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Authors: Helen Hardt

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BOOK: Lady Alexandra's Lover
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“Oh? You didn’t before?”

“No, I don’t mean it that way. She’s a lovely woman. Very pretty and smart and she clearly cares deeply for him. I’m talking about her strength—the strength she passed onto you.”

“If I’d been stronger, I’d have gotten all three of us out of there.”

“For God’s sake, you were only a child. And your mother was bound to him by law. There truly was nothing you could do.”

“Still…” Her hands itched, the same feeling she used to get when her mind was nearly exploding with all the thinking she did about how to get them out of his house. Again the invisible worms climbed upon her arms and legs. She’d learned long ago that brushing them away was futile.

She’d learned long ago that a lot of things were futile.

Evan held her against his strong body, and she found comfort there.

“Nothing like that will ever happen to you again. I promise you.”

“You’re right about that,” she said. “I made myself that same promise the day the bastard died.” And she had. No one would ever beat her down again. And never again would she worry about not having enough money. She’d see to that. “Goodness, enough about me. Tell me a bit about yourself.”

“I’ve had a very good life,” he said. “Even as a second son. My father wasn’t like Lybrook’s. He included me in the affairs of the estate. But I knew it all would go to Jacob someday, and I’d be left with nothing.”

All the more reason to continue her pursuit of Mr. Landon, Ally thought, despite the fact that Evan had turned out to be quite something after all—not the stuffy peer she’d thought he was. They’d shared a beautiful intimacy, but he didn’t have anything to his name. Once his father died, his lot in life would be up to his older brother, and why would Jacob want to share his fortune with Evan?

“Do you resent your brother?” she asked.

“Not really. Not anymore, at least. It’s not his fault he was born first. Neither of us had any say in the matter. And at least my father educated me. That’s more than Lybrook can say.”

Ally nodded. Lily’s new husband, Daniel Farnsworth, the Duke of Lybrook, had had his title thrust upon him when his father and older brother unexpectedly passed on. His father hadn’t taught him anything about estate affairs. He was learning as he went, and doing a fine job, thank goodness.

“What will you do when your father passes on?” Ally asked.

“I’ve got plans in the works. Business deals.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll be fine, I can assure you.”

She nodded.

He sighed against her. “We need to figure something out.”

“What?” she asked.

“Where we go next.”

Next? There was no “next” for them. They would go home, and she would continue with her plans to marry Mr. Landon. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” he said, “we must marry.”

Confessions of Lady Prudence
by Madame O

D
earest Amelia
,

I confess, the reward I’d promised Christophe and Joshua plagued me for days on end, until one evening when my cherished maid, Hattie, came to attend me.

She has blossomed into a beautiful maiden of eighteen years. Lovely blond tresses and firm pink lips—my goodness, my heart patters as I write this.

“Hattie,” I said as she unlaced my corset, “have any young men about the estate asked for your favors yet?”

“Oh, no, my lady. I’m a good girl. Mr. Savage once cornered me in the alcove on the third story, but I screamed until he let me go.”

“Mr. Savage?” One of the stablemen. What had he been doing on the third story? I made a mental note to have him dismissed. “No others? No stolen kisses…?”

“Only a few clumsy kisses with a lad when I was younger.”

Oh, Amelia, she was ripe for the picking! I decided then and there to take her under my wing and teach her all that you taught me. And once I did, she could join Christophe and Joshua and be part of the reward I’d promised.

My cunny pulsated as she helped me out of the restricting garment. I removed my chemise and turned to her, clad only in my drawers, which were already damp from my juices.

She blushed an adorable raspberry shade when I gazed up and down her body. “You are lovely, sweet Hattie,” I said. “I have missed you.”

She cast her blue eyes downward. “I’ve missed you too, my lady.”

I trailed my fingers over her porcelain cheek and brought her gaze back to mine. “Dear Hattie,” I said, and pressed my lips gently to hers.

She backed away, her lovely mouth dropping into an O. “My lady! Goodness!”

“Do you not wish to kiss me, Hattie?” I asked. “Do I not please you?”

Her blush deepened. “You are beautiful, my lady. But I…”

“I learned much in the Americas,” I told her. “And the most important thing was that one should never turn away from pleasure.”

“But we’re both…women.”

“Yes. And no one knows a woman’s body like another woman.” I smiled, my nipples hardening. How I wanted those firm lips around one of them, tugging, pulling.

Such an ache between my legs, Amelia!

“I’d like to kiss you again, Hattie. Your lips are so soft…” I edged closer, my diddeys tingling. Slowly I untied the strings to my drawers and let them drop around my ankles, baring my whole body.

She gasped.

“Don’t be afraid.” I moved closer and slid my hands up her arms. “Please. Kiss me.” I leaned in and touched my tongue to the seam of her lips. “Open for me, my dear. Let me show you how lovely kissing a woman can be.”

Hattie pressed her lips together at first, and I tantalized her with tiny pecks against her firm crimson flesh, the sweet smacking sounds sending lightning to my moist pussy. I drew her plump lower lip between my own and sucked on its soft sweetness. A moan escaped her throat.

Oh, as I write this, I find I must reach into my drawers and slide my fingers through my wet folds. Hattie is so beautiful. If only you were here, Amelia. The three of us could have such fun.

With a little prompting, she opened her lovely lips and I swept in to taste her sweet mouth. Vanilla and spice infused my taste buds. Such a delicious mouth Hattie had! I coaxed her with my tongue, and soon we were kissing frantically, our tongues entwining, circling. My nipples grew harder, and I grabbed her hands and brought them to my breasts.

Chapter 7

A
lexandra lurched upward
into a sitting position. “Marry? Have you gone completely mad?”

“I’ve ruined you, sweet. As a man of honor, it’s my duty to marry you.”

“Don’t be absurd. It was never my intention to trap you into marriage.”

“I never thought you were trying to trap me, Alexandra. But what’s done is done. We can’t fix it. We must marry.”

Ally rolled her eyes. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Oh? I might have gotten you with child. Have you thought of that?”

Truthfully, she hadn’t. “Why didn’t you pull out then?”

“I…should have. You’re absolutely right. But my God…”

“I’m sure I’m not with child. I finished my courses only days ago.”

“That means nothing.”

Embarrassment flooded her. Had she truly just mentioned her courses to a gentleman? A gentleman who had just thoroughly fucked her, but still…

“That method is completely unreliable. And how do you even know about that?”

“I’ve told you before. I
read
.”

“We should marry at once.”

“You’ve gone dotty. I’m not going to marry you.”

“I can take care of you fine.”

“I don’t want to be taken care of fine, damn it! I want to be rich. I’ll not go through those worries again. Ever. I’m going to marry Mr. Landon.”

“Oh, I see.” Evan cast his gaze downward. “And Landon, as we all know, is worth millions.”

“Exactly.”

“Well, he hasn’t proposed to you yet, has he?”

“He will.” And she had no doubt he would, after Evan caught them together. Of course that plan was spoiled now. They’d go back to the Brighton estate, and she’d need to plan another trip to London—one that didn’t coincide with the worst rainstorm in decades.

“This is ridiculous, Alexandra. You and I must marry, posthaste. I’ll not hear another word about it.”

“Pardon?” Who did he think he was? “I’ll not be ordered around by anyone, certainly not by my stepbrother and a second son.”

Even in the darkness, his eyes blazed. She’d gone too far. He was angry.

“You will marry me, damn it.” He rolled on top of her and clamped his mouth onto hers.

The kiss was angry, punishing. And arousing. She squirmed beneath him, trying to free herself, to no avail.

She didn’t really want to be freed. She returned his passionate kiss, opening to him and taking his punishment. No kiss had ever been like this. He was sucking her soul from her, and she was happy to let him. He continued kissing her while he trailed one hand down her arm and toyed with her folds, which were already slick with moisture. When he entered her with a finger, she gasped.

Still he punished her with his mouth, taking, demanding, and she responded, giving herself to him willingly.

She sucked in a breath as, within seconds, he replaced his finger in her pussy with his hard, thick cock.

He pummeled into her, still punishing, and Lord, how good it felt to be taken so roughly, with such feral exuberance. She arched upward, trying to get him to go deeper. And still he pounded into her.

Though still sore from before, his cock inside her completed her, eased the emptiness that so often plagued her. And she shattered, her climax ripping through her like a thunderbolt.

“Evan, oh Evan!” she cried out.

“That’s right, Alexandra. Come for me.” He continued to plunge into her depths, taking her to new heights, until he finally groaned, and with one final thrust, pushed hard into her.

“Damn it!” he said when his breathing had returned to normal.

“What?”

“I should have pulled out. What is the matter with me?”

She couldn’t answer. For the idea that he filled her with his essence aroused her unnaturally. No, she did not want to be with child, but for some unknown reason, she wanted him to come inside of her.

“Don’t worry about it. As I said, the timing is not right.”

“And as I said, that method is completely unreliable.”

She truly wasn’t worried. She planned to seduce Mr. Landon anyway, so what did it matter if she
were
with child? She’d just tell him it was his.

Her heart seized. None of that felt right. Something niggled at the back of her neck, bothering her about her plans. Still, no reason she could see existed to change them.

“Please, Evan, let’s not worry about that for now. Let’s go to sleep so we can rise with the sun and get the bloody hell out of here.”

“Very well,” he said, turning away from her. “Good night.”

A
lly jerked upward
. “Evan, what is that?”

Someone pounded on the door.

Evan’s eyes shot open. “Someone’s here. Stay here. I’ll take care of it.” He moved to rise, but—

“Hello?”

The door opened. Two men stood in the doorway. And Ally and Evan were both naked as babies.

“Oh, my lord. I’m sorry,” one of the men said, looking away.

Evan threw the comforter over Ally and rose, taking a bed linen with him and wrapping it around his waist.

“Do you recognize them?” Ally asked.

“Yes. They’re servants from the estate.”

“My lord…er… We got word from the caretaker that you hadn’t arrived in London, and Lady Sophie was concerned… So we…” The servant’s face turned bright crimson.

Evan cleared his throat. “We’re thrilled to see you, of course. But if you could give us a couple of moments?”

“Yes, yes, of course.” They moved backward and shut the door behind them.

Evan’s cheeks were rosy, and Ally was sure her own visage was as scarlet as the servant’s had been. “What will we do now? He saw us nude!”

Evan shook his head. “I’ll see they’re compensated for their discretion. And if they breathe a word of this, they’ll be dismissed. I feel certain I can trust our servants.”

His voice didn’t sound as sure as his words did, but Ally had no choice but to trust him.

“Come,” he said, “we need to get our garments on. Yours should finally be dry by now.”

Ally’s chemise and drawers had been dry for a day, but her traveling outfit was still slightly damp. Nothing to be done. Either wear it, or go back to the Brighton estate wearing bed linens… No, not on today’s agenda. By the time Evan was dressed, Ally needed help with her corset.

He came to her without her asking and tightened it for her. “These things always seemed barbaric to me,” he said.

“Trust me, they are.” She sucked in her breath. “But what choice do we ladies have?”

“You don’t need one,” he said. “You have a lovely shape without it.”

Thankfully her back was to him. Her cheeks and chest warmed.

“I hope your friend in London hasn’t been too worried about you,” Evan said, still tightening her laces.

“My friend?”

“The one you were supposed to visit?”

“Oh. Yes, of course.” Ally cleared her throat. “Miss…Spofford. I’ll send her a wire when we get back. I’m sure I’ll be able to visit her soon.”

“There are still a few balls in London as the season finishes up,” Evan said. “Perhaps you and Sophie would like to attend one? We can plan another trip in a week or two, after we’ve rested up and fully healed from the accident.”

How perfect that he suggested it! “Yes, I think that would be acceptable,” she said, trying to sound casual.

“Perhaps your friend Miss Spofford will be in attendance.”

“Yes…perhaps.” Ally bit her lip.

“There you are. That’s as tight as you go.”

“Thank goodness. Anything more and I might swoon.” She did so hate her corset. She pulled up her dress and stepped into it. “I’ll need you to fasten me.”

He quickly did so.

Ally bit her lip again. “What are you going to tell those men?”

“That this is none of their concern. They’ll be fine, and if they aren’t, they will no longer be employed. Most of our servants are notoriously loyal. We treat them well, so there’s no reason for them not to be.”

She nodded, hoping he was right. “Do you think they brought any food with them?”

“Lord, I hope so,” he said. “I am certainly famished.”

“We should have woken up earlier and left before they got here.”

“Yes, we should have,” he agreed, “but I assure you there will be no trouble from this. And honestly, it’s better this way. We haven’t eaten in two days. We’re weak, and the trek to the road would have been arduous for both of us.”

True. But it would have been a lot less embarrassing.

Evan opened the door. “After you.”

Ally walked outside. The sun was shining, finally, and the two men stood next to two saddled horses. Evan walked to them and had some words with them out of her hearing. Just as well—she was embarrassed enough, and if she heard the words, no doubt she’d turn seven shades of red. She looked around. Where was the carriage? Not even a buckboard?

Evan returned to her. “I’ll take one of the horses. You will ride with me.”

Lord in heaven. Ally was not much of a rider.

“I’m sorry there’s no sidesaddle. You’ll have to ride astride.”

“Why didn’t they bring adequate provisions?” she asked. “How far must we ride?”

“They couldn’t. They knew they might have to go off road. Which they did. I’m sorry for the discomfort, but it will only be a few hours.”

“Did they bring any food with them?”

“Yes, some sandwiches in the saddlebags. They’re getting them now.”

“Thank God.”

One of the men strode toward them and handed them each a sandwich. Ally rammed half of it in her mouth.

“Slowly, Alexandra. If you eat it too quickly, you’ll get sick.”

“I don’t rightly care at the moment.” She finished the sandwich in a total of four bites. “That’s not nearly enough.”

“I know,” Evan said, munching on his own sandwich, “but we’ll be fed well once we return to the estate. Sophie will have Chef prepare us a veritable feast.”

They went back into the shack and each drank a dipper of water. Then they mounted the horses and were off.

Sitting astride behind Evan was certainly no hardship for Ally, even though the terrain was rough until they made it to the road about forty-five minutes later.

The breeze blew through Ally’s long hair, tangling it into a worse mess than it was already. But nothing to be done at this point.

Several derriere-pained hours later, they arrived back at the Brighton estate. Evan dismounted and helped Ally down, and the servants took the horses to the stables.

“Oh, a meal and a bath…or a bath and a meal,” Ally said. “I’m afraid I don’t know in which order I want them. Perhaps one of the maids can serve me in the tub.”

“A meal for me first,” Evan said. “I’m famished.”

She was as well. But after their ordeal, Evan looked merely disheveled. And terribly sexy. She, on the other hand, had strings of hair filled with snarls tangling around her shoulders, and her dress was still damp and felt sticky next to her skin. The curse of being a woman. It was the same with growing old. Men looked handsome and distinguished. Women looked wrinkled and crone-ish.

The unfairness of it all.

He walked her to the main door of the mansion and opened it.

“Sir!” Graves strode toward them quickly. “Thank goodness. Did Marley and Silverton find you?”

“Yes, yes, and we are so grateful. We are a mess from the storm, as you can see, and in need of a hefty warm meal.”

“At once. Let me inform Lady Sophie that you’ve returned.”

A few minutes later, Sophie ran toward them and embraced Ally. “Thank goodness! Oh, what a mess! I can only imagine what you’ve been through.”

“Sophie, it was horrid, but we’re alive and in one piece. Unfortunately, poor John didn’t fare as well, nor the horses.”

“You must tell me everything.”

“We will, but we really do need a meal first.”

“Yes, of course, but Ally…”

“Hmm?”

“You have a caller.”

“A caller?” She looked down at her mussed dress and the hair sticking in tangles to her shoulders.

“Yes. But don’t worry, I’ll tell him—”

“My lady?”

Ally jerked at the gentleman’s voice.

Out of the parlor walked Mr. Nathan Landon.

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