"Oh, so am I. You’re a marvelous husband, Christopher."
"Thank you. It’s so nice having a wife, someone I can talk to and kiss and make love to whenever we want."
"It’s all so good. Better than I ever expected."
"Kat," he said as a sudden thought occurred to him.
"Yes?"
"Um, have you ever heard any of the other matrons talking about marriage?"
"A bit, why?"
"Well there’s kind of a ridiculous attitude about marital intimacy circling about these days, and I wanted to be sure you weren’t confused by it."
"What would that be?"
"Well a small number of people are making everyone nervous by saying, or implying, that a decent woman ought not to enjoy making love at all, not even with her husband."
Katerina raised her eyebrows. "Is there any truth to it?"
"None that I know of. I mean, if men want to enjoy passionate relations with women, and adultery is a sin, what option does that leave?"
"Obviously the best one; a happy marriage."
"Exactly. I suspect some girls, in an attempt to prevent them from being seduced, were taught to fear intimacy altogether, and be disgusted by it."
"That’s possible. Also, having unwilling wives gives dishonest men the excuse they want in order to be unfaithful."
"Perhaps. Well, at any rate, it’s not true, and I didn’t want you to be swayed by it."
"You needn’t worry about me, Christopher. Even if it were true, I care more for you than I do for the opinions of those who would best be served to mind their own business. I would rather sin with you, if it is a sin, than be virtuous."
"But it’s no sin. We’re married. So you can rest assured that being intimate with me in no way damages your virtue."
"I know that. I can feel it."
"And can you feel this?" He squeezed her, letting his erection press against her. She sighed.
"Yes. How lovely!"
"And fortunately, here we are at home. Come along love."
He had her through the icy cold to the door at record speed, and they hurried up into their cozy bedroom where they stripped off their clothing and stretched out on the bed, eager to be close again.
Christopher was delighted at how well this part of his marriage was going. Katerina was more eager than ever to be touched and caressed, and had even bravely touched him in several ways. She was well on her way to being the kind of wife she wanted to be. And he had learned too, ways to approach her which minimized her defensive reactions. It was as simple as telling her what he was going to do, and just like that, she was fine. She had all but stopped flinching when he discovered the technique.
"How beautiful you are, my love," he told her, "look at this lovely face." He reached for her slowly, and instead of recoiling from his hand, she leaned her cheek into it. His other arm slid around her, pulling her against him. He stroked her back with one hand, her cheek with the other. She leaned forward and boldly pressed her lips to his, kissing him tenderly, letting her tongue snake out to taste his lips, pressing between. Christopher let her explore, enjoying how comfortable she was in bed with him. She nibbled his lower lip and then pulled back, looking deeply into his eyes. He caressed the uneven skin on her back.
"Don’t do that, love," she said, pulling his hands away.
"Why not? I’m embracing you."
"I’m not very nice back there. This skin is much smoother." She guided him to her front.
"It doesn’t bother me, you know. They’re so much better now." But he stroked her belly willingly enough, before reaching up to fondle her breasts.
"They’re about as better as they’re going to get."
"I know. As long as they’re not a danger to you, let them be. Don’t worry. I’m not disgusted by any part of you. Those scars are a symbol of your strength."
"Hmmm." She hummed as he caressed her nipples, "taste me there."
Christopher allowed himself to be distracted by one of his favorite parts of her body, lowering his mouth and tugging one sweet peak and then the other. In just the last two weeks, since their wedding night, she had eaten enough to gain a tiny amount of weight. Most of it seemed to be centered here, and the tiny breasts were noticeably fuller. It was a lovely change.
He stimulated her breasts for quite some time, until she became eager for more intimate caresses. Rolling onto her back, she parted her thighs for her husband, showing him where she wanted to be touched. He stroked the dark curls and then gently parted them, pressing his fingers into the dewy folds, and, having found the opening of her body, sliding deep.
"Ahhh," she sighed. It had not taken long at all for Christopher’s prediction to prove true. Once the discomfort in her deepest place had faded, having her husband’s fingers, not to mention his sex, inside her was delightful.
"You’re very wet and eager tonight, aren’t you, darling?"
"Oh yes."
"Would you like a climax?"
"Only one?" she pouted. He laughed.
"How spoiled you are. What about two. One now, one later?"
"Perfect." She looped her arms around his neck while he slid his fingers gently in and out, building her pleasure higher. Then he became very serious about his task, and found the swollen pearl of her clitoris, and stroked it. She pressed eagerly into his caresses, aroused and needy, and wanting the release he had promised. And Christopher did not disappoint. He worked the little nub until Katerina was wailing with pleasure and clamping hard on his encroaching fingers.
He kissed her sweetly as the peak faded.
"Well, love," he said, sliding his fingers out, "would you fancy a new position tonight?"
"Like what?"
"I would like it if you would lie on your belly and let me enter you that way."
"Oh Christopher, I would rather not."
"Why not?"
"It’s my back. I’m just not comfortable with it."
"I told you it doesn’t bother me."
"It bothers me. From behind I feel broken. I don’t like that. There’s no point in looking backward."
"Some day, love, you’re going to have to integrate your past and your future."
"I know, but not yet. It’s too soon. Please?"
"Very well." Christopher rolled onto his back. "Let’s put you on top then."
He reached for her. She was still learning to believe in safety, but in bed at least, Christopher had never led her astray, and so now she gladly placed her hand in his, and straddled his middle with her long slender legs.
"Come on, love, take hold of me." He guided her hand to his erection and showed her how to stroke him. She blushed but complied. And then, together, they positioned him upright at the opening of her body. He grasped her hips and pressed, and gravity got the job done. Katerina closed her eyes. The sensation of her husband’s lovely sex filling her was a favorite. In some ways it was better than the climax, just knowing he wanted to be this close to her. He pushed up on her hips, urging her to rise, and then released the pressure, letting her sink back down. Press, release, press, release. It only took a few tries for her to get the rhythm of this position, and then she took over the movement, riding him, freeing his hands to caress her again, bring her the promised second peak. Her long hair tickled his legs when her head fell back as ecstasy crashed over her, and he grasped both her hips and pressed her deep so he could join her in fulfillment.
Long moments later the lovers returned to awareness. Katerina was lying on top of Christopher’s chest. His hands were on her back again, holding her, making her feel cherished. One hand slid up and he laced his fingers into her hair and brought her mouth to his for a long tender kiss. She could feel it right to her soul. What a man she had found to marry her. How fortunate she was. And then they separated their bodies gently before settling in to another favored intimacy; sleeping nude, pressed close together.
***Chapter 14***
In the morning, the couple ate a quick breakfast before heading dow
n to the railroad station. Katerina had never been near a train before, and looked doubtfully at the gigantic metal beast which puffed and snorted ominously at them through its bulbous smokestack. The black, soot-stained body of the massive vehicle gleamed dully even with the ribbed and vaulted roof of the station dimming the feeble sunshine. How could such a large and heavy machine actually be faster than a horse? And then the steam whistle let out an earsplitting screech and she flinched. She wasn’t the only one. Several of the milling passengers jumped at the noise. Christopher abandoned propriety and wrapped his arm around his wife. This earned them several sharp glances from stuffy-looking matrons, but they ignored them. He guided her up the stairs and found them a seat, quickly stowing their baggage before joining her on the threadbare red fabric.
"How are you doing, love?"
"Well enough. I had no idea trains were so loud."
"Oh, well anything run on steam is bound to be loud. It has to escape, you know? You should hear the cotton mill."
"May I?"
"If you would like. I wouldn’t mind showing it to you some time."
"I’ve heard… things about those places."
"No doubt all are true. But father and I try hard to make sure ours is one of the most congenial. Our employees seem to appreciate it. But really it’s just a messy, hot, noisy place to work." His eyes were glowing.
"You love it there, don’t you?"
"Yes."
"Good."
Katerina looked out the window as the train departed the station and watched the crowded streets and cluttered buildings of the city give way to winter brown fields and naked trees. Spring was still a long way off.
Christopher looked out the window at the scenery. "This is so much nicer than traveling by carriage."
"It is?"
"Oh yes. Imagine a weary mother and three children bouncing along a rutted road, the boredom and the whining… it was epic. Sometimes Father would let me sit with him in the driver’s seat outside. That was nicer."
"Where did you go?"
"To the seashore for a summer holiday. London gets a little… rancid in the heat."
"It does." Katerina agreed.
"Did you never go on holiday?"
"Not as I can recall."
"That’s a shame. Going to the ocean was always a highlight of the year for us. Would you like to try this summer?"
"With your parents"
"Yes."
"That would be very nice."
He grinned at her and took her hand in his. New family memories were being created every day.
Katerina found, as they chugged through the countryside, that she had nothing to say. Thank heaven Christopher was comfortable with silence. She really didn’t want to have to try and make conversation. Her fingers laced through his was connection enough for the moment.
Shortly after noon they reached Southampton and headed directly to the docks to board their clipper ship for Italy. The Oceanside was unlike anything Katerina had experienced. Over the roar of the conversations she could hear the scream of gulls, the clanking and groaning of the ships in their moorings, the yells of sailors speaking dozens of languages. It was an overpowering sight, but her husband’s arm around her supported her, and she felt quite safe. She drew in a deep breath, enjoying the fresh brisk breeze after the close stuffiness of the train. The air was thick with the scent of unwashed bodies, but underneath was the tang of the ocean, of salt and fish, freshness and decay all rolled into one.
They stepped out of the weak February sun into the clipper’s shadow. Rising high above them was a black shape of mammoth proportions. It was a lovely sight, that ship, with its masses of billowing white sails attached to three tall masts topped with colorful pennants. The journey would take over a week, perhaps closer to two depending on the cooperation of the winds. They would hug the coast of Europe, skimming France, Spain, and Portugal before passing the Rock of Gibraltar. From there it was a straight shot across the Mediterranean to Livorno. Joining an endless queue of passengers, they made their slow way up to the ship and then headed to their cabin. It was a small but comfortable room. There was a little bed with a deep blue coverlet extended from the wall, with wainscoting extending on both sides, and plain white paint above. There was a small built-in table. The matching chair looked to be heavy, which was no doubt to prevent it falling over in rough weather. It would be rather tight quarters here, but no matter. Honeymoons and small beds went naturally together as they encouraged cuddling, and Christopher and his bride enjoyed that very much. So much, in fact, that they spent the first several minutes in their cabin with their arms around each other, sharing a hot deep kiss, twining their tongues sinuously, stroking each other with eager hands.
"Enough, love," Christopher told his wife eventually, his breathing uneven, "we should go above decks."
"Why?"
"Don’t you want to see the ship leave the harbor?"
"Oh, I suppose." She sighed. It wasn’t as obvious an answer as one would have thought.
"We have many nights to spend in this cabin."
"True. One more kiss, and then we’ll go up."
Christopher was willing. Too willing. By the time they emerged on deck so many minutes had passed that all the spots along the rail were full. Thankfully Katerina was tall enough to be able to look over the heads of a passel of red-haired children and see the departure. The sunlight touched her face, a hint of warmth in the chill of deep winter. She took another deep breath. Though still cold, the sky was less ominous, the gray lightening to almost a friendly silver. Fat billows of clouds, pure white and clean, meandered slowly across the heavens. They were so unlike the smoggy haze which hung perpetually over London. This place was fresher, and in it she felt cleaner, lighter. She was leaving England for the first time in her life, and there was no telling what this trip to Italy would bring. She waved to strangers across the steely gray water for a long time, and then land was out of sight and they were away. Behind them, a lone storm cloud floated ominously on the horizon.
******
They couldn’t see him, but Giovanni Valentino stood on the docks, cursing vilely. He had attempted to snatch his daughter away in the crowd, but had not managed it. A horde of urchins had rushed between him and his prey, hurrying to find a good position from which to watch the ship leave the harbor, and by the time the group had passed, she was out of reach.
*** Chapter 15***
In planning this trip, Katerina had failed to take one serious concern into consideration: seasickness. The motion of the boat made her nauseous, and she was sick very often, gagging and retching at odd moments. Unpleasant as this was though, it only affected her during the day, when she was upright. As soon as she stretched out in the little bed, it abated and an entirely different sensation took her over.
Night after night found her pressed, purring against her husband, begging him to make love to her. Christopher was hardly going to refuse, and they passed the evenings at sea very pleasurably engaged in learning each other’s favorite sensations. Katerina was so aroused, so willing, that Christopher was able to teach her techniques he had feared she would never try. He had thought it would take years to develop that level of trust.
Not so, it turned out. Growing up as isolated as she had, Katerina had never been exposed to anyone’s attitudes about sex and was completely without reservation. If Christopher told her something was good, she believed him, and if it felt good to her too, they did it. Only three nights into their trip found her crouched over him, his hands tangled in her hair as he taught her to use her mouth on his erection.
"Good, love. That’s good," he groaned, "Just keep your teeth back. Other than that, be creative… oh, that’s a good spot."
She reared back a little. "This is very nice," she told him before opening and taking him in as deeply as she could.
Christopher’s reply wasn’t exactly formed of coherent words. He let her play with him, exploring, teasing, until he was on the brink of exp
loding. It took every ounce of his willpower to slide past her warm clinging lips and press her down onto the bed.
"Your turn," he said, but there was no time. He ran his hand down the center of her body. She opened and he touched her, and, grateful to find her drenched and ready, rammed his sex home in one hard stroke.
Katerina’s eyes opened wide at the rough entry. It hadn’t hurt exactly, but where was the tender lover who had eased into her so sweetly night after night? He pulled back and drove deep again and this time she understood. He was wild with desire for her. He wanted her so badly he had lost control. She found it extremely flattering.
She relaxed and lay passive against the passionate onslaught. The third hard thrust made her tingle. The fourth made her bite her lip and moan. The fifth was like fire. One more was all it took and Katerina all but screamed as a soul-deep orgasm crashed over her. It was fortunate she arrived so quickly because Christopher had only one more thrust in him, devastatingly hard, desperately deep, while she squirmed and clenched around him. It was enough, and he exploded, roaring at the intense pleasure.
Her hands were on his back, stroking him. He opened his eyes, concerned. His wife was so new at lovemaking, so tight and innocent inside, and that was no way to take a lady.
He needn’t have worried. Her dark eyes were glowing with satisfaction and amusement.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, darling. It was exquisite."
"Really? I didn’t hurt you?"
"No. Well, I might be feeling this one tomorrow… or next week, but I’m not hurt. It was lovely." She giggled.
"What?"
"Now I know your secret."
"What’s that?"
"Underneath the proper middle class gentleman lurks a wild man just awaiting the proper invitation."
"Love, that’s no secret. All men are like that. Gentlemanly behavior is learned, not innate."
"I see."
"I’m surprised you’re taking it so well, that you weren’t frightened."
"Not at all. You weren’t angry. You were loving me. It’s a very great difference."
Keeping Katerina (The Victorians) Page 13