Page 28 of Her Wayward Earl

“I’m to have no luncheon then?” she asked tremulously.

“I am afraid not. You shall remain here and contemplate your disobedience and the consequences of that which led to Libby’s accident. I hope that in giving you time to reflect, I shall not have to address this problem of disobedience again.” He leant down and lightly grazed her lips. “However, you are forgiven for this particular transgression. Once punishment is dealt, the subject becomes closed. Ah, just one more thing…” He coughed, as if unsure of how to continue.

“There is to be no pleasure to be had after a scolding such as this, do you understand?”

Confusion must have shown on her face because he added, “No touching yourself.”

No touching myself? Whatever can he mean?

“Holly, your word on this, if you please.”

At least he was calling her Holly again. “I— No. I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“I mean, nopleasuringyourself,” he explained.

Heat flooded her cheeks.

“Um, yes… I-I understand,” she stuttered. It would never have occurred to her to do such a thing— Until now.

Gregory seemed satisfied by her answer. Nodding, he left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Holly shifted in the bed. Her bottom prickled uncomfortably at the movement, and all at once she understood why he’d asked that of her. A shaft of desire ignited betwixt her thighs at the tingling in her bottom. Her quim became slick. Placing a hand between her legs, she discovered she was drenched. Without conscious thought, she stroked her folds, moving a finger over a nubbin of raised flesh from whence the most intense and delightful sensation radiated. With a few flicks of her fingers and an orgasm rippled, causing cascades of pleasure which shook her frame.

The bliss slowly subsided and she glanced guiltily over at the closed door. Relieved to see it remained tightly shut, she reasoned that she hadn’t actually promised not to touch herself. With a clear conscience, she snuggled down and slept.

With trepidation,Holly entered the drawing room for tea at four that afternoon; fearful her husband would guess she had disobeyed him and pleasured herself. She need not have worried. Gregory welcomed her with a kiss on the lips and made no allusion to what had occurred earlier.

They finished their tea then visited the nursery where they found Libby sound asleep under the influence of laudanum. Meanwhile, her sisters were happily engaged with cutting out stars from sugared paper. Under Miss Evesham’s guidance, they painted each one either yellow or white.

Finally leaving the children in the capable hands of their nanny and governess, they returned to the drawing room.

“I would very much like to decorate the house on Christmas Eve. Would you ask someone to cut a fir tree, one small enough to fit inside the house?” Holly asked.

“I have never held with this new German fad which Prince Albert brought into the country. Trees in houses, preposterous!” he stated.

“Oh, Gregory, please agree! I know the girls would love to help decorate it. I want us to create our own traditions, something new and different so the girls won’t associate our Christmas with the past or with mourning for their mother,” she pleaded.

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. Where do you suggest we place a tree?” he asked.

She clapped with glee.

“Thank you! Over there, I thought, in front of the second set of French doors.” Rising, she went and stood in the spot with both her arms spread wide mimicking tree branches.

He chuckled.

“I haven’t actually said yes yet.” He was teasing her, and she knew it.

“What are you giving the girls as a gift this year?” she asked.

He frowned.

“I haven’t… Bunty dealt with that, and I—well, we haven’t celebrated Christmas since her death.”

“But, Gregory, we have to give the children gifts! Did Bunty have any beads or bracelets that you could bequeath the girls, one bauble each, perhaps? It would be nice for them to have something that belonged to their mother as a keepsake,” she suggested.

“Now that is a good idea. I’ll leave you to sort through her box of trinkets and make the choices.”

Holly relaxed. “Would you allow them a kitten or two? They would be something for them to play with, but also teach them responsibility. Not just something to cuddle and love. They will learn how to care for them, too.”

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