4. Chapter 4
Chapter 4
R osina had to give the duke credit for his efforts. He had certainly worked hard to earn an audience with her. She found it amusing, especially when Miss Stone made such a show to get him to carry her back inside. The chit was certainly trying her hardest to snag a duke.
Rosina could tell the man was annoyed to no end by the situation, but he did what was expected of him, then was right back in her sphere, trying to catch her attention. It felt good to be pursued. Her other arrangements began because she selected the men and was the one to do the pursuing.
She found she enjoyed being chased a bit, almost as if she were being courted, which was a silly notion since she didn’t wish for such nonsense. But she was still a woman, and she could admit that part of her longed to be desired and wanted, and that certainly seemed to be the case with the duke.
“Well, the first requirement is attraction, my dear duke.” She grinned up at him as they continued on their slow stroll.
“And do I meet that requirement?” he asked, playing the part of the haughty duke.
“I suppose.”
“Minx,” he hissed. “I am willing to admit that you very much meet the requirement for me if you must know. What else?”
Even if she had suspected he found her attractive, a lady always relished hearing such things, especially from a man as handsome as the one beside her. And he was a duke, so women threw themselves at him, leaving him with plenty of options.
“I require discretion. Many may assume if you spend time in my company that we have an arrangement of sorts, but we need not confirm it for them. Let them wonder and assume.”
“That would be a requirement for me as well, so I am in agreement.”
“That brings us to the most important requirement. No talk of marriage.” She glanced up at him to ascertain his reaction. “If you are seeking your duchess, I am not the woman for you to keep in your company. I have no desire to wed.”
“It should seem we are on the same page in all things, my lady. I am most certainly not seeking a duchess, nor do I wish to wed for a very long time, if ever.”
She smirked at him. “If you are truly agreeable to the arrangement, then you are welcome to sneak into my bedchamber, Duke.”
He stopped walking and turned her to face him. “I have a couple of requirements of my own.”
Well, perhaps the man would make things interesting.
“Go on, Your Grace,” she said, nodding for him to continue.
“I won’t make any grand gestures of love, nor do I expect anything from you, other than your sole attention.”
She eyed him curiously. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that even men avoiding marriage don’t wish to share the woman they take to bed. So if you have something going already with Craven, or any other gentleman, this won’t work.”
Rosina laughed. “Nick? Oh, my dear duke, I would never take up such a relationship with the man. Nor do I have any other arrangements.” She paused to smirk at him. “So can I also assume you won’t be sneaking off to alcoves with the simpering misses who are clamoring for your attention?”
“I told you already. I only came here for you,” he replied, his eyes already consumed with desire. “So now that we have settled those terms, that brings me to my last requirement.” He paused and drew a breath. “Even though our arrangement isn’t one based on feelings, I still get to kiss you.”
She couldn’t help but lick her lips from thinking about kissing the man. She wasn’t opposed to kissing as it would heighten the intensity of the wicked things they would do. “I hope you will use your mouth on me in many ways, Your Grace.”
His breath hitched from her words, and she glanced at his crotch, catching sight of the large ridge that took shape. She glanced around and noted they were far away from the others and there was a tall row of bushes beside the house.
Rosina pushed him back against the side of the house, behind the cover of the bushes where she knew they wouldn’t be seen, and pressed her hand against the bulge, gripping him. He certainly wouldn’t disappoint. “Do you wish to kiss me now, Duke?”
He didn’t speak and responded by pulling her against him and pressing his lips to hers. The electricity of their lips touching unleashed something inside of her, and she immediately opened to him and swept her tongue into his mouth. He seemed timid in the kiss, but she reasoned she had caught him off guard.
She tasted the tea on his breath from breakfast and massaged her tongue harder against his. Enjoying the low growls he released into their kiss, she pressed her body harder against his.
They couldn’t continue much longer without the risk of someone coming upon them, and she was already going to be in a state of dissatisfaction until later that evening, when he visited her for the first time. She suckled his tongue and gave his bottom lip a light nip before she pulled away.
Placing her hand back into the crook of his arm, she pulled him away from the house so they strolled in the open again. “Does that mean you shall come tonight, Duke?” The double meaning in her words was completely intended, and she smirked at him.
“You must show me where your chamber is, minx. I am uncertain how I will wait until tonight.”
She shrugged. “At least it shall be worth the wait.”
“I have no doubt about that, my lady.”
Rosina didn’t doubt it either. She hadn’t wanted a man as much as she wanted the one before her in a long time. The realization frightened her only for a moment until she reminded herself that it had been a bit since her last encounter and her body anticipated what she knew would await her that evening. If the size of his bulge in her hand was any indication, she was in for a thrilling evening, indeed.
Rosina separated herself from the duke after their stroll. Many of the guests would assume that they had become friendly, but it would be best to avoid constantly remaining in each other’s company if they hoped to keep the rumor from spreading beyond the house party after they all departed at the end of the fortnight. She hoped that though the guests might suspect, they would long forget to spread the gossip once they returned home.
She had been seated near the man at dinner, which made it only proper that she engaged him in a bit of light conversation along with the other guests who sat nearby. It had been a pleasant meal, with lively conversation. One of the more enjoyable evenings she’d had in a long time, she realized. It surprised her how much she enjoyed speaking with him, and the surrounding guests, about all manner of topics.
After dinner, they all congregated in the salon, and she did her best to avoid ending up in the same groups with him. She had been successful at maintaining distance between them, but it didn’t stop her from glancing at the man every chance she got. There was something charming about the handsome duke, and it affected her in ways that alarmed her. Not enough to change her mind about coupling with the man, but enough that she didn’t wish to think any further about why she had such a reaction.
If she were honest with herself, she was nervous about his visit to her chamber later that evening. Her confidence in her prowess in the bedchamber was strong, yet she had an intense desire to please him more than she had with the other partners. Something she hadn’t felt in a long time. Not since Ry. She closed her eyes and drew a steadying breath at the memory of her dear husband.
“Everything all right, my lady?” a rich baritone asked beside her. She glanced up at the duke and gave him a small grin.
“Have you changed your mind about our arrangement?” he asked, concern in his furrowed brow.
She shook off her previous thoughts. “No, Duke. Of course not. You recall which chamber is mine?”
“Take a left from the grand staircase and then the fourth door on the right,” he whispered, his bottom lip brushing her ear. She shivered from the sensation that coursed through her body.
“You have a good memory.”
“Well, you made me repeat it to you five times. Six, including that one.”
She hid her laugh behind her hand. “Well, we can’t have you stumbling into the chamber of some innocent miss. You’d have your duchess before the night was out.”
He scanned the room, ensuring they would still go unheard. “How do I know you aren’t tricking me and the directions aren’t to your chamber?” His tone was one of jest, but perhaps just a slight undertone of concern that she might play such a trick on him.
“You will just have to sneak in tonight and see who you shall find waiting, Duke.” She winked at him. “On that note, I believe I am headed for my bed this evening. I do hope you have a good night, Your Grace.”
Rosina caught Lily’s eye and nodded towards the door. Lily understood her meeting and said something to Lord Knox, then joined Rosina’s side. Rosina looped her arm through Lily’s, and they set off towards the staircase.
“What do you think of Lord Knox so far?” Rosina asked once they were out of earshot from the other guests.
There was something hesitant in Lily’s expression. “I’m not certain. He appears to be a kind man. I shall need more time to better ascertain his character.”
“You have many more days to spend in his presence. I am certain you will know your mind on the matter soon.”
Lily sighed. “I don’t think it matters anyway since my father is the one making the arrangements.”
“Your father shouldn’t force you to marry someone to further his own standing,” Rosina ground out. She would give Lily’s father a piece of her mind if it came to it. Her mother, too.
“Enough about that,” Lily said. “Tell me about the duke. I assume he is to be your…friend…for the duration of the house party?”
Rosina’s cheeks heated, and she wasn’t certain why. She wasn’t the type of woman to blush at the thought of a man. “You are correct. We are aligned with what we seek from each other.”
“I hope he is everything and more,” Lily said, then nudged Rosina with her shoulder. “Perhaps I’ll know one day what it is to have such experiences.”
They reached the top of the staircase and took the left towards their chambers.
“Indeed, you shall. Just remember what I told you the night we met. Only one man shall matter.”
When they reached Lily’s door, the third door on the right, Lily clasped both of Rosina’s hands in hers. “You seem to believe in love for everyone but yourself.”
She squeezed Lily’s hands. “I’ve already had my love, and that part of myself died and was buried in the cold dirt with him.” Rosina tamped down the thoughts of Ry for the second time that evening, refusing to let her emotions get the better of her. “Now go on. I have a duke to get ready for.”
Rosina was almost certain that Lily wished to say more, but she released Rosina’s hands and they both departed into their respective chambers.
Her lady’s maid, Molly, was waiting for her once Rosina was on the other side of her chamber door.
“I assume you won’t be alone this evening, my lady,” Molly said, smirking at her and pulling out a sheer night rail.
Molly knew everything about her life, given that she had been with Rosina since she was a girl of five-and-ten. She was there when Rosina fell in love, when she married, and she was the one who held Rosina’s hand and tried to force her to eat when she was devastated in the wake of her grief after Ry’s passing. Molly had also been there the entire time since, encouraging Rosina to pick up the pieces of her life.
“You assume correctly,” Rosina replied, turning so that Molly could unfasten the buttons of her dress.
“Please tell me it is that handsome duke I caught a glimpse of. The other maids were tittering about him.”
Rosina laughed. “It is, in fact, the very duke.”
“As long as he treats you right, my lady,” Molly said protectively. “Duke or not.”
“I’m sure we shall pass a pleasant evening. He is surprisingly not as haughty and demanding as I might have expected. The title hasn’t gone to his head yet.”
Molly laughed. “Then you might still have time to tame him to be what you want.” She pulled the dress over Rosina’s head, then helped to remove her stays, chemise, and stockings. Rosina slipped the night rail over herself and then moved to the washbasin.
Rosina completed her evening ablutions while Molly tended to putting the worn garments away. After Rosina finished, Molly held out a purple satin robe for her and once she donned it, she tied it closed with the sash around her waist. Motioning for Rosina to sit at the mirror, Molly began brushing Rosina’s hair as soon as she did so.
The pair chatted about some of the on dit from the servants that Molly had overheard, and who Rosina believed might pair up at the house party. With so many in close quarters and places to sneak off to, it was almost guaranteed that at least one couple would make such a declaration. It was a fun game to speculate about who the happy couple or couples might be.
Once Rosina’s long blond hair was brushed, she had Molly leave it loose around her shoulders. Why bother putting it up when the handsome duke would just release it?
Molly departed after adding a couple more logs to the fire, and Rosina stared at herself in the mirror. Something nagged at her, but she wasn’t certain what it was, or if she wished to explore it further. She had developed the practice of pushing such thoughts aside as a way of coping with the loss of Ry.
A knock sounded at her door. “Enter,” she called out in a loud whisper.
Rosina stood from her seat and turned to see the duke sweep into her chamber, then close the door behind himself without so much as a sound other than the turn of the lock.
“So it would seem you didn’t trick me,” he said.
She took a few steps closer. “There are far more fun ways to toy with you, Duke.”
Even in the low lighting from the candles and the roaring fire, she could see the tempting bulge forming between the duke’s thighs. He certainly was quite reactive and easy to entice.
“You look beautiful, Lady Preston,” he said, eyeing her from head to toe.
“Please call me Rosina, Duke. And I don’t require pretty words, Your Grace. You needn’t be afraid to dispense with such pretense and say what you wish in moments of passion. All I require from you is an orgasm and respect.”
He choked on the night air. “I shall do my best to tend to both.”
“And as for your own climax. You may spend in my mouth or my arse but never inside my cunt.”
That time he choked harder, and it took him several coughs to recover. “What?”
“I know it should go without saying, but it’s best to establish such rules up front. Given we have no desire to wed, we must do what we can to avoid an unexpected surprise.”
He patted his chest, and after a few moments, seemed to have his coughing fit under control. She assumed he wasn’t used to hearing a lady so boldly set the terms of such encounters, but she didn’t wish to wait to have the conversation when his cock was inside of her.
“I quite agree.” His words came out low and gravelly.
She took the remaining steps to close the distance between them and began working the buttons of his coat. “Very well, Your Grace. Where would you like to begin?”
He grabbed her wrist to halt her movements. “There is something else we must discuss first.”
Rosina eyed him curiously. “Of course, please continue.”
“I…uh…well…”
She wasn’t certain she had ever heard a duke struggle to find his words and simply speak what was on his mind. Rosina nodded to him, urging him to continue. What could possibly be so difficult for him to say to her?
“It’s just that I have never actually…been intimate with anyone.” He closed his eyes, and she believed his face would be the color of a beet if he were illuminated by more than candlelight.
Rosina did her best to hide her shock, to not make him feel more embarrassed than he clearly already was about his admission. “Oh…well…” But she struggled to find her own words. Of anything he might have shared with her, she hadn’t expected that.
“It should go without saying that I require your discretion in this matter.”
She nodded. “Of course.”
He ran his hands along his thighs. “I hoped you might tutor me.”
“Tutor you?” She did her best to keep her face even, still in shock at what had been shared, and far too curious about how and why he had remained a virgin, when most men took to brothels and doxies as soon as they could.
“Yes.” He sighed. “I want to experience everything and learn what to do for you.”
Something about the idea of teaching him the art of coupling made her heart race and her thighs damp. He would be hers to mold and tame, at least for the duration of the house party. The duke expected her to tell him exactly what she wanted and how to give it to her, and the notion was thrilling.
Grinning at him, she licked her lips. “I shall be your willing tutor.”