Page 49 of Wicked Is the Duke
"The earl of Cornwall's affair it is." She picked up the other stack of invitations and handed them to her husband.
Quickly he went through them, handing her two. "We don't have time to attend all these affairs," he said. "Which brings me to another matter."
Anna quickly studied the two Henry had chosen and laid them in their appropriate stack. She nodded and picked up her cup of tea once more.
"Go ahead," she said.
She listened as her husband told her of his desire to visit two of his other estates in the north. This would give her a firsthand account of what condition these houses were in.
As Henry so coyly had said, it would give them more time together until they were able to take a wedding trip. It meant a lot of time confined to the carriage. Perhaps he could send for her horse. She would then have the option to ride, weather permitting.
"Very well. I would love to see your other properties," she said. "Would you mind if we took my horse? It would save me from the endless boring hours in the carriage."
He nodded, smiling. "Indeed you may. I planned on having my stallion brought to London anyway. The journey will do him good, and now we can ride together."
It was like a breath of fresh air to Anna knowing her husband wanted to do things with her. Not many did, but then most women were perfectly content to stay in a carriage or ride sidesaddle.
"Tell me about your homes in the north," she asked.
She listened as he told her the history, how the properties ended up in his family and how they stayed well sustained.
***
Henry had never beenrepressed. He simply had held his own house parties, inviting his male friends and assuring them women would be at their call, like the room he and his friends kept in London at The Quiver.
Lady Tinley's place was too well-known, and Henry didn't care to run into anyone he knew. It was one thing to be with his friends but quite another to find a business associate frequenting her place.
He wanted to show Anna what they could share between themselves. Without scaring her of course. So far, he hadn't shown her anything but the most basic of lovemaking, but his carnal urges wanted more. He would bring her to observe from the safety and secrecy of Lady Tinley's back hallways and peepholes.
Would she be excited by the idea, or would he find his bride squeamish to such behavior? If he were a betting man, he would wager Anna would be eager to learn. She'd shown interest in seeing to his needs and wasn't afraid or disgusted by any act he'd introduced her to.
He waited in the parlor on Lady Tinsley. It was quiet, which was why he'd chosen to come during the day. Most all her cliental came in the evening and nighttime hours. He gazed around at the decor. Red flocked wall covering, gold and red chairs and settees.
"Your Grace, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Lady Tinsley clucked as she glided across the room.
"Lady Tinsley, nice to see you. I need your help."
She cut him off. "Would you like a drink while we discuss what is it you need help with?"
He nodded and waited while she poured two glasses of brandy. She passed him a snifter, taking a long swallow of her own before continuing.
"Come, sit. What can I do to help?"
"I recently married, and my wife is quite curious."
"And you wish to teach her? I would think a man of your experience would have no problem with that."
Henry cleared his throat. "I don't want to scare her. I thought if I could bring her here to observe, it would put her mind at ease, and I could continue to show her pleasures."
Lady Tinsley smiled and batted her eyes in Henry's direction. "Of course, bring her by tonight. Use the side door and wear a mask."
He nodded. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet."
Henry knew what she meant. So many of the women were afraid of trying anything remotely out of the ordinary as they'd been told time after time that the marriage bed was for one thing and one thing only...to produce children, an heir most preferably. A woman was to simply lie there and let her husband procreate with her. All mechanical, no emotions involved by either party.
Thank goodness he and Anna had a better relationship than that. He fully expected her to embrace what he showed her.
