My Deceitful Marquess

by Amaya Evans

  “Here you are.” Robert smiled. “I thought you had escaped.”

  “I have no reason to escape.” Sonia looked at him with distrust. “Or do I?”

  Robert noticed the change in her demeanor. “Has something happened?”

  “I heard your father speak ill of me.”

  “Dear, you know he is a difficult person.”

  “That’s not what bothers me, Robert.” She looked at him defiantly. “When are we going to sit down and talk about things? We agreed that we would do so once my father left.”

  “Sonia, please! Your father just boarded the boat. Can’t you wait until tomorrow?”

  “I could. If I knew that you hadn’t been lying to me the entire time. Was the priest who married us false?”

  Robert stood as still as a statue. “Of course, he was,” Robert stuttered.

  “Don’t tell me any more lies Robert,” Sonia shouted. “I believed in you. You told me that we would do this so that in the end each one of us would be free to go our own way and now I find out that isn’t true.” Sonia paced through the room. “God! I was so stupid.”

  Robert saw that she was devastated and walked closer. “I know that I have no excuse, dear. I was desperate to pay off my father’s debts and start a new life. At first, I saw you as the solution to my problems but deep down you impressed me. As time passed, I found I was more attracted to you and I like your demeanor. So different from the other women that I talked to.”

  “I don’t want to hear you. You’re despicable! I just want to leave here. I want my part of the dowry and I want to move far away without a man to complicate my life.”

  Robert tried not to explode in anger. He knew that she was confused and angry but he was not going to allow such behavior in his house and in front of the staff. Her screams must have already been heard throughout the house.

  “I’m sorry but I cannot allow that?”

  “You’re going to force me to stay with you?”

  “Don’t be immature.” He took her by the arms. “At this point, you may be expecting a child.”

  “If this is so, I will leave with my child and take care of it alone. I don’t care what people say. Annul the marriage.”

  “Dammit!” Robert lost his patience. “I’m not going to ask for an annulment. You will stay in this house and fulfill your duty as my wife and if you do not like it, then you’ll stay locked in your room.” He left the room and locked it so she could not leave. Robert knew how impulsive she was. He was sure she would try to escape.

  Sonia began to scream. “You have no right to lock me up.”

  “When you behave like my wife and you calm down to talk quietly, I’ll let you out of there.”

  “Open the door! I hate you.” Sonia boiled with rage. Her screams were clearly heard through the door.

  Robert did not answer and Sonia could hear Robert’s footsteps walking away from the room. When he went downstairs, he ordered that no one was to open the door and specifically ordered Charlotte not to try to help her or he would fire her.

  Sonia paced from one side of the room to the other. Robert was a detestable being. How could he do that to her? She would never be a wife to him.

  Someone knocked on the door softly.

  “Charlotte?”

  “Yes, milady.”

  “Thank God, Charlotte get me out of here.”

  The girl spoke to her through the door. “I can’t milady, Lord Wilmington told me that if I help you, he will fire me. He has strictly forbidden anyone to open the door.”

  “You prefer to follow his orders instead of mine?”

  “No, milady, don’t think that way. You know that I don’t know anyone in these lands. What will I do if he fires me?”

  “Do what you want,” Sonia shouted.

  Sonia heard a sob from the girl as she ran away. Sonia did not know what to do. Enraged she thought of creating different situations to make Robert pay for his betrayal. She lay down on the bed and fell asleep.

  Later that evening a noise woke her up. She looked around, but it was dark. She lit the oil lamp next to her bed and saw that they were opening the door. Robert came with Charlotte and brought a tray of food.

  “I hope that you have calmed down. Sonia did not answer but looked at him with murder in her eyes.

  “Charlotte has brought you dinner and is going to help you pack. Tomorrow we leave early for Bath. I have business to attend at Redwood Manor.

  Sonia was stunned. “You won’t try to lock me up in the country house, will you?”

  “If you do not do anything crazy, I will not have to lock you up,” Robert said hastily. He didn’t look like the same cheerful and jovial person that he had been with her even though with others he was as cold as ice.

  “Thanks for being honest at least.” Sonia looked at Charlotte. “You can take that away. I’m not eating. I prefer to die before being the prisoner of this man.”

  Robert took her by the arm. “Don’t say that. Do you understand?”

  Charlotte screamed.

  “You do not want to find out Sonia. I can be the best husband or your worst nightmare if you make me angry.”

  She had a hurt look in her eyes he could not resist. He touched a lock of her hair. “If you really wanted to we could live in peace. I can make you happy.”

  “A man who lies from the beginning? One who does not feel anything for me just for my money?” Sonia said bitterly. “No, thank you.”

  He sighed. “Very well, as you wish.” He signaled the maid to leave the tray. “She will decide if she eats.” Charlotte left the tray. Robert walked out the door followed by Charlotte. Sonia closed the door but listened when Robert locked the bolt. She stood in front of the door, full of rage.

  *****

  The next morning very early, the suitcases and trunks of Sonia and Robert were loaded into the carriage. Sonia climbed in reluctantly with a feeling of fear and despair. How exactly had the situation that caused her the most fear come to pass?

  “We will go directly there and we will only stop at an inn for lunch.”

  “Sir, I think we’ll have to stop more than once because we have certain intimate matters that a lady cannot simply avoid like you men,” Sonia said defensively.

  “If you prefer we can stop at several inns, every time your ... needs require it, but I must say it will take a little longer to arrive.”

  “I don’t mind being late to my prison.” Sonia gave him a proud look.

  “Oh my God! I’m going to travel on a horse. I prefer to ride than to listen to your complaints all the way there.” Robert left the carriage, leaving Sonia open-mouthed at his rude attitude.

  *****

  The journey was difficult, but she was always deep in her thoughts. The hours passed quickly until they reached the country house and when they arrived all the servants were waiting to welcome them. She had to put on her best face to greet them and pretend that everything was fine. Sonia didn’t want to go through the shame of being locked up there and all the servants finding out. Also after many hours to think on the road, Sonia realized that it was best to make Robert believe that she would not run away. In order to have more time to be able to make a plan that would later take her out of there.

  Robert climbed the stairs and supervised Charlotte and Sonia as they settled into their room. He looked at her with suspicion, but he wanted to give her a chance not to have to lock her up. “You are not going to try to escape?”

  “And where am I supposed to go? I don’t know anyone around here. So you can say that you have won. You ruined my life and now you have a nice decoration for your house, besides the fortune that my father gave you.”

  Robert looked at Charlotte, who looked uncomfortable and looked as if she had a sign saying “Get me out of here”.

  “Charlotte, please leave us alone.” Charlotte left immediately and closed the door behind her.

  “I would appreciate it if you did not air our problems in front of the servants.” />
  “Why? Didn’t the servants of the house in London not realize that you locked me up and everything else?”

  “That was because you forced me to do it, but if there is anything I ask of in my house it is discretion, and they all have it. I do not want the same thing to happen as it did in London.”

  “It will not happen, don’t worry.” Sonia looked out the window, waiting for him to leave, but far from that, she felt him move behind very close to her.

  “You are a strong woman Sonia. I know you do not like what is happening. I have not seen you cry like a spoiled child. I know this is not what you expected but I want us to have a normal marriage, full of harmony and peace.”

  “I’m sure that’s what you want,” Sonia said with irony. “It is what everyone wants. Meanwhile, I will stay here having children until one of those births ends my life and if that does not happen, then I will spend the rest of the time avoiding all the gossip about you and your current mistress.”

  “It bothers me that you speak with such bitterness.” Robert took her by the shoulders and turned her around slowly. “You are a beautiful woman. You enchant me and I did not think that could be possible. So why is the idea that we can have a happy marriage so unreasonable?”

  “Marriages without love fail and you don’t have love to give. Remember that you are a practical man.”

  Robert wanted to tell her that he already had feelings for her. That the time they had spent together had resulted in consequences for him, but he did not dare. He did not know if it was for fear of losing his image as a cold man with women or because he did not want her to take advantage of that.

  “I’m right, aren’t I?”

  “We can get along and see what happens.”

  “If that’s what you want false husband. Anyway, I can’t do anything against your wishes.”

  “You are not a prisoner.” Robert caressed her face. “You are my wife.”

  “I’ll do what I can, but please do not ask me for intimacy because I will never forgive you for betraying me. I will be your wife and your ornament, but nothing more.”

  “You know that is not true. You and I can be separated by what we want, Sonia. We may not agree. We may not stand each other, but in bed the story is different.”

  “Don’t you dare say that.” Robert’s words hurt her because they were true.

  Robert laughed. “I prefer to see you outraged and not sad.”

  “Just leave, please.”

  He took her hand. “Just try Sonia. Try to live with me as my wife and you will not regret it. I may not be the best man but there are worse than me. I can assure you.”

  “You know? I think now of everything that happened and everything fits. When Edward saw us together one night and simply turned a blind eye and entered his study. I thought his way of behaving was very strange. I even thought he would challenge you to a duel. That he would make a scandal that night, but he only locked himself in with you and after a while, the marriage was arranged.” Sonia looked at him and laughed with bitterness. “Everything was planned.”

  Robert looked down. “Yes, it’s true. We had already talked.”

  “You told them about what I proposed to you that afternoon?”

  Robert looked at her distressed. “I had to do it, sweetheart. It was the only way that if we were discovered there would not be a misfortune, and I knew that in the end, someone would discover us. I wanted to make sure they did not treat you badly, and that they knew I was going to marry you. That I would love you and treat you so well that you would not want to leave my side.”

  “How could you?” Sonia was crying and then, it was she who left, leaving him worried.

  The days passed but as much as Robert wanted her to be happy at home Sonia only spoke to him for what was necessary and the rest of the time she stayed in her room. Or went for long walks with Charlotte. Who she didn’t speak to either. Robert did not like to see her like that. There was nothing left of the cheerful and reckless woman. Now she had a sad smile and if she said something she would only say that she agreed and nothing more. That day they were both at home, it was pouring rain and Sonia could not take her usual walk and he couldn’t go out to monitor some of his land’s affairs. Robert knew that she was in the library reading and wanted to see her, try to resolve things but he didn’t know how she would receive him.

  He went to the library and found her reading near the fire.

  “It is a perfect afternoon to read,” Robert said casually.

  Sonia raised her head and nodded. “If you need to use the library, I can go to my room.” Sonia started to stand up but Robert sat on the same sofa where she was.

  “That’s not what I want.”

  “Then?”

  “I just want to be with you for a while. We have not talked for a while.”

  She looked at him strangely. “We talk every day.”

  “Just about the household expenses.”

  “It’s because there’s no us.”

  “I see you always alone, sad, and you barely say a word. I do not want to see you that way.” Robert placed a hand on the back of her neck and caressed her.

  “Please, Robert.” Sonia tried to move away, but he did not leave.

  He buried his face in her hair. “You do not know how much I need you, darling.”

  She turned her face because she knew he was going to kiss her. He took her lips causing familiar feelings in her and she knew that it could end her anger and she didn’t want that. She wanted to be tough with him, all she had left was her indifference.

  “Robert, don’t do this. There are too many things that separate us at this time.”

  “Don’t you want this as much as I do?” Robert lifted her skirt and his hands touched the soft skin of her legs. As he kissed her, he quickly reached the triangle between her thighs and began to insert a finger.

  “Please no.”

  Robert could not hear her pleas. He needed to feel her, caress her, and see her face climax. His flesh was already hardened by excitement and he devoted himself to provoking her and making her feel more and more need. Sonia writhed but with less and less effort while she felt him caress her sex and his kisses burning her neck.

  His fingers were full of moisture and he smiled. “You are ready for me.”

  Sonia did not answer, just looked at him with need and a feverish gleam in her eyes. Robert opened her legs, and she did not object. His eyes never left hers. Robert ran his fingers through the wetness of her folds and lowered his head. At first, she looked at him as if he were crazy, but he did not let her think about it much because he fully extended her legs and approached to inhale the scent of her sex and almost immediately his mouth touched her sex and he kissed her intimate lips, savoring her folds.

  “Your taste is perfect, my dear. You are so wet and hot for me,” he said in a voice full of desire, “You do not know what that does to a man. He began to suck her, to lick her juices, sucking hard on her clitoris, while Sonia trembled and he punished her with his tongue until he reached her vagina. His thrusts were strong, and he was dedicated to giving her a strong orgasm. He was rewarded by listening to her pant and she grabbed his hair.

  “Oh, God!! No more! I can’t take anymore!” Sonia shouted.

  Robert showed no compassion and continued tormenting her with his mouth, listening to her screams that he uttered with total abandon, without caring who listened to her. When her body was about to explode, he gave her a small bite on her clitoris and she simply fell apart into a thousand pieces, screaming her powerful orgasm, while her body trembled.

  A while later, she was limp in the armchair, with Robert at her side. She had no idea when he had lifted her and placed her on top of him to hug her. After what seemed like an eternity, she quickly stood up and tried to compose herself.

  “This should not have happened,” Sonia said still somewhat affected.

  “Why not? You are my wife, Sonia, and we both wanted it.”

  “I will not
be available whenever you want. There are many things that separate us and I can tell you with complete certainty that I have not forgotten any of them.”

  “But for a moment you did,” Robert said with his best smile.

  CHAPTER 11

  She walked toward the door but he stopped her. “This must end, dear.”

  “It ends when you give me my freedom.”

  “You know very well that will not happen.” His were cold eyes. Every warm and loving gesture on his part vanished.

  “Then we don’t have anything to talk about.” Sonia left quickly without saying anything else.

  The next day Sonia went down to breakfast but did not find Robert, who was always there at that time. She sat down at the table and a footman began to serve her. The butler approached from a prudent distance.

  “Good morning, Claude.”

  “Good morning, Lady Wilmington.”

  “My husband left early?”

  “Lord Wilmington has gone on a trip for a few days,” he said uncomfortably, “he left a note in the study.”

  “Bring it to me, please.”

  He left immediately to retrieve the note.

  When she read the note, she saw that Robert only said what was strictly necessary.

  I’m going to London for a few days on business. Do not do anything stupid like trying to escape. You know very well that it will not work.