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A weak smile crossed his face. “Thank you. It has not been an easy couple of years.”
She shifted nearer and slipped her arm around his waist, resting her cheek against his back.
“I am not trying to replace Bunty. In fact, I honestly believe we need to keep her memory alive and talk about the happy times you and she shared with the children. I instinctively feel that in doing so we will make us a more cohesive family,” she told him.
He patted her hand. “Thank you, darling. I will attempt to be more involved, but it’s as if I have forgotten how to have fun,” he acknowledged.
“I will try and help all of you with that—I am good at having fun!”
He chuckled. “I noticed,” he said wryly.
“Oh, and I agree that we should leave our arguments at the bedroom door.” Holly snuggled into his side.
Gregory turned slightly, leaned in and kissed her. She responded in kind, loving the way his tongue slipped along the seam of her lips, gently exploring her mouth. His arms tightened about her as he deepened the kiss. Holly felt passion flare between them. Warm moisture dampened her thighs.
He made short shift of removing her night rail then eased her onto her back. Gregory lowered his head to suckle her nipples. How had he managed to disrobe so fast? Her mind went blank, all she could think about was the pleasure he was giving her with his skilled hands and mouth. His murmured praise of “Good girl”and “That’s it, show me you want me,” heightened her desire until she was writhing under his clever ministrations.
Taking her hand, he placed it on his large cock. Her gaze lifted to his face; he smiled reassuringly.
“Take it in your palm and gently rub your hand up and down my flesh,” he encouraged throatily.
She grasped his iron-hard erection as suggested, exploring his maleness, fascinated by the velvet smoothness covering his tumescent shaft. His groan of appreciation bolstered her confidence, and she tugged harder, loving the sound of his sharp intake of breath.
“Ye gods!” he muttered.
“You don’t like that?” she asked in her innocence.
“I enjoy it too much, you’ll unman me, and I’ll spill,” he exclaimed, easing her hand away from his body.
She felt a sense of power at his admission.
They rolled sideways. Slipping a hand between her legs he found that part of her that cried out to be touched. Fingers strummed and delved until she came apart, spending in his arms with cries quickly swallowed by ardent kisses.
Entwined, they kissed and he caressed her, until she was tumbled onto her back. Instinctively, she parted her legs; he shifted until above her, his shaft nudging her slick quim. The delicious thrust of him entering her body felt sublime. The wonderful stretch escalated into powerful thrusts. Her hips rose to meet his cock’s advance and yet again the point of culmination overwhelmed her.
He snapped his hips, plunging deeper as her cries spurred him on. Until giving a shout, he froze above her, head thrown back and Holly felt his cock swell as he spilled hot seed into her welcoming heat. At once, her own pleasure crested for a second time and she trembled, shaking with the power of her release.
In a place of serene bliss, she was startled out of her trance by a sudden unearthly scream. Gregory leapt off her and pulled on his night robe. Holly moved to the edge of the bed.
“Stay here,” he commanded and dashed out of the door.
“I am coming with you,” she called after him.
He had gone without a candle, so Holly took a moment to light the bougie, which she reasoned was safer to carry through the house than a chamber stick. She tugged on her shawl and entered the passageway. A chilly draught gusted around the corner, she shivered. The shrieking stopped. The now silent house creaked eerily about her as she crept along dark corridors and up unlit stairways. She wondered if Gregory might consider installing gas lighting at Lamberhurst; she made a mental note to mention it to him.
Reaching the nursery, she walked slowly through the large room towards the bedchamber. The welcoming space in daylight appeared creepy by night. A man was singing in the children’s room. Holly tiptoed to the doorframe and peered into the dimly lit nursery. The two younger girls were no more than small curled bumps, each still asleep in their own beds. Gregory sat with his daughter cradled on his knee.
“Lavender’s blue, dilly-dilly, lavender’s green. When you are king, dilly-dilly, I shall be queen,”he sang softly in a beautiful baritone voice.
Libby lay with her thumb in her mouth, and her eyes closed. Nanny sat in a dark corner beside Clemmy, stroking the youngest child’s forehead. She smiled as Holly entered and lifted a finger to her lips.
Holly nodded and drew back. Quietly withdrawing, she returned downstairs to her chamber.
CHAPTER12
During breakfast, Holly brought up the subject of gas lighting. As she’d expected, Gregory resisted the idea, explaining that he was unsure whether it was safe or worth the expense. Especially since other innovations were presently hinted at in various newspapers. Holly sensibly dropped the subject. He had left the breakfast room shortly afterwards. He explained that he needed peace and quiet to work out how much each retainer should receive in their Christmas box this year.
Holly slipped upstairs to the nursery where Nanny had dressed the children warmly, ready for an outdoor excursion. Collecting the girls, Holly took them outside, crunching through the deep snow over to the kitchen gardens where the first of the outbuildings were located. Her intention was to search for a toboggan.
