Awakened by a Lord: Victorian Nights Read online

  This lavish decoration must have cost Lady Violet a small fortune, I thought to myself in wonderment.

  And the candles and flowers were not the only pretty sights on offer, for there were also lots of beautifully dressed people making their way into the house.

  I gulped back my nerves, then took James’s arm, and together we made our way towards the entrance ...

  “Lord and Lady Hartford!” the elderly butler announced as we stepped into the grand ballroom.

  And as if this were a dream – a girlhood fantasy of mine, becoming real – everyone in the whole room turned to us and applauded our arrival, smiling kindly as we made our way into the throng. And as I took in the sumptuous surroundings, the elegant furnishings of the hall and the many beautifully dressed women and handsome suited men around us, I realised all over again that this really was my life now, and James my husband. Oh dear reader, I must confess that this moment really was the happiest I had ever known in all my young life: for it seemed just what I had always wanted. And despite our rather slow start at love together, it really did feel now like a full and happy relationship between James and I, and I squeezed his arm in happiness.

  As I try to recall that wonderful evening now, it comes to me in flashes: the whole night a whirl of merriment and laughter. There was delicious food and drink on offer – champagne, canapés, and the most delicately flavoured lemon ice. And of course there was much dancing, too.

  At first I danced only with James, but such was the way of the ball that soon I found myself dancing with other men – none of them half as handsome as my tall and dashing husband. And as I was whirled around by a rather forward older gentleman, whose hands seemed to keep wanting to stray all over me as we were dancing, I found myself thinking all over again just how lucky I was to have been married to such a kind – and young – man as James.

  In fact, the only other thing that caused me any consternation was the occasional glimpse of Lady Violet from across the room, who seemed to be looking in the direction of James and I whenever I dared venture a glance at her, and who didn’t seem best pleased. In fact, if anything she looked downright angry: her eyes narrowed into two little slits and her lips pursed in a venomous scowl.

  Might my concerns about her jealousy not be completely unfounded after all? I wondered to myself.

  But if Lady Violet was snubbing me this evening, I found the other ladies most agreeable – Lady Constance and Miss Jane both made a great show of complimenting me upon my dress and gasping over the Hartford collar, telling me how pretty I looked and what an excellent entrance James and I had made.

  And there were many new people too – all of whom seemed so eager to meet me, introducing themselves, one after the other, until my head was in a veritable whirl! Why, it was like I was the guest of honour at Lady Violet’s ball!

  “Come with me, somewhere quiet,” James murmured, during a brief pause in the dancing.

  “Whatever for?” I asked, confused as to why he would want to leave the main ballroom, but even as I asked the question he had taken my arm and whisked me away into a small side room, just off the entrance corridor – a dark little wooden-panelled chamber in which all the guests coats and cloaks had been stowed.

  “But James, I don’t understand,” I ventured, looking in puzzlement around the dim little room. Why on Earth did he want me to come in here?

  As if in answer, he slammed the door closed behind him then turned to me, his eyes burning with a strange fire.

  “Lift up your dress,” he said quietly but firmly, so firmly in fact that I had little ability to do anything other than respond as he commanded, despite the flash of worry that coursed through me at the thought that anyone could come into this room at any moment to collect their garments.

  I hoisted my dress as far around my waist as its great heavy bulk would allow, uncovering my bare legs and my pale pink silk bloomers beneath, feeling the very centre of myself begin to throb in anticipation for whatever was about to come next.

  James took a few steps closer to me, backing me right up against the wall, his eyes locked intensely upon my own. And then I gasped, as I felt his hand move right there between my legs, stroking the very place that was throbbing and aching for him through the silk of my bloomers, slowly yet firmly, working his fingers back and forth upon my swelling dampening flesh in just the right way as to make me tremble and sigh, my eyes closing in pleasure as I felt that now-familiar excitement building inside me with each new stroke of his fingertips.

  There was a pause, and then I gasped afresh as I felt him actually tear open the silk of my bloomers with both hands, exposing the hot wet centre of me to the cool air of this dim little room.

  Oh reader, I felt so naughty, so brazen – standing there with my skirts held high around my waist, my silk bloomers torn open, exposing the most private part of my body to him, watching in shameful delight as he began to unbuckle himself too, tugging open his trousers just enough to free that long, thick beast that grew between his legs, letting it spring free, gripping its base with his fist as me moved back towards me, then guiding it right between my legs, brushing the hot swollen tip of it right against my wet and tender folds, back and forth, just has he had done with his fingers, causing fresh moans to escape my lips as he teased me like this for a delicious moment before, with a low grunt, he finally let himself slide inside me, filling me to the very hilt of him, that long rod of his actually fitting all the way inside me now, much more naturally and easily, now that I was growing accustomed to it ...

  But we were only to enjoy these pleasures for a few glorious moments before the sound of the turning door handle froze us both in place in that little cloak room, there against the far wall, James pushed up against me, his manhood driven deep inside me, still pulsing in time to his very heartbeat as we remained frozen, nestled in the shadows, as someone actually entered the room.

  To silence me, James slipped his hand firmly over my mouth, but even so I felt as if the deafening pounding of my heartbeat would surely give us away. But the elderly gentleman who had come to retrieve his coat seemed completely unawares of our presence, as perhaps he had had one too many glasses of wine to be of sound mind and judgement ...

  For soon enough we were left alone in the room once more, and with a mixture of relief and disappointment, I felt James withdraw himself, quickly buckling his trousers back up as I too let my skirts fall down around my legs once more, my heart still hammering, and my womanhood still throbbing almost painfully for him.

  “Later tonight, my darling,” he said with a knowing smile. “Later tonight.”

  And then he took my arm and led me once more back into the brightly lit ball, and as we weaved through the many happy crowds, I marvelled at the fact that nobody knew just what we had been doing just a few moments ago. In fact, the whole thing seemed almost to be something I had merely fantasized, were it not for the swishing sensation of my torn bloomers there beneath my skirts, and the hot slickness of my folds as I walked, reminding me of what we had just done – and indeed what was to come ...

  “Take off all your clothes,” James instructed, the very moment we were finally alone in his bedchamber after the ball.

  If it had taken three girls to help me into this dress, I worried, then how in the world was I to get out of it alone? But as if he could read my mind, he came and stood behind me and began to unlace the back piece and then my corset, too, and I sighed as my bosom was finally released from the restrictive bounds of the painfully tight garment.

  But little did I know that James had designs on binding me up just as tightly again ...

  Soon I had shed all those acres of satin, now lying in a shimmering pool on the floor around me, and I stepped out of my torn silk bloomers, too, leaving me fully naked except for that dazzling diamond choker upon my neck.

  I made a motion to remove that, as well, but he quickly stopped me. “No, leave it.”

  And I shivered at the image I had of myself then, so bare and
pale and slim, with just that sparkling collar upon my slender neck, while James stood there before me, still fully clothed in his beautiful night-black suit.

  “When I saw that collar around your neck,” he explained quietly, “I must confess that I was overcome with visions of your wrists bound too.”

  And so with that he reached down and took up my torn silk bloomers from where they lay by my feet, effortlessly tearing them even further until they were but two long silken strips, dangling from his hands.

  I felt a shiver of anticipation run through me, as once again I saw that this was another form of the playful kind of ‘punishment’ that we seemed to be developing between us like a private language.

  “Give me your wrists,” he said sternly, and I did just as he instructed, offering out my slender writs, which he slowly but firmly bound together, tying them so tightly that I realised there would be no way I could pull my hands free again without his help.

  “Now turn around.”

  Again I did as he instructed, turning my back to him, and after a moment I felt the second cool strip of silk cover my eyes, plunging me into darkness, as he tied it just as firmly at the back of my head as he had done the first upon my wrists.

  I trebled in delight, feeling so helpless all of a sudden, completely at his mercy. I heard the soft creak of the floorboards as he encircled me, and even though I could not see, it was as if I could still feel his eyes, travelling all over my body, my nipples and womanhood both tingling in anticipation of his touch.

  A moment later, I felt his hot hands upon my shoulders, pushing me downwards. I did as he instructed, until soon I was resting upon my knees. But why in the world would he want me down here, I thought to myself in absolute puzzlement.

  Then I heard the now-familiar sound of James unbuckling his trousers and, a moment later, felt the sheer heat of him coming in a soft wave against my face. I waited there upon my knees unsure what was about to happen next, and then he gently took my head in his hands. I fully expected him to lean down to kiss me, but instead I felt something else press softly against my lips – something warm and moist and velvety smooth. I opened my mouth to speak but before I could utter a single sound, I felt this strange object slide between my lips, touching against my tongue, the heat and faintly salty taste of it filling my mouth completely.

  My goodness, it was his manhood, I realised. He had actually placed himself right inside my mouth! I could hardy even have time grasp the thought of such a devious thing, before he had pulled it a little way back out from between my lips and then thrust again, driving himself even deeper into my mouth.

  I felt a strange shiver of pleasure, as I pictured myself there upon my knees, taking James into my mouth like that, as he slowly began sliding himself in and out from between my lips. And in turn, I too even began to encourage his motions, sucking greedily upon him as if he were some sort of delectation, guiding my tongue in gentle circles all around the throbbing head of his beast, sighing softly as I realised that this strange action was actually bringing me pleasure too – as if the sheer naughtiness of what we were doing was enough to send a ghostly thrill direct to the most sensitive little parts of me that were not even being touched!

  And still sliding himself in and out of my mouth, I felt one of his hands move from my face to my breast, pinching my nipple so tightly that I gasped, as much as I was able, sending a delicious flash of pain and pleasure around my eager young body.

  Oh, if only there were some way for that wet and aching place between my legs to gain some greater release, I thought to myself frustratedly.

  But then a new thought occurred to me. Shifting up onto my haunches, and spreading my legs wide apart, I found that I could easily rub my bound hands between my legs, using the heels of my hands to finally stimulate that hot and aching place that seemed now to be crying out to be touched.

  And I felt the sheer heat and wetness of myself as I began to grind my bound hands urgently between my legs, as James continued to make love to my mouth in this curious new fashion.

  It took me almost by surprise when I felt the intense rush of pleasure build inside me, stimulated both by my touch upon myself and also somewhat by the very idea of what we were doing.

  With a stifled little moan, I began to shudder, the delicious sensations spilling out around my trembling body, as James continued to drive himself between my lips, his manhood so hard that it felt utterly solid, as if carved from finest oak.

  With a final grunt, I felt his hands hold my head firmly in place, and then it was as if he swelled even further for a moment inside my mouth for a moment, before my tongue and throat were flooded with fluid – hot and thick. Unsure what to do, I gulped as much of it back as I was able, my mouth opening in a soft moan as even more spilled from my lips and over my chin – for this must be the fluid that I had felt deep inside me, I thought to myself with delight, the taste of it now filling my mouth utterly.

  A moment later, he withdrew himself, and I felt his own lips now touch against mine in a tender, loving kiss, before he unbound my wrists and then finally my blindfold, too.

  I looked up at him happily, my whole body still trembling from my own pleasures.

  And then, quickly, I pushed myself to my feet, in order to run back through the connecting door to my own bedchamber.

  “Where are you going, my love?” he called after me.

  But I was too eager even to answer him.

  For you see, the truth of it was that I was going to admire myself in the floor length mirror, and what I saw was just as I had imagined and hoped it might be: for there before me stood a beautiful young girl with a wicked smile dancing upon her lips, brazen and naked, utterly unashamed, her small breasts flushed pink from her pleasures, her chin shining wet from her husband’s fluids, her eyes sparkling with delight, and to complete the picture, the most beautiful diamond collar lay shining and glittering upon her throat.

  Oh yes, dear reader, I looked utterly happy and wicked indeed!

  The next morning, I awoke in bed alone, and I found myself wishing, just once, to wake with James lying next to me. Was that really so wrong of me?

  As was now routine, a few minutes later there came a soft knock at the door, and then the bright smiling face of Emily appeared around the door, as she carried my breakfast tray into the room – a cup of chocolate and a delicate pastry.

  But this morning, before she left, I found myself asking her, “Emily, where is Lord Hartford this morning?”

  “I do not know, Madam,” she replied. “But I could ask his manservant Cooper for you, if you like?”

  “Yes, please,” I smiled.

  Emily nodded and left the room at once. Good, I thought to myself as I sipped from my chocolate. I am not going to be such a delicate creature as to not even ask where my husband is of a morning. I know that I have done well in my wife duties. After all, he was so pleased with me last night. And I think it is only fair that I deserve some time with him in the day as well as at night.

  Just as I was finishing my pastry, Emily returned to the room.

  “Madam,” she announced, clearly proud that she had completed her errand so quickly and successfully, “he is in his study, writing correspondence.”

  “Very good, Emily,” I smiled. “That will be all.”

  She curtseyed then left me alone once more in my room. I rose from my bed, went to the wardrobe, and began to search through it. Even though Emily was more skilled at selecting outfits than I, I knew I must do this alone. For you see, I was looking for a dress that was cut low enough to show off my milky white bosom; I wanted to make my argument the most persuasive possible, and if I had to use my body for that as well as my mind, then so be it.

  “Cooper,” James snapped without even turning around, when he heard the door to his library swing open behind him. “I told you I was not to be disturbed this morning.”

  But his angry expression changed to one of simple confusion when he saw that it was I standing there in the
doorway. “Oh, Amelia, my darling. What are you doing here?” he said. “What is wrong?”

  “My lord,” I replied, “I know you think my education incomplete, and that there is much I have still to learn about the ways of society, and this I do not deny. However, I also know that I have been an excellent wife to you. I have pleased you, have I not?”

  And at this my mind flashed back to the last time we had been together; James pushing me to my knees, binding my wrists, covering my eyes ...

  “But of course, my darling,” he said with a smile, still somewhat confused by my entrance.

  “And did you not see how everyone at the ball looked upon you with envy?” I continued, my breast heaving as I summoned all my confidence to continue.

  “Of course, I could not help it.”

  “Good,” I replied. “Well then, I must inform you that I have my grievances.”

  “You do?” he replied, and clearly by the look on his face then, this was not an idea he had previously entertained.

  “Yes, James. I am afraid I do. For I am not just your wife in the bedroom, you know, and I suspect that you are neglecting me, sir. For all these weeks that we have been married, you have not even done me the honour of seeing me once during the daylight hours. You come to me at night, and night only. And I must inform you that this will go on no longer.”

  There was a long pause between us, where it felt for a moment as if time itself had come to a stop. And then the heady silence was broken by the sound of James slapping his hand upon his thigh and the small laugh that he gave.

  “That’s the spirit,” he said with a surprising smile, pushing himself up from his chair.

  “I don’t understand,” I replied.