’s face, ensuring the bit was positioned correctly and wouldn’t rub the horse’s mouth.

  ‘What’s happened?’ Argyll asked gently as he left the stall.

  Robert threw his saddle on the back of his bay stallion. ‘I told her.’ He said angrily.

  ‘Told her what?’ Argyll said in confusion.

  ‘I told her that I love her.’ He whispered, sounding almost aghast.

  ‘That’s marvellous!’ Argyll said brightly and went to clap Robert on the back.

  ‘No it isn’t.’ He sighed as he dragged the girth strap under the horse’s belly and threaded the tongue through the buckle. ‘Her first response is to go back to London, so she can decide what she wants!’ and he yanked on the strap so hard the horse whinnied. ‘Sorry, old boy.’ He whispered and stroked the horse’s neck. ‘So I’m going instead, as I should have done.’

  ‘Are you sure you love her?’ Argyll asked.

  ‘Yes, I’m sure. I want to spend the rest of my life with her,’ he stared at the saddle, ‘and I don’t just mean as a husband, but as her lover, her friend or even just her protector.’ He looked up and Argyll almost gasped at the expression of heartache on Robert’s face and he’d never seen that before. ‘I want to hold her in my arms forever, I want to see her hold her first ball, carry and nurse our children,’ he sobbed, ‘I want to keep her safe.’ He abruptly finished with the saddle, went back to the door and retrieved his saddle bag. He flipped it over the horse’s rump and tied it in place. ‘I probably want the impossible, so I will have to accept whatever favour she wishes to bestow!’ he finished sadly, as he put on his hat and heaved himself into the saddle. He looked down at Argyll. ‘Stay as long as you like. Take care of her for me?’

  Argyll nodded. ‘You can count on it.’ He said firmly and held out his hand. Robert shook it harshly and then clicked his tongue to start the horse walking and Argyll watched him trot down the long drive, his back ramrod straight. He saw Elizabeth fly out of the front door of the Mansion and he heard her call his name as she ran down the drive. Robert stopped his horse and turned towards her. He threw himself out of the saddle, discarded his hat onto the ground and ran to Elizabeth, scooping her up in his arms and crushing her body to his chest.

  She looked up into his face. ‘You will ride carefully?’ she asked through the tears streaming down her face.

  ‘I will ride carefully.’ He replied hoarsely, emotion making his voice rough. ‘I love you, Elizabeth, so don’t think for a second that I’m going to throw my life away.’ He placed her carefully back on her feet, stroked his finger over her wet cheeks and kissed her softly. ‘Make sure you take care of yourself. I don’t want to hear bad news when I get back to London in a month’s time.’ He turned abruptly away, retrieved his hat and gathered the reins from the grazing horse, leaped into the saddle and again set off down the drive without looking backwards. Elizabeth ran back to the house and threw herself into Lady Verity’s arms, as she stood on the steps.

  Argyll turned away and hoped that sooner or later Sarah would say yes. He didn’t quite know what he would do if she opted for Verity to find her a richer husband, although the only one that would fit the bill would be Robert.

  He tried to tell himself that he was acting like the complete gentleman, now. After that disastrous kiss the other day, where he got carried away and stroked her thigh, he had studiously avoided any situation in which the same temptation might arise. He knew it was dangerous to let her ride alone, but she was an accomplished horsewoman.She has the best seat I’ve ever seen.He smirked to himself. And again his thoug
hts turned to her lying on her bed yesterday and the almost overwhelming desire he had to strip off her britches and kiss her all over.There’s something very sexy about a woman dressed in men’s clothing.He thought and then frowned at why that should be.Why would I think that? Maybe it’s the fact that almost nothing is left to the imagination! He thought and pictured Sarah as she came through the gate.

  He picked up a grooming brush and started to brush the horse down. As she walked, her legs appeared and disappeared in the split in her skirt, and very tasty they looked in the tight hide of her britches as they curved down into her boots. The man’s jacket, cut away at the front that she had opened in the heat of the day, and he could see the man’s shirt she was wearing sticking to her damp bare breasts. And when he had laid her carefully on her bed, the jacket fell open and he could see the hollow in her throat through the open neck of her shirt. He’d almost run out of the room, to stop himself from making a catastrophic mistake.

  You don’t just want to fuck her! He berated himself.You want her as your wife, to keep your bed warm and succour your soul. Not just as a quick tumble in the hayloft!

  ‘Hello.’ She spoke quietly from right behind him, making him jump and flush at his impure thoughts. He span around, startled. ‘Gosh, you made me jump Lady Sarah.’ He said formally.

  ‘I wish you’d call me just Sarah.’ She said and sidled into the stall, standing peering over the horse’s back at him. ‘It’s so formal to keep calling me Lady Sarah! Especially as you had your hand up my skirt the other day.’ She watched his face avidly, as he swallowed convulsively.

  ‘I wish you would forget that little loss of control on my part.’ He whispered.

  She smiled brightly as she watched his cheeks flush. ‘You seem very embarrassed for an experienced rake!’ she accused.

  ‘There’s a great deal of difference in wooing an available, experienced woman and unintentionally fondling the thighs of an innocent girl you’ve asked to marry you.’ he said.

  ‘How do you know I’m so innocent?’ she asked inquisitively.

  ‘It was written all over your face.’ He said and smiled. ‘You were flushed, affronted and angry.’ He laughed at her expression of disgust. ‘If you were experienced in any way, you would have reacted completely differently.’

  ‘Yes, I see your point. And as an experienced man, you would know.’

  ‘I would indeed. Now that kind of activity should take place on your wedding night with the man of your choice.’

  ‘Is it painful?’ she asked blatantly.

  ‘I really think you should talk to my mother about that.’

  ‘But I’m asking you. Is it?’ she asked and he looked at the innocence and curiosity in her heart shaped face. Her blue eyes challenging him to be honest.

  ‘I can’t say as I’ve had any complaints, but I understand that the first time can be a little uncomfortable.’ He said frankly as she ducked under the horse’s neck and approached him until he was drowning in her eyes.

  ‘I would really like for you to show me.’

  ‘I can’t do that!’ he blurted out and was sorry when he saw her frown.

  She laid her hand on his chest, where the front of his shirt was open and scratched her nails in his chest hair. ‘I want you to.’ She looked up with her piercing eyes. ‘I want to feel what it’s like.’ He could see the slope of her breasts as he looked down and it took all his self control not to look at them.

  ‘Marry me and I can do it all night long on our wedding night.’ He begged hoarsely.

  She shook her head slowly. ‘Love me now, and then I’ll give you my answer.’

  His breath gusted out of his chest as he lost all resolve. He shook his head, trying to deny that this was happening, but still he reached out and slowly removed the pins from her hair, inhaling sharply as it cascaded into his hands like strands of gold fibre. ‘This is both wrong and dangerous.’ He muttered as she stepped closer and clasped the front of his shirt in her fists, looking up into his face. He felt his manhood swell and moaned softly. ‘So innocent.’ He murmured as he lowered his head to kiss her sweet lips and this time there was no gasp, she opened her lips deliberately and her tongue touched his inquisitively. But her kisses were artless and innocent, making him more aroused than he’d ever been in his life. It throbbed in time with his racing heart. Suddenly he threw caution to the wind and ducked, wrapping his arm about the back of her knees causing her to fold over his shoulder. She gasped as he lifted her with ease and strode across the stable to the ladder up to the hay loft. She was so light; it wasn’t even a hindrance as he quickly ascended. He checked that nobody else was in the loft and located a secluded area. He saw a horse blanket nearby, so he grabbed it, spreading it out and dumped her down in the hay. He threw himself down, scooped her into his arms and kissed her determinedly. He pulled his lips away and looked down at her and murmured again. ‘So innocent.’

  She stroked her fingers in his hair. ‘Then teach me, so I won’t be so innocent, especially on our wedding night.’

  He gasped as he realised what she’d said. ‘Oh! My love.’ He whispered and kissed her so softly, lingering his lips over hers and stroking her lips with his tongue. ‘If at any time you become afraid,’ he whispered ‘just hit me on the shoulder and I’ll stop.’

  Sarah lay in his arms and her heart was hammering. It was such a wanton thing to do, but she had to know, if she left it to the wedding night, she would be tied to him forever with no way out, if he was abusive in anyway. She had heard Elizabeth scream too many times and Verity had told her about Edward and how violent he was. But both Robert and Johnny had reputations as rakes, which meant to her, they were experienced and caring, otherwise the women wouldn’t want to know.

  In a rush she reached down to lift her dress and Argyll stopped her. ‘No, my love. Let me do that when you’re ready.’ He smiled down at her petrified face. ‘I will be slow and deliberate and I won’t do anything to frighten you if I can help it.’ He kissed her gently. ‘Just relax and enjoy it. There is nothing in the world like the first time.’

  Carefully he kissed her neck, sliding his tongue around her ear, tracing his lips down her neck, gently kissing the hollow in her throat and he felt it vibrate as she moaned. He continued with the kissing for a few minutes more, before he opened her dress.

  She was deliriously happy with the way his lips felt as they kissed her throat and neck and wasn’t even aware of him opening the back of her gown until his lips suddenly traced down her right breast and engulfed her nipple, making her gasp. Her breasts suddenly felt tight and wanting as if they needed more and in the next breath he sucked gently on her nipple making her body quiver. She felt an enormous surge of something between her thighs and gasped again.

  He kept her attention on his mouth as he sucked and tormented her nipples, but with his free hand, he slowly stroked his palm up her stockinged calf, over her knee until he felt that silky band of bare skin. He continued up over her hip until his hand was resting on her lower belly. He looked down at his hand as his fingers stroked her golden triangle of pubic hair and gasped as her legs fell apart for him. ‘Oh! Sarah!’ he murmured and kissed her with every ounce of pent up passion in his soul, as his hand slid down and his fingers touched her sex. She jumped and tensed, so he pulled his lips away, smiled down at her frightened face and whispered. ‘Relax, I won’t hurt you.’ She took a deep breath and smiled nodding her head.

  Slowly he stroked and gently he invaded and she started to writhe. He looked down on the astonishment on her face and smiled gently, touched deeply by her trust.

  Never before had she felt such sensations. She had the overwhelming urge to move her hips and then she couldn’t stop it as she became wrapped up in the overpowering sensations besieging her body. ‘Oh! God! Johnny!’ burst from her lips as he teased and tormented her tiny untouched clitoris. He started to stroke backwards and forwards, and he gasped as her passageway opened for him and he felt her spasm as he slipped his finger in an
d then eased it out again.

  ‘You’re ready, now.’ He murmured and quickly he flicked open the flap of his britches and settled himself over her and stared down into her face. ‘Relax, my love.’ He whispered and manoeuvred his penis into her entrance. He kissed her again, pulled her legs further up into a better position and slowly pushed his manhood in to the hilt. He moaned as he felt her spasm again at the unexpected intrusion. He waited for her to relax, as he looked down into her face. It took some self restraint for him not to just take her and his body trembled with the need for release.

  She was unsure at first, as he came over her body and she felt the pressure of him, but he seemed so sure and then he was filling her to bursting point, she felt a slight sting and then it was past and he was asking her to relax again.

  ‘Is that all there is to it?’ she asked innocently and he laughed.

  ‘No my love, we’ve barely started. This is just the first hurdle, now we can finish the course.’ He whispered and slowly he moved, pulling himself out and pushing in again and at first she wasn’t overly impressed, but suddenly her body began to move of its own volition and every time he pushed in she lifted her hips to meet him and the sensations started to overwhelm her as she wanted more and it was building like a fire in her veins. She could hear her blood rushing in her ears and feel her heart pounding in her chest and the fire exploded in her groin, making her convulse as she felt his essence spurt into her. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held onto his rigid body as he jerked in ecstasy with each pulse of his member as it forced his sperm into her womb. ‘I love you, Sarah!’ finally burst from him in an exhalation of pent up breath. ‘Oh! How I love you.’ His body relaxed as he propped himself up on his elbows and looked down into her face. He saw an expression of wonder.

  He felt a rush of tenderness, as he acknowledged the gift she had just bestowed upon him. He felt humbled, that she should honour him with this gift. As he watched her eyes, he saw the cloak of innocence fall away in a knowing smile.