by Jean Wilde
Before she had time to notice it, her nightgown had been pulled over her head, and she felt the cool air against her naked flesh. Piers tugged her onto the bed, his body poised on top of her, and nuzzled her neck before moving down her body. She felt the bed sag behind her but was quickly distracted when the courtesan took one of her nipples in his mouth, suckling and licking, while his hand rolled the other taut tip almost painfully between his fingers. Caroline gasped as pleasure shot straight to her womb, and she clenched her legs together as that pleasure turned into an excruciating ache.
Seeming to sense her distress, Piers let go of her breasts and kissed his way down her belly until his face was positioned between her legs. “I’m going to taste you now,” he murmured against her skin. “Horatio, tease those pert breasts for me, won’t you?”
With that, he licked her slit, pausing to suckle the sensitive nub of her womanhood into his mouth. Caroline’s body jerked in reaction—never had she experienced such intense pleasure. He held her down with one hand as he continued to lick her ruthlessly. She grabbed a fistful of the covers as she started to pant. Then she saw Horatio reach over her, squeezing her breasts and rolling her nipples between his fingers. She moaned and dug her hands into Piers’s hair in a dull effort to anchor herself. When she felt him push a finger inside her just as he gave her nub a swirling lick, she screamed, her body splintering into a thousand pieces.
She lay quietly for a moment in a daze, her heart pounding loudly in her ears. She looked down and saw that Piers was still between her thighs, watching her.
“How I ever considered you plain is beyond me,” he said unexpectedly. “You’re one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever beheld.”
She heard Horatio chuckle from behind her. “She’s my best kept secret. Beautiful in body and soul.”
She shifted to look up at him. He was staring at her with a look of open admiration and affection. In that moment, she knew she’d made the right decision. Her mad scheme of running off to London and bringing another person into their bed would not drive them apart. On the contrary, it would bring them closer than ever.
Piers lifted himself up and coaxed her limp body to move up on the bed. “Now then, to the very serious business of begetting a child.”
Horatio grinned…he actually grinned! “Quite the laborious task, indeed.”
Piers chuckled, and Caroline watched in fascination as he cupped the back of Horatio’s head and brought him toward him for a kiss. Horatio responded enthusiastically, and she felt a shameless stab of desire as the two men kissed and touched each other in front of her. It was a shockingly arousing scene. They were both so attractive in their own ways, their bodies hard and their engorged members rubbing against each other. The throbbing between her legs became a persistent ache, and she had the strongest urge to rub herself as she watched them.
Suddenly, Piers broke the kiss and spun Horatio toward her pushing him to his hands and knees. “Bend your knees, Caroline,” Piers instructed. Silently she obeyed, waiting with bated breath for what would happen next. Horatio positioned himself over her, his hard member pushing against her entrance. Piers reached from behind, and Caroline watched as he stroked Horatio’s hardened sex before guiding him into her body. She gasped as her body stretched to accommodate him. It had been at least six months since Horatio had come to her bed. She was by no means a virgin, but her muscles were tight from lack of use. Thanks to Piers’s earlier ministrations, however, her passage was sleek allowing Horatio to glide into her easily. They both groaned, and she brought Horatio’s head down for a kiss as he moved slowly inside her.
He broke away with a gasp. Caroline looked over his shoulder and saw Piers position himself on his knees behind Horatio. He gave her a wicked grin, and she watched in fascination as he sank two fingers inside her husband’s arse. She felt Horatio’s cock twitch inside her body and unconsciously clamped down on him with her inner muscles, reveling in the sensation. Piers rubbed something on his hands and grabbed Horatio’s hips, stilling him. She watched as he pushed his cock slowly inside her husband, his lips parting in obvious pleasure. Horatio groaned and buried his face in her neck, his member still lodged deep inside of her. She was shocked and aroused all at once.
“Are you all right, darling?” she asked, somewhat concerned by his stillness.
Horatio braced himself on his elbows, staring down at her. “Never better, my love. You were mistaken earlier, you know…you are everything I need.” And with that he began to move, Piers urging him on from behind. The languid pace soon turned frantic, and the pressure inside her built until she couldn’t take it anymore. Horatio covered her mouth with his, swallowing her scream, and she felt the hot spill of his seed inside her. Horatio groaned and nuzzled her neck as he relaxed on top of her. Over his head, Caroline’s eyes met Piers’s in the candlelight, and she smiled.
Chapter 8
It was still dark when Piers returned to his room and slipped beneath the covers of his bed. He was truly exhausted after his boisterous nocturnal activities. Hoping to snatch a few hours’ sleep before morning, he did his best to clear his mind and not dwell on the past few hours. A task much easier said than done.
Initially, he’d felt relieved to be excused for the rest of the night. He disliked clingy lovers and had always preferred sleeping alone. This time, however, he couldn’t help feeling envious and perhaps a little resentful. After a second bout of lovemaking, Caroline and Horatio had immediately reached for each other without seemingly sparing him a second glance. Piers had been effectively dismissed! He really shouldn’t care. They were simply his clients, like the many couples he’d engaged in ménage à trois with.
He slept fitfully before finally rousing himself as the morning sky began to lighten. Hastings had offered to lend him the use of his valet, but Piers was accustomed to tending to himself. He washed, shaved, and dressed for riding. The house was silent when he stepped out of his room. Luckily, he’d always had a keen sense of direction and was able to make his way swiftly to the East Wing—where the stables were located—without losing his way. Once he found Titus in his stall, he quickly saddled him and swung himself onto the great beast.
The crisp morning air stung his cheeks as he galloped across the estate. When Piers had ridden some way from the main house, he slowed to a canter and looked back, admiring the pristine landscape. The gardens were lovely: perfectly trimmed and artistically laid out. He took a deep breath, enjoying the scent of fresh country air. According to the Baroness, the gardens would be blooming with hundreds of roses within a few weeks. She’d overseen the planting herself, as the extensive rose gardens were her personal contribution to the estate and a source of great pride.
Delaval Hall was an impressive sight as well, Piers reflected. He had been educated as a gentleman but knew little about architecture and design. It was all perfectly symmetrical and balanced…much like the master and mistress of the manor—if one were to look at them from the outside. But Piers knew firsthand that things were never truly as they appeared to be.
He rode for a while longer, only coming across fields dotted with livestock. They held no interest to him, so he whirled Titus around and headed back to the main house.
* * * *
Invigorated by the ride, Piers entered the breakfast parlor, not surprised to find the Baron and Baroness already seated for breakfast. They kept country hours and therefore rose much earlier than their London peers. Horatio read the newspaper while Caroline sifted through the morning post. The scene was so very…domestic.
“Good morning,” Piers called as he made his way to the sideboard, piling food onto a plate. He was relieved to find that the servants were nowhere in sight.
They both looked up and replied cordially. He could feel them staring at him and grinned inwardly, taking longer than usual to study the breakfast fare before joining them at the table. Seated across from the Baroness, he gave her a wink and began to eat. She blushed and gave a small nervous laugh.
/> “Did you sleep well?” Piers asked casually, glancing up at Horatio this time.
Horatio smiled slowly and reached over to squeeze his wife’s hand. “Yes, I think we both slept incredibly well.”
No thanks to me apparently, Piers thought resentfully. Surprised by his strange reaction, he quickly squelched it and gave a soft chuckle. “I’m glad you’re rested. I was thinking you could take me on a tour of the estate after breakfast, me being the architect you’ve hired and all.”
Horatio furrowed his brow. “It is important to keep up appearances, but… do you actually know anything about architecture?”
“Not a thing. I studied law for a year and only have a passing interest in the arts.”
Caroline looked at him in surprise. “You went to university?”
Piers feigned a bored tone. “Yes, St. John’s College, Cambridge. I didn’t finish, though.”
His companions shared a glance before Horatio finally asked, “Were you there on a scholarship?”
Realizing that he’d piqued their curiosity, Piers knew he needed to give them a condensed version of his life or the questions would never cease. He sat back in his chair and shrugged. “No, my father paid for my schooling. He was the third son of a viscount and took his children’s education very seriously. He made it clear that enlisting in the army wasn’t an option, and since I despised numbers, a steward’s life was not for me. I did, however, show some aptitude for law, and that’s how I ended up at Cambridge.”
“Did your father not allow you to finish? How did you—” Caroline bit her lip and left the sentence hanging.
How did the son of a gentleman end up as a whore?
Piers resumed his breakfast, determined to push aside the discomfort he always felt when discussing his family. “My father was a paragon of piety and goodness. He was a man of the church. A kind, devoted husband and an affectionate parent—my siblings and I wanted for nothing. Indeed, we were incredibly fortunate to be raised in such a loving household. But like all shortsighted and misguided youth, I took them for granted. I didn’t realize how much I had to lose until I lost them all.”
“What happened to them?” Caroline whispered.
Piers chuckled. “Oh, nothing happened to them! It was I who was exiled from their midst. I was visiting home during Christmas when my father came upon me in a most…compromising position. I’d left a special friend behind when I went to university, and upon my return he’d wished to renew our friendship. I’d been on my best behavior at Cambridge, and once I was home in the comfort of all that was familiar, I grew careless. I didn’t take the precautions I usually did, and well…we were caught. I can still remember the look on my father’s face when he walked into my room and found us together.” His lined handsome face had twisted in horror and then disgust.
He saw Horatio grimace, and Caroline reached across the table to squeeze Piers’s hand in comfort.
“I can just imagine,” Horatio said softly, his voice filled with sympathy.
Piers’s chest ached as he stared at his hand and then back at them. How different his life would’ve been if he’d had someone like Caroline—a partner who stood by him, loved him, and protected him from the rest of the world.
Refusing to give in to self-pity, he pulled his hand away and continued in an airy tone, “After a few choice words, my father disowned me and kicked me out of the house. I decided I needed a fresh start, so I headed for London. It was easy enough to find employment in a small law firm in the city. It soon became evident, however, that I wasn’t meant for work in an office. I was young and wild. I enjoyed gaming hells, brothels, cock fights, racing… basically every form of reckless endeavor I could throw myself into. I spent far more than I earned and was dismissed from my post a mere two months after starting there. I did have a couple of lovers, though, and one of them offered me a place in his apartments since I couldn’t afford to pay rent. Soon after, he started paying for my clothes and helped me settle some of my debts.”
“He…became your keeper?” Horatio asked, looking surprised by the prospect.
How sweetly naïve…as if only women were members of the demirep!
Piers nodded, “It was a comfortable arrangement, but I started to get bored. When he found out that I was entertaining someone else on the side, he demanded my fidelity or threatened to toss me out on the streets. I dislike being threatened, so I punched him in the face, packed my things, and left.”
Caroline chortled. “Really, Piers, he did nothing to deserve that. He didn’t ask for anything unreasonable; most people don’t like to share their bed partners, especially if their feelings are engaged.”
“It was more about control with Charles. He didn’t like that he couldn’t control me, and my living with him and sharing his bed every night was not enough for him. Either way, I left him, and by then I’d reached a very interesting conclusion. Not only was I skilled in the bedroom, but certain men were happy to pay a small fortune for my services. I had no interest in the whorehouses in Covent Garden—I wanted a high-end brothel with an exclusive clientele. Men who sought discretion above all else and could afford my upkeep in the lavish lifestyle I’d grown accustomed to. It combined the two things I enjoyed most: sex and money. I was twenty when I interviewed with the madam of The Scarlet Salon, and the rest, as you can say, is history.”
His audience looked completely flabbergasted by his story. It was a sensational tale, he supposed.
“I’m sure you had other skills at your disposal,” Horatio finally said.
Piers just smiled. “Yes, but during those first few years I was rather…wild. It’s easier to drink and fuck your way into oblivion instead of dealing with the hurt and loneliness.”
“That’s not the case anymore, is it? Your desires have shifted now that you’ve grown older?” Caroline asked, studying him curiously.
He considered her question for a moment. “It feels like I want something else now—something beyond the immediate gratification of good sex and the thrill of winning at the tables. A relationship perhaps…” He shook his head then rose to his feet. “Are you ready for that tour, Hastings?”
The Baron looked surprised by the change of topic but promptly rose from his seat as well. “Yes, let me show you around Delaval Hall.”
Chapter 9
Horatio led Piers through the mansion, stopping to point out the different design features and improvements he’d made over the last few years. He’d convinced his father to install gas lamps throughout the house after a fire had destroyed half of the West Wing. “You’re a man of the modern age,” Piers observed with a grin.
Horatio chuckled. “I’ve always believed that one should embrace change rather than fear it. Nothing good ever came from clinging to tradition.”
“Change requires trust,” Piers said with a twisted smile. “Something tells me you’re of a far more trusting nature than I am.”
Horatio frowned, a hazy image of Jonathan appearing in his mind. “Once, perhaps…I’m far more cautious than I used to be.”
They were at that moment in the damaged part of the house. All the ruined furniture had been cleared, and what the servants were able to salvage had been moved to the attic. The walls were blackened from smoke, and rough patchwork covered large sections of the walls and ceiling. Luckily, most of the damage had been toward the back of the house and didn’t mar the façade of the Hall.
“Caution is good—it can prevent catastrophes such as this.” Piers paused looking around him. “Although, when all the repairs and redesigns are complete, the West Wing will be more glorious than ever. Sometimes good can come out of destruction.”
Horatio studied his companion for a moment. “Yes, I’ve seen firsthand that it can. Tell me, what good do you think came out of your past mistakes?”
“Not much good, I suppose, since I ended up as a whore.”
“You don’t strike me as a man who despises his lot in life.”
Piers stopped in his tracks and tur
ned to look at him, his head tilted to one side. “My career choice was not one I would have willingly subjected myself to, but I admit I do not dislike it…all the time.” He slowly backed Horatio up against a wall, his hands on either side of his shoulders, caging him in.
Horatio swallowed, aroused by Piers’s closeness and the predatory smile on his face. “I’m glad that the pleasure is mutual.”
Piers’s lips hovered above his own, and he whispered, “Last night, when your arse squeezed my cock so tight and you milked every last drop from me…I think I saw stars.”
The eroticism and bluntness of his words had Horatio’s member straining against the flap of his breeches. He cupped Piers’s face and pulled him toward him, kissing him hungrily. Their tongues dueled, and Horatio unabashedly rubbed himself against the other man.
Piers broke the kiss, his eyes burning with obvious desire. “Are there any guest chambers in this wing that are in good repair?”
It took a moment for his question to sink into Horatio’s lust-addled brain. Eventually, he nodded. Taking Piers’s hand, Horatio led him to a room he knew had been untouched by the fire. Once the door was safely shut behind them, Piers kissed him again and began relieving him of his coat and neckcloth. They had to end the kiss as they eagerly disrobed, all the while making their way toward the bed. Finally, they were both naked, and Horatio couldn’t help admiring the male courtesan in the early afternoon light. The man is built like a Greek god!
Piers gave him a slow sensual smile as he rubbed a thumb across Horatio’s bottom lip. “I wonder if these lips will feel as good on my cock as they do on my mouth. Tell me, are you familiar with the term soixante-neuf?”