Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
The sun was setting and Mari’s tummy fluttered knowing that tonight she would be sharing Theo’s bed. As his wife.
She’d been anxious ever since Papa had mentioned a visit to London.
It was a completely kind and thoughtful offer to take her to an exhibition in London in order to see monkeys.
How she had longed to attend one of the many events happening in the city, but alas, her time had been spent…
well, it had not allowed for any leisure activities.
Sometimes she promised herself that when she had the opportunity, she would explore the city, but when the time came, she was simply too tired to leave her little room on the third floor of the townhouse which had once been her home and soon turned into her worst nightmare.
But, that was all in the past now. She was a duchess.
Dinner with Theo in the grand dining room of Willowmere had helped to relieve some of her nerves.
She gave her new husband all the credit for that because he had kept up a steady stream of conversation that put her at ease, telling stories of his life growing up at Willowmere Estate and the adventures and shenanigans he had had as a little boy.
It was hard to imagine the handsome, broad-shouldered man sitting next to her as a child, but when his blue eyes lit up at the recollections, she could almost see it.
She wondered if their children would have the same escapades in the grand home. Her heart fluttered anew thinking of providing a loving home for children. Children she would bear for Theo.
When the meal was over, Theo took her on a short tour of the gardens in the twilight and it was even more romantic than any of the romance novels that Poppy had snuck out of Nurse Lister’s private study.
“The gardens here are beautiful,” she said, gazing around, enjoying the view as well as the sensation of her hand tucked tightly into the crook of her husband’s arm. “I did not think any gardens could be more beautiful than those at Talcott House, but these put them to shame.”
He stopped in the middle of a garden path and turned to face her, gently removing her hand from his arm and holding it between both of his. The warmth of his hands moved through her like a delicious wave of happiness.
“Thank you, darling girl. But no matter their size, the gardens at Talcott House will always hold a special place in my heart because that is where I met you.”
Her breath caught in her throat as she gazed up at him. “That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me,” she whispered.
“Well, my sweet bride, you should be prepared because I intend to say nice things to you every day.”
Then he drew her close and kissed her. Softly at first, but it soon built until the intensity had her grasping at the lapels of his coat and pushing her body as tightly to his as she could.
When the kiss ended, he tipped her face up until their gazes met.
His blue eyes darkened with heat. “It is time I make you mine, Marigold.”
How he had managed to get her into his bedchamber without stopping along the way to tear her clothes off and plunge into her, Theo had no idea, but he considered it no small miracle and a feat of self-control when he finally shut, and locked, the door to his private sanctuary.
Drawing in several deep breaths, he forced himself to put aside his own mad desires and focus on what was important—initiating his bride into the pleasures of the marital bed.
Taking his bride’s hand in his, he walked over and sat on the bed, drawing her to stand between his knees.
“You’re trembling, sweet Mari,” he said, rubbing his thumb over the top of her hand.
“I am nervous,” she said, staring past his shoulder and not meeting his eyes.
“Thank you for telling me that,” he said, giving her hand a squeeze. “That is exactly what I was talking about in your nursery. Let me help you. Can you trust me to do that?”
His breath caught as he waited for her answer. As a duke, he was accustomed to an immediate yes to every request.
“Yes, Papa,” she said slowly, returning her gaze to him. “I can trust you to do that.”
“That makes me very happy, Mari,” he said, drawing her into his arms and claiming her mouth in a kiss.
All day he had been kissing her, each time a little more intensely.
Finally, he pressed his tongue against the seam of her lips and probed the inside of her mouth.
She let out a small gasp but then clung to him, her tongue shyly entwining with his.
As they kissed, he ran his hands down the length of her spine until he felt some of the tension in her shoulders dissipate. Then he worked the buttons at the back of her gown until it was open down to her waist.
The kiss ended and when he pulled away Mari’s lips were rosy from his kisses.
She looked up at him and blushed. When she glanced down and saw that the front of her dress was loosened due to the buttons at the back being opened, her eyes went wide and she pressed her hands to her chest, holding the garment in place.
“Come, little Mari,” Theo said, drawing her hands away from her gown. “We are husband and wife, Papa and little girl. We shall share everything together, including our bodies.”
She gaped at him for a long moment before saying, “I-I do not know what to do.”
“I promise to treat you with care. Do you trust me?”
“Y-yes,” she said, her voice growing a bit stronger. “I trust you, Theo.”
“Good girl,” he said, his heart bursting with affection for his darling bride.
Taking hold of the cuffs of her gown, he gently pulled her sleeves down, revealing first the delicate curves of her shoulders, then her upper arms and finally, the top half of her chemise which covered the swell of her breasts.
Theo’s breath caught when he noted the pink tips of her tight nipples through the gauzy fabric of her undergarment.
With a sense of wonder, he reached out and stroked a thumb over first one peak and then the other.
His bride inhaled sharply and squirmed from foot to foot.
“Papa?” She gazed up at him with wonder.
“Did that feel good, sweet Mari?”
She glanced away. “Remember, little bride, you are to be honest with me and tell me when you are feeling uneasy.”
Returning her gaze to him she said, while a delightful blush filled her cheeks, “I have never experienced a feeling like that.”
“Did you enjoy it?”
“Very much,” she said, glancing up at him from beneath her lashes. “Will there be more?”
“Oh my darling girl, so much more.”
Taking her question as an indication to continue, he tugged the dress all the way down to her waist and then past her slender hips until it pooled on the floor between them.
His breath stalled in his chest as he took in the figure of his bride wearing only her chemise, a pair of lacy stockings and her shoes. As much as he wanted to tear away every shred of her clothing and toss her upon the bed, he refrained from doing so.
“Put your hands on my shoulders,” he told her and when she complied, he leaned down and removed her shoes. Then he reached up under her chemise and untied the ribbons holding up her stockings.
Mari remained in place, but he felt her shudder when his fingers skimmed over the flesh of her calf.
“Such a brave girl,” he whispered, his voice growing thick with longing.
“Please, Papa,” she said, “I appreciate that you are taking your time but I am feeling most… unsettled.”
She shifted from bare foot to bare foot and the scent of her arousal drifted up to him, making his cock harden painfully in his trousers.
“What is happening to me?” she asked as her squirming intensified.
Mari was most desperate at the moment. Her body thrummed, like a million fireflies were flittering over her skin and something deep inside urged her forward though toward what, she had no idea. All she knew was that she had an undefined but fervent urge.
Her face felt flush. Parts of her body that she only ever touched for the briefest of moments and for personal hygiene purposes tingled.
She kept her hands on her husband’s shoulders as he straightened from removing her shoes and stockings. Only her sheer chemise covered her body, yet she was as warm as if she were wearing a woolen coat.
Theo straightened, put his hands on her hips and drew her against his body. He continued to sit on the edge of the bed. His firm thighs bracketed hers and her tummy pressed against hardness in his crotch area.
Nurse Lister had mentioned that her husband would become engorged. After that, Mari’s head had gone all fuzzy with embarrassment.
“What is happening, my darling bride, is that you are becoming aroused. My kisses and my touches have stirred your passion.”
“Oh,” she said, feeling heat all over her body.
He took her hand and rested it over the bulge in his trousers. “I am aroused as well. I desire you very much and I am looking forward to our lovemaking.”
A soft moan escaped Mari’s mouth.
He reached for the hem of her chemise. “Do you trust me to take care of you and give you pleasure?”
She stared at him for a breathless moment. “Yes, Papa, I do.”
He raised the hem of her chemise and she lifted her arms so he could fully remove it, leaving her standing before him completely in the nude. She watched her husband as his gaze ran over her body and then returned to her eyes. “You are stunning, my sweet bride. I will always cherish you.”
His hands skimmed down her back and cupped her bottom, sending searing pulses through her. Though she had no experience in such matters, Mari had a sudden desire to touch her husband, caress his body and learn the secrets that men and women share.
She pressed her hands flat against his chest, then grabbed at the lapels of his coat and tugged.
Theo took her hands in his. “You have suddenly become quite eager, my little bride. I am quite pleased by that.”
“I do not understand these urges,” Mari said, her breath stalling in her chest. “Nurse Lister tried to explain, but, oh, Papa, help me.”