The Theft of a Dukedom Read online

  Kitty looked up at Richard’s face as he looked down. ‘I should think so, Daddy.’ She said coyly.

  ‘Well, before we hear Agatha play, I have an announcement to make. My daughter Lady Louise has accepted the proposal of the Marquis of Pikeston. I suspect their nuptials will be sooner.’ Robert Trenchard, the Earl of Westbrook said firmly.

  ‘When did he ask her?’ Kitty enquired of Richard.

  ‘I have no idea.’ He murmured and kissed her cheek softly. ‘Shall we be seated?’ And he guided her to a seat.

  Agatha entertained them for a good hour on the piano and Edward complained bitterly when Victoria sent him to bed. Then the cards started. Kitty and Richard thrashed Millicent and Benjamin Carter at Whist and Charles thrashed everybody at Hazard.

  Agatha escorted Kitty to her room and Richard stayed downstairs with Charles and Thomas to finish the brandy.

  ‘Why aren’t you bedding your new wife?’ Charles asked cheekily.

  ‘I’m letting her get ready.’ Thomas said with a smile. ‘This will be the first night in our ancestral home and I expect she will make it something special.’

  ‘Do you have any advice for a new husband?’ Richard asked softly, a frown creasing his forehead.

  ‘Are you worried?’ Thomas asked.

  ‘No, but I don’t want to frighten her. I would prefer it to be memorable for the right reasons.’

  ‘Take your time and make sure she’s ready!’ Thomas said firmly. ‘It’ll be the greatest night of her life if she wants it and is ready for it.’ He looked firmly at Charles. ‘Don’t just fuck her! She’s your wife not some whore in Lisbon!’

  ‘I don’t think I could just fuck Louise.’ Charles murmured. ‘She’s too special for that.’

  Thomas pulled his fob watch and checked the time, smiled beatifically and said. ‘Goodnight, Gentlemen. I have to go and satisfy my wife!’ He almost leaped out of the chair in his haste to get to his room.

  Thomas took the stairs two at a time and Chivers was waiting in his suite. ‘Chivers! You can get straight off to bed. I can undress myself tonight!’ he said fairly loudly and looked directly at the adjoining door to Victoria’s bedroom.

  ‘Of course, Your Grace.’ Chivers said cheerfully and almost slammed the door on his way out.

  Thomas shrugged out of his jacket, draping it over a chair as he reached for his cravat. He sat on the edge of the bed and removed his boots, throwing them through the doorway into the dressing room. He slowly unbuttoned his fine lawn shirt and walked over to the chair folding it carefully over the seat.

  ‘Am I early?’ Victoria asked softly and made him jerk around in surprise. He let out a huge groan and his manhood almost burst from his britches, as his beautiful wife walked naked across his room to the bed. With her back to him, she yanked the bedclothes back and flung them over the foot board at the bottom of the huge bed. She peered at him over her shoulder with raised eyebrows. ‘Has the cat got your tongue?’ she asked inquisitively and climbed onto the bed.

  Thomas had been shocked by her appearance and then riveted by her shapely buttocks as they minced their way across his room, peeking out from the golden curls cascading down her back. He gasped as he caught a glimpse of one perfect breast as she threw the covers aside and by the time she had climbed on the bed he was moving. He stopped in front of her as she turned on her knees to the edge of the bed.

  ‘You haven’t finished undressing!’ she said glibly. ‘Here, Darling, allow me to help.’ And she reached for the buttons on his britches. She was nervous, but managed to keep her hands from trembling as she flicked the buttons open. She had determined that this was the night! The night to shock a Duke! Slowly she pulled down the flap and released his erection. ‘My! Aren’t you big tonight!’ she said lasciviously and looked up at him as her forefinger slowly traced up from his scrotum to the crest of his penis.

  Thomas was unsure, he’d never seen that particular look in her eyes before and suddenly he didn’t quite know what she was going to do. And then she moved for an unmistakeable target. Her fingers tightened around his manhood and suddenly the molten heat of shock and desire coursed through his veins as her lips slid over the silken head of his penis. His heart hammered in his chest.

  Dear God!He thought,she’s sucking my cock! Never had he been so surprised in the bedroom. Not even a whore had done this to him, without his request. Except Connie Beresford, she couldn’t get her mouth around it quick enough!He thought and promptly forgot her as Victoria swirled her tongue around the crest and he felt his penis engorge more than it had ever done before. It was so swollen that he could feel every pulse of his racing heart in it. A groan was torn from his chest as she gently sucked on the head of his penis. He thrust his hands into her golden hair and was going to tear her away as her lips slid down the length of him as she took him as deep as she could. He felt the head of his penis slide over the soft palate in the roof of her mouth and then it slid back as her tongue licked up the length of him to flick across the head before she did it again. She repeated this manoeuvre over and over again, making his thighs tremble with desire. Her palms rested on his hips and her thumbs slowly stroked his groin, stoking his desire.God! This is exquisite!He thought. It was the only coherent thought in his head and as he felt his testicles cramp as a prelude to ejaculation, he yanked himself out of her mouth, pushed her over on the bed and grabbed her ankles.

  She gasped as he spread her legs impossibly wide and buried his mouth in her sex. Thrusting his tongue in between the folds until he could torment her clitoris. He delicately sucked and licked, circling from vagina to clitoris until she was thrumming with desire. As she got closer her body started to tremble. As he invaded her with his tongue, she started keening as her orgasm began and he felt the first throb of her vagina. Quickly he scrambled up her body and thrust into her with no finesse whatsoever. It only took two thrusts and his ejaculation burst like tidal wave, making him grunt and groan as his seed was expelled. He could feel her muscles rippling with the strength of her orgasm and he was almost deaf in his left ear from the scream issuing from her throat. He felt his penis flexing still, even though there was no more sperm. He looked down at his beautiful wife to see ecstasy on her face and as her muscles convulsed she moaned and groaned.

  As they relaxed he supported his weight on his forearms, his fingers clutching her hair and looked into her contented face.Where the hell did she get the idea to suck my cock?!He thought and a frisson of fear and doubt crossed his mind.Did somebody else show her that?

  ‘I love you.’ He whispered and she opened her eyes. ‘But what on earth possessed you to suck my cock?’ he asked indignantly.

  She laughed delightedly at his incautious question. ‘Have I finally rattled the august Duke?!’ she asked happily.

  ‘Yes, I would say I’m rattled.’ He said firmly. ‘I’ve had to ask for that, before now.’ He spluttered, not sure just how to put it. ‘Never has any woman sucked me off without my permission!’

  ‘Didn’t you like it?’ she asked innocently with a lazy smile and he groaned deep in his chest as her vagina pulsed again. She closed her eyes in contentment.

  ‘You know damned fine I liked it!’ He said hoarsely. ‘But what made you do it?’ he demanded.

  ‘Oh! Tommy!’ she sighed deeply. ‘Can’t you just accept it as the gift it was intended to be?’

  ‘What?’ he demanded again and she opened her eyes again to see the serious expression on his face. ‘Who gave you the idea I would like my cock sucked?’

  She smiled at him and stroked her fingers over his cheek. ‘You did.’ She said calmly. She knew this would be a problem, but it was worth it.

  ‘Me?!’ he gasped. ‘When did I ask you to do that?’

  ‘You didn’t ask, Tommy.’ She said patiently, ‘but you do it to me all the time and I wondered, as it’s exquisite when you do it to me, if it would be exquisite for you as well.’

  ‘So nobody told you to do that.’ He said darkly.

&nbs
p; ‘Of course not! Tommy.’ And he could see the truth in her eyes; she was becoming affronted at his questioning. ‘What’s the matter? Did you think I’d gone and got myself a lover?’ She asked. ‘Already?!’ Thomas slowly nodded his head and she smiled gently. ‘You silly Duke. When have I had the time? Besides the fact that you are ample man for me!’ She arched her back suddenly and smiled like a she-devil at him. ‘Are you ready for more?’ she asked provocatively as her nails traced his spine from the small of his back to the juncture of his buttocks. Desire spiked through his manhood and she gasped as she felt him swell and fill her completely.

  ‘Hell, yes!’ He said harshly, as he slowly moved within her. ‘You’re a damned vixen!’ he muttered just before he crushed his lips over hers and kissed her dementedly.

  They made love until Victoria fell asleep from exhaustion. Thomas looked at her in the moonlight, with her innocent Madonna’s face, her golden hair splashed across his abdomen and her lithe body lax against him. Her breathing was soft and quiet. Thomas realised he was truly content, for the first time in his life, as he drifted off to sleep.

  Next morning, at breakfast, Victoria tackled Kitty about the waterfalls.

  ‘Where exactly are they?’ Victoria asked evenly.

  ‘They are about ten miles north west of here. You can’t really miss them if you follow the Tees. Cauldron Snout is a substantial drop in the river and the water gushes over it. It’s not very long, but very steep, almost two hundred feet. You can see the spray for miles. High and Low Force is more gradual. Not as awe inspiring, but easily as beautiful. It is about five miles long.’

  ‘And how long will it take to ride there?’

  ‘Most of the morning, if we don’t have any mishaps along the way.’

  ‘Mishaps?’ Victoria asked in trepidation.

  ‘A lame horse or thrown shoe, the trail is not easy.’ Kitty smiled happily. ‘It’s not like riding in Hyde Park, Your Grace.’

  ‘Please Kitty, I wish you’d call me Victoria.’

  ‘Well, if you want to come as well, I can arrange some britches for you, because you’re not going to enjoy riding side saddle.’ Kitty laughed. ‘I only did it once, at mother’s insistence and I damned near broke my neck!’

  ‘Kitty!’ Victoria admonished her.

  ‘Sorry, I spend a little too much time with Charles.’

  ‘Can you give me some britches, too?’ Louise asked. ‘Charles has invited me along.’

  ‘What time will you set out?’ Victoria asked.

  ‘Dawn, or thereabouts.’ Kitty said. ‘Cook will pack a hamper for us and there is a good inn at High Force.’

  ‘Will it be dangerous?’ Victoria asked suddenly with a frown.

  ‘Only if he falls in, and I won’t let that happen, neither will Charles.’ Kitty smiled brightly. ‘Pack him some extra clothes and a blanket, just in case!’

  ‘Kitty, you’re teasing.’ Charles said as he joined them in the breakfast room.

  ‘I think Victoria and I should accompany you.’ Thomas said firmly.

  ‘Yes, father.’ Kitty said in total capitulation.

  The outing was organised for the next morning. Kitty spent the day in the stables organising the mounts. She chose the three biggest roans for the men, all three were chestnut and black and all over sixteen hands. But like her little black mare, these were locally bred work horses, with sturdy legs and sure feet. She selected the best three mares for herself, Victoria and Louise and for Edward she chose a black and white gelding. The groom fetched out the selected horse and Kitty watched it walk and trot around the paddock.

  That’s where Richard found her at teatime. He suddenly appeared beside her and rested his forearms on the top rail of the paddock. He quietly watched the horse as it was trotted around. Kitty was actually dressed in a riding habit, but the jacket was discarded over the rail and her hat and gloves were on the grass next to it.

  ‘Hello, my sweet.’ Richard murmured. ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘Choosing the mounts for tomorrow.’ She pointed at the black and chestnut roan. ‘This one is yours, do you like it?’

  ‘It looks a fine animal.’ Richard said and climbed over the barrier and approached the groom. Richard was soon up on the back of his horse and trotting him around the paddock. After a couple of circuits, he dismounted and handed the reins back to the groom.

  ‘Yes, I like it.’ He said with a smile and climbed back over the rail.

  ‘Yes, John!’ Kitty shouted at the groom. ‘We’ll definitely take that one!’

  ‘They don’t look particularly elegant.’ Richard said and watched her face.

  ‘Elegant won’t do you any good, when it cracks a cannon bone on the rocks at Low Force!’ She smiled mischievously, because she knew he was trying to provoke her. ‘Elegant is fine on the lush level surfaces of Hyde Park and Royal Ascot!’ She looked up at him ‘How many of your cavalry officers discovered a rugged local pony better value than a thoroughbred in Portugal?’

  ‘Most of them, I would think.’ He sighed. ‘May I kiss you?’

  ‘If you can’t wait any longer, then I suppose you must!’ she said and smiled as he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her against his chest, crushing his mouth over hers, plundering her mouth without restraint.

  ‘I confess,’ he said as he lifted his lips away from hers, ‘I’m beginning to wish for a speedy wedding. I can’t wait to take you to nirvana.’ He kissed her again and then he swirled his fingertips over her cheek. ‘Are you afraid?’ he asked softly.

  ‘Yes.’ She said simply. ‘I understand the mechanics of the act.’ She looked down and fiddled with his cravat. ‘Millicent was most blatant about it. She said it was necessary for me to understand just how vulnerable you feel during that first time.’

  ‘Do you trust me?’ Richard asked seriously.

  She looked up into his azure eyes and remembered just how distressed he was over the lawn incident and she nodded. ‘Yes, Richard. I trust you.’

  ‘Then you will spend your wedding night in Nirvana and not the closet.’

  ‘Do we have to wait for the wedding night?’ she asked provocatively.

  Richard groaned deep in his chest, pushed her away from him and said. ‘Yes. I don’t want to end up on the end of Charles’s duelling pistol!’

  John had brought out the last horse and Richard jumped over the gate and almost leaped into the saddle. He clicked his tongue and the horse started walking, before he urged it into a trot. Kitty watched the action of the horse, not the rider.

  When he’d finished, Richard said ‘I was sent to call you in for tea!’ he picked up her jacket and hat as she finished with John the groom. They walked back to the main house hand in hand.

  ‘When do you want to get married?’ she asked gently.

  ‘I’d say as soon as possible, but I realise that the Banns have to be read and my brothers really should be here, so it’ll be three weeks.’ Richard answered. ‘Who will conduct the service?’

  ‘There are a couple of clergymen around here. The Reverend Michelson is at the English church in Middleton, there is a Wesleyan Chapel in Mickleton and then there is Father Malloy in Romaldkirk.’

  ‘You’d get married in a Catholic church?’ he asked in surprise.

  ‘No. We will get married in the chapel here, but one of the clergymen will have to perform the service.’

  ‘Who would you like?’ he asked, unaware that he was already giving ground to her.

  ‘I would prefer Father Malloy. I see him regularly as I ride through Romaldkirk.’ She said evenly, ‘but if you feel strongly about him being a Catholic, then Reverend Michelson will do just as good a job.’ She finished and she looked up at him for his decision.

  He smiled indulgently. ‘Then Father Malloy it is. I’ll ride out to see him tomorrow.’

  ‘You can’t, if you’re coming to Cauldron Snout.’ She said laughing. ‘Will you be able to control yourself, seeing me in britches?’ she asked playfully.

  ‘Y
ou’d be surprised how many times I saw a lady in britches in Portugal.’ He said smugly. ‘So, yes! I’ll be able to control myself.’

  They arrived on the terrace just as tea was being served, so Kitty didn’t even bother to change. One of the footmen brought her a bowl of hot water and a towel and she washed her hands and sat to eat in her habit.

  ‘Kitty!’ Thomas said brightly. ‘I have organised a proper picnic for us. I spoke to cook and she’s selected the footmen to go on ahead and set up for us at High Force.’

  Kitty shook her head. ‘Why can’t you live without the servants, father?’ She asked patiently. ‘Lunch out of a saddle bag is good enough for me.’

  ‘You’re not a duke and I’m afraid both Edward and I expect a certain level of comfort!’

  That answer made every one splutter with laughter.

  Chapter 11

  Charles and Richard were bleary eyed, as they stood waiting for their horses.

  ‘We shouldn’t have stayed up so late.’ Richard said softly.

  ‘Nor drank so much brandy.’ Charles added and winced as Kitty shouted at the grooms to get a move on.

  ‘We’ll be here all day at this rate!’ she berated them.

  Victoria was standing with Edward, who was jumping up and down in excitement, and Thomas was admiring her figure in the riding clothes that Kitty had provided.

  ‘I feel practically naked.’ Louise whispered to her.

  Victoria smiled. ‘Pull your cloak about you.’ she advised.

  The grooms started appearing with the horses and Kitty assigned each rider. Thomas got Edward settled and adjusted his stirrups and then they were ready to go.

  ‘Lead off Kitty.’ Thomas said jovially, ‘after all, this is your expedition.’

  Kitty kicked her mare into a trot and led off down the long drive to the road. Edward soon caught up with her and took up station on her left and Richard, jealous of a young boy, rode proudly at her right.