Page 47 of A Duke's Wicked Secret
Theo saw this look and was surprised at this comment and felt his manhood harden in his trousers as his heart beat faster. How he longed to pull that beautiful blue riding habit off her, or even just pull up her skirts there in the grass and make love to her till the morning was long past! But he knew they neither had the time, and he again told himself he would wait until they were married, as much as it seemed impossible at that particular moment!
So instead, Theo stood up because it was getting late, and he needed to return Penelope back home. Penelope started to stand up as well, but before she could, Theo swooped her up in his arms and carried her over to Phoenix, planting a few seductive kisses on his betrothed’s neck and ears along the way.
“Theo, I can walk for myself. Are you going to carry me around for the rest of our lives?” Penelope giggled.
“And just what is wrong with that idea?” Theo retorted playfully.
“Well, for one, it may not always be as easy for you as it is now when we are in our old age.”
“You will always be beautiful enough to get my blood pumping so hard that I have the vigour to carry you and more,” Theo said, making Penelope blush.
Theo climbed onto his stallion and set off slowly back to Penelope’s home.
“Poor Phoenix … She looks so bored on these rides. I know she is longing to go for a real ride, and so am I. I simply cannot wait for my ankle to be fully healed and ride like there is no tomorrow again!”
“That does not surprise me in the slightest. I think by next week you should be back to your old self and not have to worry about your ankle any longer!”
“I certainly hope so!” Penelope declared.
Theo and Penelope set off at a leisurely pace, enjoying their last few minutes together for the morning.
“Would you like to go for some frozen cream this afternoon in town?” Theo queried.
“Oh, that sounds lovely! I have been craving that delicious treat for quite some time now, but I am not sure if I can go before the shop closes because my mother has made an appointment for myself and Georgina at the modiste this afternoon. I feel it will not be a short appointment, sadly.”
“I understand. I have an appointment with the cobbler today for my shoes for the wedding day, though I am sure it will be less involved than your appointment today.”
“Well, usually I would dread such an appointment, but since it is a fitting for my wedding gown, I am actually really looking forward to seeing it. So far, all I have seen is the material and the sketches for it,” Penelope confessed.
“I am looking forward to seeing you in it that happy day as well, though truthfully, I am more hungrily anticipating taking it off of you that night.”
Once again, Penelope blushed crimson red at this. “I also must say I have thought much about that night and what our honeymoon shall be like!”
“Speaking of our honeymoon, I had thought it would be nice to travel abroad for a few months, get away from England’s summer heat, and return in time for the next season.”
“Oh, I would love that. There are so many places I have always yearned to see, and to do so with you on our honeymoon would be spectacular. Yes, please let us do that, Theo!” Penelope said enthusiastically.
“It is decided then. If it is all right with you my love, I will make all the arrangements and not tell you of them so that I may have some surprises for you during our travels. I cannot wait to show you the world as my duchess!”
“It still sounds so strange to think of myself being introduced as the ‘Duchess of Winchester.’ I think it will take me a while to get accustomed to that.”
“Well, get used to it, Your Grace,” Theo said playfully, “for it is going to be your title for the rest of your days.”
“I adore it.”
“Once again, the time has flown by, and here is where I must leave you, my lovely lady. I am sure I will see you tomorrow morning if not before, though,” Theo stated as he pulled General to a halt.
Penelope blew him a kiss as she continued down the hill towards home, “Farewell, my handsome man.”
***
As the wedding day approached, Penelope grew increasingly busier with the countless wedding details. Her mother insisted that everything be perfect for the affair, and that it would be the wedding spoken of in awe for years to home.
The week of the wedding finally arrived, and many of her and Georgina’s family relations started pouring into the London. The house was full to the brim with guests, and all of them wanted the brides’ attention so that neither Penelope nor Georgina had a spare moment to themselves until they retired to their chambers for the night.
As much as Penelope had tried not to feel stressed about all this, when the night before the wedding arrived, she was so full of anxiety that she could not wait for the night to end so that she could enjoy the peace and solace of her chambers.
There was much toasting that night with her relations congratulating her, and when it was only women present, asking if she was ready to leave maidenhood and her father’s home behind and go into the stage of life of being a woman, the mistress of a grand household, and before long, the mother of little ones.
