Desiring Devona

Chapter One

Lord Richard Mansfield pressed his heels into the horse’s flanks, goading it viciously back into a gallop. After a moment, he let the beast slow slightly. He shouldn’t be taking his frustration out on Storm. It wasn’t the stallion’s fault, after all, that Richard couldn’t get the brown waves of Devona Montbatten’s hair out of his mind.

Try as he might to restrain them, his thoughts insisted on wondering whether the same gold highlights were strewn through the hair between her thighs. He felt his groin tighten at the very idea.

“Calm down, Richard,” he told himself. “Just one more day.” After tomorrow morning, he would be married to Devona and then this ridiculous abstinence would come to an end.

He was still amazed at the entire situation. The Montbatten girls, especially the two elder sisters, were quite well known in society for their lack of scruples when it came to entertaining their admirers. Out of the three of them, they had no doubt bedded half the aristocracy. Devona, unlike the other two, was at least discreet in her affairs. No one, to Richard’s recollection, had publicly claimed to have had her.

She had held out against Richard a long time. She was still holding out. No doubt she had seen her sisters’ fate and knew she had to marry before the same reputation caught up with her. All he had ever managed was a few brief kisses, after which she had ruthlessly pushed him away.

It was a very intelligent thing to do. After a few weeks, Richard had been yearning for her. He had thought when they were engaged, she would relent, but she had not. Now, the day before his last chance of escape, he was on fire, and had no thought of struggling. Devona’s slightly plump body would provide many, many nights, even years, of pleasure. She had a keen mind as well, which would fill those days not taken up with even more lovemaking. And unlike Rose and Lily, she might make a decent mother when it was time to produce an heir. Yes, all things considered, she wasn’t a bad choice at all.

She would be faithful too. At least, she would if he had anything to do with it. He’d tie her to the bed, if he had to. He felt a stirring at that idea, as well. Damn it! Would the day never end? He had to hold out until tomorrow. The wedding would be over by noon at the latest, and he would take her immediately to bed and not leave for a week.

He was swiftly earning himself an uncomfortable erection. He turned the horse toward home. Why was he even waiting? Surely she knew she had snagged him. They were to be married in the morning.

He resolved immediately. He would drop by to see if he could get her out of her house. Perhaps to Vauxhall Gardens. The secluded paths there would be perfect for a hasty pre-nuptial coupling. Then he could relax and make it through the ceremony without exploding.

It might be hard to get her mother to let her come alone. Unlike her daughters, Mrs. Edwina Montbatten was as frigid as the grave. Perhaps he could find some companions to lend at least a veneer of respectability. Harry Turbell, he knew, was shagging Rose and would be happy for an opportunity to see her. That would solve everything. He would go straight to the Montbattens’ and arrange to pick them up this evening.

Richard let out a heavy breath, shifting in the saddle. He felt a little better already.

*

Hearing the drawing room door open, I looked up from my book. The parlourmaid curtsied and announced, “Lord Richard Mansfield.”

I smiled as my eyes met those of my husband to be. Setting the book aside, I rose from my chair to greet him. He deposited a brief kiss onto my cheek, gave my older sisters, Rose and Lily, a brief nod, which they returned with flirtatious smiles, then moved to take my mother’s hand in greeting. Mama, setting aside the needlework she was performing on my veil, looked quite pleased with herself, as she always did when she thought of my impending marriage. Our family was poor and without rank; the advantage of the match was entirely on my side.

“I understand you must be busy with plans for tomorrow’s ceremony.” Richard told Mama, smiling. “But I was hoping for the company of you and your daughters at Vauxhall Gardens this evening, if you can find the time. I was thinking of organizing a small party.”

Mama smiled in return. “I’m afraid I have simply too much work to do, and I’ve made Lily promise to help, but I’m sure Devona and Rose would be pleased to join your group.”

Richard glanced at me. “Excellent. I have a few things left to arrange, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course.”

Richard crossed back to me and bent to kiss my cheek. This time, however, his mouth also touched my neck as his hand found my waist, then slid deliberately down to my hip. “Until tonight,” he whispered thickly.

Bowing to my sisters and mother, he quickly took his leave. Mama looked carefully at the door for a long time after it had closed behind him, then shot a glance to my sisters. “Lily, Rose, I want to talk to your sister alone.”

Years of experience with Mama ushered my sisters out the door. Mama set aside my veil, smoothing it once or twice. She didn’t look at me as she began quietly, “I intended to have this discussion with you tomorrow morning, but I suppose it’s best to get it over with.”

With a few clinical words, she described what would be “expected” of me after the ceremony, or rather this evening, if Richard’s behaviour was indicative of his plans.

Though I knew more than Mama seemed to assume, it was still disconcerting to hear the act I had occasionally read of described in such plain terms. Was that really what would happen? I shuddered at the thought of the pain she described.

“...but he’ll want to think you’re enjoying it. So you must pant and sigh, as if you take pleasure in all of this.”

She looked up at me. My face felt deathly pale. The concern flooded her eyes. “Just lie still darling, and it will be over quickly.” She reached over and patted my knee. “Now go put on a pretty frock for your fiancé.”

Trying to control the trembling in my knees, I moved up to my room. Sitting on the bed, I put my head into my hands. Until this moment, I had always seen my future with Richard as a kind of higher friendship, only vaguely aware of the physical aspect. Now, it had rushed in on me, shaking my very foundations. I had always assumed he employed a mistress for such things. But of course, Richard would want an heir to continue the line. It was silly of me not to think of it earlier.

The few times he had kissed me, I had been unable to do anything but nervously push him back. Thankfully, he hadn’t pressed, but now his patience had run out. Wrapping my arms around my chest, I faced the facts. Tonight, I would be forced to lie with man. With Richard. A vision of my fiancé rose up before me, intimidating, nearly frightening: half a foot taller than me, with broad shoulders and strong arms that could crush me easily, Richard was not a man to be denied.

I must have sat with my thoughts for over an hour, for the next thing I knew, Rose had knocked on the door and slipped inside. She was dressed in a provocatively low-cut blue gown. A scarlet domino cape was draped over her arm, and she held her loo-mask in her hand. Rose had been to Vauxhall Gardens several times, and claimed to know the secluded walks blindfolded.

Catching sight of me, she looked immediately concern. “Devona, what is it?” she asked, coming across the room to put her arms around me. “Are you ill?”

I wanted desperately to confide in my sister, but I knew she wouldn’t understand. I shook my head. “I’m just nervous about tomorrow.”

“Is that all? Don’t worry, I’ll see you’re all right. For tonight you should just enjoy yourself. Lord Richard is going to be here in less than a quarter of an hour. What are you going to wear?”

I shrugged.

“Well, you’re not going to get very far with that attitude. Come, we’ll find something.”

Rose crossed to my wardrobe and quickly sorted through the dresses. She returned to me holding a dark green silk. I had tried it on once, when Mother had first brought it from the dressmaker’s, then banished it to the back of the wardrobe.

“This one,” Rose said decisively.

“But, Rose –”

“No arguments, Devona. You’re wearing this one.”

Unable to protest, I meekly allowed myself to be pulled into the gown. Standing before the glass, I felt positively naked. My full breasts nearly spilled from the low-cut neckline and the flimsy fabric clung to my waist and legs, leaving little to the imagination.

Rose allowed me to wear a fichu to fill in part of the neckline, but insisted on arranging it low enough to allow a healthy view of my breasts. Standing at my shoulder she smiled at me in the glass and kissed my cheek. “Richard won’t be able to resist you.”

That was exactly what I was afraid of, but I was silent as Rose arranged my dark brown hair for me. She was twisting the last curls over my neck when we heard the bell ring. Richard had arrived. With a deep breath to fortify myself, I moved toward the stairs, snatching up my domino and mask as I went.

He was standing in the vestibule and looked up as Rose and I descended. I felt myself blush, but managed to reach the base of the stairs without tripping over my train. When I reached him, he took up both my hands, turned them over, and laid a soft kiss in each palm. There was a dangerous glitter in his eyes as his gaze raked over me, making me feel suddenly naked.

*

Her dress was positively seductive. Richard was immediately pleased that he had taken the initiative this evening. In an hour or so, this burning hunger would be over, or at least slightly appeased. Sitting beside her in the carriage, Richard allowed his gaze to wander blatantly over the expanse of chest revealed by her fichu. A tinge of red slowly spread from her face down over the creamy flesh. Richard smiled. A minx who could still blush. She was enticing indeed.

Halfway to the Gardens, Harry and Rose were already ignoring them, engaged in a little tete-a-tete between themselves. Richard reached out to pull Devona to him. She pulled away, blushing again. Richard didn’t let the motion deter him in the least. He took Devona’s hand from her lap and, turning it over, brushed his mouth against the inside of her wrist, his tongue darting out to touch her pulse. He felt her inhale sharply. He allowed his mouth to drift up her forearm, pulling it across him, turning her body toward him.

She smelled wonderful. There was no heavy perfume, just the faintest hint of soap tinging the scent of Devona herself. He wanted to bury his face between her breasts and live on the scent.

His lips had reached her shoulder and he was pulling aside the tiny froth of sleeve when the carriage jerked to a halt. Devona pulled her arm away as the driver opened the door. Rose and Harry descended first, laughing. Richard stepped out, then reached back to assist Devona in descending. Her hand was shaking harshly as she put it into his. She stumbled as she stepped down, falling awkwardly against him. Unable to resist, he held her close for a moment. His hand, of its own volition, wandered over her backside, finding it plump and firm.

“Well,” Harry said with a smile. “Shall we claim a box and find these girls some champagne?”

“Oh yes, please!” Rose said eagerly.

Devona seemed willing to be pulled along with the rest. Richard wanted to take her into the darkened garden paths immediately, but even in Vauxhall, proprieties had to be observed. The quickly found an empty box overlooking the courtyard and edge of the gardens and tipped the doorman to ensure its use for the evening. Glasses of champagne were provided to the girls. Devona made a slight face at her first sip, but when Rose gave her an encouraging look, she quickly downed half the glass.

If asked, Richard could not have recalled a single word of the conversation that passed over the next quarter hour. He was too busy watching Devona, thinking of what he would do to her when they were finally alone. Imagining how those delicious breasts would look once freed from the fabric of her dress, he became painfully aware of his cock straining against his breeches.

“Miss Devona,” he said, nearly laughing at the formal tone of his voice. “Would you care to accompany me for a walk in the gardens?”

For a long, dreadful moment, she was silent. Richard felt his heart lurch. What if she didn’t agree? Thankfully, she placed her hand in his and nodded shyly. “I would be pleased to, Lord Richard.”

Richard took up her hand and tucked it into his arm. Rose and Harry rose as well, but at the doorway of the box, they skipped away, disappearing into the hedged paths of the gardens. Richard led Devona at a more sedate pace to another section of the moonlit paths.

*

I started as Lord Richard made a quick turn down one of the narrower paths, pulling me with him. The trees were too close for us to walk side by side and leave any kind of respectable distance. Richard put his arm around my waist, pulling me tight against him. I shivered at the feeling of his hard body next to mine.

Richard caressed my hip and murmured, “It’s all right. Just come with me a moment.”

He quickly led me to a small clearing in the trees, just off one of the paths. With a sudden jerk on my arm, he pulled me against him. His arms were like a vice around me as his mouth came down on my neck.

“W-what are you doing?”

He chuckled, his mouth coming up to pull on my earlobe. “I’m going to make love to you, sweet Devona. What did you think?”

*

“H-here?” I stammered. “On the ground?”

He smiled and, taking off his domino cape, he spread it over the grass at our feet. I stared at it. He took my wrist and pulled me into his arms. As he ran his hands over my tense body, I shivered. His smirk slowly disappeared.

“Devona,” he said slowly, “you’ve done this before, haven’t you?”

I shook my head fiercely. “No,” I whispered.

Richard slowly, perhaps reluctantly, released me. He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. “I suppose I should have known, but, with your sisters, I thought – God! Are all Englishmen fools?”

“You’re disappointed.”

He shook his head. “No. Just caught off guard.” He smirked again, playfully this time, his gaze raking over me. “I’ve never bedded a virtuous woman before,” he murmured. He approached me slowly, backing me up against a nearby tree. I opened my mouth to protest, but he stopped me by settling his mouth over mine.

It was a kiss like I had never felt before. He pushed his tongue into my open mouth, making me gasp. His hands drifted over my clothing and toyed briefly with the buttons of my dress as his tongue slowly explored the inside of my mouth. Finally, my weak protests made him pull back.

“What was that?” I asked, my voice shaking.

“What was what?”

“You put your tongue – ”

He smirked. “You can’t tell me you didn’t enjoy it.” He kissed me again, this time stroking his tongue deep into my mouth. For some reason, this caused my knees to turn to water. Richard held me close against him and slowly lowered me to lie on his cape. He kissed me ardently, shifting his body so he was half on top of me. There was a hardness in the front of his breeches pressing against my thigh. Mama’s description was enough for me to guess what it was.

Richard released my mouth and gently bent his head to nibble at my neck. I suddenly felt so very warm. When he reached the edge of my fichu, he pulled it quickly away with one hand. I suddenly felt the cold open air of the gardens on my skin. “Lord Richard – I – ”

His mouth was already trailing over the newly exposed flesh, quickly counteracting the cool environment. My protests melted away. His fingers gently manipulated the buttons on my dress. I only held my breath. But when his hands actually slipped into my bodice and touched my breast, I couldn’t help but give a nervous shudder.

His hand dropped away and he met my eyes again. “You don’t like that?”

I could feel myself blush. “I – Well, no one’s ever – ”

He smiled. His teeth looked white in the dim light, like a wolf. Not breaking eye contact, he raised his hand again. I felt him slide gently under the fabric, his hand warm against my breast. His fingers curled to cup the flesh against his palm while his thumb played lightly against the nipple. I couldn’t move or breathe. He glanced down at the rounded globe, pulling it gently free of my bodice. His eyes looked up, full of mischief, as he lowered his head and actually took the little nub into his mouth. His tongue, probing against it, was hot against my skin. My body involuntarily relaxed, shivering with delight as I exhaled audibly. Richard released my breast with a low laugh.

“I think you like it, don’t you?”

“It’s l-lovely.”

He pulled my other breast free of the bodice, then put his mouth on me again, sucking hard at my nipple. His knee slipped between my legs, gently spreading them apart, then he pressed even closer, shifting over me, his hips in line with mine. His mouth found mine again as he firmly tilted his hips against mine, pressing that hardness against the apex of my thighs. Slowly, the feeling of his body, rubbing up and down against mine, began to create a well of heat just below my abdomen. My mouth opened in a warm gasp.

Richard reacted with a rough sound, pushing himself up from the ground. Walking a few steps away, he leaned against a nearby tree, breathing heavily. Turning back, he glanced down at my exposed breasts, then deliberately found my gaze and held it. “I think I’d better take you home. Or you’ll end this evening considerably less virtuous than you started.”

I was at a loss to explain the strange sense of disappointment that flooded through me. Pushing myself up on my elbows, I asked, “I – I thought that’s why you brought me here.”

Richard gave me a scolding glance. A moment later it softened as he said gently, “It was, originally. But I am not going to take your maidenhead like this.” His eyes, for a moment, wandered down, then shifted suddenly to my face. “I think you’d better cover up.”

Embarrassed, I sat up, struggling to cover my exposed breasts. As I buttoned my bodice, Richard knelt beside me. His fingers slid under my chin, tilting my gaze up to his. “My poor Devona. I’m confusing the hell out of you, aren’t I?” He kissed me briefly, then pulled me to my feet.

He said nothing else. Taking up his cape, he grasped my hand and we turned our steps back toward the main paths. My breasts ached beneath the tight fabric of my bodice. I tried to adjust it, but that only seemed to make it worse. I gave up as we stepped onto one of the lighted paths.

*

She was a virgin.

Richard could scarcely believe it, but there it was. Despite growing up with two wanton sisters in a promiscuous society, she was untouched. She had never even so much as kissed another man. The pieces all fell together. Her shyness at his caresses. The lack of rumours featuring her specifically. How could he not have known it? How could he be so blind?

She was a virgin!

Nevertheless, Richard reminded himself, she was most obviously a passionate woman. Her reaction in the garden had shown that much. Her only trouble was that she didn’t know what to do with her hands. Or her tongue, for that matter. Well, he could teach her that. With great pleasure.

With his valet’s help, Richard quickly stripped off his outer garments. Dismissing the servant, he sat on the bed a moment. Tomorrow, he would finally bed Devona. He would be the first man inside that delectable body, sheathed in her soft, wet heat.

He took a deep breath, stripping off his breeches and climbing into bed.

A nagging fear tugged at the back of his mind. He had heard, even from his own partners, of how painful sex was during a woman’s first time. He only hoped that if he was slow and gentle with her, he could bring her some pleasure. Richard leaned back on the pillows, recalling the sight of Devona in the moonlight, her breasts spilling from the open bodice of her dress. They had been silky yet firm under his hands, the nipples pleasantly hard against his palms.