A Bewitching Lord of Her Own: A Historical Regency Romance Book

by Lucy Langton

  “A lady waits for no one,” she teased as she waited for Flynt to lead the way out of the stable and along the riding path that mirrored the main roads of Town. He winked at her as he pulled ahead of her, nudging his horse into a trot. Ada followed quickly after him, observing the scenery that they passed.

  “Tis the only reason I prefer the countryside,” Ada said as she rode astride to him. “It is easier to ride in the open fields instead of being confined to one riding trail.”

  “I wish I had thought to invite you on my daily rides then,” Flynt said as their horses trotted slowly next to one another. Ada could reach out and clasp hands with Flynt if she wanted but decided to keep her hands on the reins as it had been a while since she had ridden.

  “I believe that would have been a lovely idea,” Ada agreed.

  “Ada, I don’t normally talk about such things, but perhaps it is time that I finally confessed to you the things that often occupy my mind,” Flynt said as he pulled on the reins to stop his horse. Ada did the same as she looked at the solemn expression on Flynt’s face as he stared out in front of him along the trail. Ada remained silent as she pulled her horse to a stop as well, wondering what Flynt was about to tell her.

  “Before I made lieutenant in the Navy, I was just a normal sailor despite my rank in society. The one thing I liked about the Navy was that it made all men equal despite where we had all come from,” Flynt said as he held the reins tightly in his hands.

  “There was a man named Gerry Goodayle that I had become good friends with. He was a tradesman and wanted a better life for him and his family by earning a promotion in the Navy. However, the more out at sea we were, the more he started to think about loftier ideas on how to become wealthy.

  “We faced many pirates ships amongst all the French we did battle against along the shoreline. These pirates had gathered quite a fortune, and the supplies we plundered would bring much wealth back to England. Gerry desired this wealth for himself and started to speak with the other crew members about plans for a mutiny.

  “However, I could not stand behind such actions. I tried to talk Gerry and the men against the idea, that it could not be successful in the long run because they would become enemies of all countries for doing such a thing. In the end, I had to confess to what Gerry had plans to do to the Captain. But before Gerry could be shackled to be tried for treason, he jumped to his death into the dark waters below.

  “Ever since that day, I have felt guilty for speaking up against my friend. I wish I could have thought of a different way to preserve his life and the life of the crew who would have surely died in the mutiny attack. There was so much bloodshed we had already witnessed that I couldn’t bear seeing it amongst all the men I had served with.”

  When Flynt became quiet after his speech, Ada’s heart seemed to open towards him. She now understood why Flynt often acted so distant and even cold-hearted during their time in Bath. His moods often changed dramatically, especially when he appeared deep in thought.

  And as Ada thought about the way Flynt had been when he returned from the Navy, perhaps now she could understand that his actions had much to do with the nightmares he had been trying to run from.

  Despite her inexperience, Ada reached out and rested her gloved hand on his, squeezing his for a moment before righting herself. The last thing she wanted to do was lose her balance and risk being trampled by a horse. She regained her position on her steed and thought of something she could share with her husband.

  “When my parents died suddenly from the sickness that seemed to claim them in a matter of days, I became deathly afraid of all sickness. I watched my brother drink himself into an illness that I was so afraid of; I couldn’t even look at him for fear of dying myself. It wasn’t until your mother gave me purpose again that I started not to be so afraid of life again,” Ada explained.

  “Is that why you were such a quiet and timid person?” Flynt asked, a smirk coming to his face as he looked at her.

  “Perhaps. That and I knew my place in society after accepting an employment position. I became close with Dowager Statham, but I did not know you truly till you came home from the Navy,” Ada said, giving him a smile.

  “I hope your opinion of me has improved since our first introduction,” Flynt said as he turned his horse around.

  “It has,” Ada said as she followed suit. “And I have the same hope for you as well.”

  “Don’t worry, my dear. I no longer see you as the timid young lady who wouldn’t dare look me in the eyes. I suspect that there is a minx below your composed demeanour,” Flynt said with a chuckle, flicking the reins of his horse and speeding off into a gallop. Ada laughed freely as she followed suit, not afraid at the speed in which they raced back to the stables.

  Chapter 17

  Flynt felt like a weight had been lifted off of his chest as he focused on spending quality time with Ada. They frequented the marketplace with his mother and aunt, and Flynt shared more stories of his travels abroad and the many unusual wares he had come across. Speaking more about his time in the Navy helped Flynt remove all the dark memories he’d been storing inside.

  At night, as he lay with Ada in his arms, he would tell her about all the things that had been troubling him since he went to war. She was always a wonderful listener. And sometimes she would offer her advice and opinion to help him see each horrifying event in a new light.

  Her different perspective helped him deal with the many things that had been troubling him for so long. Before, he would have gladly drowned his sorrows in whisky or wine. But now, Ada gave him someone to talk to that he could trust and rely on to keep his dark secrets.

  “I am not proud of the things I had to do to survive,” Flynt confessed one night, laying on his back and staring up at the dark ceiling as they shared the same bed once more.

  “And no one is asking you to be proud,” Ada said, lying on her side and resting her hand on his chest. He raised a hand to hers, holding it as he spoke.

  “There are captains and lieutenants from the Navy who often boast of their heroic actions at sea. I honestly don’t know how they do it when it comes at such a bloody cost.”

  “Perhaps it’s the only way they can justify what they have done,” Ada reasoned. “Everyone must deal with death and the sight of death in their own way. By the act of bragging about what they did, they can receive the praise from other men and women that help them feel justified and less guilty.”

  “Ada, my dear …” Flynt said.

  “Yes?”

  “I had not realized till now just how intelligent you are,” Flynt said, turning his head to look at her through the dim light of the bedside candle. She smiled at him as she squeezed his hand once more.

  “It is a benefit to know that your wife is intelligent. You’d be surprised to learn what things you may be able to rely on me with. I may not have been raised to manage an earldom, but I can manage a household well and plan various social gatherings,” Ada said.

  “Then perhaps we should start reviewing the different business papers I receive from my solicitor. He is always making suggestions on how the family’s wealth could be increased. I normally don’t reply to the letters because I am nervous about making a wrong decision,” Flynt confessed.

  “I would be glad to assist you with matters of business, Flynt. After all, we are in this together.”

  And thus his days commenced in such a fashion. He and Ada were growing closer in their relationship. During the day, they would work together to accomplish any task that needed his attention. He began to grow more confident with his work with the earldom, and it helped ease the tension in his body, knowing he could always talk to Ada about anything.

  At night, they explored each other’s bodies. They learned what the other liked, how sensitive they could become with the lightest of touches, and how to help each other release without worrying about producing children. Flynt enjoyed their pleasurable moments together but still was not ready for the respon
sibility of raising a child until he felt more stable in life.

  Towards the end of the Season, when Flynt honestly thought nothing wrong would happen in his life ever again, his mother became gravely ill. Flynt sat on one side of her bed, Ada on the other as they sat with Dowager Statham and waited to see how she would fair. Her chest rose and fell slowly, a gurgling sound coming from each breath that made Flynt tense with fear.

  “I can’t bear to lose my mother now,” Flynt said in a soft voice, shifting his eyes from his pale mother to where Ada sat on the other side, holding the woman’s hand.

  “Fear not, Flynt,” Ada said. “The physician explained that it is just a cold. She should make a full recovery after she has rested for a few days. He left plenty of poultices for her chest to breathe easier.”

  “But she looks so very ghastly,” Flynt observed, looking back at his mother. “I don’t want her to appear in such a way and for me to only be able to remember her as she is now.”

  Ada gently laid his mother’s hand back down on the bed. She stood from her chair and rounded the bed until she stood behind him. Then, she leaned over him, wrapping her arms around him as she held him tight. Flynt did his best to keep his tears at bay as he lifted his hands to her arms and embraced her comfort. It seemed the only thing that was keeping him from finding the bottom of a bottle was having Ada close to him at all times.

  “I feel as though I am spinning once more,” Flynt sobbed, knowing that speaking out loud would not help him feel any better. “I want to run from this place and all the sadness and darkness. I want to lose myself to drink and fist fighting.”

  “Shhh, Flynt. You are safe where you are,” Ada said softly. “Close your eyes and simply feel me holding you.” Flynt did as he was told and tried to focus solely on Ada’s presence as he regained his composure. He wanted to be strong for Ada because he knew how much she cared for Dowager Statham as well. But he became very selfish at that moment as he clung to his wife for help.

  “Come. Let’s go to the garden to collect some fresh flowers for your mother. She would like to see them when she awakes,” Ada said, tugging on Flynt’s hands to get him to stand. Eventually, he obeyed the persistence of his wife and allowed her to lead him from the room and down to the gardens below.

  ~*~

  Ada was truly worried. She didn’t like to see her mother-in-law so sickly and in bed for the last few years. Ada was doing her best to keep her faith in what the doctor had explained. Dowager Statham’s maids were following the physician’s orders to the last detail, and though the widow was eating only bone broth, it was better than nothing.

  What worried Ada more than the condition of her closest friend was the current state of her husband. In a matter of days, the man she had come to adore was quickly becoming a shadow of his former self. He became untidy once more, his hair dishevelled, and his clothes very plain and basic.

  She tried to convince him to at least wear a vest or waistcoat over his muslin shirt, but he would not hear any of it as he mostly sat at his mother’s beside as though simply waiting for the woman to pass away.

  At night, Ada would hold Flynt close to her, trying to comfort him the best she could. He’d become rather quiet and appearing to be deep in thought now more than ever. And when he did speak, especially during meals, he appeared frustrated and worn down. That was why she was hoping a walk around the gardens would do her husband some good and help him do something nice for his mother in return.

  “Your mother has always adored roses,” Ada said as she walked hand in hand with Flynt. He appeared almost lifeless as he walked beside her, looking not really where they were going. Her words seemed to bring him out of the fog of his mind as he focused on her once more. He looked at the roses and nodded his head as though it was the only reply he could muster.

  Ada let go of his hand so she could carefully clip a few of the roses with the shears and snap off the thorns so she would not hurt herself. She passed the roses to Flynt to carry while she progressed in making a stunning floral arrangement for Dowager Statham.

  “What am I going to do once the time comes for Mother to pass on?” Flynt at one point asked as she handed him a bundle of baby’s breath.

  “Flynt, my dear. At one point in everyone’s life, we all must die. No one lives forever,” she said softly, coming to him and resting her hand on his arm. He looked down at her, tears in his eyes.

  “I never knew my father. He died before I could even form a memory of him,” he said, his voice strained as though he was fighting back another sob.

  “It is truly unfortunate that it happened in that way. But your mother has lived a full life. She has been alive to see you grow into a fine man. You are a husband now and a diligent Earl. You make both of your parents very happy,” Ada said, trying to think of words to comfort him.

  “Ada, do I make you happy?” he asked, tears pooling in his eyes. Ada smiled brightly, easy to do so as she nodded her head.

  “Yes, Flynt. You do make me happy. I’ve come to truly enjoy being your wife, spending our days together, and enjoying all sorts of pleasure during the night,” she said with a smile. He chuckled then as he withdrew his handkerchief and wiped his eyes with one hand, the other around the flowers.

  “I am happy as well,” Flynt declared. “I just don’t want my mother to leave now when I finally feel I have pulled myself together and can be the man she always hoped that I would one day become.”

  “Fear not. I am certain Dowager Statham knows that her son is a good man. Even before we were married, she saw in you what others were not able to. And that is why she never gave up on you,” Ada said confidently. Flynt nodded his head in reply, and together they continued in the garden until they were both certain the flowers they had gathered would be appreciated by Dowager Statham.

  Leaving a vase full of fresh flowers beside her bed, Flynt and Ada stood together as they looked down at the resting woman. Ada leaned her head on Flynt’s shoulder as they saw how the colour had returned to the ageing woman’s face. In return, Flynt leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

  One of the things she always adored was when Flynt would kiss her, even if it were just on the forehead. The little signs of affection he had started to show her really did much to comfort her and bring her peace.

  “Would you sing for me?” Flynt asked as they left the bedchamber. Dinner would be served shortly, and Ada knew that they both needed to eat something instead of waiting around all day for Dowager Statham to improve.

  “Yes, I can do that,” Ada said as they went downstairs and into the drawing room. There, they found Dowager White working on her embroidery, and Miss Butler sat nearby, seeming to help the woman at every opportunity.

  Ada smiled at them before settling down at the piano. When ready, she began to play Flynt’s favourite tune as she sang along with the music. Flynt settled into a chair next to her, and for the evening, they enjoyed discussing music between the songs Ada performed.

  It was a comforting experience that Ada clung to, seeing a bit of life return to Flynt’s features. She would do anything to help him stay away from the darkness of his mind.

  That night, as they retired to their bedchamber for the evening, Ada didn’t bother dressing into a nightgown. She stripped out of all of her garments, resting them on the dresser before going to Flynt. He looked at her, then down at her bare body that seemed to glow in the candlelight. She reached towards him, undoing his trousers until she was able to free his manhood.

  Flynt smirked at her as he finished undressing, resting his hands on her waist as she enjoyed the feeling of his stiff manhood in her hands. She knew that they both needed the release and the comfort that came from being intimate with one another.

  Ada pressed herself onto her tiptoes, sealing her lips to Flynt’s as she kissed him passionately. Their tongues danced together as his hands pulled her closer to him, her body filling with a feverish heat that demanded action.

  “I think it’s time, Flynt,”
Ada said as she broke their kiss. She dropped her hand from his manhood and then backed up against the bed. Her heart was racing with excitement as she laid upon the bed and spread her legs wide for her husband.