As he removed each garment, he kissed every inch of satiny skin that the denuding revealed. Finally, she was naked except for her stockings and pretty silver garters. He picked her up and sat her down on the edge of the bed so that she could watch him strip off his clothes, while he told her in sensual detail the intimate things he intended.
She reveled in her husband’s wide shoulders and well-muscled chest with its pelt of black hair. His height and darkness resembled the king’s, but his face, now hard with desire, had a predatory, dangerous look that inflamed her senses.
Slowly, he pushed her down on the bed and spread her beautiful red gold hair across the pillow. He paid homage to her naked flesh by making love to her with his eyes. His intense gaze lingered on her mouth, then swept to her luscious breasts. His lips curved as he watched her nipples ruche with arousal. His glance trailed down her belly and came to rest on her mons. “Your saucy curls, set off by the silver ribbons of your garters, look like flames. Are you afire for me, Velvet? Do you burn as I do, my lovely?”
He came over her, kneeling on the bed, straddling her hips with his hard-muscled legs, and then he captured her mouth and ravished it. Heat leaped between them as he kissed and licked and tasted every inch of her smooth, alabaster skin from her throat to her belly, now taut with arousal. He unfastened her garters, pushed down her stockings and set his hot mouth to the soft flesh on the insides of her thighs.
Her desire spiraled higher as she remembered how he had once made love to her with his mouth. She arched up from the bed, inviting his hungry mouth to devour her. When it came, the thrust of his rough tongue was far more erotic than she anticipated and she wanted to scream with excitement as he lifted her slim legs onto his shoulders. She threaded her fingers through his long, black locks, holding him captive at her woman’s center. Then she began to cry out his name in pure, unadulterated pleasure. “Greysteel! Greysteel!”
She wanted the exquisite sensation to last forever, but soon she began to throb and moan as her pulsations began and she climaxed with delicious liquid tremors. She thought he would come over her and capture her mouth, but he surprised her by turning her over so that she lay facedown on the bed.
He lifted her hair and set his lips to the sensitive nape of her neck. Then in a tantalizing descent he trailed kisses down the length of her spine. By the time his lips touched her bottom, he was well aware that he had aroused her again. When he slid his tongue into the cleft of her bum cheeks, she began to writhe and he knew he could wait no longer for his own release. He raised her bottom and slid into her scalding woman’s center from behind, sheathing his cock to the hilt.
The pleasure was so intense, she arched her bum and grabbed fistfuls of the sheet. They both cried out as they spent together and his white-hot seed erupted like a firestorm. They lay together for long silent minutes as the dark, erotic passion that had taken possession of them subsided. She loved the smell of his man-scented skin and the weight of his body on hers. She felt boneless from the release he’d given her.
He rolled her so that she lay supine between his thighs, and bent to kiss her lips until they felt bee-stung. She gazed up at him in wonder. “My God, the earl was a revelation!”
“Nobility has its privileges.” He nuzzled her neck and cuddled her against him, loving the feel of her body, now soft with surfeit. He nibbled her ear and whispered, “The earl has made your husband jealous. When will it be his turn?”
Though she felt boneless, she could not resist teasing him. “My husband will have to wait while I pleasure a certain impatient captain of the guard.”
Greysteel reached up and closed the curtains about the bed. “I want no witnesses to this military exercise. I must warn you I give no quarter and will accept only unconditional surrender.”
Velvet groped him in the darkness. “My pleasure, Captain.”
An hour later, when his bride fell asleep in his arms, Greysteel Montgomery held her possessively. He had never felt as happy and content in his life before. He gazed down at her for a long time, and then finally closed his eyes. His mouth curved with deep satisfaction.
She is my angel love.
When Velvet awoke at dawn, her husband was propped on one elbow, gazing down at her with possessive grey eyes. She smiled and stretched with delicious languor. His lovemaking had made her feel worshipped, like a goddess, imbued with power over him. She reached up to trace the dark shadow along his unshaven jaw and thrilled when he took her hand, dropped a kiss into her palm, then closed her fingers over it to keep it captive. She fancied that in this intimate moment he could deny her nothing.
She chose her words to elicit his response. “Greysteel, we were married so quickly, I have no wedding gift for you.”
“Nay, traditionally it is the groom who gives his bride a morning gift. What would you like, sweetheart?”
She traced his lips with her fingertips and whispered softly, “Would you give me Bolsover Castle, my dearest lord?”
“No.” He threw back the covers and quit the bed. A pain sliced through his heart.
You fool! She wed you for Bolsover.
He had convinced himself that she loved him. Now he knew she had married him for all the wrong reasons—to gain Bolsover, to please Charles and to live at Court. He was a besotted fool!
Velvet was stunned. Her eyes fastened on his naked back as he walked away from her. She thought she couldn’t possibly have heard him right. She drew her knees beneath her and sat up, holding the sheet to her breasts. “Greysteel, what did you say?”
He took a clean shirt from the drawer and came back to the bed. “I said
no,
Velvet.”
Her eyes flashed and the sheet fell away. “Why the devil not?” she demanded imperiously.
“If I gave you the castle, you would turn around and give it back to your family.”
“Of course I would. It belongs to my father!”
“No, Velvet, it belongs to me.” His glance was drawn to her lovely breasts, which rose and fell with her agitation.
She grabbed the sheet and pulled it up to conceal them from his avid gaze. “You avaricious swine!”
His mouth quirked. “Very pretty language for a bride to her new husband. You think to beguile me with such sweet talk?”
“You devil! Your self-interest is appalling.”
“It is your lack of self-interest that appalls me, Velvet.”
“What do you mean?” she demanded.
“Your father will have Nottingham Castle restored to him along with his many other vast property holdings. His wife, Margaret, is to be made a duchess. Your brother, Henry, Marquis of Mansfield, will get Welbeck Abbey. The Cavendish family is now reaping its rewards from the king.”
“The rewards are justified!”
“Of course they are,” he agreed. “You are a member of the Cavendish family, far more deserving than Margaret. Where is your reward, Velvet? What will you get?”
She stared at him, hearing his words, and began to comprehend.
“If your besotted bridegroom gifted you with the castle and in your blind devotion you handed the deed over to your father, do you think he’d be generous enough to say, ‘Bolsover is yours, Velvet’? If he wanted to, do you think Margaret would let him?”
She lowered her lashes. “I don’t know,” she murmured.
“You do know.” He sat down on the bed and placed his fingers beneath her chin. “Look at me, Velvet.” When she raised reluctant lashes, he said, “Bolsover Castle is
ours
: yours and mine. I intend to deed it to our firstborn child.”
She could not help but be happy that Greysteel had such foresight. She hadn’t given much thought to her future children, but it was apparent that he had. She was thankful that he had a good head for business, but she was a little dismayed that his head ruled his heart.
I knew from the beginning that he was a man who liked to be in control. In my conceit I believed I could make him lose control whenever I wanted, and wrap him around my fingers to do my bidding.
Velvet smiled a secret smile.
I shall simply have to try harder.
Her great-grandmother’s journal provided enough advice to enslave any man breathing. Subtle denial alternated with overt carnal lust, blowing cool, then hot, could bring a male to his knees. She deliberately let the sheet fall from her breasts.
Watch out, Greysteel. First I’ll steal your heart, and then your soul.
He reached down and lifted the sheet up to her chin. “Cuddle up and go back to sleep, sweetheart. Just because I must arise at an ungodly hour doesn’t mean you have to. Thomas will bring your breakfast in an hour or so.” He took his clothes to the dressing room.
There were not many about at this early hour, but as Montgomery passed the rear staircase that led to the king’s private chambers, he encountered Charles returning from his nocturnal disport.
“From the look of satisfaction on your face, I take it you persuaded the lady to accept your proposal?”
“I did, Sire. We were married in the chapel last night.”
“You sly devil! You deprived your king of witnessing your nuptials. But don’t think you have cheated the Court of its entertainment. We shall celebrate with a wedding banquet tonight and follow it with a traditional bedding.”
Montgomery groaned. “Velvet would not welcome a bedding.”
Charles laughed. “I warrant she welcomed the one you gave her last night. Velvet is a saucy little wench, ready for a mischievous romp at the drop of a hat. You’ve had your fun and games; indulge me.”
As if you haven’t indulged in fun and games all night!
“Thank you, Sire. A wedding banquet is most generous.”
In the early afternoon, the dowager arrived. She brought along Emma and all Velvet’s clothes. The coachman carried in a huge trunk and went down to fetch another.
“A beautiful blushing bride and none there to witness it.”
“How did you know?” Velvet was amazed that news had traveled so quickly to Bishopsgate.
“The impetuous earl slipped me a note last night. I came as early as I thought decent for a newlywed, since you had only one gown. A fashionable wardrobe is paramount for a Court lady.”
“Thank you for packing all my things, Emma. We have a very spacious dressing room with two double wardrobes.”
“I hope there are shelves for all your creams and cosmetics. It might be big enough to accommodate your garments, darling, but where on earth will Montgomery put his?” Christian teased.
“Speak of the devil!” Velvet declared as the door was thrown open and Greysteel carried in a trunk and the dowager’s coachman wheeled in another.
“Who would have guessed the devil’s bride came with so much baggage?” He lifted Velvet off her feet and branded her with a possessive kiss. Then he gave Christian a grateful smile. “Emma, the countess needs your services. Are you willing to come and live at Court?”
Emma bobbed him a curtsy. “More than willing, my lord.”
“Good. I’ll speak with the chamberlain and ask him to accommodate you with a cozy room close by. The king and Court are feting us with a wedding banquet tonight, so I’ll leave you to your unpacking.”
“Oh, how lovely!” Excitement bubbled up in Velvet. She would be the center of attention. “Christian, you must stay.”
When Emma busied herself in the dressing room, Velvet drew the dowager to a comfortable chair and lowered her voice. “There’s something I must tell you. The late Earl of Eglinton purchased Bolsover Castle and willed it to his son. The king told me I could get it back for my family when I married Montgomery. But Greysteel refuses.”
“You asked him to give it back to your family?”
“I asked him to give it to
me
, but he refused on the grounds that I would turn around and give it to my father.”
“Well, thank God you have a man with enough determination to save you from yourself. You are a Cavendish, Velvet. Once you get your hands on a piece of property, you must keep it for your children. Because you are female, your family would deprive you of your fair share.”
“I don’t think they would. Perhaps Father intended to leave me Bolsover in his will,” she said wistfully.
“Not likely. I learned my lesson when my husband died. I inherited only because there were debts. When I paid them off I made sure from that day forward I controlled the purse strings.”
“When Greysteel said Bolsover was ours, and that he would deed it to our child, I did see the wisdom of that, but what on earth will I say to Father?”
“I warrant the implacable earl will take care of Newcastle. A pity really, darling. Standing up to your father would give you invaluable experience in standing up to your husband.”
Velvet’s eyes glittered with amusement. “You are wicked!”
“Don’t despair, darling. Wickedness can be learned.”
As the newlyweds entered the Banqueting Room a loud cheer rang out from the crowd. When Velvet saw how many fashionably dressed ladies were present, she was thankful she’d chosen the peacock blue gown that contrasted so strikingly with her red gold curls. Barbara and Roger Palmer were there, along with all the guests who had been at their entertainment. As well, there were numerous courtiers she had not yet met and many of the King’s Guard Montgomery commanded.
As Greysteel led her to the head table to take their places of honor at Charles’s side, everyone they passed offered congratulations. She tried to curtsy to the king, but Charles would have none of it and took her hand instead. “It gives me the greatest pleasure in the world to present to you the newest and loveliest member of my Court, Velvet Montgomery, Countess of Eglinton. Greysteel, you are a very lucky man.”
The applause was deafening and when Montgomery placed a proprietary arm about his new bride and moved her out of the king’s reach, everyone laughed and shouted approval.
The food served was sumptuous and the wine flowed freely, prompting dozens of toasts, to which the groom gallantly responded. As the hour advanced and the toasts became lewd and licentious, Montgomery’s pithy rejoinders showed that he could hold his own against all tormentors.