Regency Romance: The Rake's Fake Marriage (Historical Arranged Marriage Romance) (19th Century Victorian Romance) (92 page)

Giving her no respite,
she
pulled himself up and began to kiss her. She put her arms around his back, her hands feeling the hard muscles. ''Gently,'' she said when she felt his penis pushing against her. He placed himself at her entrance and pushed, slowly. When Megan's body stiffened, he stopped and waited
until
the expression of pain on her face subsided. He pushed some more and stopped again. Slowly Megan began to relax, no longer a virgin, but the object of William's intense desire.

When William was sure his lover was ready, he
began
to thrust harder.
He
put his head to the nape of her neck and inhaled the scent of her. It was too much for
him,
and
he
had to close his eyes and think of something irrelevant to prevent himself from coming too soon. When he opened his eyes again, the sight of her beautiful
face
staring up in admiration at
him
made the situation worse. He stopped.

Megan was worried something was wrong. ''William, what..?''

''Sssh,'' he said. He kissed her and looked deep into her eyes.
''You are so lovely.
I need to go slowly for a while.''

Megan understood and lay still until he was ready again. When he began to move again, she felt more intense pleasure, and as he increased the strength of his thrusts, another orgasm crashed over her. The feeling of her pleasure flowed into
him,
and
he
soon felt himself on the edge. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.

''I love
you,
William,'' she whispered.
As soon as she said it, she felt his thrusts become shallower and suddenly stop altogether as the warmth of him enveloped her inside.

''I love you too, he muttered, between gasps. You are a dream.'' They kissed again. She felt his erection subsiding and laughed as he suddenly fell from her. He rolled from her and lay on his back. She lay on her side and put her head
into
his neck.

''Thank you,'' she said.

''For what?''

''That was the most
wonderful
thing that ever happened to me. You were kind and
considerate,
and you made me feel wanted.''

''I do want
you,
Megan. I want you always.''

Megan closed her eyes savoring the moment. But it was spoiled by a sudden blanket of guilt. When would she tell him who she
really
was?
How could she lie to him? Is that what people who loved each other did? She didn't think so.

William pulled some clothes over their naked
bodies,
and it felt as if they were in bed together. Megan tried to imagine a grand bedroom at Hamilton Hall and waking in the morning next to her husband. She would make love to him twice daily, as soon as they woke up, and just before they went to sleep.

''I want to know more about you,'' he said.

The question she had been dreading. ''There's not much to know.''

''We have just made love, I know you intimately, but I don't know you at all.  Except I
know,
you're the goddaughter of some Earl or other.''

''Who told you that?'' she asked stunned.

''I asked Maria, my sister-in-law, who you were. As soon as you came into the ballroom I knew you were the one for me.''

She decided to divert his attention. She reached down under the clothes and cupped his manhood. ''I want you again. I can feel you do to,'' she said cheekily.

*****

Fred heaved another sack from the bottom of another ship and sat down exhausted. ''You know I won't be able to do this job
in
another five years, it's bloody exhausting.''

''
Of course,
you will. All you have to do is think about Megan. The thought of bending her over one of those sacks and having her beg you for
it
will keep you going till you're well over sixty.''

''I heard that you
crude
man,'' Megan bellowed from up on the quay. Her father had sent her to count how many sacks the May Blossom had
bough
from Indonesia. ''Is that what you two talk about all day?'' Fred looked
horrified,
and Philip grinned.

''Sorry miss, it won't happen again,'' Fred shouted up at her. Then he had an idea. His mother had told him, on her death bed, that women love
being told
they're beautiful. Her last words were, 'it's the way to a woman's heart.''

''Miss Megan, sorry, but it's very hard for two
red-blooded
men, who work hard all day, not to think of you. We work up an appetite down
here,
and you're
extremely
beautiful.''

Megan turned away and smiled. She liked
Fred;
he was simple, but a good man, and she didn't want to get him into trouble. ''Fred would you come up here something isn't right,'' she shouted. In a
flash,
Fred was up on the quay. Megan looked around to see nobody was looking and kissed him, one on each cheek. ''You're a very dear man Fred. I like you, but it's time you found a wife to satisfy.....you know......your urges.'' Megan had never seen Fred blush.

''To have a good woman to come home to would be heaven,'' he said.

''Then I'll help you. I know a few ladies who I think would be just right.'' Megan knew the manager at the local fish
market,
and there
was
a multitude of single women who gutted fish and dreamed of the perfect man.

When Megan had finished counting and gone back to the office, Fred slugged Philip
a proper
blow to the jaw. ''No more talk like that, do you hear?'' Philip looked up
from
the floor and nodded.

''It's a terrible situation,'' Megan complained. ''You two, with your cunning plans and deceitful scheming, have put me in an unbearable situation.''

Jeffrey and Michael looked at each other. ''How?'' Jeffery asked.

''Do you mean to tell me you don't know?''

''No.''

''By telling the
Thurlington
family that I'm the goddaughter of the Earl of Wells.''

''You're in love,'' Michael said mockingly. ''You've fallen in love with young William, and he thinks you're aristocracy.'' Michael began to laugh.

Jeffery looked at his daughter who bowed her head. ''Have you found someone you love?'' he asked.

''Yes, against all that I wanted for myself, I have. And thanks to you two, I'm trapped. I should never have gone to that ball, and certainly not masquerading as someone I'm not.''

Jeffrey was excited. His plan seemed to be working. He imagined himself standing in his best suit at Hamilton Hall, conversing with the Duke and his wife. That would be just the beginning, from there he would meet and greet the British aristocracy at will. ''What do you think she should do Michael?'' he asked.

''It's difficult. I suppose the best thing to do is tell him the truth. If he loves you, he will still want you whoever you are.''

''Father, I have always done everything you have asked of me, but going
to that ball
to make connections for you has turned my life upside down. I will tell
William
who I am, and face the consequences.''

''Can't you string him along a bit more, get him to propose to you, marry him and then tell him,'' Jeffrey said. There was a glass of water on Megan's desk. She took it and poured it over his head. When she slammed the door behind her, the whole building shook.

''She's a feisty one, just like her mother,'' Michael concluded.

''Yes indeed she is. And I'm
a rotten
father, I've just realized that.''

*****

William cried out like a Wild Indian, as he and Megan raced their horses across the newly harvested field. The wind in her
hair
and the feeling of power below her made Megan feel free. It was a perfect day, no clouds, except the one in Megan's heart. Today, she was going to tell him. Come what may.

They stopped at a fence which bordered
a wood
. When they dismounted, William attended to the horses and Megan rehearsed what she was going to say. William put his arms around her and kissed her.

''What is it?'' he asked when she didn't respond.

''You have asked me several times to tell you something about my background.
Well,
I think the time has come.''

''Later, I want you. Come on. Let's climb over the fence and go into the wood, nobody will be able to see us. Can you feel how much I need you?'' He took her hand and put it
to
his
groin;
she pulled away. ''Megan, what is it?''

''I'm not who you think I am.'' She looked at him for a
reaction;
there wasn't one. ''I'm not an Earl's goddaughter.''

''Who the hell cares.''

''I'm not a member of high society or the aristocracy, I'm the daughter of a merchant trader.''

William's face turned white. He was in love with
her,
and he didn't care where she was from, or even if she had any money or not. If it was Megan versus the estate, there was only one winner, Megan. But he thought of his family. He'd promised to find a woman of wealth and pedigree.

''William, say something,'' Megan said anxiously. ''If you don't want me now, just tell
me,
and I will leave.''

''Would you leave me so
easily
?'' he asked bitterly.

''No, I don't mean it like that. I have deceived you. What I mean is I would understand if you no longer wanted to....''

''Stop. Stop talking now. I want you like I have never wanted anyone or anything in my entire life.'' He threw his crop against the fence in frustration and one of the horses jumped nervously. ''Give me a moment to think.'' He leaned against the
fence
and stared across the empty field. Megan didn't know whether to touch him or keep her distance. She could see he was shocked. She decided to keep her distance and fight back her tears.

''Why did you lead us to believe you were from the upper classes?'' he asked after
an age.

''My father. He's a snob, a social climber. I mean he's
really
a very nice man, but he thinks he deserves to mix with the upper classes. I suppose he thinks that because he is so enormously wealthy.''

''And he was using you to get his foot in the door.''

''Yes.'' She rubbed a hand over her golden hair and decided to take his hand. ''William, I'm sorry. I didn't know I would fall in love with you. I thought I would perhaps meet a few gentlemen who would invite my father and
me
to tea and leave the rest to my
father
. I never wanted to hurt you.''

''I'm sure you didn't. But you have,'' he said sending an arrow through her heart. There is only one saving grace, he thought. She is extremely
rich
. ''Megan I love
you,
and this won't diminish my love for you. But you must know that members of my class can't marry beneath them.''

''Yes,'' Megan said as her tears began to flow.

''Please, don't cry,'' he said handing her his handkerchief. ''I will talk to my brother. All
is not lost
.'' She took his words and clung to them. There was still a glimmer of hope.

They rode slowly back to Hamilton Hall. When they
arrived,
Megan had hoped that William would invite her inside, but he turned to her. ''I think it's best if you return home. I'll arrange a carriage.''

*****

Francis and Maria sat in the library and drank tea. ''I wonder what he wants to talk to us about?'' Francis said.

''I think he's found a young lady he desires. I know he was very interested in one particular woman at the ball. I believe she's the goddaughter of the Earl of Wells.''

''The Earl of Wells? Is there an Earl of Wells?'' Francis looked bemused. ''Ah at last William, where have you been?''

''Thinking,'' he replied.

''Then tell us your news,'' Maria said enthusiastically.

''I am in love.''

Maria jumped up and clapped. ''I knew it. I knew the ball was a good idea.''

''Sit down my dear, let's hear the whole story,'' Francis said.

''I am in love with a very
fine
lady from an extremely
rich
family.'' William had decided to tell Francis the positive points first, in the hope the effect of the bad news he was going to deliver would
be diminished
.