A Priceless Gift: A Regency Romance (14 page)

“That is understandable. I’m glad that your father is not looking down on us now, with the rest of your ancestors.”

Lucian grinned suddenly. “Oh, I don’t know. If he knew what we are doing to the family and that we are planning to live in bourgeois virtue, he would turn in his grave.” He kissed her hand. “You are a pearl among wives, not to recoil in horror at this tale. I can only say, I regret I come to you so tainted by the past.”

“The past is over, however bad. Let us build a better future for the twins and ourselves,” Amanda proposed.

By the time Lucian had been home for five weeks, Amanda wondered when he would proceed to the next stage of their relationship. They had become friends and spoke of any subject under the sun; although, for some reason unclear to herself, she had not brought herself to talk to him of his sister’s recipe book, securely hidden at the bottom of a trunk. Purely to pass the time, she had assembled the ingredients of the dangerous liver remedy. It had not been that hard—apart from that spider, until she had discovered that ‘copper spider’ was a local name for a common variety of arachnid. If she decided to brew the potion, she could probably find some hibernating in the attics.

But between the twins, suckled by two rival wet nurses now, and Lucian’s stimulating company, she had little time for that project. Her husband proved a fount of knowledge on a surprising variety of subjects, and she took full advantage of his willingness to teach her, since in London an ignorant woman would be easy game for the fops and wits he described in appalling detail.

“You mentioned the other day that men have, um, relations with other men sometimes?” she recalled one afternoon as they were playing dominoes after lunch.

He added a tile. “In boarding schools the practice is fairly prevalent. My best friend at Eton preferred men to females and still does. Max persuaded me to try what he found so exciting and delightful. But, despite our friendship, I found I did not care for it and I haven’t tried again.”

Amanda could not help feeling relief. She wanted to ask what that attempt had been like and how the mechanics worked—surely an essential part for connecting two bodies was missing? But that would betray a prurient curiosity. “This friend, Max, does not care for the love of women at all?”

“No, and as he’s a Viscount it is quite a problem for him. Actually a fair number of men are like that. Some pretend to be entrenched bachelors. Others claim they like the fair sex, and so they may, only not where bed sport is concerned. Then again, some men switch, enjoying both sexes alternately. The ancient Greeks were like that, quite openly; a man could have a wife at home and a male lover at the same time. But certain men are simply not interested or even physically unable to make love to women at all. They have to be more discreet than the ancient Greeks, since it is illegal to have a male lover. But the law has not eradicated the practice and never will.”

Amanda thought that over. “If some men don’t care to bed women, that is their loss,” she concluded. “Is it possible that your secretary, Mr. Tennant, is one of those men who prefer other men?”

Lucian shook his head. “No. Whatever made you suspect it?”

“Mattie has been trying to interest him in an affair, but he has not responded as we would have expected to her broad hints. Though, if he does like women, perhaps he has some prior attachment we do not know of?”

Lucian chuckled as he distributed the carved ivory tiles for a new round. “I had not taken your prim cousin to be so adventurous. Once again, appearances are deceptive. She has the air of an eminently virtuous woman, and I am something of an expert in the matter.”

Amanda playfully boxed him in the arm. “Of course she is virtuous! She told me she misses the marriage bed and the
bliss
she found there with her husband. As a widow, according to her, nobody would take it very amiss if she had a discreet affair.”

“Nor would they. Her hints cannot have been broad enough, for Tennant wants to marry her, rather than just have an affair. Do you think she would be amenable?”

Amanda blinked in surprise. “In a heartbeat. Are you sure? I would never have guessed from his correct behaviour. But if they are to marry, it would be a good thing. You are right; at heart Mattie is a virtuous and respectable woman, who would feel happier as a faithful wife than as a fast widow.”

He re-distributed the tiles for a new round. “You would not miss her services?”

“Not when I have my husband and children around me. We would still be friends and visit. I presume they would settle in town since Tennant works there.”

“You will soon make other friends, too,” Lucian predicted. “Let’s hope Tennant can reproduce the bliss she spoke of. But if not, she’ll be able to give him hints and instruction until she’s satisfied.”

Amanda did not immediately touch her dominoes. “First they have to overcome their mutual shyness,” she pointed out. “Perhaps you could tell Tennant that I no longer need a companion now that you are returned and that Mattie may leave us soon? That might impel him to speak. I’ll have a word with Mattie herself if you are certain of Tennant’s serious interest.”

“I heard it from Tennant’s mouth when I first arrived from Russia, and I would be surprised if he changed his mind since then. He’s the steadfast type I used to look down upon before our marriage.”

Amanda studied her new tiles. There was the double six . . .

Lucian ordered his new tiles. “So Mattie misses a husband’s attentions, does she? Did she describe them to you in detail?”

Amanda frowned at him. “I had to stop her talking about it since she naturally assumed I would be familiar with these matters. My husband being known as such a famous lover. How could I satisfy my curiosity without giving away my abysmal ignorance? I pretended to be shocked and too priggish to talk to anyone about such matters.”

“Ah.” He did not raise his eyes from his dominoes.

“Of course,” Amanda said boldly, “it would be preferable if the next time the subject comes up I know what’s what and can imply that
my
experience is of a superior bliss that lesser mortals cannot even envisage.”

There was a pregnant pause before Lucian shoved the game pieces away, his eyes glinting. “Is that a challenge I hear, my lady?”

Amanda raised her chin. “You may take it as such if you like, my lord.”

“But are you sufficiently recovered, fit enough?”

Amanda nodded, unwilling to go into details.

“And,” he spoke slowly, not looking away from her eyes for a moment, “are you willing to entrust yourself to me for the experiment? I would, of course, take the greatest possible care, but after all you have already endured, I marvel that you are willing to risk it at all.”

“That first time was short and nasty. It is time I learned how it is done right, when both parties want it. I would prefer not to have another child in nine months, however—or eight and two weeks, as it turned out.”

“Nor should you. There are ways to lessen the chance of conception.”

She nodded. It stood to reason that a rake like Lucian would know all about that, although so should his father have—but no, she would not think of that villain now.

“In that case, no time like the present,” Lucian said, collecting the stones and carelessly dropping them back into their box. “Do you have anything planned for the next few hours?”

Amanda shook her head. Now the children were nursed by someone else, her days were largely unencumbered. “Mattie might miss me at dinner, but it is still hours away. Really, Lucian, in the daytime?”

“Why not? I want to see what I’m doing. Unless you’d prefer to wait until dark?”

“I want you to make me forget all about the light, or even about dinner, if you can.”

“You will regret saying that, wench.” He lifted her up and carried her into the bedroom, without even breathing hard when he deposited her on the bed and proceeded to lock the door. She expected him to join her on the bed, but he hesitated. “I need to fetch something from my rooms, since we don’t want to get you with child,” he said. “Yet I want to kiss you,
now,
and once I start, I may not be able to stop. You don’t know how long it has been and how urgently I want you.”

Amanda smiled, pleased at the implication that he had not consorted with others the whole time he had been away. “I can wait a few minutes,” she said, stretching her limbs languorously, like a cat. “Of course, I may fall asleep if you take too long.”

He was back within two minutes, with a small bag he put next to the bed. “Now, where were we?”

“You spoke of kissing,” she reminded him. “Which I take to be the first step only?”

“You will see soon enough.” Lucian stared at her for a long moment, not betraying the urgency he had mentioned earlier except by the intensity in his eyes, which were darker than usual. Just the way he looked at her, like the most delicious and precious object he’d ever come across, made Amanda feel warm all over.

Over the next half hour, she found that he could make her not only warm but also hot and shivery and tingling, with kisses and touches in the most unexpected places. She attempted to reciprocate, clumsily, but he told her that the time for all that would come later. She made a futile attempt to take mental notes, for that
later,
but within seconds he drove all conscious thought from her mind, reducing Amanda to mere feeling. But what feelings! Her clothes had vanished, and he, too, was nearly naked. How and when had he managed that?

Lucian seemed fascinated with her breasts, which had not taken great damage from her brief period of nursing, but were slightly bigger than they used to be. He lavished care and caresses on her nipples with hands and tongue and lips. Presently, one of his hands wandered downwards.

“You are so wet,” he said before kissing her again, deeply and passionately.

“I cannot help it,” she muttered. Did he have to choose such a moment to carp?

“That is
good
,” he explained when the kiss ended. “Slickness there means that a woman enjoys lovemaking and is ready for the union with her man. If you were still dry as powder at this point, I’d have to shoot myself.”

“Don’t even suggest it in jest.”

“In some cases, oils are used as a substitute,” he explained. “But enough with the lessons, we can do that later. I don’t know how much longer I can wait.”

She watched with interest as he slipped something like a thin bag over his big, straining member. “This will prevent me from catching another child?”

“It’s not entirely foolproof, but yes. This will catch my seed, so it will not take root in your womb.”

Moments later, Amanda was once again caught up in the astonishing sensations he could draw from her so easily. For the first time, she had an inkling why someone could become addicted to this, would want to experience it again and again, would miss it if suddenly deprived as in poor Mattie’s case.

“You are adorable, Amanda,” he whispered as he covered her neck and shoulders with kisses, while his fingers were doing something down there . . . to prepare her for his invasion? She had borne children, so her passage would easily accommodate him. There was nothing to be afraid of, only searing pleasure, wave after wave . . .

His stiff member slid in, easily enough. Despite herself, she had feared a repetition of the burning pain she’d felt the first time, and finally she relaxed. So the female body produced the necessary lubrication? Nobody had ever told her about that. Live and learn.

Lucian adjusted the angle as he stroked in and out, first slowly, then faster and faster, breathing hard as though he were running a race. It did not hurt in the least, was even rather agreeable, and clearly gave
him
enormous pleasure, to judge from the way Lucian completely lost himself in the activity. She liked knowing that she could provide such ecstasy, could excite and satisfy him. And as they were married, it was even her duty and guilt-free for both.

After a few minutes, not more than five or six, Lucian stiffened with a muffled shout. That, she knew, was when the seed spurted into a woman’s body. For a moment, she almost regretted the thin barrier between them that would prevent it from reaching its goal; but it was too soon. Maybe in a year or two she would not mind bearing him a child, now she knew that the experience was survivable.

In the meantime, she’d get him to demonstrate the pleasurable activity every chance she got.

“Forgive me,” he said in a strained voice. “At the end there, I completely lost my composure and control. I must suppose because it is
you
, different from anyone else. After all my boasts! I am humbled.”

Amanda grinned at his evident chagrin, thrilled that she could so affect him. He had made
her
lose all sense of time and place, and turnaround was fair play. “But you enjoyed it, Lucian?”

“That you even ask shows how much you still have to learn.”

“Well,
tutor,
get on with my education then,” she demanded, stroking her palm over his muscled chest. “While we rest a while, you could explain and critique what we have just done.”

His smile was rueful. “Most men need a little respite after love-making. With a young, energetic wife like you, that may not be easy. Some women feel perky and energised afterwards.”

She stretched. “I think I am one of them, and also intensely curious and more than willing to try again as soon as you are rested.”

He groaned. “You’ll be my death yet. No matter, I shall gladly devote my declining years to keeping you happy in bed, Amanda. If I can.”

“You can—you do.” She kissed him, allowing her lips and the tip of her tongue to brush over his the way he had done earlier. “If you’d let me do some of the work, you might not feel so exhausted now.”