Lady Charlotte's Marquess (The heir and a spare Book 2) Read online

  “I thought I could live without you, but I was wrong. I was miserable and I just couldn’t bear it any longer.”

  “So, you did lie to me…” Charlotte’s voice trailed off but he knew exactly what she was asking.

  “Yes, I lied. I told you I didn’t love you, but I did. Will you forgive me?” He asked the most important question of his life and held his breath, his heart beating hard in his ears.

  Charlotte bent her head and kissed Archie’s lips softly, “Of course,” she whispered. Straightening up again she added, “although I still don’t understand why you didn’t marry me five years ago.”

  Archie laughed, he couldn’t help it. He had been wondering the same thing.

  “Would you have married me if I had asked you five years ago?”

  Charlotte tilted her head to the side and stared at him. “Maybe. If you’d shown me the true you.”

  Archie thought about that. He probably wouldn’t have. She’d been so young and he had been so scared of breaking even one rule. She would have probably concluded that he was a boring individual and would not have even bothered.

  “Maybe it’s better that we are together now, rather than then.” Archie said softly, looking down at the delicate white hand in his.

  “Yes, but you had to go through that horrible time alone. Thinking you had lost everyone, I could have helped you.” Charlotte dropped her gaze to her lap, where she picked at her apple cake.

  “Charlotte, you did help me. If you hadn’t come to my study that day, I could still be in my own self-made hell.” Archie told her, his heart sick at the thought. It was almost impossible to remember that this same day last week he was barely eating, trying to simply survive from one minute to the next. Now, he was sitting in the sunshine with his new wife, the only woman he had ever wanted or loved.

  Charlotte looked up and gave him one of her best smiles.

  “But why were you so worried then?”

  Archie sighed. Charlotte was so optimistic; she always had been.

  “Because I still think that you are going to suffer because you have married me. I’m sure you heard people talking about me and my family when you were still in London. How are you going to feel when people start whispering about you, or me? What if you heard that I had the same illness as my brother?”

  Archie was voicing his worst fears and his stomach was getting tighter with every word.

  “I could never live with you hating me.”

  Charlotte took a deep breath and her blue eyes darkened.

  “Archie, you are my husband, you are now my first priority. I will never listen to any idle gossip about you and not defend you. Your brother has died of a horrible disease but that has nothing, and I mean it has nothing to do with you.”

  Archie looked up at her furious expression and felt a slightly hysterical laugh bubbling up.

  “But what if society refuses me, us?”

  “Oh, who cares about society?” She answered, waving her hand dismissively.

  “You do,” he answered. She had spent her whole life in the ballrooms of the haut ton, wouldn’t she miss it?

  “I’ve never cared what they thought about me. I only spent so much time there because I felt comfortable.”

  Archie gave her a confused look and she sighed.

  “Archie, you don’t realize that as women we are educated only to the point that we can entertain a room full of people and run a home once we are married. I couldn’t go to my club, I couldn’t run an estate, I wasn’t married or had a child. What else was I supposed to do?”

  Archie thought about this and realized he had never really thought about what life would be like for a lady of his class. Their choices were very limited weren’t they?

  “So, if we are cut off, you won’t hate me?”

  Charlotte laughed, the sound slightly shocking to Archie when they were discussing something so serious.

  “Archie, I love you. Even if we are completely shunned, which I don’t think will happen, I would be happy to stay here forever. I will have you, our baby and a beautiful home where our friends and family can visit any time.”

  Archie sat up now, unable to believe his ears. Why hadn’t he trusted her? Why hadn’t he simply asked her what she wanted? He could have saved them both so much pain.

  He went up onto his knees and moved over to kiss her.

  ****

  “I love you,” he whispered against her lips as he kissed her so sweetly Charlotte felt tears slip unheralded down her cheeks.

  The familiar stirrings of desire swirled within her belly, but she was still very sore. She wasn’t sure if it was the pregnancy or the amount of penetration from the night before, but she was much sorer than after their first time together. Pulling away from their kiss, she encouraged Archie to lay with his head in her lap. Stroking his brow and silky smooth hair she watched him close his eyes, completely at peace. They stayed that way for most of the afternoon.

  After another beautiful dinner they retired separately. Charlotte wanted another bath and Archie needed to write a letter of business.

  After her bath Charlotte dressed in her sheerest night gown and walked next door to Archie’s rooms. Slipping into his bed, she sat up and against the many pillows and waited for him.

  He arrived ten minutes later, his surprise obvious.

  “I thought you might not want to share a bed tonight,” he said gently, shedding his clothes one at a time.

  Charlotte just smiled, pleased she had read her husband correctly. He would not have come to her if she had stayed in her room, and that would just not do. She was still quite sore but knew there were other ways to please her husband other than with her ‘honey pot’ as he called it. She blushed just thinking the word and Archie noticed.

  “What are you thinking about?” he asked her, a beautiful smile spreading over his handsome face.

  “I was wondering what you usually wore to bed.” Charlotte answered, which wasn’t a total lie. She wanted to know what she would have to strip off him.

  “I don’t usually wear anything to bed actually. Would you like me to wear a night shirt?” He asked respectfully and reached into a drawer. She laughed. There was no way she was being denied the feel of his hot, smooth skin against hers.

  “No, I want you to sleep as you always do.”

  “But...” Archie trailed off, his eyebrows drawing together in thought.

  She continued to stare at him so he nodded and slowly stripped himself of all of his clothes and stepped towards her.

  Charlotte slid out of bed and stood in front of the fire in a white nightgown that cleverly hinted at the body beneath. She beckoned him with her eyes.

  He quirked an eyebrow in question and took a deep breath. Charlotte was enthralled. Archie had the most magnificent body. Lean and muscular with beautiful thick legs and a flat belly. His member was already thickening and was rising even as she looked at it.

  “Let’s get into bed,” Archie suggested, taking her hand to lead her back to the bed. Charlotte let him guide her back but only so she could watch him walk. His vitals swung and he seemed to be getting control of his body. That just wouldn’t do.

  Archie crawled beneath the covers, pulling the blankets up to his chin. Charlotte grabbed the sheer layers of her nightdress and pulled it over her head. Archie made a choking noise and sat up. Charlotte watched her husband carefully for indications of how he felt. She was completely naked, with her back to the warm fire.

  “Charlotte, I thought we should have a night off from lovemaking. You’re still too sore.” His voice sounded strange, as though he were choking.

  “I am still sore; I wasn’t going to make love to you.”

  She whipped the blankets back down his legs and saw his fully extended member. She chuckled happily, at least she knew he still liked what she looked like.

  “Charlotte, please stop torturing me.” Archie groaned as his hands clenched into fists spasmodically at his sides.

  Charlotte c
rawled onto the bed and kissed her husband. She slid her tongue into his mouth and he moaned again, letting her tongue play with his, sliding together, giving each other pleasure.

  Charlotte exerted pressure on Archie’s chest and pushed him flat.

  “Stay there. It’s my turn to show you how much I love you.” She commanded.

  Arch smiled hesitantly and lay back.

  Charlotte surveyed the beautiful body spread out for her and wondered if she could put her mouth straight down onto him. Looking back at his face she thought he might not be able to handle that. Better to work up to it.

  Charlotte knelt beside him and ran her hands over his little pink nipples and over his broad, lightly hairy chest. Archie moaned and closed his eyes, his face showing signs of pleasure and happiness. Charlotte lay down next to him and began kissing his body. She first touched her lips to each nipple and then down the middle of his chest. Slowly, inch by inch she moved closer and closer to her target. She could hear Sarah’s voice in her head ‘when you love someone, you want to please them,’ so Charlotte kept kissing. Around his navel down to the curly, rough hairs that guarded his sex.

  “Charlotte, I don’t think you should kiss down there.” Archie gasped, his voice strained.

  Charlotte stopped and looked up. Archie had his eyes closed and was talking through clenched teeth.

  What had Sarah said? “Oliver said that most ladies don’t,” so that was the problem. Archie was still worried about doing the right thing.

  “Why not?” She asked, wrapping her palm around him and giving his flesh a long slow tug with her hand.

  Archie groaned and his hips flexed up.

  “Because you’re not meant to,” Archie hissed out, speaking through his clenched teeth.

  Charlotte giggled and kissed him. Archie groaned and opened his eyes.

  Charlotte tilted her head and set her lips to his hard flesh, Archie watching with wide open eyes as she kissed up and down the shaft.

  “Charlotte, ladies aren’t supposed to...” He trailed off as she licked the large smooth head.

  Charlotte laughed again and waited for him to look at her. This was a lot more pleasant than she had expected.

  “Archie, I am your wife and I want to. You do this to me so I should do it to you.”

  “But...”

  “Archie, have you ever put this inside another woman?” she asked sharply, gripping the base of his thick shaft as firmly as she dared.

  “No, you know I haven’t!”

  “And do you intend to?” Charlotte asked, stroking him slowly, trying to confuse him as much as possible.

  “No, of course not.” Archie answered, closing his eyes.

  “Then since I am your one and only lover I should fulfill your every need, as you do for me.”

  Charlotte saw the worry still evident in her husband’s eyes and did the only other thing she could think of. She twirled around so that she could still kiss him but so that he could touch her too.

  “I am still sore, so be careful, but I want you to feel how much I like doing this. My body can’t lie, Neither can yours.”

  And with that she spread her legs slightly, opened her lips and sucked the pink head into her mouth.

  Archie groaned as he pulled a fingertip over the small nub of her pleasure and she moaned low in her throat. Seeking confirmation that she really was enjoying herself, he slipped his fingers slowly between her legs and found her so wet that he gasped.

  Charlotte turned to look at him and smiled: “See?”

  Then she really began. She gripped the base of his penis in one hand and started sucking at the other end.

  “Charlotte, please stop, I’m going to come if you keep doing that.”

  Perfect. Charlotte sucked harder and started pulling at his flesh with her hand.

  She sensed the tightening of Archie’s body and felt one of his hands hold her head closer, so she moved on him like she would if she was making love to him and he groaned like his soul was being ripped from him. He exploded into her mouth and Charlotte swallowed the salty taste of him on reflex, licking the tip and sucking him one more time.

  Archie made loud gasping noises and threw an arm over his sweaty brow.

  Charlotte smiled to herself and maneuvered herself around to him, curling into her sleeping position on the side, waiting for Archie to spoon her.

  Archie moved sluggishly but he managed to pull up the quilt, covering them both and curl his hot, strong body around her. He sighed and kissed her hair, “Thank you,” he whispered into her ear.

  “You’re very welcome.” Charlotte sighed, pulling his arm around to rest on their child, she fell instantly asleep with the knowledge that she had one satisfied husband.

  They continued this way for the next three months. Talking during the day and spending their nights learning the secrets of each other’s bodies, Charlotte had taken to writing letters to friends and family most days, and having frequent naps in the afternoons. This gave Archie plenty of time for estate business and for his horses. He promised her he would teach her to ride once she was no longer pregnant.

  Charlotte’s pregnancy was going beautifully. Almost five months along, her belly was a hard rounded swelling jutting out between her hips. Archie loved the changes in her body and told her so frequently that Charlotte could never feel upset or disconcerted about the foreign curves. The nausea was gone and Charlotte’s healthy appetite was back. For food as well as her husband. He was insatiable. Archie would make love to her morning, noon and night if she allowed him, and occasionally she did.

  Their first test came in the form of an invitation.

  Archie knocked on what was now Charlotte’s morning sitting room where she was embroidering and entered to find her singing softly to their baby.

  “Yes, my love?” Charlotte asked, frowning slightly at his expression. “Are you all right?” she asked, moving to stand.

  “No, don’t get up,” he stopped her, sitting in the chair opposite her.

  He unfolded the invitation and offered it to her.

  “We’ve been invited to the christening of Oliver and Sarah’s son,” Archie explained unnecessarily as Charlotte read the invitation herself.

  “Oh, that’s wonderful, when is it? Oh, two weeks. Well, that gives up plenty of time to pack and travel to London. I need to order a few new dresses too,” she explained, rubbing her belly with a satisfied smile.

  Archie stopped, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to go and he didn’t know how to tell his wife that. He had worked out that he could drop to half mourning the same weekend as the christening, but it would be the first public event he would have attended since his brother’s death.

  “You want to go?” Archie croaked, his nerves getting the best of him. He had lost the easy ability to disguise how he was feeling around his wife. Charlotte had worn down all resistance with her constant questions and attention. He liked to think he had helped her too. She glowed with love and he liked to think he put that light there.

  “Of course, don’t you?” Charlotte asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

  “Of course, I’d like to go, but it will be the first event since my brother’s death.” Archie hoped she wouldn’t need a better explanation than that.

  Charlotte studied his face for a moment, before speaking.

  “Archie, we don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” Charlotte said quietly.

  Archie let out the breath he didn’t know he had been holding.

  “But, it would really be very rude of us to decline without a proper reason. After all, the Duke and Duchess of Lincoln have specially invited us,” Charlotte reminded him with a smile.

  Archie clenched his teeth. He knew he was being herded the way Charlotte wanted to go but didn’t know how to fight her. Yes, it would be rude to decline an invitation from not only his best friend but also one of the most powerful family’s in London.

  “Charlotte, what if you are treated badly because of your marriage to me?” Ar
chie asked, voicing his most profound fear.

  Charlotte laughed. “Archie, I love you. If anyone wants to cut me because I married, you then I am happy never to speak to them again. Our friends want to see us and that is all that’s important.”

  Archie considered her words and watched her eyes and face for evidence that she was lying. He saw none and exhaled slowly. If Charlotte was willing to brave the ton’s censure, then who was he to be scared? He was the one that had been preparing for it for the past ten years, what was he really worried about? He swallowed audibly and asked the one question he was terrified to ask.

  “And no matter what, you won’t stop loving me?”

  He dropped his eyes to the floor, unable to hold her gaze. Despite the desperate need to see her face when she answered, his fear of seeing something he didn’t like was greater.

  Standing up, Charlotte moved over to Archie and forced her way into his lap. She put one hand on Archie’s chin to pull his eyes up to hers and she used the other hand to guide his hand to her burgeoning belly.

  “Archie, I have said this before and I will say it every day if you need to hear it. I love you, nothing will make me turn away from you, ever.”

  Pushing his hand harder into her bump she continued, “You and this baby are my whole world and I will happily give you as many babies as you want so that we can have a family like neither of us had.”

  Archie blinked several times, forcing the hot tears back inside. Was it possible?

  “Archie, you have made me happier than I ever imagined was possible. If you keep it up, I promise I will stand by you through anything.”

  Archie felt himself beginning to hope. Just like the sun coming through the cracks in the clouds on a winter’s day, he found her words filtering through the fog of his uncertainty. He smiled softly and felt a tear slip down his cheek.

  Their baby chose that moment to give its first big kick, right under Archie’s hand.