Ravaging the Duke

by J R Salisbury

  She dropped to her knees, lost in the sensuality of the moment. She ran her tongue up the length of his arousal. He wanted more and quietly told her what he wanted.

  Soon he lifted her in his arms and lowered her on the mattress. He covered her with his body; his arousal prodded her. She reached down and touched his cock, guiding him to her wet channel.

  He bent and kissed her lips. "What do you want, darling?"

  "You. Now, Alec."

  He settled on top of her, his hips between her thighs. She ran her arms around his neck and kissed him slowly, then with more passion. He reached down and stroked her as he pressed inside her. He took over and released the desire he found he always had for her. Such pleasure. Delectable, needy, and erotic. He took her to sensual fog, higher than either had ever been. Of biting kisses and screaming demand.

  "What are you thinking?" he asked.

  "Of how good a fit we are. In so many ways."

  He nodded and kissed her hard as he pressed another luxurious stroke. "We are."

  "Harder, Alec."

  His movements became harder and swift as he moved in and out of her slickness. As the final crescendo came crashing down between them, Alec called out her name as he filled her with his come.

  They lay there panting, holding each other.

  "If you listen closely, you can hear the waves as they hit the shore. Just like us in a moment of desire and passion," he said. He kissed the end of her nose and rolled off her.

  "Hmmm..."

  He gathered her in his arms. As he looked down at her, he noticed she was sound asleep.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The following morning, Margaret met her husband on the terrace outside the drawing room for breakfast. He'd been gone from their bed, though his scent still lingered, when she opened her eyes.

  He was sitting there buttering a piece of toast, reading a newspaper when she walked out to join him.

  The morning sky was magnificent as she gazed up at the puffy white clouds. A perfect day for riding with her husband. Upon seeing her, he stood up. A nearby footman quickly pulled out a chair for her.

  "Just tell Edmonds what you want, and he'll bring it to you," Alec said as he leaned over and kissed her.

  She rattled off a few items she'd seen on Alec's plate when she walked in.

  "I trust you slept well?" he asked as he reached for the marmalade.

  "Yes, I did." She smiled at him while the footman brought her plate. "Are we still going to visit the tenants this morning, or do you wish to wait?"

  "I thought we'd leave as soon as we're finished here. I got up early and finished all my correspondence. We'll meet up with my estate manager first."

  "From what I've seen, he does quite a good job with the estate. It's not as neglected as the one in Scotland."

  "His father held the position before him. They've been on the estate for generations. No one outside the family knows the estate as well as Boone."

  "Is the estate profitable?"

  "It barely turns a profit, but that is of no fault of Boone’s. My father would often come and take monies from the harvest or sales of livestock and divert the funds to his own account."

  She shook her head as she poured a cup of tea for herself. "I suppose that isn't stealing, so there would be little an estate manager could do."

  "You're right. It made Boone's job harder. Especially when my father saw no need for maintenance or anything else except to fill his own pockets."

  "I believe Mr. Boone will be quite happy to know he won't have that worry."

  "I'm sure."

  "Are we going to find out what the tenant needs are like we did in Scotland?"

  "Yes. I want to make sure everything is taken care of before the harvest and before winter comes along."

  She nodded and took a bite of toast. "I have every confidence you'll succeed, husband."

  "I'm pretty confident."

  Margaret pointed to the newspaper. "Anything of interest in London?"

  "Nothing out of the ordinary."

  "Thank goodness for that."

  He laughed. "Yes, well it's not a scandal sheet. I'm sure they're full of all sorts of titillating articles."

  "All done discreetly."

  "As only they can. I was certainly a regular part of their fodder," he replied. He ate the last of his toast and sat back to admire his wife. He had certainly gotten lucky, and since he first met Margaret, his life seemed to start changing for the better.

  "You are no more, and they've moved on to the next scandal."

  "Thank goodness."

  "Tell me, did you write my cousins this morning? Extend invitations to them both?"

  "Yes, I did. I also extended an invitation to this young woman Norwood's chasing. I sent the invitation to him and asked him to forward it on to the chit and her brother."

  "Do you think everyone will accept?"

  "Yes. The only one I'm unsure about are the young woman and her brother. Everyone else will accept I'm sure."

  Unknown to Margaret, Alec had also written Evermont. He let him know Margaret's plans and to whom invitations had been extended. If anyone might know the pair, it would be his brother-in-law. The circle in which he traveled was far more extended than his. He let Norwood know that Margaret had wanted her American cousin invited as well. If anyone would have reservations about Douglas being invited, it would be those two. He was too close to the situation. His one meeting with Douglas had gone well enough, but to invite the man into his house still made him uneasy.

  "I hope it works out with them. Norwood needs to find someone."

  "Don't tell me you are inclined to play matchmaker, wife."

  She grinned in his direction. "I have to meet the young woman first, but if Norwood is this smitten with her, I'm sure she's fine."

  Margaret took the last forkful of egg, picked up her cup of tea, and sat back in her chair. She sighed as she looked out at the sea.

  "Are you ready?"

  "Almost. Let me savor my tea before we leave. I'll only be a moment, I promise."

  Alec rose from his chair. "While you're enjoying your tea, I will make sure the horses are saddled and ready for us."

  "I'll meet you in the hall in fifteen minutes?" she asked.

  "I'll be there." He leaned over and kissed her cheek before turning and walking toward the open door.

  Margaret sighed and watched him until he was out of sight. She turned back to the sound of the sea and roses she hadn't noticed until now. A small garden near the end of the manor looked out of place. She wondered if the winds that whipped up around them were particularly good for them. Surely, the gardener wouldn't have put them there if they didn't thrive. Maybe when she and Alec returned from their visit with tenants, they could walk around the house.

  She finished the last of her tea and placed the cup back on the table. A footman appeared out of nowhere and pulled out her chair. She rose and quietly thanked the young man before walking back into the house.

  The drawing room had huge, long windows, making the room pleasant as the sun shone through them. The wall covering and color, which was a dark red, needed to be changed. Something lighter to capture the light.

  Before she did anything, she needed to help Alec make sure everyone on the estate had everything they needed and all repairs were done during the summer months. Afterwards, perhaps she could begin with the duchess's chambers. Though she loved the furniture, the colors Alec's mother or grandmother had chosen were far from inviting. At least in her mind.

  ***

  Alec watched as Margaret walked toward him. She looked at everything around her, taking in all the old pictures which had hung on the walls as long as he could remember. His mother had done little with the house as far as changing anything out. His father had been content with things the way they were, even if everything had been the same for the previous hundred years.

  Margaret had fresh ideas. Though he was glad to give her the room to make changes, he needed to ma
ke sure these things didn't need to happen overnight. He wanted her to make Somerset her home, along with the rest of his estates. He was quite sure his duchess would make her mark in a few years’ time.

  "Are you ready?" he asked as he extended his arm.

  "Yes. It's a beautiful day. Far too beautiful to spend inside."

  He nodded. "I agree."

  He led her outside where two horses along with their grooms waited for them. His stallion pawed the ground as the chestnut gelding he'd chosen for Margaret to ride stood quietly.

  "I thought you'd enjoy riding Zeus. He's a good steady fellow."

  "In other words, quiet?"

  "Yes, but he still has his spirit."

  "We really need to find me a suitable mount."

  "If you're ready, we'll ride to see Mr. Boone. I thought to invite him to ride with us. He can tell us what's been going on and bring us up to date."

  "Good. I brought a pencil and paper so I could make a list."

  "A list of what?" Alec asked.

  "At each cottage, I'll write down the tenant’s name and make a list of the repairs needed."

  "Excellent idea," he replied. He knew Boone probably had such a list himself, but he wouldn't spoil Margaret's fun. She might pick up on something the tenants or even Boone might have overlooked.

  She walked over to a mounting block and waited for the groom to situate the animal exactly the way she wanted. He wouldn't consider helping any more than necessary. Margaret was enjoying being able to make decisions.

  Finally, she took up the reins and walked toward him. "Are you ready, Your Grace?" she asked mockingly.

  "Yes. If you follow me, the ride isn't that long. I think you'll like it."

  The pair rode down the drive to the main road. From there he took Margaret to another road which wound its way through the estate. They finally came upon a clearing with a whitewashed cottage. Unlike the estate manager's home in Scotland, there were no children running around outside. Instead, a woman came out of the cottage to greet them.

  "May I help you?" the woman asked as she wiped her flour covered hands on her apron. Her brown hair was twisted up in a knot, but stray pieces fell into her sable colored eyes.

  "I am looking for your husband, Mr. Boone. Is he here?"

  She eyed him cautiously. "He has gone to help with the reroofing of the Abbott's place."

  Alec nodded. "Is that the cottage at the fork in the road ahead?"

  "Yes," the woman replied.

  "Very well. Thank you, Mrs. Boone." Alec gathered his reins and nodded to Margaret.

  "Who should I tell him called?" the older woman inquired.

  "The Duke of Wexwood, but I'll find him. Good day." He smiled and began to walk his horse in the direction of the road leading to the next set of cottages.

  "Your Grace. Please forgive me. I didn't recognize you."

  Margaret smiled down at her, stopping her mount. "It's fine, madam."

  "His father never came for a visit."

  "My husband will. We're both very much interested into the welfare of our tenants. If there is anything you need, please let your husband know."

  The woman nodded, and Margaret began to follow Alec. He hadn't gotten too far ahead of her, waiting on her to finish her conversation.

  "Is it true? Your father never visited his tenants?"

  "Yes. He barely had a working knowledge of what his tenants actually did to keep the estate running. I don't plan to make that mistake."

  "Do they have no children? I didn't see any."

  "I believe Boone has two older boys. They will be helping with the reroofing no doubt."

  Margaret nodded and smoothed her dress with one hand. "This reroofing. Is this something you initiated?"

  "Yes. I met with Boone and told him I wanted to make repairs to the cottages. No telling when the last time anything major was done to them."

  "I imagine the tenants would make minor repairs themselves?"

  "Considering my father never showed any initiative for assisting his tenants, I would say yes."

  They rode along the road in silence for a few minutes. There was more vegetation here than at the house. The winds from the sea, though they could be felt, weren't as harsh as they were at times at the manor house.

  "We won't become the sort of landowners your father was. We'll be more involved."

  "Yes. I've learned over the years that if you treat your tenants well, the better they will work for you."

  "It amazes me that some of these families have been here for generations. Will one of Mr. Boone's sons become the estate manager when he steps down or dies?"

  "Most likely. It's been years since I've seen either boy, but I would have to say yes. Probably the oldest, though I'm sure both boys have been well taught for the position."

  As they were talking, they came upon another cottage. A group of men were hard at work on the roof of the structure, with another passing up the material needed to make the repairs in the thatch.

  Alec dismounted his stallion, handing Margaret the reins. He walked towards the group and began speaking with them. She stood back, still mounted as he did. Mr. Boone had immediately recognized Alec and climbed down the ladder to greet the newest duke.

  A woman, most likely the man's wife, whispered something to a man dressed in work clothes who had come to fetch her. There was some discussion among Mr. Boone, Alec, and the man. Alec and the man returned to where Margaret watched in fascination.

  "This is Mr. Cole, my dear. His wife thought you might be more comfortable sitting over there." He pointed to a couple of chairs and a small table. All three were well worn and had seen better days.

  Margaret passed the reins of her husband's mount to Mr. Cole and let Alec assist her off her horse. She knew by the way everyone was looking at her that they weren't used to a duchess coming to visit. She wondered if they'd ever seen Alec's mother or his grandmother for that matter.

  She walked alongside Alec until they were face to face with Mrs. Cole. She bobbed and greeted Margaret. "Would you care for some tea, Your Grace?"

  Margaret wondered how they would even have tea, and whatever they did have would be a luxury to the family. She decided to decline, making a note in her head that she would see what sort of tea she could purchase in town for the tenant wives. A small gesture now and then certainly couldn't hurt.

  "Thank you, no. The duke and I wanted to check on all the tenants. Make sure what was needed, such as this roof repair."

  "We are grateful you have. I cannot recall ever meeting his father."

  "That was the way of the past. The duke and I shall strive to do better."

  The woman nodded, not quite sure how she was to act. "You're not from here, are you, Your Grace?"

  Margaret laughed softly. "No. I'm from America, though my parents grew up in England."

  "Are they still there?"

  Margaret shook her head. "No. After my father's death, my mother and I returned to England."

  Mrs. Cole pointed to the house. "My husband's family has worked for the duke's family for four generations. Not as long as some, but it's all we know."

  Not knowing how to respond, Margaret changed the subject. "Have you children?"

  "Yes. Four daughters and a son. Willie is the youngest at six. He's a good boy. My girls are schooled as well as I can myself. The oldest two can cook."

  Margaret listened closely as she described their life on the estate. When Alec was finally ready to go, Margaret knew in her heart she was going to be a more hands on duchess. These people may have lived and worked the land for generations, but they were reliant on the duke for quite more than she expected.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The Duke and Duchess of Evermont were the first of their guests to arrive. Margaret was excited. This was the first time she and Alec had officially entertained guests since they married. She also wanted to share her ideas for updating various rooms in the manor with the duchess. Margaret had never had the opportunity be
fore, and while she was thrilled, the prospect scared her to death. She was afraid she wouldn't make the right choices. The duchess, Eleanor, certainly had impeccable taste.

  Margaret didn't have long to wait until Eleanor joined her in the drawing room.

  "Marriage to my brother agrees with you," Eleanor said as she sat down on one of the white settees. She smoothed out her plum colored dress as she looked around the room.

  "It certainly hasn't been boring," Margaret replied as she offered Eleanor a cup of tea.

  "No, it hasn't. Cameron mentioned on the way that your cousin has been invited along with Norwood. How do you feel about your cousin coming?"

  Margaret picked up her cup and thought about her answer. "I would like to think he is sincere in wanting to accept Alec's position."

  "But...I hear some hesitation in your voice. You don't trust him?"

  "No, not entirely. Perhaps once I've seen him and spoken with him I'll change my mind."

  "Does Alec know of your reservations?"

  "No."

  Eleanor set her cup down on the table in front of her. "My dear, please forgive me if I'm blunt, but I would tell him before your cousin arrives."

  "I was afraid it was just me, but I have this nagging sensation pulling at me. How can he be one way one minute and completely change the next?"

  "Perhaps he's had time to think things through by himself and has changed his mind. That's the answer I got from Cameron."

  "Maybe."

  "You don't believe it."

  "I'll make my decision once I've had a chance to speak with him."

  Eleanor smiled and picked up her cup once more. She took a sip, gazing at Margaret over the brim of her cup. "What is your hesitation?"

  "I can understand him wanting to be free of his father, but how can he go from having everything to nothing? His father is well known. Here Jacob is not known and is starting from scratch. Is he really willing to give that all up to manage an estate in Scotland? No, there is something else at work here."

  "Maybe he wants to make it on his own."

  "The thought had occurred to me."

  "But you're not buying it?"

  "No. Like I said, I'll wait until he arrives before I go to Alec."