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One of his arms circled her waist firmly. She did not wear a corset. Oh, God! No petticoats either. How could he resist? Their bodies meshing, he felt her hold him by his neck as her fingers raked his hair. He would not survive a single minute, hard as he already was!
His other hand unbuttoned her front bodice and felt for her silky skin inside her undergarments. He broke the kiss to trail her neck. “Did your husband do this to you, Sarah?” He nibbled the curve between her neck and her shoulder. She sighed and her head fell back. He lowered her clothes and his thin colourless lips found her breast. “And this?” His open mouth suckled on her whole breast as if his life depended on it. He would have killed the man for touching her, were not the man already buried.
She moaned, melting in the middle with each of his caresses. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons of his shirt and finally found his fleeced lean chest. His manly scent mixed with the sandalwood soap he used too much for her.
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He touched bony petite Sarah all over. Her breasts were fuller than he remembered, her hips were rounder and she smelled of woman and lavender. She tasted delicious! He pressed her buttocks against his hard erection. “Did you do to him what you did to me in the carriage on the way to the cottage?” He rubbed himself on her. “I get hot every time I remember it!”
His hoarse grave voice and his mouth were driving her crazy. “No to all, Hugh.” She answered his questions in a haze. Her hand went to his trousers and palmed his bulky volume. She became lost to property, lost to reason.
He felt happy that he seemed to be the only one to revel in her delights. Her hand made a shrill of pleasure dominate him. He lifted his head and looked at her. “Do you want it, Sarah?”
She nodded as she leaned closer to him.
“Then marry me!” His thumb and forefinger squeezed her nipple. “I can satisfy your hunger!” Her hunger for him had always been an intense fuel.
Hunger? She starved for him! Long, long starvation.
“Marry me and let me fill you with children!”
This made her wake up from her haze. She pulled him away abruptly, breathless. She had had his child. Oh, dear, her beloved child! There would not pass a day she would not think of it.
She buttoned herself up. “I said no, remember?”
Frustrated desire mingled with vexation for her third refusal and got Hugh mad. He panted. He paced close again and took her by her shoulders. He would not take no for an answer, not from her!
“I'm going to marry you, Sarah! Either you want it or not.” His murmur stony and hoarse. “I'll cheat, lie. I'll blackmail you; throw gossip to the papers. Anything!” He pulled her to him. “But now that you're back, I'll keep you in my bed; chained to me. Solidly!” His hands pressed her hard on his hindered erection. “Do you understand, Sarah?” His piercing dark eyes bored in hers. “So you'd better make the right decision. Soon!”
Their eyes clashed for long seconds. Her eyes confronted him head on; his accepted the challenge. Finally, he released her. She turned and left without a word.
The door closed behind her and Hugh paced his library, his hand raking his jet-black hair. This woman drove him crazy! There remained nothing he could do. He could not drag her to the church, could he? And now that she stood in a position of power and independence, she seemed little inclined to marriage.
Sarah sat in her dark carriage staring at nothing, as it clattered its way to her house. She could only think of his marriage proposal, proposals. He could scheme to marry her. She could scheme back and have things her way. She would not acquiesce to him just because of his hollow threats. He knew that.
Nevertheless, the idea of marrying him felt scary and exciting at the same time. Having more children by him would feel like paradise. He did not love her, she knew that. How could he? A former servant, a bourgeois’ widow, below him twice. One can only love their equals. If she married him, she could spend life loving him in secret and bearing his other children. So tempting! His desire for her would cool down in time. By then, she’d have his children to care for and love. She would set for less than her due; she knew it. Nevertheless, she had lost and suffered so much already. Without him, life tasted spice-less, and this she had had for the last couple of years. With him? Oh, with him she would have the nights to remember in her old age. She would be able to be with him constantly or until he tired of her for good. Enough of self-punishment! She would take what he seemed to be offering.
Next morning she had Mr White write a letter to Lord Hawkmore, asking him if they could set a meeting at her office in the bank.
At two o’clock sharp, Mr White showed Lord Hawkmore to her office.
“Lord Hawkmore.” She extended her hand for him to kiss. She wore another of her austere dresses for work. Plain earth-brown, high necked, no corset or petticoats.
Hugh wondered what could she possibly want to talk to him, but he would not miss the opportunity to see her. Especially after the hellish night he had had.
“Lady Wilkins.” He kissed her bare hand inhaling her lavender scent.
Mr White left discreetly and closed the door.
She gestured for him to sit on a guest’s chair, as she sat behind her massive desk.
“If you insist so much on our marrying, I’d like to draw up certain conditions before I accept.” She had her fingers entwined on the desk and a business-like expression on her face.
A bubble of contentment surfaced inside Hugh. She had decided to accept, at last. “Which would be those conditions?” He kept his expression neutral.
“First, the bank’s assets will not go into the marriage. It’s not my money here, but my clients’ and that must be protected.” She had her money there, and the charity project amount, as well. Keeping it out of a squanderer lord’s hands essential. Even though she knew Hugh did not act in such a way, she would keep her financial independence in the process. And it proved legally possible make it look like a condition restricted to the bank.
“Sensible enough.” He agreed. “I only need a loan to cover for my estate’s debts, since the tenants are in dire straits.”
