The Scandalous Life 0f A Betrayed Heiress (Historical Regency)

by Lucy Langton

  “I’m so happy,” Philip said, leaning over and whispering into her ear.

  “As am I,” Sophia replied, “though I fear I may never be able to eat again.” She looked down at her empty plate and smiled.

  “You recall our breakfasts together? When you were married to another?” Philip asked.

  “I do recall those sad days.”

  “Sad? You were in my company. How could you have been sad?” he asked humorously.

  “I must admit that you were the only thing I looked forward to at that time.”

  “Because I was a nuisance.”

  “Yes, because you were a handsome nuisance.”

  “I knew you would be my wife, even then.”

  “You lie!”

  “It’s true,” Philip said with a somewhat cocky air. “I wasn’t entirely sure how I was going to make it happen, but I knew you’d be my wife.”

  “Even though I was married to your brother?”

  “Particularly because you were married to my brother. I had to save you.”

  “And so you did,” Sophia said, leaning in for a kiss.

  “I’ll continue to save you,” Philip said, lifting his brow.

  “From what?” Sophia asked with a laugh.

  “I’m not quite sure yet. But I’ll make sure to place you in as many dangerous situations as possible, in order to save you.”

  Sophia couldn’t stop laughing. It was beginning to make her sides ache.

  “Forever my hero,” she finally said, when Sophia could catch her breath.

  “Yes,” Philip replied, kissing her again.

  Although the wedding breakfast continued into the afternoon, Sophia could tell that Philip was rather restless. At first, she thought that perhaps he was just tired, but when he finally pulled her around the corner and pressed himself up against her, Sophia knew the reason why.

  “My Lord,” Sophia protested. “The guests.”

  “What guests?” Philip asked, kissing her neck passionately.

  “Oh, Philip,” she said, throwing her head back and receiving his kiss. “We must wait.”

  “Life is short,” Philip said, taking her by the hand and leading her into the house. It was nearly empty inside, what with all the servants and guests still out in the garden and on the veranda. Philip pulled her forcefully, and Sophia allowed herself to be led by her husband.

  Thinking that they were going up to his room, it came as quite a shock when Philip led Sophia into the study.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “We have unfinished business here,” Philip said mischievously, locking the door behind them.

  “You have lost your mind.”

  “Yes,” Philip said, quickly removing his coat, waistcoat, and shirt. He stood before her bare-chested and proceeded to walk towards her with clear intentions. He picked Sophia up by the hips so that she was wrapping her legs around his torso, and finally he seated her upon the desk.

  Sophia thought the location scandalous at best, but had to admit that she, as well, had had fantasies about Philip in that room ever since their first encounter there. Philip took Sophia’s skirt and gently lifted it up above her knees, exposing her bare legs.

  “What are you going to do?” Sophia asked. Instead of responding with words, Philip merely smiled and lowered himself so that his face was yet again between her legs. Sophia was in shock, never suspecting that he would do such a thing. But within no time, the moisture between her legs intermingled with the moisture of Philip’s tongue and Sophia leaned back onto the desk, giving herself over to the delicious sensation of it. It was not long before the concentric circles of Philip’s tongue sent Sophia into a crashing explosion of pleasure that tore through her entire body. She collapsed back on the desk and Philip stood, placing his hand upon her chest.

  “Where did you learn to do that?” Sophia asked breathlessly.

  “You don’t want to know the answer to that,” Philip replied.

  “I want to pleasure you,” Sophia said, looking down at her husband’s powerful erection.

  “What’s that?” Philip asked, seemingly confused.

  “I can please you in much the same way, can I not?”

  Philip paused and looked deeply into Sophia’s eyes, as though he were considering her proposal. “That’s unnecessary, Sophia,” he finally said, tossing the idea off.

  “But I want to,” Sophia replied, sitting up and bringing her hand to the firm bulge in his trousers.

  “Sophia,” Philip protested once more.

  Sophia got off the desk and knelt before him, slowly undoing his trousers. She did not feel obligation in the slightest, but rather wished to give her husband the same pleasure that he had given to her.

  Sophia set his manhood free from and took it in her hands. It was hard as a rock, but the skin was still warm and soft. She slowly put him inside her mouth, gently sucking and licking, before taking him in and out of her mouth in a rhythmic motion. Philip gently clasped the back of her head and moaned in a deep, carnal way. Philip would not allow Sophia to stay down there for long before picking her up yet again, her legs wrapped around his torso.

  Philip took her over to the chair, the very same chair where their first erotic encounter had taken place. He seated himself with Sophia on top of him. The urgency was too great to remove Sophia’s gown entirely, so instead, Philip pushed aside Sophia’s lower undergarments, exposing her delicate, sensitive flesh, now wet with anticipation.

  Philip quickly entered her, and Sophia immediately understood what they had been missing out on for all that time. She rocked her hips back and forth on top of him, feeling him deep inside of her. Both she and Philip moaned.

  “My god, Sophia,” Philip said, bringing his hand to the back of her neck and looking into her eyes.

  Sophia considered for a moment, amidst all that passion and rapture, how if they had given in to their desire to do just that when they first had the opportunity, it would have ruined their futures. Sophia would never have been free, and they would never enjoy the perfection of each other’s flesh ever again. She smiled to herself. Some things in life were definitely worth waiting for.

  ***

  The honeymoon trip comprised some of the happiest days that Philip had ever known. Not only did he have his beautiful wife by his side, but he also got to explore some of the countryside he had never seen before. He and his wife would take all their meals together, and in the afternoons, Sophia enjoyed exploring each new town and partaking in a little shopping. The shopping annoyed Philip only slightly, because it deprived him of his wife’s company for an hour or more a day. But considering that he got to spend the rest of the hours with her, Philip was willing to concede.

  “Look at this hat!” Sophia said with joy, donning a wide-brimmed green hat with blue flowers.

  “That looks beautiful on you,” Philip said, bringing a hand to her cheek.

  “I think I can get good use out of it, but I’m running out of room in my trunk.”

  “It matters not,” Philip said with a smile.

  Although they were only one week into the honeymoon, Philip had already bought Sophia everything that she desired. As long as it put a smile on her face, he didn’t care if she should ever wear or use the item again. It was the potent effect that Sophia had on him. If it made her smile, it filled him with inestimable happiness.

  That particular stop on the itinerary was the Isle of Man, and it was a destination that Philip had always wanted to visit. The tiny island offered a great deal of charm, and the boat ride had been wonderfully memorable. They had gone on a number of fine walks in the countryside and the cuisine was rather rustic and delicious.

  Philip had to admit to himself that, even though it was crass, most days he didn’t wish to get out of bed. The lovemaking between he and his wife had not lost its exciting appeal, and in fact, it had only grown more intense since the wedding. Philip reasoned that this was because his wife was learning about her own body, and his. Th
ere were things he would teach her, being sure to go slow. She was an apt pupil and seeing her excitement at learning such things only increased Philip’s desire for her.

  He couldn’t banish from his mind the evening of his wedding, when his wife had got down on her knees and pleasured him. It had utterly taken him by surprise. At first he thought it too suggestive a position for his wife to be in, down on her knees before him. He took no issue in pleasuring her. In fact, he dreamed about it. But to be so vulnerable to her was a challenge at first. Philip considered the fact that, being vulnerable with any woman had always been a personal impediment. But Sophia had put him at ease in a way that he had never experienced with a woman. He utterly trusted her, and he was beginning to see that Sophia could teach him just as many things as he could teach her.

  Philip looked around the hat shop and tried to get a hold of himself. It had happened quite frequently on that trip. They’d be carrying about their day and of the sudden, Philip would be thinking about intimate situations between them. On some occasions, he would have to drag her back to the inn so that he could turn those lascivious thoughts into reality. On other occasions, he chose to be stoic about it and merely wait until the day was over and the evening was theirs.

  “Oh but look at this scarf!” Sophia said. “It matches the hat.”

  “Why are you so impossibly adorable?” Philip said warmly, wrapping his hand around her lower back.

  “I’m not trying to be. I’m merely happy,” she replied, wrapping the scarf around her neck.

  “It’s perfection.”

  “You are perfection,” Sophia replied, kissing Philip on the tip of his nose.

  Although the gesture was sweet, it oddly seemed to fill him with even more desire.

  “Come here,” Philip said, pulling the hat off her head so that he could give her a proper kiss.

  “Oh, Philip.”

  “Yes, my love?”

  “I think I’d like to return to the inn,” Sophia said softly.

  Philip paused. Was his wife reading his mind? And here all this time he thought he might be bothering her by constantly asking to return to the inn during the day.

  “Immediately,” Philip said, taking Sophia by the hand. On their journey back to their room, they laughed and smiled the entire way.

  ***

  As Sophia lay in the bed in her husband’s arms, looking up at the canopy over their bed, she couldn’t believe her good fortune. Everything was going as it should in life. Wasn’t this the stuff of dreams? What every person wished to experience? She had it all, and Sophia wanted for nothing in life.

  There was another week to their journey, and Sophia was anticipating seeing Ireland for the first time, and of course, Scotland, where Kitty Carmichael had sent word that she was having a special wedding party for Sophia and Philip. It was utterly charming, and she couldn’t wait to see her dear friend. The letter that Kitty had written went thus:

  Dearest Duchess of Clumber,

  I was not able to attend your wedding for reasons that I will make clear upon your arrival to Scotland. But I must say that I’m so proud of you and intend to throw a party here for you and your stunning husband.

  I will need to explain all of it in person, but the long-and-the-short of it is that I have had my heart massively destroyed by a Scotsman. Again, all will be revealed after you arrive.

  From a breaking heart to a full heart,

  K

  When Sophia first read the letter, she had a heavy heart as well. She did not wish for Kitty to have her precious heart broken by anyone, but Sophia knew that she would have to wait in order to hear all the details. And she was also greatly anticipating her Scottish party.

  Sophia turned to Philip, who was still lying behind her, gently sleeping. She looked out of the window and noted that it was late afternoon and time for tea. Perhaps she would slip out of his arms in order to have tea brought up to the room, although Sophia was quite sure that as soon as she freed herself from him, Philip would instantly wake up and take note. She thought it remarkably charming, and since she didn’t wish to wake him, Sophia remained there, counting all the little details in her new life that were making her so unspeakably happy.

  Sophia brought her hand down to her belly and felt something strange. Considering how often she and Philip had been making love, Sophia was certain that she would be with child soon, and feminine instinct told her that she might very well be in that moment.

  She did not care whether her first child would be a boy or a girl. In truth, Sophia wished to have many children, and Philip expressed the same. But for whatever reason, Sophia did sense that their first child would be a boy. She recalled a conversation she had had with the former Duke of Clumber, when he had explained that Clumber women always gave birth to boys, and sometimes many of them. He told a delightful story about his brother, the Earl of Fillingham, who had five sons with his wife, and all in a row. Considering this delightful antidote, Sophia wondered if all of that was myth or reality.

  Finally, although Sophia did not often pray, she closed her eyes and did say a little prayer to the Lord, thanking him for every marvellous thing that had come into her life. It was not long ago that Sophia Barberry was on that great ship, making her way to England for the first time with a secretive, distant husband. She recalled the first time that she saw Philip’s portrait, and how it stirred something inside of her. And Sophia also thought of the first time she came to Willow Grange, and how it rained endlessly in those early days.

  Every night she would cry herself to sleep and awake in an empty bed, and every morning, she’d come down to the breakfast table where Philip would always make her laugh and give her new hope for the day. She recalled the tea with Lady Hortensia, the encounter with Lady Helena, and even all the business with the regent himself. If anyone had told that quiet, shy girl in Manhattan that she would one day end up in the Tower of London, she would have thought it all nothing more than fiction, like the novels that she was always lost in.

  But alas, Sophia considered that all of those things did truly happen. She had been a part of a grand adventure that was frightening and heart-wrenching, and in the end, filled her with inestimable joy.

  Sophia looked at her husband once more and resigned herself to lying there with him for the rest of the afternoon.

  THE END

  Can't get enough of Sophiaand Philip? Then make sure to check out the Extended Epilogue to find out…

  Will Kitty decide to stay in Scotland or return to New York to live with her parents?

  How has the relationship between the couple changed throughout the years? Is there anything new in their lives?

  Trying to get her own happily ever after, will Kitty decide to wait for Nicholas?

  Click the link or enter it into your browser

  http://lucylangton.com/sophia

  (After reading the Extended Epilogue, turn the page to read the first chapters from “Seduced by the Devilish Lord”, my Amazon Best-Selling novel!)

  Seduced by the Devilish Lord

  Introduction

  When a letter arrived in Emily's hands, her whole world was shaken. Her engagement to Lewis, the son of the Earl of Huntingdon was brazenly cancelled and her life spiraled down. All she was left with is her family and writing. Now, she has no option but to try and stand on her own feet again. Will she be able to overcome rejection and find true love again?