Chapter 17 #2
Adeline collapsed onto the far end of the sofa, laughter bubbling.
Their eyes met, and something shifted. The merriment quieted, leaving only the sound of their breaths.
She leaned forward before her courage could fail, her tongue darting to taste a smear of cream from his jaw.
The movement was bold, reckless, and set her pulse racing.
Winston’s hand came up, cupping her face, and his mouth claimed hers with answering fire.
The kiss deepened urgently, erasing anger and pride alike until nothing remained but desire.
Adeline lowered herself to the floor beside him, not noticing the sponge concoction that transferred itself from Winston’s face to hers until she broke away from him, gasping for breath and tasting chocolate on her lips.
She ran her tongue around her mouth then squealed in surprise as Winston rose onto his knees to kiss a smear of pudding from her nose.
He ran his hand down his face, collecting pudding as it went.
Then he smeared the result onto her neck.
He bore her down to the chaise, mouth fastened upon her throat but intent on cleaning her of pudding.
Adeline felt ecstatic, her body settling against the chaise limply.
She pulled at the laces of his shirt, then rubbed her hand across his chest. Winston obliged by seizing the opening of his shirt in both hands and ripping it asunder.
It gave before his strength with a long tearing sound.
Adeline ran her tongue along the firm muscles of Winston’s chest, marveling at his physique.
Her body was afire with this surreal game that they played.
She had never heard of the like but found it intensely exciting.
As Winston’s body pressed against hers it seemed that he did too.
The evidence of it was there. Adeline impatiently opened his waistcoat, pushing it back from his shoulders and pulling it down his arms, then yanking the shirt from the waistband of his breeches.
She was hungry for his body now. For the feel of his flat stomach and the powerfully defined abdominal muscles.
For the feel of his body atop hers, pinning her down, demanding satisfaction, and leaving her helpless to do anything but give it.
It took a few minutes of frantic, uncoordinated movement to strip Winston to the waist.
He supported himself on one arm above her, letting her explore his body with trembling hands.
He caressed her breasts through her dress, running his hands down to her waist, her hips, then her thighs.
Adeline remembered the act he had committed upon her body previously.
It made her heart thunder and her knees tremble.
She vividly remembered the detonations it had triggered in her body. The glorious energy it had unleashed.
“Is this to be the last time?” she asked.
Winston frowned. “What do you mean?” he breathed.
“I resigned from the role of governess.”
“And that means you are leaving?” Winston said in confusion.
“No, there are other reasons.”
“What?”
“I will not be your mistress,” Adeline said simply.
I should not be doing this. I should not have given in. This is tying me to Winston and Louisa as surely as if they had chained me up.
Part of her wanted him to say that if she would not be his lover out of wedlock, then…
But he remained silent and inscrutable, looking down at her.
She stared back, unwilling to back down and screaming at herself to reverse course.
She was challenging him to persuade her.
To make her stay. But that was not what she wanted.
Isn’t it? You could have packed tonight. Instead, you destroyed evidence and spied on Winston.
“Do you still love your wife?” she asked, the memory of finding the cameo suddenly alive in her mind.
Why else keep her image somewhere private where it does not need to be shared with anyone else?
“I never did,” he whispered, kissing her neck with feather-light brushes of his lips.
Then why dig out her image when you are drunk? What hold can she have other than love?
But any further words were cut short by the noise from outside.
A door opened and closed. The sound of footsteps descended stone steps and moved onto the lawn.
Winston looked towards the window, frowning.
Then a sudden realization seemed to strike him.
He leaped from the chase and vaulted it to reach the window.
Adeline sat up.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I cannot see. There is no moon!” Winston snarled.
He tore from the room. Adeline scrambled to her feet, picked up her skirts and ran after him.
It did not take long to realize that Winston was running for Louisa’s room.
That knowledge left a chill in Adeline’s veins.
It turned to ice when she saw that the door to Louisa’s room was wide open.
Winston had disappeared inside but now he came out.
“She is not there.”
“Where could she be?” Adeline said incredulously.
“Anywhere. When she was young, she was a sleepwalker. I fear the ailment has returned.”
“She must have gone outside!” Adeline exclaimed, remembering the sounds of the door and the footsteps they had heard outside.
They both ran. Along the way, Adeline paused to remove her shoes. Then she continued running in stockinged feet towards the nearest door that would lead them to the gardens. To Louisa.