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He could hold back no longer. The moment she flew, he followed. His balls contracted, forcing semen out and up. The torrent surged from him in long ribbons. His essence filled her mouth. Robbie heard her gurgle, felt her swallow hard, but she never faltered in her relentless sucking. She seemed determined to milk him dry.
He pumped more into her. She continued to swallow it all down, even as her body trembled under the receding waves of her own pleasure. She continued to lap at his cock, cleaning every inch of him, only stopping when she was finally satisfied the task was complete.
She shifted onto her side and wriggled around to nestle under his arm. Robbie pulled her close, tucking them both in, then dragging his now bedraggled plaid around the pair of them.
“Have I said that I love ye, Kat?”
She kissed his ribs. “I believe so, on occasion, though not recently.”
He rolled her onto her back and sealed his lips over hers. She tasted of him, his own saltiness on her mouth. A smear of his semen was drying on her chin. He licked it off, cleaning her as carefully and thoroughly as she had cleaned him.
“My husband,” she purred, stretching like the cat he likened her to.
“My wife,” he murmured. “Now, and always.”
EPILOGUE
Six months later
Venice
“Have you ever been to Cyprus?’ Katherine raised her hood to shield her from the sea breeze. The month of March was far more clement here in Italy than she was accustomed to in the north of England, but still, the wind was fresh enough to require a warm cloak.
Robbie shook his head. “I have never had the need.”
“Oh. It does sound rather lovely, though.”
Arm in arm, they strolled along the Venetian harbour, pausing from time to time to observe the hundreds of ships bobbing at anchor. As the foremost trading city between Europe and the Levant, and controlling almost all commerce in the eastern Mediterranean, Venice sported a substantial fleet of merchant vessels. Robbie had said he believed the city’s own ships to number as many as four thousand, and that did not take account of all those from the rest of the world which descended on a daily basis upon this bustling port.
Edinburgh had seemed crowded to Katherine but was as a mere village in comparison with Venice. The city oozed prosperity from its very walls. Palaces abounded in every district, home to the wealthiest, the most successful traders in Christendom. Vast fortunes were made through trade in spices, gold, silver, wines, silks, and, of course, slaves. The marketplaces heaved with activity, a riot of goods strewn out on stalls. Brilliant fabrics, glowing jewellery, pungent and aromatic herbs—there seemed to be nothing that could not be purchased in these heaving streets and alleys.
The shouts of merchants rang out, in more languages than Katherine could count, rising on the breeze as each sought to drown out the ones next to them. The competition for coins was fierce, and it was not possible to manage more than a few paces in the jostling crowds before a bolt of fine cloth would be thrust into her hands, or a pot of highly scented incense.
Katherine shuddered at that thought of the slaves. Auctions were frequent, the miserable souls to be offered for sale to the highest bidder huddled in ragged groups, bound to one another until they were dragged in turn to stand on the auction block. Such traffic was not to her taste at all, but she could not help but gaze in wonder at the rest, and at the grandeur and opulence it generated. The Venetian architecture was nothing short of stunning. Glorious stone façades, artfully carved, towered over the canals which formed the main mode of transport.
Robbie’s business in Rome had been concluded fairly quickly. They might even have managed to return to Scotland before the winter storms set in, but they were in no hurry. Neither did they care to remain in Rome. The Pope’s principal place of residence, Saint Peter’s Basilica, though steeped in history, was little more than a crumbling ruin. Pope Innocent intended to demolish the old structure and had proudly showed them his grandiose plans to build a new and more imposing cathedral to replace it. The new basilica, which was also to be dedicated to Peter since, like its predecessor, it would be built on the site of the saint’s birthplace, would doubtless be better suited to showcase the vast wealth of the Holy Church and the cultural treasures of Christianity. Katherine longed to return to see it when it was completed.
Meanwhile, Robbie had suggested they spend the autumn travelling north from the Papal States, through the republics of Siena, Florence, and Milan, eventually reaching the Venetian Republic where they had opted to remain for the rest of the winter. It had been a most enjoyable expedition, but soon they would have to begin the journey north again, passing through the French republics to reach the Channel ports.
Katherine was quite looking forward to seeing her homeland once more, though her zest for exploring new horizons was by no means exhausted yet.
They had attended a fine banquet the previous evening at the palace of one Antonio Gritti, a merchant who had amassed a vast fortune trading in precious metals and stones. The doge himself, the ruler of the Venetian state, had attended and had been quick to boast of his satisfaction at having recently added the republic of Cyprus to his holdings. He had regaled all who would listen with tales expounding the beauty of this island, the legendary birthplace of Venus herself.
Katherine had been intrigued. “Do you think we might visit Cyprus?” she wondered. “Not now, but in the future. If we ever come back here…”
“An explorer as well as a harlot. I married well,” Robbie replied.
“So, we can go?” She beamed up at him.
“Of course, but why wait until we return to Venice?” He nodded in the direction of the fluttering sails. “There must be dozens of ships about to set sail for the Mediterranean. We could probably book a passage today.”
She gaped at him. “You mean, we should go now? Could we?”
He shrugged. “Shall we find out?” He began to descend the stone steps leading down to the closest jetty.
Katherine clutched at his sleeve. “Wait. We should…”
He paused, looking back up at her. “Is there somewhere else ye need tae be, sweetheart?”
