His Hand-Me-Down Countess: The Lustful Lords, Book 1

by Sorcha Mowbray

  “You are not wearing bloomers. Such a good pet.” The rumble of his pleased voice did things to her. Unspeakable things, and she loved it.

  “Take me, Master.” Urgent need overrode any sense of delicacy, both for her and for him.

  His fingers caressed her soaking slit, matching the pulse of his mouth on her breast. And when he slid two digits deep into her hot core, she nearly melted from desire. He pumped in and out of her, pushed her to the brink of orgasm and then stopped. “Would you like to experience the pleasure of riding a man while traveling in a carriage?”

  Excitement shivered through her, one part lust and one part anticipation. The forbidden quality of sex in their carriage as they rolled down the road tantalized and enticed. Clopping hooves of outriders and the occasional call between their coachman and their groomsmen added an air of risk that stirred her juices and made her feel all the more wanton for loving it. “Please, Master.”

  “Then mount your ride, my lady. I believe the road is about to get bumpy.” Stone pressed his cock against her opening and guided her down as she released her handholds on the straps. The incredible sensation of being filled and stretched had her light-headed with desire. And then they hit their first bump. The jolt sent them both bouncing on the seat, though for her, mostly on his pole.

  They both groaned in pleasure as they did, indeed, hit a rough patch of road. Theo relished the control Stone granted her as she lifted up and slid back down his cock until her orgasm ripped through her with little warning. “Yes, Master!” Her cry echoed through the carriage, and without a doubt, every one of their attendants heard. Her only saving grace lay in the fact that Mary and the other house staff rode in a carriage behind them and likely did not hear.

  Beneath her, the man she was coming to love and treasure pumped into her until his own climax rolled through him. Together, they fell into a rumpled pile of exhaustion. Theo couldn’t help but doze as her husband wrapped himself around her as though she were the most precious thing in his world.

  “My lord, we have entered the grounds of Hawksbury,” one of their riders called out, causing them both to stir.

  She sat up and moved to cross back over to her side of the carriage when Stone stopped her. “Best stay here beside me so I can play lady’s maid. Though I fear your dress and hair may be beyond repair.” His wry grin told her he didn’t regret their interlude any more than she did.

  “I daresay I can brazen through. I can’t imagine others haven’t passed the drive to Hawksbury in a similar fashion.” She grinned and, together, they worked on setting each other to rights.

  Twenty minutes later, Theo swept from the carriage and onto the front drive of Hawksbury Grange to discover, to her horror, that not only were the Marquess and Marchioness of Hawksbury there to greet them, but so were her parents and Stone’s mother. She leaned into her husband and hissed, “For heaven’s sake, we aren’t the royal family. Why are they all here standing about?”

  “Not sure, but I’d say you best get to brazening through, or one of our mothers is going to melt on the spot. Though come to think of it, that would redirect everyone from staring at you.” His ability to joke at that moment had her lost between hilarity and frustration.

  She thwacked him with her fan and attended to the requisite greetings. “Lord and Lady Hawksbury, how kind of you to greet us when you have so many other guests at hand.”

  “I do like to welcome each of our guests during these intimate little gatherings. Family and friends are so important.” And then Theo found herself in the arms of Lady Hawksbury. Well, it was better than her remarking on her very rumpled appearance.

  “My lord.” She curtsied and moved on to her mother and father as Stone brought up the rear. “Mother, whyever are you out here waiting for us?” she whispered.

  “Lizzy and Carlisle are just behind you. They sent word earlier when they had to stop at an inn after having wheel trouble.” Her mother eyed her up and down, one brow arching. “Perhaps you should have considered having carriage issues prior to arriving.”

  Theo blushed but brazened it out. “I can’t imagine what you mean.” And then she moved on to greet Stone’s mother. “Dowager Stonemere, I am so pleased you were able to come.”

  “Well, my dear. You do look pleased, but I suspect it has little to do with my presence.” The dowager winked at her and patted her arms as Stone sputtered and coughed behind her.

  Oblivious to her guests’ dismay—and in some cases amusement—Lady Hawksbury ushered them all into the house.

  Chapter 24

  After Stone and Theo settled into their room, he went in search of the men at the house party. There was time before dinner for a drink and some conversation. To his great delight, he found Cooper among the gentlemen gathered in the billiards room for a friendly game. His best friend leaned over the table and took his shot. The ball missed and Cooper lost, which freed him up for a chat.

  “It’s damn good to see you, Cooper.” Stone leaned in to whisper, “I thought this party would be a dreadful bore.”

  Cooper laughed and grinned. “Oh, it has been. The days are long and tedious, especially the entertainments. But the nights, my friend. The nights are long and lusty.” He raised his glass and clinked crystal with Stone.

  “Well, I certainly won’t be enjoying the same entertainments as you, but I did manage to bring my own delight along.” Stone hesitated a moment, and for the first time in his life heartily hoped his best friend would keep away from his wife. The idea of sharing her again was not something he could deal with and, by her own admission, not something she wished to do again, either.

  Cooper pulled him off to the side, away from prying ears. “Have no fear, Stone. I can see the worry in your eyes. Your wife is lovely and amazing with her mouth. But I am here to find my own lusty fun, not to intrude upon yours. I accommodated a friend’s request because I knew what it must have cost him to make it.”

  Chagrined at how transparent his thoughts must have been, Stone sighed. “You are a good man, Cooper. For once, I hesitated to set the boundary for fear of offending you. Clearly, it was an unnecessary sentiment.” Stone tossed the finger of scotch back and set the empty glass on a nearby table right as the dinner chimes rang, drawing them from the billiards room to meet their female counterparts. The ladies giggled and fawned as they were paired with a dinner partner. Stone had the luck to be paired with Theo’s sister, Lizzy, but Theo was escorted by the Marquess of Wiggington, a known womanizer. It seemed Lady Hawksbury did not know his wife very well.

  As dinner progressed, he watched his wife’s face shift from surprise to annoyance, and at one point, he was certain she would stab her partner with a dinner fork. Nevertheless, she managed to restrain herself, and dinner proved to be a bloodless affair. After the meal, the men once again decamped, leaving the ladies to chatter for a bit as they smoked cigars. As he entered, Lord Wiggington and Hugh Denton approached him, the latter with a smile and his hand extended. “Stonemere, I had no idea you would be attending the Hawksburys’ entertainment.”

  Stone took the offered hand of his cousin. Unable to outright ignore the marquess without causing a scene, he tried to find the semblance of a smile before answering. “Theo was keen to get out of London for a few days.”

  “Too bad you couldn’t arrive sooner. It’s been quite the gathering the last few days…and nights.” Hugh grinned and offered a lascivious wink.

  Stone didn’t particularly wish to discuss such pursuits with his cousin, let alone the marquess, so he merely grunted.

  “At any rate, I take it travel does not sit well with your wife?” Hugh swirled a brandy in his snifter and then took a sip.

  Stone couldn’t help flashing to the memory of his wife riding his cock in utter abandon as they jounced along the road to Hawksbury. “Theo travels quite well. As far as I know, she thoroughly enjoyed the trip.” He worked hard at not emphasizing the word “thoroughly” so as not to besmirch his wife’s reputation. This man was unworth
y of any confidences he might share with one he trusted.

  “Strange, Wiggington said she seemed rather out of sorts at dinner. Blamed the rough ride here.” Hugh raised a brow.

  It was all he could do not to laugh at the unintended double entendre, but he managed to control his unruly thoughts. “Perhaps something about the meal put her in bad humor. If you will excuse me, I could use a brandy for the digestion myself.” And with that, Stone left Hugh and the Marquess of Wiggington.

  After an hour of conversation and the opportunity to relieve themselves, the men rejoined the ladies just in time to step outside for a lakeside surprise courtesy of their host and hostess. He dearly hoped it would not be yet another reenactment of the Battle of Trafalgar. It had happened sixty odd years earlier, and no one deserved to be bored to death in such a manner.

  * * *

  Theo took her husband’s arm, happy to be shed of the company of the Marquess of Wiggington. The man had been alternately crude and insulting throughout their meal. At one point, she quietly took her fork and jabbed him in the leg. Then she leaned in and warned him to behave himself lest the fork accidentally slide deeper the next time. The prevailing silence after her warning added to watching him limp into the billiards room had been worth the risk. The man was unbearable.

  Of course, to be fair, not one man she’d ever met compared to Stone. He embodied what a man should be: fierce, protective, kind, and gentle, with an integrity and moral compass that pointed true. A soldier to his core, he was capable of defending what was his. Certainly, he had vulnerabilities as any human would. His nightmares occasionally woke her up, but since he still had not brought them up, she too stayed silent. Besides, they had improved over time, or so it seemed to her, and she slept beside him every night.

  Stone had also proven to be overly dedicated to his work, to the point she often had to drag him from his desk. That tendency made their time at the Hawksburys’ all the more special, since he eschewed bringing any work along. As the guests spilled out onto the back lawn of the Grange, Theo and Stone slowed their walk to steal a private moment.

  “How was your dinner, wife?” He covered her hand with his own where it rested in the crook of his arm.

  “Tolerable once the pests were taken care of.” She blinked at him and tried to look as innocent as possible.

  He chuckled. “I feared for a moment there would be bloodshed before the evening was through.”

  She couldn’t keep the heat from simmering in her cheeks. Her husband knew her too well. “I fear a small amount may have been spilt.”

  “I see, so you did stab him with your fork? I thought perhaps he had escaped your wrath,” Stone said with an easy contentment that said he was not upset by her revelation.

  “I merely poked him a bit. The insufferable man kept blathering on about how his wife will one day remain locked away in their house while he tends to whatever it was he seemed to think would be his business. I had to stop listening while I decided if drawing blood was worth the risk both to my dress and my social standing. As you can see, my dress is unstained.” She smiled and held her skirts out to one side to better display their pristine condition.

  “You are a minx, my lady.” The group had neared the rim of the lake, but they remained a little apart so they could continue to chat. “Did you notice Lady Atherton?”

  Theo chewed her lip. She suspected the woman was half-drunk, but then she frequently seemed so. “I did notice she was a bit in her cups.”

  “Yes, well, I fear her husband is unaware, although how that might be is a bit of a stumper.” Stone lifted a brow as Theo drew a breath to speak.

  “If she is, it truly is none of our affair. One can only imagine what might drive her to drink.” She patted his arm, enjoying the play of muscles beneath the fine cloth of his evening attire. “Stone, do you supp—oh!” Her words cut off as a loud whining hiss ripped through the air, announcing the first firework as it sparkled to life in the night sky.

  As the second explosive launched, Theo found herself hauled behind the nearest bushes and shoved beneath a heavy body.

  Chapter 25

  Stone peeked around the foliage as the blasts sounded overhead. How had they found him? His heart raced and his limbs trembled with the flood of vitality pumping through his veins. Christ, he had to get away. Had to find a way to get help and circle back to save the women. A woman’s cry pierced the noise, followed by a child’s wail. Too late! He was too late, again.

  Despair had him hanging his head, though the tears made it hard to see anyway. No point in watching the horrors beyond. But then something soft and feminine wiggled beneath him. A woman. He had saved one! Relief pierced his sadness and gave him a renewed sense of purpose.

  “Stone?” The fear in the woman’s voice upset him.

  “Do not fear. I shall protect you with my dying breath. I swear it. You will survive this night.” And he knew she would, because he refused to let it be otherwise.

  “Stone, what are you going on about?” She pushed against his chest as though she wanted to dislodge him from his protective stance.

  The hiss and whine followed by a loud boom of each mortar stopped, and darkness fell. A smattering of applause and cheers sounded in the distance. He assumed the sepoys were celebrating their victory. A perfect opportunity to slip past. He rose up to crouching and helped the lady up as well as she rearranged her hoops and skirts. He couldn’t understand why women insisted on such ridiculous clothing in such a hot dry place as India. But nonetheless, she was in full regalia, and so would move more slowly than him. He would have to tow her along or possibly carry her if she couldn’t keep up.

  “Stone.” The woman’s voice sounded vaguely familiar, though somewhat scared and annoyed. “Stop this nonsense this instant.”

  “Silence, before you get us both killed.” Women could be more trouble than they were worth, which was why he liked finding professionals or experienced widows to take the edge off.

  “Achilles Denton, Earl of Stonemere, you will listen to me this instant.”

  She was getting more demanding, and how in the hell did she know his name? Or part of it, at any rate. She seemed to think he was his father. “Nice try, sweetheart, but I ain’t the earl, nor will I ever be. I suggest you squash whatever dreams of a title you harbor and focus on surviving.”

  She grew very still and stared at him. In the moonlight, he could see her lovely face full of confusion, and something tugged at his memories. Had he bedded her before? Then the woman did the strangest thing. She stepped into him and cupped his face in her small hands. He hadn’t noticed before, but she was quite tall for a woman, which made her the perfect height to kiss. And he suddenly wanted very much to kiss her. “Stone, I need you to look at me.”

  Her blue eyes seemed bottomless as she held his head steady and forced him to meet her gaze.

  “It’s me, Theo. Your wayward pet. Master, you must look at me. See me.” Tears filled her bold sapphire eyes and spilled down her cheeks. The urge to hold her and comfort her grew strong. And stronger yet, with each tear that fell down her creamy face.

  “I-I. Do I know you?” His confusion rankled, but somehow he knew he could trust this woman.

  “Stone, it’s me. Your wife. You aren’t in India any longer. You’re here, at Hawksbury Grange, with me. In England.” She leaned up against him and pressed her lips to his as she did the same with her trembling frame. Her kiss was sweet and salty, but beyond that, her taste was familiar. Warm, welcoming, and not part of his past, but part of his present and his future.

  She stepped back from him and stared for a long, tense moment.

  “Zeus.” She said the word firmly and clearly.

  He blinked and stared at her again, and then, as if a fog had drifted offshore, he could suddenly see everything clearly. His wife stood before him, her heart in her eyes as she stared at him with tears streaming down her face, having just said her word to bring all things to a stop. “Theo? Darling, what’s wrong?
What have I done to you?”

  She let out a breath and a whispered “Thank the heavens.” And then she promptly wept.

  Confusion reigned as he tried to sort out the last quarter hour in his head while he took his wife in his arms and attempted to comfort her. He remembered walking on the back lawn after dinner and having a conversation with Theo. But then nothing coherent. Little wisps of details, like the brush obscuring his view and fussing with her hoop skirt.

  A hallucination. Dear God, he’d had a hallucination. It was a lucky thing he hadn’t hurt anyone. Particularly his wife. If he had not already hauled her into his arms, he would have done so at that moment to ensure she was yet unharmed. And so he could hide his own embarrassing tears. The unfortunate truth was he didn’t know if they were tears of joy that he hadn’t hurt anyone, or tears of despair that he didn’t know how to hide the truth from his wife any longer. He was, in fact, not a whole man in the mental sense.

  Tears subsiding, she stepped back from his embrace and locked gazes with him. As though she bore a hole straight through his soul, she looked, assessed, and then nodded. “May we go inside now?”

  “Of course. I believe I’ve had enough socializing for the evening.” His head still felt fuzzy, as though the past continued to attempt to intrude on the present, but the comforting feel of his wife’s hand in his helped him keep the waking nightmare at bay.

  Once they reached their chamber, without a word she stepped away from him and reached behind her to find the laces to her dress. With a few strategic tugs, she managed to pull her gown off, and then her remaining petticoats followed. Next, she removed what was left of her stockings, which left her dressed in her chemise, corset, and bloomers. Still silent, she sank to her knees before him and finally spoke. “I am yours to command, Master.”

  Thrilled by her open display of submission to him and terrified that he might hurt her in yet another hallucination, he took her hand and helped her stand. “You are an angel of mercy. And while I would like nothing better than to sink into your welcoming heat and ignore what has happened tonight, we need to sit down and discuss events. Mayhap after I understand what happened, we can revisit your lovely display.”