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“Yes.” Her breathing softened and slowed as her fingers went still. “I love you, Warren.”
“I love you, too, dearest.”
She said nothing else, only snuggled right against him, until he felt her fall peacefully to sleep.
*** *** ***
Josephine woke and slept, and woke and slept, and ate a bit, perhaps around breakfast time. She had quite lost count of the hours, caught up as she was in her husband’s touches and caresses, and the intimacies he demanded with his secret, lascivious smile.
At last she rose and stretched, and went to the window to see about the clatter in the courtyard.
“Oh, your sister has come with Mrs. Everly,” she said over her shoulder. “And August and Arlington too, it appears.”
He crossed to stand beside her. She couldn’t help noticing his manhood was ready for action yet again. “Perhaps you should stay away from the window until you’ve dressed,” she said with a pointed glance.
“Impertinent comments will get you nowhere. Except over my shoulder.”
She let out a half-shriek, half-yelp as he upended her and gave her bottom a teasing spank. “They are right downstairs,” she protested, flailing her arms. It was a long way from his shoulder to the floor.
“Not yet,” he said, grasping her tighter. “They’re still in the courtyard. Minette will be chattering on and on to the butler and housekeeper about every detail of the journey, Arlington and August will be taking some refreshment, and the servants will be unpacking their things, if they’ve come to stay. We’ve at least half an hour before they demand our presence.” He gave her bottom another sharp slap, right over the tender stripes from her caning. “But half an hour isn’t long enough to do anything very exciting.”
He righted her, and she leaned against him, pressing her cheek to his chest. “I suppose there won’t be quite so many spankings now,” she said, “since you intend to let me be more eccentric.”
He stroked light fingers over her bottom. “I don’t know. The spankings do have a calming effect on your nature. I suppose you might need one every once in a while.”
“Every few months, perhaps?” she said, looking up at him hopefully.
He snorted. “Every few days, I should think. Unless you intend to go completely tame.”
She wasn’t sure if he was teasing or not. She wasn’t sure she wanted him to be. From the open window, she saw Minette fluttering about, talking to her companion and directing the unpacking of the carriage.
“I suppose Minette worried after I left,” said Josephine. “I didn’t tell her my plans. I didn’t want to get her in trouble again.”
“She gets in plenty of trouble without your help. But yes, I’m sure she worried when she learned you’d gone. I think everyone worried when word got around that you’d rung a peal over Westmoreland. The three of them have probably come to be certain I haven’t wrung your neck.” He gave her nape a playful squeeze.
She smiled and tugged at his hand. “After you scolded me at Lansing’s, you said you would go back inside and make up some story to excuse my behavior. What was it? In case someone brings up the topic?”
“Why, I didn’t have the chance to make up anything at all. The wives had already decided you were in an ‘interesting condition,’ since this apparently causes ladies to behave in all sorts of erratic ways. And the tale must have made perfect sense to their husbands, because they all asked when the joyful event was to occur.”
“Joyful event?” Josephine was lost. “What is an ‘interesting condition’?”
“A pregnancy, my dear. A child. I’m afraid I let them go on believing the story because I couldn’t think of a better one in the moment.”
Josephine looked away from him, deep in thought. “A child?” She tried to remember the last time she’d had her monthly. It was past due now, surely. “Perhaps it’s not such a made-up story after all.”
He went very still. “What do you mean?”
“I mean… I wonder if perhaps…”
His eyes went very wide. “Never tell me you’re breeding, Josephine. Not after the things I did to you last night, and this morning. My God!”
She put her hands on his chest to calm him. “I don’t know for sure. And if I am, I’m certain everything is all right. Although we might reconsider the idea of spankings every few days.”
Warren remained white-faced. “I suppose I’ll have to consult a physician on the matter. ‘Tell me, is it all right to spank my wife when she’s breeding? How often would you recommend?’” He sputtered out a laugh, and then his mouth relaxed into a grin. “A baby, Josie. Imagine. A little girl or a little boy. We’ll have to air out the nursery wing, and finish the renovations at Maitland Glen. We’ll need clothes and toys and bright places for the baby to play.”
“We have some time.” She smothered a smile at his excited planning. “I believe babies take many months to appear. And you mustn’t tell anyone yet, until we confirm it.”
“But everyone already believes it’s true. The gossips will expect a baby in the spring. Not that we care about gossips anymore,” he said quickly when she frowned at him. He lowered his voice to a lighter, more sensual tone. “If you’re not with child, I suppose we had better start trying for one right away.”
“I think you more than did your duty in that regard last night. And this morning,” she added, raising her eyebrows. “But we can keep trying if you like.”
They both turned to look outside. Minette, August, and Arlington had already gone into the house. “We have only a quarter hour now,” he said, turning back to her. His eyes glinted. “It will be a rush.”
“We’ll manage.” Josephine squeaked as he swept her up into his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her back and crawled atop her, spreading her thighs. Had this frightened her once? Now she couldn’t wait for him to ease inside her, inch by delicious inch. She clung to him as he filled her.
“Oh, it feels so good.”
“You feel so good,” he said, kissing her and nibbling at her lips. “Yes, arch for me. Show me how much you want me.” She writhed against him and smothered her helpless cries of pleasure in his shoulder when the servants came tapping at the door.
“We’ll be down presently,” he called out in a rough voice. “Give us ten… Well, perhaps twenty minutes.” He sucked in a breath as she squeezed on his thick length. “We’ve some very important and sensitive matters to attend.”
“Yes, my lord,” came the servant’s reply.
Josephine licked the scratchy underside of her husband’s jaw. “How dutiful you are,” she teased. “And how I love you for it.”
He answered this praise with an especially forceful thrust. In the end, nearly an hour passed before they made it down to greet Warren’s sister and his gentlemen friends, but none of them seemed put out, except perhaps Lord August, who by now had endured nearly two whole days of Minette’s adoring company.
“Josephine,” Minette cried, flying across the room to embrace her. “I heard the news. It’s all over town! I heard it from Lad
y Bexford who heard it from Lady Geoffrey who had it from Lady Mary Elaine that you’re in the family way. I’m to be an auntie soon, am I? Is it really true?”
Josephine smiled shyly at her husband and then back at Minette. Lord August and the Duke of Arlington stood a bit away, looking embarrassed. Josephine placed a hand over her middle, where Warren had only recently kissed her and whispered achingly tender things. “I certainly hope you’ll be an auntie soon,” she said. “You’ll do very well at the job.”
Minette practically levitated with excitement, clapping her hands. And in her heart, Josephine didn’t think she was raising false hopes. Somehow she knew Warren’s child was growing within her, just as she knew Warren’s love lived within her now and always. Half tame, but fully loved, he had whispered as he caressed her. Oh, Josie, I love you so.
The five of them proceeded to the garden to talk and take tea in the light of the breezy day. How far Josephine had come from that evening in Lord Baxter’s ballroom, when she’d hidden among the house plants, hoping not to be found. How far Warren had come too, from his dissolute days. He had found her and changed her whole life, and she had changed his too. They were going to have a child together, perhaps many children, all of them cherished, happy, and safe.
The gentlemen laughed, the cakes were delicious, and Minette glowed under Lord August’s occasional regard. Warren sat by her side, touching her hand now and again and sharing secret smiles. This was so much better than a lonely cottage somewhere.
It was so much better to belong, and to be close to him.
It was so much better to be loved.
The End
