"William," I said as soon as I was able. "What are you about? ‘Tis madness."
He turned upon me and the ferocity in his gaze and manner had me shrinking back into the upholstered seat. "I lost you once," he said, eyes blazing. "I shall not allow it to happen again." Dragging me across the seat and onto his lap, he buried his hands in my hair and savaged my mouth in a kiss that consumed whatever breath I had managed to get into my lungs. He was wild with passion, his mouth devouring mine. His hands—it felt as though he had more than two—moved over my body at a dizzying pace, as though he had never seen a woman before.
I finally managed to pull myself an arm’s length away from him. "Please," I gasped, trying yet again to collect air in my lungs. "I am not going anywhere." Framing his dear face between my palms, I gazed into his eyes. "We have the rest of our lives to spend together."
He paused briefly, and some semblance of sanity returned to his countenance. "You are correct, my Callie." He chuckled. "Imagine, you being the sensible one." He covered my hands which still cupped his face. "But, we shall be wed tonight. You’ll not leave my side until we are legally bound, ‘til death do us part."
I had never seen William, or any man for that matter, in such turmoil. "‘Tis surely gone nine o’clock. We cannot be married tonight, and I refuse to run off to Gretna Green like a trollop."
Staring so deep into my eyes I feared he could see all the way inside my soul, William said, "We shall be married tonight, Calliope. Do not doubt my word."
A shiver of anticipation ran up my spine and a tingle of awareness formed in my womanly parts. Stern William had a most delectable affect on me.
Chapter 3
William
The men managing the carriage exchanged curious glances. I ignored them. Even Gibson raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. Any other time I would reprimand them for insubordination for a less than respectful glance, but even I could see, and feel, that I was behaving like a madman. For once, I did not care.
I had been a man of decency my entire life. When Calliope had banished me after our quarrel, I honored her wish, though in retrospect I could see how it had cost us each dearly. Never again. I would not take even the slightest chance she might slip through my grasp a second time.
The bishop, a man prone to overplaying his hand at cards, owed me a favor. Tonight, I intended to collect. Usually I would have sent my man to the door to announce my arrival and ascertain if the bishop was in residence. This was not a usually sort of evening. When the carriage stopped, I grabbed Callie by the hand and pulled her through the door behind me. She stumbled. I swooped her into my arms and trekked up the stairs. My pounding at the door quickly summoned a servant. I pushed past him and shouted for the bishop.
"William," Calliope said. "Truly, have you lost your mind?"
I kissed her hard then said, "I have never felt more sane in my entire life. Never more sure of anything."
She paused, chewed her bottom lip and glanced up at me from beneath her lashes. "But, William, you have not asked for my hand."
What sort of clod was I? My heart plunged, and I wanted to kick myself for my boorish behavior. Clearly, I had spent too much time amongst the rough and tumble of the army.
I set my precious Callie upon a chair, got down on one knee and took her hand in mine. "My beloved Calliope, will you do me the grand honor of becoming my wife? I wish nothing more than to spend the rest of my days in your presence, I shall strive with every breath I take to make you happy."
A smile lit her entire face and she leaned down to kiss me. "You have already made me blissfully happy. Yes, William. Of course, I will marry you."
"Ahem."
The moment was broken by the bishop. "Good evening, Colonel St. Clair," he said.
I hurried to my feet and shook his hand. "I am here to be married, your grace. This is my intended, Lady Calliope Knox."
The bishop bowed to Calliope then turned to me. "I assume, given the late hour and the urgency with which you assaulted my door, you are in need of a special license."
"That is correct."
"Which only I am able to grant."
"That is why we are here. I also wish for you to perform the ceremony."
The bishop looked from Callie to me, barely maintaining his church-like countenance. "Are bandits at your heels? Is this lady here of her own free will?"
With a heavy sigh, I explained. "Lady Calliope and I knew each other many years ago. I had hoped to make her my bride back then, but we quarreled."
"And you have finally made up?" The bishop was enjoying this scene much too much.
"My lord," Callie said giving him her most shining smile, "I am here of my own free will. I know this is all rather peculiar, but it would make me most happy if you would marry us right away."
Though a man of the cloth, the bishop was not immune to the power of Callie’s smile. Within the hour, we were man and wife.
* * *
Callie
My breath still had not caught up with my lungs. My head was in an utter swirl and my brain attempted to keep track of what had transpired in the last hour or two. I tried to do a quick recap. First, I had visited Lady Ambrosia, done cartwheels and answered silly questions, then I returned to my home to prepare to meet my future groom at dinner. While I waited at Lady Ambrosia’s, I fell into some sort of trance and had a most wicked and naughty dream and when I awoke, I was shocked to find myself in the arms of my long-lost love, William St. Clair.
As if all of that were not enough to thoroughly flummox me, William had rushed us to the bishop’s home and woke him, so we could be married in the quickest wedding ceremony I had ever seen. And now, I stood in the grand suite of the Royal Hotel, the city’s finest lodging, with William, who was now my husband.
Husband. I had started the day fully aware of my appointment with Lady Ambrosia and it would, inevitably, result in a marriage. But, as with so many things in my life, I now came to realize, I had not actually, totally, and completely thought through just precisely what that might mean and what the possible ramifications were.
Oh, I most assuredly had no regrets and remained stunned by the fact Lady Ambrosia had arranged for William and me to be reunited after so many years.
But, what if Lady Ambrosia had found another husband for me? Another man, much like my dearly departed Thomas, who was a good and decent person, a kind and loving husband, but not... well, not the man who set my heart afire?
I poured a glass of brandy for myself, sat down, and worked at collecting my thoughts as I sipped. William had stepped out momentarily to send word to my daughter-in-law, Tempest, I had wed and would not be home for several days and asking her to have my necessaries sent to the hotel by morning.
Imagining the look on her face when she read the contents of the message made me giggle. All my life I have been impetuous, but even I may have outdone myself this time.
No. I sobered and calmed my thoughts. The decision—though I do not believe I had the option to say no—to marry William had been the wisest of my lifetime. How often does one get the opportunity to right the wrongs of the past? To have a second chance at love?
I was blessed indeed and would move forward without regret or concern for the opinions of others on our hasty marriage.
Perhaps it was the alcohol coursing through my veins, since I was now on my second glass of brandy, but a thought occurred to me which was so silly, so outrageous and preposterous that giggles bubbled up as though from my toes and soon my entire body was convulsed in fits of laughter. What if people thought I was with child and that had caused our hasty marriage? What a fine joke that would be.
Laughter overtook me at the idea and I could not stop.
Before I was able to get myself under control, William returned to our suite. I tried to subdue my laughter. Honestly, I did.
No longer a blushing virgin, I knew what happened on a wedding night and I was determined to wring every bit of pleasure from our coupling as possible. And I
did not wish for my spate of the giggles to derail that plan or upset William. Holding my breath, I tried to force the silliness away but all I ended up accomplishing was giving myself the hiccups.
"I was not gone for more than five minutes and look at the state you are in," William said, kneeling next to my seat and taking my hand in his. "What happened?"
"I... hic… had a… hic... funny thought." I had to stop talking when a flurry of hiccups overtook me.
"Do you get the hiccups every time you have a funny thought?"
I shook my head from side to side, determined to hold my breath as long as possible.
"Perhaps you need a distraction," he said, rising to his feet and drawing me up to stand next to him.
My heart pulsed, and I glanced past him to the doorway which I knew lead to the bedroom portion of our suite. The hiccups vanished as the reality of the last few hours washed over me. I was well and truly married, ‘til death do us part, to William St. Clair. I blew out the breath I had been holding.
With tender fingers he cupped my face in his hands and lowered his mouth to kiss me gently on the lips. A kiss full of sweetness and longing. I felt the ache of the years of our separation and finally the peace of knowing the other half of my soul was with me now.
When the kiss ended, he continued to hold my face in his palms. "Now, Calliope," he whispered as I gazed into his eyes, "what was so funny?"
Dazed, I thought back to my hysteria of just a few moments before. His kiss had not only cured me of the hiccups, but knocked all other thoughts from my brain as well. I slid my palms up the crisp fabric of his jacket and wrapped my arms around his—my husband’s—neck. "I do not recall," I said, my voice growing thick with desire. "I believe there are other, more important, matters to attend to right now. Do you not agree, Colonel?"
The feel of his coat, the perfectly tailored fit... I had spent years secretly thinking about William, but my only recollection of him was as a boy. And I had been but a girl. Now, we were man and woman. Husband and wife.
Soon to be lovers.
"Yes, my sweet Callie," he said, his voice full of emotion. "I could not agree more heartily." Bending down to gather me in his arms, he literally swooped me off my feet and carried me over the threshold into our bedchamber.
My heart was full and overflowing.
* * *
William
My precious, precious Calliope. I laid her upon the bed as though she was the most valuable piece of treasure in my life—because she was.
I scarcely could believe the reality of it all. Hours before, I had been seated across from General Fitzwilliam discussing a top-secret plan, assuming by this time I would have been in the midst of a clandestine operation.
Now, gazing down at my long, lost Callie, all my hopes and desires coalesced in one sweet face—hers. The face that had haunted my dreams as well as many a waking hour, now smiled up at me with a combination of reticence and anticipation. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth and her eyes grew large.
I quickly doffed my boots and the coat and laid upon the bed next to her. In an instant, I was transported back to my youth and suddenly felt quite daring to be laying upon a bed next to my Callie. Though I had played out many scenarios in my mind over the years, none of them prepared me for the bliss of reclining next to her. Stroking my fingers over her cheek, her skin was silky, her eyes never left my face. "You appear a bit anxious, my wife." A thrill of happiness rushed through my body. My wife. I had never said those words to anyone before. No woman had ever entranced me the way Calliope had. Each new acquaintance, each dance partner, paled in comparison to the perfection of Callie.
And now she was in my bed.
She smiled at being called ‘my wife’. "I never expected to ever see you again. It has been so very, very long." Her delicate hand touched me gently. "I am having a difficult time believing you are not some figment of my overactive imagination."
I took her hand in mine and drew it to my mouth, kissed each finger in turn, my gaze never leaving hers. "We have been given a rare second chance. An opportunity to make amends for folly years ago. Let us vow, here and now, never to forget how fortunate we are. Never to take for granted our love for each other."
I had been transformed from staid army officer to sentimental poet. Such was the power Calliope had over me.
"Yes," she said, "we are uncommonly blessed." Despite her words of gratitude, worry continued to cloud her eyes.
"Please, Callie," I said. "Why are you anxious? Do you regret that we married in haste? Do you fear we will repent in leisure?" The corners of her mouth turned up at my attempt at humor.
"Oh no!" she gasped. "I do not regret that at all, as you know I am quite fond of impetuous behavior." She glanced away for a moment, apparently deciding whether or not to share her apprehensive thoughts with me. "I wonder, or more accurately I fear, that... well, a great deal of time has passed, my dear. I am not," she glanced away again and bit her lip for a moment before continuing, "I am not a girl any longer. Nor even a young lady. I... I just hope you have not built me up so far in your imaginings that I can never live up to your... expectations."
A single tear snuck out of the corner of her eye and made its way down her cheek. I brushed it away with my thumb, then pulled her close to lay with her head against my shoulder. "We are, neither of us, who we once were. But," and I tipped her face up to look at her tenderly, "I think we are better versions of ourselves for having lived life. And, as long as we are committed to one another, we shall move forward... together. No more looking backward. No more regrets over what might have been. Only us. Only the rest of our lives to enjoy each other and love each other. Agreed?"
"Yes," she said, her eyes filled with love and my heart nearly burst inside my chest. Despite my vow that we live without looking to the past, I could not help but thank heaven for the miracle of having Callie in my arms and knowing her love for me had continued, as mine had for her, all these years.
Lowering my head, I kissed her softly, tentatively. Moments before, our lips had met in a sweet and gentle kiss. Though passion simmered within, I did not wish to take her in a rush. This was Calliope, my heart, my soul. She deserved thorough loving and adoration and I willed myself to temper my ardor. When the kiss ended, I pulled us both from the bed and had her stand in front of me. Eager to unwrap my prize, I reached into Callie’s hair and carefully removed the pins, setting free the locks and burying my fingers within them.
She sighed as my hands massaged her scalp and luxuriated in her silken tresses. Another time, I would devote myself to brushing each lustrous strand, but this night, I had many other pleasures to explore.
Reaching behind her, I worked the fastenings to her gown. I felt her breath hitch in her throat and mine did as well as the dress loosened around her torso. Pushing the sleeves to her wrists, the entire bodice fell to her waist, the lush swells of her breasts revealed above her corset.
I licked my lips and fought against the urgent stirrings of my cock. I had waited much too long for this moment and would not allow my lust to deter me from savoring each inch of her body as it was brought into view.
With a few more fastenings opened, Callie’s gown dropped to the floor, leaving her in just her corset and a pair of pantalettes. There were many in the ton who considered pantalettes scandalous, but upon my Callie, they were a masterpiece. I trailed my finger over the mounds of her bosom and down to the opening between the pieces of her pantalettes, which were fashioned of two fabric legs, but no gusset, allowing me instant access to the curls of her womanhood, already glistening with the essence of her desire.
Exploring further, I found the swollen lips of her nether region and stroked my fingertip across the hard nub. Calliope inhaled sharply and grabbed my arm. I glanced at her, concerned she might be offended by my boldness. She licked her lips and met my gaze. "Oh, William," she said. "Yes, oh yes."
‘Twas all the encouragement I needed. I knelt between her feet and placed m
y tongue at her opening, my first taste of her heady nectar. "Sweet William," she gasped and clasped the back of my head with her hand.
I nudged her thighs open a bit wider and buried my face in her sweet cunny. Both my hands slid behind and clamped upon the creamy globes of her backside. While my tongue laved across the swollen lips of her femininity and clit, my hands squeezed into the soft flesh of her arse.
My god, she was perfection.
I tore my hands from her bottom and untied the ribbons holding her pantalettes in place. Much as I found them a delightful bit of feminine accoutrement, nudity remained my preference.
I continued to work my mouth over Callie’s heated slit, her moans of pleasure spurring me faster and deeper while my thumb massaged her hard clit.
Callie’s thighs began to quiver, and she clutched at my hair in a rather painful manner, though the slight discomfort only heightened my own pleasure while she built to a climax. I felt my own questing too, though I fought against it. I vowed not to spill my seed until I was buried deep inside my wife.
With a hearty moan of euphoria, Callie erupted in completion, her feminine juices covering my mouth, her fingers digging into my scalp.
* * *
Callie
My fingers clutched William’s scalp as my vision went hazy. My legs trembled, and I feared I might lose my footing and tumble to the floor. A wave of feeling thrummed through my body and surrounded me in elation that built and built, finally peaking and exploding before I floated back to a semblance of reality.
As I caught my breath, though my heartbeat continued to hammer, I untangled my fingers from William’s hair. I feared I might have injured him, but in the throes of my climax, I had no thought and such an utter lack of control over myself that if I had caused pain to my husband, I had no manner of preventing it.
Based upon the way he lifted me in his arms and placed me upon the bed, all the while gazing upon me as a starving man might view a laden table, it appeared any harm I may have inflicted was completely forgotten, if it ever registered with him at all.
His Mischievous Bride: Regency Matchmaker Book Two Page 6