Libertine's Wife (35 page)

“
We won’t make it through
the next act if you don’t stop,” Arianne whispered behind her fan
with a gasp as his finger thrust within her insistently, making her
bite her lip, a low moan escaping her.

“
I’m counting upon it,”
Julian informed her with a slow, lazy smile and his finger moved
faster, his eyes never leaving her flushed features. “Sit back and
open your legs wider for me, my love.”

Arianne did and nearly cried out as his
long finger stroked within her harder, while the other rubbed her
sensitive pink nub with slow insistent pressure. She gripped the
chair edges. By the end of the second act, she found release, her
thighs imprisoning his hand as she went rigid, eyes
closing.

“
Do you wish to stay for the
next act?”

“
No,” she whispered in a
choked voice behind her ivory fan.

Julian grinned and helped her to her
wobbly feet as they left his theatre box, every eye glued to them
as they hastily left the theatre. Julian dragged her onto his lap
and yanked up her skirts the minute they were inside the coach. He
enjoyed this new uninhibited side to Arianne as the coach made for
home. Their enraptured cries of pleasure within were muffled as the
coach rumbled down the road.

When they arrived back at the
residence, she left Julian with a heated look of promise before she
sailed up to their room in a flurry of silk. He was still grinning
as he retired to the study to enjoy a drink while she made ready
for bed.

Julian frowned as he looked into his
drink. He knew what they did tonight openly declared to one and all
what they were to one another. The gossiping of the servants that
they shared a bed was probably all over town.

Julian knew once daylight came,
Ravensford would learn of their relationship if he didn’t already
assume it. He enjoyed knowing the man had to be going into fits to
know Arianne was now his mistress.

It served Ravensford right. He didn’t
deserve to have Arianne. He theorized the marquis wouldn’t dare
call him out over it. He felt no pity for the man. As far as he was
concerned, the man gave her up. He wasn’t about to question his
decision to keep her with him. He loved her.

In time, she would forget about her
husband.

~ ~ ~

Garret was furious when he learned his
wife and Vale went public with their relationship. They were living
openly together, unmindful of the gossip. The jealousy and rage he
felt made him almost grab a pistol and go after Vale.

The spy he paid in the man’s household
said they spent more time in the bedchamber than any room in the
house, making him gnash his teeth to know the rumors were true. His
wife, the Marchioness of Ravensford, was now Lord Vale’s mistress.
Every wagging tongue in town spoke of it, snickered behind his
back, and he thought he would go out of his mind.

He was white-faced in fury, unable to
conceive Arianne would have so little regard for her station or
reputation. The fact she went on with her life was made obvious
every day, while he still contrived some means of getting her back.
He knew it was laughable he take exception to her behavior when he
thought of his own previous conduct. He vowed to get her back, but
she refused to see him.

Garret was refused admittance to see
her a half dozen times that week, gnashing his teeth to be sent
away each time he went. He was unable to find the means to get her
back, forced to retreat.

Then, the means arrived in the form of
Lady Vale.

Furious turquoise eyes met
his over the desk, her delicate nostrils quivering in outrage. She
removed her gloves one finger at a time, her back ram rod straight.
Her expression was filled with distaste. She just learned
her
husband lived
with
his
wife. The
lady was not happy; that much was clear. Steam all but poured from
her lips.

“
I’ve come to you with a
purpose in mind, Lord Ravensford,” Lady Drusilla St. Ives informed
him in her cultured, clipped voice. “I would very much like to see
an end to this scandalous relationship between my husband and your
wife. It is clear the two of them need to be reminded who they’re
married to.”

“
I quite agree, Lady Vale,”
Garret replied in admiration, still shocked at the sight of
Julian’s wife’s transformation. The dowager could be commended for
her efforts in turning Julian’s bride into a suitable
countess.

Gone was the source of such amusement
these last four years; the grossly overweight body, the itchy red
spots all over her face, and the horrid spectacles. She was
ravishing and raging in scorn.

“
What did you have in
mind?”

He saw pain flicker in her amazing
eyes. He wondered again if Lord Vale was an idiot to not have
noticed his wife these last four years of their marriage. She was
breathtaking and obviously wanted her husband back, despite the
obvious obstacles. Her husband was in love with his mistress, and
clearly didn’t care what anyone thought, even his own
wife.

“
I would have him back, my
lord.”

“
May I ask why, Lady Vale?”
Garret asked in confusion. “The man’s actions since your marriage
have been reprehensible. He’s paid not a bit of attention to you
since you married him, only pursued my wife. Forgive me for
pointing out the obvious, but he seems to love her.”

“
Do you love her, my lord?”
Drusilla inquired and ignored his question. “Would you take her
back for the sake of both our marriages?”

Garret had much time to think about it
these last two months since her return. Knowing she was now Vale’s
mistress gave him cause to give up. It appeared Lady Vale was
hardly deterred.

“
I never stopped caring for
my wife, Lady Vale,” Garret said with unease, uncomfortable to
speak with a stranger of his feelings for his disgraceful wife.
“What happened was very much my fault. I pushed her into his
arms.”

“
You must call me Dru, my
lord,” she insisted. A smile curved her lips, displaying an
enviable set of pearly teeth. “But back to my question. Would you
have her back?”

“
She is living with Vale and
refuses to even speak to me, Dru,” Garret replied with a grim
expression. “It isn’t likely she would come back to me even as much
as I would wish it.”

Dru smiled tightly. “That can change,
my lord.”

“
Arianne has made her
choice! I refuse to force her back here if that is what you would
ask me to do,” Garret warned her, his green eyes narrowing at her
smug smile.

“
There will be no force
involved, my lord,” the lady nearly purred. “I predict your lady
will come home quite willingly were you to apply a bit of pressure
in other ways.”

Garret smiled at her obvious innuendo.
High color rode on her cheeks. She avoided his gaze. Obviously she
expected him to seduce his wife away from her husband. He’d already
thought of it himself. He knew his wife. Her passionate nature was
cultivated by him. He could have her on her back in an
instant.

“
Were I to make such
efforts, how do you propose to lure your husband from her side?”
Garret asked and enjoyed the way she blushed at his words. It was
obvious what means she would use as well.

Garret got up and poured her a brandy.
She took the glass with a shaking hand, making him smile at her
nervousness. It was obvious Lady Vale had no idea where to start in
said seduction. She looked uncomfortable and uptight at his
question.

“
I will simply state the
obvious to him,” she said imperiously, sounding like a mimic of
Lady Adeline. “His place is with his wife.”

Garret’s eyes traced her tight,
uncompromising expression and knew the lady would fail with such
efforts. Julian wasn’t going to be dragged away from Arianne by the
ear. His own scorn over his wife’s behavior gave him decidedly
wicked thoughts.

“
Was the marriage ever
consummated?” Garret saw her blush scarlet.

“
Yes, it was!” the lady said
and looked away, unable to meet his gaze. “Why, what does that have
to do with anything, my lord?”

“
Did you enjoy it?” Garret
saw her squirm in discomfort.

Dru gasped and looked at the man with a
horrified expression, but saw no mockery in his gaze, only
understanding. She looked down at her hands, knowing the
conversation was wholly inappropriate. “It was very brief, my
lord.” Dru’s gaze was rooted to a spot on his desk.

“
If you wish to steal your
husband away from my wife, you need more than a brief bit of
experience, my dear.” Garret refilled her brandy glass.

Her eyes met his and understanding
glimmered in her gaze. Her hands shook as she brought the brandy
glass to her lips. She downed the burning liquid and coughed
slightly. “Yes, I can see that you’re right.”

“
Do you want me to help
you?” Garret saw her cringe in dismay at his obvious
meaning.

Dru gazed at him in surprise, her face
flaming to match her hair. She appeared mortified. Garret came
around the desk, his green eyes glowing as he held out his hand.
“Come, Lady Vale; I will show you all you need to know.” His eyes
met hers with obvious desire in their depths. “This can be our
secret, madam. Call it my contribution to your success.”

I can’t possibly do such a thing,” Dru
said in a shocked voice, obviously uncomfortable. “It’s…unseemly,
my lord! How could you even suggest something so…so…,” she trailed
off miserably and her face looked crestfallen. “I cannot win him
from her any other way, can I?”

“
No, my dear; I would say
your husband is quite enthralled by my wife. Your chances of
success with such a limited amount of experience are
minimal.”

“
And you can give me
this…uh…experience?” She met his heated gaze and licked her lips
nervously.

“
I can teach you everything
you need to know to reclaim your husband, and enjoy every moment of
learning it, madam.” Garret took her glass and set it down,
offering her his hand.

Garret had been without a
woman for months. He planned to enjoy every bit of this fiery
creature. His satisfaction was to smirk behind Vale’s back when he
turned her into a seething temptress.
It
was only fair,
he thought. He swung her
into his arms and carried her up to his bed.

~ ~ ~

Garret watched the conflicting
expressions on Lady Drusilla’s lovely features with an appreciative
gaze. After several rousing weeks of coming to his bed, she looked
like a contented cat. The frown puckering her perfect brow as she
stretched naked in his bed gave him pause.

“
What troubles you, my
dear?”

Dru sat up and the sheet fell away from
her nakedness. A wicked smile curved her lips. “I was just thinking
of what to tell the dowager of how I spent my afternoon this time.
Lady Adeline thinks I spend far too much time at the park and have
an unhealthy fascination for shopping.”

Garret chuckled and slid on his shirt.
“I think you have a remarkably healthy fascination for many
enjoyable things.”

Dru slid out of bed in all her glory
and stood before him, pouting and looking sinfully debauched. Her
fingers went to the fastenings of his breeches and she licked her
lips appreciatively, her blue-green eyes glowing. “Do you, my lord?
And what might those enjoyable things be?”

Garret was enchanted. He couldn’t deny
it. After weeks of vigorous and erotic tutelage, his protégé
exceeded even his expectations. His unlikely bedmate proved to be
as feisty and fiery as her hair implied. They met here several
times a week. Her goals were to become an exemplary lover and steal
her husband away from his wife. His enjoyment of it aside; he
wanted his wife back.

He reached out and lifted her chin, his
eyes glowing with affection. “If I show you all those things again
today the dowager would indeed become suspicious. You risk much to
come to me as it is.”

Dru’s hand slid within his breeches and
stroked his long, stiffening sex once more. “She takes naps this
time of day.”

Garret smiled as she stroked him,
watching her slide down on her knees in front of him in delight. He
watched her suckle him with slow, rousing expertise. He felt a
sense of pride as he closed his eyes, his hands winding through her
long red hair. All thoughts of her leaving were dismissed as she
drew away from him. He caught her to his chest, his eyes bright
with lust.

“
How long does the lady
usually nap?” Garret pushed her towards the bed and bent her over
the side. He pulled down his breeches, easing up behind her, his
fingers teasing the wet folds as he positioned his sex at her
opening.

“
My maid doses her tea with
laudanum,” Dru confessed as he thrust hard inside her from behind.
Her fingers dug into the coverlet as his hips began to smack
against her buttocks furiously, his hands gripping her
hips.

“
That’s very naughty of you,
my dear,” Garret whispered as he pounded with bruising intensity
against her, knowing how much she adored his roughness. “Drugging
old women is very, very bad, Dru.” He punctuated his words by
slapping her bottom as he moved within her. “You need to be
punished, my dear, so you never think of doing it ever
again.”