Page 53 of The Duke's Carriage Window
“Why—”
Pain sparked deep within her as she was suddenly, completely filled, by him. He’d entered her body, leaving her in agony!
“Breathe, sweetheart, breathe.” Darius kissed her cheek and held her still, pinning her against the settee with his body. Meredith clutched his bare shoulders, trying to get used to the unexpected pressure and that pinching sensation inside her.
Meredith bit her lip. “It hurts, Darius…”
“I know, sweetheart. You need to breathe.” He kissed her forehead and held himself very still within her.
Breathe? How on earth could she breathe? But after a moment, with him gently encouraging her, she did manage to breathe and slowly the pressure eased away.
“It feels better,” she confessed after a minute.
“Thank God,” he whispered. A second later he moved, pulling his hips back and then gently slid inside her once more. The pressure was still there, but the more he moved, the more it faded.
“How do you feel?” he asked as he began a slow, easy rhythm of thrusts.
“Good.” It was true. An excited pulse was now building in her womb, and she tightened her thighs around his hips.
Meredith lifted her gaze from his chest to his eyes. “Could you kiss me again?”
“Gladly.” Darius leaned in, his mouth meeting hers as his body continued to move over hers, penetrating her deeply.
His hips moved faster now, pressing tight against her in hard thrusts, and she took it all, each second of his possession, knowing at last what it was that tempted people to sneak away and risk ruining themselves. And as she came apart beneath Darius she knew she was, in fact, ruined for all others. He cried out her name as his body shuddered above hers.
She held him tenderly as his movements slowed, speaking soft words to him. He gazed down at her, his blue eyes full of storms, with a look of awe that matched what she felt inside.
It was a long while before Darius withdrew from her, retrieving his clothes and hers from the ground. He used a handkerchief to clean her and himself and while she was a little embarrassed she was touched at his tenderness towards her. They dressed quickly in the dark, but the rain was still coming down hard. He told her to stay there and wait for his return.
“I will have my coach brought around. There is a way through the garden gates that will allow us to bypass the house. I shall return for you.” He pulled her once more into his arms, kissing her before he vanished into the night.
Meredith sank back down onto the settee, wincing as her body, newly used, protested with a flash of soreness between her thighs. She rubbed her arms and stared into the darkness, wondering what tomorrow would bring now that she knew with a frightening certainty she could never love anyone but Darius.
He had made a mess of things tonight. Now he had to face the consequences. He had taken Meredith’s virginity. He’d also forgotten to spill his seed elsewhere. Instead, he had stayed buried inside her, completely under her spell. There was a chance she could have a child from tonight’s actions. It was entirely his fault. He was the one that should have known better. There was no other choice for either of them now but to get married.
He would have to find a way to protect her, to save her from all the gossip, but it would be difficult, if not impossible. Lady Mary Raikes had already chosen Meredith as a target, and Lady Mary had many friends and a vast amount of influence.
This … this was what his fear had always been, but at least Meredith would be his and he would no longer feel mad for wanting her and not being able to have her. But the personal cost to her, what she might suffer just so he could satisfy his desires… that would keep him awake at night.
He exited the gardens and spied Mrs. Petersham at the edge of the balcony doors, standing just out of the reach of the rain. She spotted him just as quickly.
“Your Grace? Where’s Meredith?” Frances asked as he joined her.
“She’s waiting for me We need to bring the coach around to the garden gate and escort her home at once.”
“What? Is she all right? Mr. Burville told me that Meredith overheard some gossip and ran to the gardens, but he said that you went after her.” Frances met his gaze. “That wretched Lady Mary Raikes has been spewing rumors about Meredith and her unsuitability. I refuse to repeat what I’ve heard, but you should know it is being said.”
“This is exactly what I wanted to avoid. Now… it seems I have no choice.”
“What do you mean, no choice?” Meredith’s chaperone asked. “No choice for what exactly?”
“I mean that we will have to marry, and soon.”
Frances looked confused, then momentarily excited, but that expression soon faded beneath worry. “What has changed since last we spoke about your intentions?”
Darius didn’t want to tell her, but Frances had a right to know enough of the change in his and Meredith’s circumstances.
“I have compromised her.”
