Sarah's Duke: and Ellie's Gentleman (The heir and the spare, book 1) Read online

  He already had too much money, why did he need to marry a woman with more?

  Sarah stilled and appeared to be thinking over his words as she chewed on her lush bottom lip.

  Her face cleared and she stood up, smiling at him as she moved towards him. “Then all right, we will marry.” He held out his hands to her and watched as her eyes widened.

  “Oh, I forgot to ask about Beatrix and John.” Sarah cried, horrified hands flying up to cover her mouth.

  Oliver grinned, he loved the fact she had discussed their marriage as though it was only the two of them, without any thought to the siblings that she obviously loved. He could afford to give her family anything they wanted, not just education and a season or two. Perhaps he would permanently lease her family a home in London as a wedding present.

  “Your siblings can have whatever you want Sarah. Your brother can go to Eton, your sister can have whatever dowry you think would be suitable. You may have anything you want.” Oliver stared at the woman opposite him and ignored the fact they had people waiting for them on the other side of the door and swept her into his arms.

  Sarah would be a good wife to him and a great mother to their children. Whether she could handle being the Duchess of Lincoln would become apparent with time.

  “Just a season for Beatrix please, Oliver I don’t want you worrying that I would ask so much from you.” Sarah blushed a deep red and averted her eyes in the most adorable way.

  Oliver chuckled and bent his head, taking his fiancée’s mouth in a deep and fiery kiss that he felt all the way to his belly.

  Just as they were breaking apart the door swung open, lighting up the dark corners of their intimate little cubby.

  “What is this I hear?” Oliver flinched and turned around very slowly. That was a voice he recognized only too well. He should have known his sister-in-law wouldn’t have waited patiently for him to emerge. She had run straight for his mother.

  “Mother,” Oliver began, pulling Sarah protectively into the curve of his arm. “May I present Miss Sarah Collins. Miss Collins has just agreed to marry me.”

  “You can’t marry her!” Cried the Dowager Duchess of Lincoln. “She isn’t even a member of the ton!”

  Oliver sighed and mentally girded his loins.

  “Mother, I want to marry Sarah and I will. Her father is a vicar and I believe we could persuade him to perform the ceremony within the week.” He examined his feelings and realized he was less sorry than he thought he would be. He’d been caught compromising a virgin and now would pay the price, yet as he waited for the disappointment, it didn’t come.

  “The Duke of Lincoln does not get married in such a way. You must not! What will people think?” The Dowager gripped her cane and slammed it into the floor. The thump resonated around them and Oliver gripped Sarah tighter.

  “What did you do?” She hissed at Sarah, turning to glare at the beautiful young woman at his side.

  Sarah tried to take a step back but Oliver held her firmly against him. Now was not the time to show any weakness.

  “Sarah did nothing but gain my regard mother. We will marry as soon as is feasible.” He heard the authority in his tone and felt a moment of shock. Was that really him?

  “Yes, you bloody will,” growled a Scottish voice behind his mother.

  Oliver bowed deeply to Jamie McTavish, his heart rate picking up and thudding in his ears.

  “I owe you an apology McTavish,” he turned his head and looked down at Sarah’s beautiful face. She stared up at him, her eyes warm, her cheeks flushed with blood. He looked back at the gentleman he’d wronged. “It wasn’t intentional.”

  McTavish sighed. “Yes, I can see that now. I will see myself back to the ballroom I think. My felicitations to you both.” McTavish bowed himself out.

  Oliver took one look at his mother’s pinched, twisted face and decided a retreat was in order.

  “We have all had an exciting night but I believe we should retire. Mother, shall we? Miss Collins, I will call upon you at your residence in the morning,” he moved further back and bowed over Sarah’s arm, taking her gloved hand in his and pressing a brief kiss to her knuckles.

  Sarah smiled shyly and nodded her head in thanks and agreement.

  Oliver got his mother into their carriage and almost home before the histrionics began. They lasted far into the night.

  Six

  Six days later they were married in front of twenty family members and a few close friends. The week leading up to the wedding had been a frantic one for everyone involved.

  Sarah’s mother had almost expired on the spot when Sarah informed her who she would be marrying and how it had come about. What followed was a whirlwind of dress fittings, flower shopping, invitations, packing and of course the arrival of the Collins family en masse.

  The wedding itself was simple but beautiful, dulled only by the absence of Oliver’s mother and sister-in-law, both of whom declined to attend.

  After the small but exquisite wedding breakfast which was held in the Dunford’s gardens, Sarah and Oliver left in the Lincoln carriage. They had decided to travel to his main estate for their honeymoon, which wasn’t ten miles from London.

  “Did you enjoy the wedding my dear?” Her new husband asked Sarah when they were on their way.

  “I did. Thank you for letting my father conduct the service.” Sarah smiled until her lips were stretched to their maximum, not sure when she had ever been so happy.

  “I’m glad you were pleased Sarah,” he murmured, the huskiness in his voice making the hairs on her arms stand on end.

  Sarah was so nervous she could barely keep down her beautiful wedding breakfast. She knew that Oliver now had the right to have her anywhere he wanted. Would he wait until the night or would he want her sooner?

  The looks he had been giving her since she walked into the church that morning had her body heating in embarrassing ways.

  Her mother had sat her down the previous evening for the wedding night talk. Sarah had taken the opportunity to tell her mother her greatest fear.

  “Mother, I am worried that Oliver will go to other women, if I do not keep him happy in the... err…” Sarah stumbled over the end of her embarrassing sentence.

  “I understand.” Her mother patted Sarah’s knee and turned bright red. “I believe that the reason most men of rank have mistresses is because their wives do not enjoy their beds.”

  Sarah nodded, that made sense to her. Why would a man want to join his wife in her bed if she didn’t want him there? She still wasn’t sure if she would enjoy Oliver’s bed, but if what he was doing to her when they had been interrupted was any indication, she probably would.

  “So if I enjoy it, he will stay faithful?”

  That seemed too simple an answer, but she was hopeful.

  Her mother laughed softly. “This is such a hard conversation to have with one’s daughter.”

  “Can you tell me what to do mother? What must I do to keep him faithful to me?”

  Again her mother had laughed but had answered anyway. “All men are different as all women are, but the best and only advice I can give you is not to be detached.”

  “What do you mean by that?” Sarah focused on her mother’s flushed face, determined not to misinterpret her advice.

  “I mean,” she began, looking a quite unhealthy shade of red, “that we aren’t meant to just lie down and wait for them to leave again. Everything they do to you, you can do to them.”

  “Everything?” Sarah repeated sceptically. That didn’t sound right.

  “Well, not everything obviously, but all of the touching that happens before the actual joining part you can do to each other.”

  Sarah thought of the way Oliver had sucked at her breast. Could she do that him? Of course she could, he had nipples too.

  “Thank you, Mother,” she had replied and got herself ready to be the best wife Oliver could have.

  ****

  After a wonderful dinner in their new
home, Oliver retired to his chambers and counted out the minutes. He began pacing outside the adjoining door. Had he waited long enough? Had she dismissed her maid yet?

  He huffed out a sigh and faced the door, his heart thumping against his ribs. He couldn’t wait any longer. He took the three steps forward and knocked on the door. A faint giggle sounded behind the solid wood.

  “Come in Oliver.” The siren call of his wife made his groin ache, and he let out a low groan as he pushed open the door.

  He stepped through and smiled as he surveyed the scene before him. His beautiful young wife sitting on her seat in front of her dressing table. Her long blonde hair glistening in the firelight, a gentle smile playing on her happy face.

  “What are you laughing at darling?”

  “You knocked.” She giggled again.

  Oliver didn’t see what was funny about that.

  “Well, this is your room.” He was still not sure why she found his behavior amusing.

  “I know, and that is the other funny thing. Couldn’t we just have one bedroom? My parents always did.” Sarah asked, then blushed.

  Oliver could not help staring at her. Did she want to share his bed every night? Even on nights that they couldn’t make love?

  “Well, let’s start with two and see how we go.”

  It was unheard of in his society not to have two bedchambers. He knew some of his friends only visited their wives when then needed to conceive. What would they think of his wife sharing his bed every night?

  Oliver watched Sarah stand up and walk towards him. He swallowed hard. He had never seen anyone more beautiful than his wife. Her face was glowing with happiness and her nightgown clung to her slim body, accentuating both her tiny waist and full breasts.

  He was a lucky man.

  “I want to make love to you, Sarah. Will you let me?”

  He wanted her to be completely willing to make love to him, not just feel as though she needed to fulfil her ‘duty.’

  “Of course I will. You’re my husband aren’t you?” Sarah smiled shyly up at him and his heart melted even more. This woman wasn’t just beautiful, her heart shone out like a beacon in the dark.

  “Not yet,” he answered throatily, barely able to recognize his own voice. She had come to him and was standing before him looking brave and beautiful.

  “Will you also let me make love to you?”

  “What do you mean?” Oliver stared at his wife, unease fluttering in his chest.

  Sarah’s violet eyes were glowing almost purple in this light and Oliver wondered if that was an indication of arousal. He hoped so, he wanted her to need him.

  “Will you teach me how to please you?” Sarah reached out and lay her hands on his chest, tingles spreading across his heart.

  “Touching you and pleasing you will please me.” Oliver frowned, unsure of why she would say such a thing to him. Only whores knew how to pleasure men.

  Sarah just smiled.

  “Well, let’s start with that then.” Sarah reached up and pressed her lips to his, tentatively moving closer to him.

  Oliver had never been more nervous in his life than he was at this very moment. His beautiful, virginal wife had just openly offered herself to him and all he could think about was that he had to make it good for her.

  He stepped closer, closing the distance between their two bodies so that her breasts were pressed against his chest and her soft belly cradled his pelvis. He kissed Sarah gently, reverently, holding tight to the reins as she moaned low in her throat.

  Oliver’s control broke when Sarah gave one flick of her tongue across his lips. He gathered his wife tightly against him and plundered her mouth without restraint. He tasted her warm and willing mouth until his erection became painful and adrenaline raced around his body.

  Oliver pulled away from the kiss and looked down at his beautiful angel. She was indeed glowing brightly tonight. There was no fear, no apprehension. He saw only desire and excitement in her face. He grabbed the hem of her nightdress and pulled it up over her head in one motion.

  Sarah lifted her arms for him and gasped as her body was unveiled, but she didn’t move to cover her naked breasts when he dropped the silk to the floor.

  Oliver let out a sigh and stopped and stared. Wanting to just enjoy the first time he ever saw Sarah half naked. It would be a sight he would never forget. Sarah’s beautiful pearly skin glowing like satin in the candlelight, her dusky pink nipples already erect and pointing towards him, begging for his touch.

  “You are so beautiful,” Oliver whispered, bringing his right hand up to weigh her full pert breast in his hand. They were plump and delicious looking, his mouth watering at the sight of them. He stroked the nipple with his thumb, the flesh pebbling tighter beneath his touch and Sarah moaned softly. She was so responsive to him that his body had an immediate response to her sighs, hardening and tightening in readiness for their night together.

  Oliver swept Sarah up into his arms and placed her in the center of the bed. His skin itched, he needed to be naked himself. He pulled his own linen shirt off in seconds, removed his stockings and his boots, but faltered there. He weighed up his options, then nodded, choosing to keep his breeches on to make himself last as long as possible.

  Sarah gasped from the bed and he looked up to see her kneeling in front of him on the mattress.

  “You’re beautiful too.” She brought her hands up tentatively to caress his bare skin and sensations like none he’d ever experienced fluttered through him.

  Oliver kissed her gently, his eyes sliding shut as she pressed herself closer. He pulled back and gently maneuvered them so that he lay next to her. He looked into her eyes as her hands floated over his skin like a pair of butterfly wings. Who knew that the touch of a woman’s hand could feel so good?

  He lay still and closed his eyes to enjoy the sensation. In a world where the only person who ever touched you was your valet, the feel of Sarah’s hands on his naked skin was heaven. Oliver was so sensitive to her touch that it was terrifying. He could get far too used to it.

  Sarah moved and wet suction was applied to his nipple as she sucked it into her mouth. Sensations zinged through Oliver at the unexpected movement and his eyes flew open. He gasped as he looked down and saw her with her mouth to his chest. He pulled away from her, shocked. No woman had ever done that to him.

  “Where did you learn that?”

  “You showed me last week,” she answered, frowning at his expression. “You don’t like it?”

  Of course he liked it, but that wasn’t the point. He had been so shocked by her move that he had considered asking her if she was as virginal as she appeared. But he was glad he hadn’t. The hurt look on her face showed such disappointment he was worried he had put her off her explorations.

  “Of course I do. I just didn’t realize you would want to touch me too.”

  Sarah smiled a ‘cat in the cream’ smile, and shuffled closer. “Of course I do. You’re my husband.” And with that statement she pushed him gently so he lay on his back, and touched his nipples with her finger tips until they tightened into little points. She then leaned over him and sucked on one of his nipples until he gasped and bucked his hips. That went straight to his groin.

  Then she looked up at him and moved back so she was laying on her side.

  “You’ll have to show me something else so I know what else I can do.”

  Oliver laughed, how could he not? He had envisioned their lovemaking as being a quiet affair, with her laying back and letting him do what he wanted to do to her. He had never dreamed she would be an active participant.

  “Definitely,” he growled, rolling over the top of her and swooping down for a hot kiss. He broke away to run his lips and tongue down the smooth skin of her throat and ran it all the way down to the curve of her breast. Here he took his time, nipping and lapping at the flesh around the nipple until she began writhing and moving her nipple to the position she wanted it, into his mouth.

  Oliv
er smiled against her skin and enjoyed both the taste of sweet skin and her moans of pleasure as she enjoyed his caresses. His hand toyed with the soft flesh of her other breast until he swapped over his attentions and began suckling its twin. The second one was just as warm, soft and delicious.

  Sarah arched her back off the bed and brought her hands up to his hair to bind him to her.

  Oliver chuckled against her skin, marvelling at her wantonness. He kissed his way down her flat belly enjoying the navel, dipping his tongue into the crevice there in imitation of what he intended to do next. He had never performed this act on any woman as it wasn’t something he had wished to try with any courtesan. But his wife was responsive and beautifully honest in her passion, and he couldn’t wait to taste every inch of her body. The knowledge that she had never known another man was a much stronger aphrodisiac than he imagined. He moved back so that he was kneeling next to her, pulling the pantalettes down her slightly rounded hips and sighed again.

  The curls at the apex of her thighs were only a few shades darker than the blonde curls on her head. She brought her hands up to cover herself but he grabbed them and laced his fingers with hers.

  “Trust me, I would never hurt you,” he soothed, watching the beginnings of a tentative fear rising in her eyes.

  At his words she visibly relaxed and opened her legs in invitation to whatever he wished to do. Oliver smiled and inhaled a sharp breath, releasing her hands and rolling back into his place between her thighs.

  Oliver slid down to the thatch of hair between her legs and Sarah sat up, grabbing at his head. He flicked out his tongue and touched the most sensitive place he knew of. Sarah’s knees came together like a vice, locking his shoulders in place, then her whole body relaxed and she dropped back onto the bed with a moan.

  Oliver pushed her legs apart and stared down at her a moment, marvelling at how pink and perfect she was. The lips were soft and open for him. He dropped his head and kissed her flesh, loving the scent of her in his nose, the taste of her sweetness on his tongue. He licked and enjoyed her body, giving Sarah as much pleasure as he could. When he lowered his head and darted his tongue out to taste her core she screamed.