by Daria Wright
“I’d very much like to explore my new home, if that is alright with you?”
A smile touched his lips. “It is nice to see you calling it a home.” He turned away from her and dug into the plate in front of him.
Mary thought about the way he had touched her the night before. The way he had refused to let her get away from him. I wonder if Thorn would allow me to break his hold. She was sure he would be strong enough to hold her in place if he wanted to, despite the fact that Mary was strong for a girl.
She stole another glance at him. His head was down as he stared at his breakfast. Mary took a cue from him and looked down, mostly so she wouldn’t get caught staring at Thorn. She was sure Henry wouldn’t hit her in front of anyone, but she did not know what he would do when people were not looking. She had still not figured out what kind of man he was, and the fact that he had needed to buy a wife worried her.
Chapter Four
Mary was glad to have the day to herself. Henry would be gone for most of the day, if not the full day and some. Although she didn’t dare ask she was sure it was a norm based on how everyone was acting about it.
With the warmth of the sun beating down on her Mary took the chance to explore the gardens. Although she’d been in them last night with Thorn there was much more to them than she realized. The castle was on acres of land by the looks of it, because she hadn’t seen anything that suggested otherwise.
She made her way from the open fields towards the woods as soon as she realized they were there, and now here she was taking her first step into them. Back home there was not much open space. It was crowded and cramped- and there were no forests for miles away. This is home now. She reminded herself, and the feeling made her gut turn. She took a deep breath and forced a smile over her lips. No matter how bad it is at least I will have this. And that gave Mary comfort. She knew that God would not put her in a situation she could not handle, but she was not sure what that truly meant, she knew she could handle more than she would like to.
Neeeeee.
Mary’s brow furrowed. What is that nose? Mary turned just in time to see what had made the noise. She gasped, jumping out of the way as a horse came rushing towards her.
Then she caught sight of the rider. Her heart skipped a beat as his green eyes locked don her. A smile spread over his lips, the scar on his cheek curving. The horse began to slow.
“M’lady,” he greeted her. “are you well?”
She stared at him. He wore no shirt. She had not realized how muscular he was last night, although it was clear he was a strong man she had not expected the definition to cover his entire body. And the small tattoo along his left shoulder had not been something she’d noticed before. Mary took a deep breath, forcing herself to look away from him.
“I am, thank you,” she said as he came to a stop in front of her.
When she had met him last night it had felt like he towered over her, now on top of the large horse she felt like an ant in front of him.
He quickly dismounted and dropped to the ground. “Are you out for a walk alone?”
“Yes, that is unless you’d like to join me?” She knew it was forward, and she knew she shouldn’t have said it but she did. She wanted him to walk with her.
The entire day she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the kiss he had placed on her. She knew she shouldn’t. She should be thinking about Henry’s kiss, and she had been. She hadn’t been able to shake the thought that although they were so alike there was one major difference.
She had wanted to pull Thorn closer to her. Henry she had wanted to push away.
Guilt twisted in the pit of her stomach. I shouldn’t think like that. Henry is to be my husband. It was wrong to feel this way for another man- a man she hardly knew. I know him better than the man who is to be my husband. She knew it was a right thought, though not any less sinful. Mary flushed looking away from Thorn.
“I’d love to join you, m’lady.”
Mary’s cheeks flushed. She shouldn’t have even asked him to join her and she knew that, because now he had said yes and she was happy about it. How am I supposed to not think about him if he is right beside me?!
She’d told herself this afternoon that she would avoid her thoughts about him- clearly that was not going to plan. And it was all her own fault.
“Have you been out walking long?”
“Most of the day,” Mary admitted as they fell into stride. Thorn reached out for the reigns on his horse and led it along with them. “Is he yours?”
“Yes. My prized possession, well except maybe my sword.”
Mary’s heart skipped a beat. She’d forgotten for a second that he was a knight. That he had a sword- that he would have killed people. She took a deep breath, a sobering thought that allowed her to put some distance between her and this man. But when she turned to look at him her heart skipped a beat for an entirely different reason. His smile widened, and Mary found herself returning it.
“I’ve had him since I was first knighted.”
“Was that long ago?”
Thorn shrugged, apparently unwilling to admit how long ago it had been.
“Have you made many plans for your upcoming wedding?”
This was not a change of topic that Mary enjoyed.
“I… well, to be truthful I haven’t thought much about it at all.”
Thorn laughed softly. “But most women have their weddings planned before they are even able to start looking for a suitor. Were you not like that.”
“Of course I was,” Mary had always looked forward to being a wife. She’d always wanted a family of her own. “but I always thought I’d be married in a small church, wearing a dress that I had to sew, to a man who didn’t have much more than I did. Now…”
“You could have anything you asked for on your wedding day,” he finished the sentence for her.
“Yes, I could.”
“So what is it you want?”
Mary turned to Thorn, his green eyes lighting up as they locked on hers. Mary’s heart skipped a beat. You.
She wasn’t sure what brought that response, after all she hardly knew him! Mary looked away. “I’m not sure,” she lied. “Are you married?”
“No,” sadness laced his voice. “Not many women will marry a knight. A man doomed to die.”
“Then they are fools. Everyone knows one man can die just as easily as the next. And to give up on a man like you just because of-”
Mary stopped speaking, a blush burning her cheeks.
A man like me?
Thorn replayed her words over and over in his head. What did she mean by that?
Was it possible that she found him worthy? Perhaps even desirable.
Thorn’s heart raced as he thought about the kiss they had shared last night. Although he had known it was his fault he had not thought much of it, but she had not pushed him away. No, she had allowed him to kiss her- despite the fact that he was a knight. Nothing more than a fighter. Nothing compared to the man she was about to marry. Thorn felt his heart sink into the pit of his stomach. How could he have been so foolish?
Even if it was just for a couple seconds, he should know that she would never pick a man like him over the man she was about to marry.
She was just being kind, right?
One way to find out.
Thorn knew that what he was about to do was dangerous.
He came to a stop, reaching out and grabbing Mary’s wrist. He pulled her to a stop as well.
Mary’s heart did a backflip as she felt herself jerked to a stop. She was spun around, her eyes locked on Thorn.
Her heart raced as she closed the distance between her, his lips touching hers softly.
A moan escaped her before she even realized it. She pulled away, lifting her hands to her lips. She’d never felt this way before. A hot shiver ran down her spine, heat pooling in the pit of her stomach. “I…” she swallowed dryly, trying to process everything.
Suddenly what little di
stance had been between them was gone. How? She didn’t realize the answer until she saw Thorn’s wide eyes staring at her. He hadn’t moved. She had.
He reached out, carefully tracing his fingers along her cheek, he pulled her back into a kiss.
Their kiss grew more and more passionate. Thorn’s teeth grazed her lower lip gently.
The heat polled inside Mary’s stomach. Her body ached for more.
Thorn pulled away from her. “Mary,” he whispered. “I am not a pure man. I want nothing more than to take you, here and now.”
His words made her heart race.
“Then take me,” she whispered.
Thorn grabbed her, pulling her closer to him, his fingers pressing into her lower back. Their lips crashed together, passion flowing through the kiss.
He pulled away again, sucking in a deep breath. “You tempt me,” he stepped away from her. “but tell me, are you…” His cheeks flushed. “I mean, have you…”
“No, I have not.” Mary had no shame in admitting that he would be the first man she’d lay with.
Thorn reached out, his hand running over the curves of her body. “Then I will not. Not here, not now,” Mary opened her mouth to protest. “I will come see you tonight. Then, we will speak more.” He stepped towards her, placing one more soft kiss against her lips.
Mary watched him speechlessly as he turned away from her and mounted his horse, riding away. He will come see me tonight.
Chapter Five
Mary sat in her room, her heart racing as every second ticked by. Henry had not come home for dinner, which meant he would most likely not be coming home for the night- at least that is what the maids said.
Her bedroom door opened. Mary turned to see who it was. Thorn.
Her heart skipped a beat as he stepped into the room. He looked her up and down. She hadn’t bothered to stay dressed, instead changing into a silk nigh gown for the summer heat.
Thorn closed the door, locking it behind him.
Mary took a deep breath. I can’t believe I’m doing this. She had always known this day would come, but she thought it would be different. She thought it would be with her husband. She thought it would be with someone she’d spend the rest of her life with.
Mary’s heart ached. Because the man coming towards her was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Mary took a deep breath as Thorn sat down on the bed beside her.
“Have you changed your mind? I will leave if you’d like me to.”
“No. I don’t want to be alone.” I want to be with you. But she didn’t dare say it out loud. She took a deep breath and reached out for the man, her fingers tangled into his hair as her lips touched his. She’d been thinking about the kiss they shared in the woods all day.
Thorn’s arms wrapped around her, guiding her down onto her back. His lips traced along her jawline, down to her neck. Mary’s eyes rolled back. She’d never experienced such pleasure before. Her fingers tightened in his hair.
Thorn pulled away from her just enough to remove his shirt. Mary’s eyes drank everything in.
As he undid his pants and slid them off Mary’s eyes widened. She swallowed dryly as his manhood sprang forward.
He caught her staring. Reaching out he brushed her cheek gently. “I’ll take care of everything,” He promised. “All you have to do is enjoy yourself.”
Mary forced herself to nod, though she was not sure she’d be able to.
He crawled onto the bed, spreading her legs and settling down between them. Mary’s heart raced as his hand slipped between her legs, brushing her uppermost thigh.
Pleasure overwhelmed Mary as Thorn touched her. His hands working softly over her body, bringing sensations she’d never known. His hand pulled away from her as he moved closer. His manhood pressing against her lips.
Thorn’s eyes locked on Mary, his lips lowered to hers. “Tell me if it hurts,” he whispered.
Mary forced herself to nod as he pushed into her. Pleasure and pain overwhelmed her. Her nails dug into the blankets as she gasped.
“Try to relax,” his lips traced over her neck ever so gently.
Mary tried. She focused on relaxing her body as he pulled away from her and pressed back into her.
Thorn reached out and took her hand as the plain went away, replaced by pure pleasure. Mary moaned softly, her eyes rolling back.
Thorn pressed himself deeper. Mary gasped. Thorn stilled above her.
“Am I hurting you?”
Mary shook her head, unable to speak.
Faster he moved into her. Faster and faster.
Stroke. Stroke. Stroke.
Each movement pulling Mary closer and closer to the edge. Each thrust sending pleasure through her body.
His thrusts grew faster and faster.
Mary’s toes curled as she sucked in a deep breath. Pleasure overwhelmed her body, crashing through her. Wave after wave. Mary cried out, her fingers digging into the bedding.
Thorn bent down. His lips touched hers, drinking in her cries.
Thorn’s pace quickened. He crashed into her. Then again, and again. He let out a sound of pleasure, pushing himself into her. His fingers tightening against Mary’s.
He pulled away from her and flopped down next to her on the bed. A thin bead of sweat rolled down her forehead. He leaned towards Mary, his lips touching her shoulder before closing over her mouth once more.
Mary sucked in a deep breath, their lips melting together. She pulled away from him, her body suddenly tied. She yawned. She’d never felt anything like that in her life, but she knew she wanted to feel it again. And she wanted it to be Thorn to make her feel like that again. She didn’t dare say it out loud. Instead, she moved closer to him. Her body rolled half on top of him. She traced over his muscular chest, her brain still processing what they had just done together. She took a deep breath. She knew it was wrong to sleep with a man before they were wed, but… this man… the way he made her feel- that was not wrong. Mary swallowed back her feelings. She would marry another man soon, but the truth is she would be happy knowing that Thorn was her first.
Thorn pulled her into his arms. “I cannot stay,” he said. “Not while we are here. Not with so many people who can find us together.”
“I understand.” Though that didn’t take her disappointment away.
Thorn’s lips touched her cheek. “Mary, do you love Henry?”
No. “I… I believe I may someday.” The truth was, he scared her.
“Do you love me?” Mary stared at Thorn with wide eyes. Why would he ask her such a question?” “Run away with me. Just the two of us.”
“But-”
“No, no buts, just the two of us. I have enough savings that we could do it. We could leave the country, no one would find us. We could go right now.”
“No.”
Mary wouldn’t do that. Not now. She didn’t know this man well enough, she didn’t love him enough.
“I understand,” Thorn said, looking away from her. But he didn’t.
One month later
Mary took a deep breath. Despite the fact that she had grown to call the castle home this felt more like home. Although the house was small Thorn had been able to afford somewhere outside of the city. Somewhere they were truly alone.
She had wanted to wait longer. To make sure this was the right thing for them- this risk had to be worth it because it could easily kill them both.
Mary’s hand touched her stomach gently. She was not stupid, she knew people would have found out soon. No, she and Henry did not love each other- in fact they never saw each other he was so busy with work. He’d come into her room some nights, on the nights he was drunk it took much to get him out. Thankfully Thorn was often hidden in her closet when Henry did come to her. Thorn was there to keep her safe but that night had been the last straw. He had not taken no for an answer. Thorn and Mary had left that night, packing their bags quickly and taking anything they’d be able to sell.
Mary wore her
mother’s favorite necklace- a small ruby in the center of a gold chain- as she looked around at their new house.
Although it was a new country Mary was sure they’d be able to make it work. To attack a Duke and steal his wife-to-be they knew they would have to get as far away from there as they could. They needed to be out of reach if they wanted to live a safe life.
“M’love!” Thorn called from the house. “Will you not come see our new kitchen?”
“Of course!” Mary jumped down from the horse and rushed for the house.
Without stepping inside she already knew that it was perfect. It would be perfect. Not because of the rooms, or even the kitchen but because it was their home.
Mary stopped in the doorway. She gasped staring at the scene in front of her. Thorn had dropped to one knee, a small velvet box in his hand.
Mary raised her hand to her lips. “Thorn…”
“It’s not much,” he said quickly. “I figured you’d rather we put the money towards something good. Something for the house, but when I saw it…” He opened the box to show her a small wedding band. “Mary, will you be my wife?”
Mary closed the distance between them, she reached out and touched the ring. Her heart raced as she turned to the man in front of her. She dropped onto her knees.
Her arms flung around him.
“Of course.”
The End
The Pregnant Preacher’s Daughter
By: Elaine Young
Chapter One
“You mean, you don’t even want to see what it’s like?” Emma sounded shocked.
Ruby shrugged. She didn’t want to say it out loud, but there was another reason she wouldn’t go through Rumaspringa.
“Your father would be accepting of it, wouldn’t he?”
Ruby turned away from her friend to avoid answering. “You should get back to what you were doing.”
The two girls had been asked to help weed the garden, not that Ruby actually thought her father had been asking her. No, he had been telling her – she knew that, but she didn’t mind. The truth was, her father would never allow her to go out into the English world. He never had, and he always told her that he never would. She believed that he would physically stop her if he had to.