The Purchased Peer Read online

  The Purchased Peer

  Giselle Marks

  ©Giselle Marks 2016

  Acknowledgements

  Sarah Waldock for ruthless persistent editing, artwork and moral support

  Simon Waldock for proofreading and encouragement

  Author bio Giselle Marks

  Giselle Marks is an English writer, poet and novelist, born in London, who has been writing in various forms most of her life. Currently Giselle lives in the beautiful Isle of Man. Her family is grown, contented and expanding. She spends most of her time writing.

  Her books ‘The Fencing Master’s Daughter’ and ‘The Marquis’s Mistake,’ were published for a few months and received good reviews before the publisher folded.

  She was asked to contribute a Regency romantic novella to ‘The Chocolate House – All for Love,’ which is a charity anthology supporting GOSH, Great Ormond Hospital for Children based in London. Her novella is entitled ‘A Rose by Any other Name…’ With her fellow writer and cover artist Sarah J. Waldock, Giselle wrote and illustrated ‘Fae Tales’ an anthology of fae and mythic tales updated to modern times and intended for teenagers and adults. Both books are available.

  Following the republication of The Fencing Master’s Daughter she will be releasing the ‘Princess of Zenina,’ the first in the sci-fi / fantasy Zeninan Saga and ‘the Purchased Peer’, a Georgian Romance. She has also completed another Regency romance ‘A Compromised Rake’ and the first of a Regency gypsy series, ‘Jessica’s Tale – Book One, The Gypsy Countess series,’ although she is considering alternate titles.

  The Zeninan Saga introduces Princess Marina, daughter of the reigning Queen of Zenina, a female dominated planet which protects a disparate empire in a dangerous universe. Marina seeks to avoid her destiny, but her decisions sometimes lead to greater problems.

  Other long- term projects include a possible book of her poetry. Her poems have been published in Female First and she has entered two of their contests, scoring a win and a commendation. Giselle has had short stories published in a number of anthologies.

  @GiselleMarks1

  http://ginafiserova.wix.com/gisellemarks

  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7304857.Giselle_Marks

  The Purchased Peer by Giselle Marks

  Prologue – May Day Eve 1790

  Celeste ran through the woods, fleeing the laughter and jostling which was beginning to get out of hand for the May Day festivities. She had wanted so much to join in the village celebrations, that she had ignored her father’s strictures and had sneaked out with her brother, when her father went early to bed as always. It had been a scorching day and she had been so thankful to get out of the stuffy house. She had thought her father’s sermonising against the pagan carnality of May Day was puritanical and that the revels would be jolly rustic fun.

  Celeste had enjoyed the dancing and music, until her brother Henry had disappeared off with a local girl, then she found that the horse play was getting far too serious. She had been mishandled and kissed by a couple of the local lads, but she had run before anything worse could happen. She’d lost most of the pins from her long, curly, red hair, as she had fled into the woods.

  The local lads had been so uncouth, grabbing and pulling at her, she had become frightened. Now out of sight of the huge bonfire, Celestina was beginning to calm down, but she had passed a number of couples who were doing things in the darkness of the woods, that Celeste could only guess at, from the peculiar noises they were making. However she surmised what they were doing, ought to be done in private and then within the sacrament of marriage.

  Reluctantly Celeste admitted that her father had been right in forbidding her to attend. Perhaps at sixteen she had been a little too young to understand the ways of the world. Many of her father’s congregation had been blatantly engaging in sensual practices without benefit of clergy, it had both opened her eyes and shocked her. She now understood why so many brides in the village were already obviously pregnant, by the time her father joined them in wedlock. Clearly that was the kind of activity the lads had been hinting at, when they invited her to go for a stroll in the forest with them.

  She had bolted and at least two had followed whooping before they gave up and returned for easier prey. It would mean a longer walk back to the vicarage through the woods, but Celestine did not want to return to the village to take the road home, especially as the lads had all seemed to be getting extremely drunk. She felt safer this deep in the woods, far away from the bonfire and the village revels.

  Celeste regretted drinking the spiced cider which she was unused to, because sober she might have realised sooner that it was not safe for her to stay at the festivities. Now she was beginning to sober up, she realised how easily things could have got out of hand. It was not as if she was a village maid of whom such things might be expected, Celestina Stainton as the daughter of the village’s vicar was expected to abide by higher standards. She turned toward the river because the path would be more visible by moonlight, but as she moved that way, a velvety muzzle nuzzled her hand. She jumped in surprise but then turned to examine the affectionate horse, he was big for a riding horse, but he still wore his bridle and a very expensive saddle.

  As the moonlight shafted through the trees, Celeste could see the beast was midnight black, which, she thought, giggling, was very appropriate for that night and he was so beautiful. So beautiful she did not think she had ever seen an animal with such fine points. She stroked his head and he arrogantly tossed his mane, posing as if he knew exactly how exquisite he was. Celeste thought whoever owned this horse was both lucky and wealthy.

  She neared the river with the horse padding beside her, still seeking her affection and nuzzling at her. As she reached the end of the tree line she caught her first glimpse of the horse’s rider. And what a glimpse, because the young man who was just climbing from the river had water streaming down the flanks of his naked thighs and running from his long raven locks. If the horse was as beautiful as any she had ever seen then, his master was far more so, he was beautiful as sin itself.

  As Celeste’s eyes roamed over every inch of this exquisite sight, she came to the conclusion, that this young man could not look ungraceful even if he tried; his every movement was simply poetry and his body and face were as close to perfection as she could possibly imagine. He shook his long sable curls and drops of moisture flew in all directions, the moon lightened on the strong angular planes of his classically beautiful face and the rippling ridges of the muscles of his body. He seemed quite unconcerned by his decadent nudity, but Celeste had realised she should have withdrawn at once. She should not have examined the young man’s form as if he was a work of art, who would be unembarrassed by her perusal.

  She turned her feet back along the path, but the horse having corralled her, did not seem to want to let her go. The horse whinnied calling her back and snapping the bather’s attention to her presence.

  “Don’t run away, Daphnia, I am dressing, please stay and talk?”

  “There isn’t a single Laurel tree in these woods, sir and it is most unsuitable to hold conversations with a gentleman who is naked.”

  The young man had slipped into some riding breeches and was now throwing a beautiful linen shirt adorned with intricate ruffles of lace over those broad shoulders and tucking it in. He did not bother to button the cuffs or don his waistcoat. Instead he moved over towards her and flourished an elegant bow.

  “Xavier Falconer, at your service. Pray tell me your name, fair nymph? I see you have already met Abraxas, shocking flirt that he is!”

  Standing in front of her, Celeste realised for the first time the sheer size and power of the young man. Just because he was slim, lithe and graceful she had
not realised that he was well over six feet in height, taller than her by more than half a head. He would have to bend to kiss her, the thought came to her unbidden and she licked her lips in embarrassment at the thought. She backed a little from him; then straightened her shoulders, before curtseying elegantly.

  “Celeste Stainton, Mr Falconer,” she declared.

  She realised almost at once that it was the incorrect mode of address as a small smile curled the edges of those beautiful lips surrounding perfect pearly teeth.

  “I am sorry, my lord,” she corrected herself.

  “My fault, I didn’t think to use my title. Lord Soningbury I am known by.”

  “A pleasure to meet you, Lord Soningbury, but I must get home as it is improper for me to be out so late and with a strange man.”

  “On May Eve? Half the country’s population are littering the hedgerows. Stay a little while and keep me company. I’ve had a long, hot and lonely ride and Abraxas needs a rest before the final stretch home.”

  “Have you got far still to go, my lord?”

  “Just over thirty miles west of here, to Kittleton, summoned home because my father is in one of his agues again and insists he’s dying. It’s the sixth time and he hasn’t died yet, but I go like a dutiful son to hold his hand while he turns up his toes.”

  “He might really be ill this time, of course you must go. I hope he gets better, but I am sure he’ll be pleased to see you.”

  “It will be the first time if he is, he blames me for my mother’s death, says if I had not been such a monstrous lump, she might have survived. Never met her of course, but they say I look a lot like her.”

  “She must have been very beautiful…” Celeste stopped, wondering if it was polite to describe a peer of the realm as beautiful.

  Xavier grinned in response. “So I am frequently told, my mother Lady Selina Heatherington as she was before marrying my father, definitely was the belle of season, as you would be, if society had the opportunity to see you. You are clearly educated, so will you be brought out in town?”

  “My father is only the village vicar, so there’ll be no money for fancy seasons for me in town. I don’t expect a dowry so an older husband will be found for me.”

  “Come and sit by the river, I have some cold pie and cake to eat…”

  The young man spread a blanket by the bank and fetched a package containing some food from Abraxus’ back. Having gestured her to be seated, he unsaddled Abraxus and removed his bridle so he would not get tangled in the trees. Then he sat beside her on the blanket and shared his supper with her. Abraxus took his dismissal and disappeared into the darkness of the woods.

  ***

  Xavier was tired and having stopped to have a swim to remove the sweat from his body after riding all day. Abraxus, who gave the impression of being indefatigable, had reached his limits and needed to rest a little before they moved on. He had been resigned to resting without company, before he caught sight of the dryad that Abraxus had been nudging towards him. Celeste was a sight for sore eyes, porcelain skin, a heart-shaped face with a tiny upturned nose and flashing blue eyes surrounded by a shock of the most unrestrained ruddy curls Xavier had ever seen. Added to her beautiful face, a tiny waist and curves in the right places and Xavier was enraptured.

  It seemed such a shame to Xavier that this beautiful innocent girl would be wasted on some old satyr. He found it slightly amusing when she had clearly been escaping from the village lads, who had brashly tried to seduce her, that she did not see himself as a threat. Just because a tiger is beautiful, it does not make it less dangerous. Xavier considered how easy it would be to seduce this pretty innocent. He dismissed that thought as he was grateful for her company. He would let her go after he had stolen a few kisses, nothing more. He was after all a gentleman; he would send her home with her virtue intact. But she was very tempting…

  They chatted together for a while eating the supper and sharing a little wine from a bottle Xavier located. He found himself really relaxed with Celeste, liking both her and her company, so when he leant closer to her to steal a kiss, it was without any intentions of doing more than kiss her. But she tasted so sweet… that one kiss led to another as she melted into his arms. His kiss lengthened and deepened as he suddenly found the interior of her mouth fascinating and she squirmed with pleasure in his arms. The subtle fragrance of her skin made his heart beat faster, as her honeyed kisses raised his pulse and directed his attentions to exploring her exquisite curves.

  Celeste gasped, but made no attempt to resist the delightful sensations of his kisses; instead she wrapped her arms around Xavier’s neck and worked her fingers tenderly into his damp ebony curls. Now Xavier sighed at her wanton acceptance of his advances, he did not think she realised how fragile his restraint was becoming with her encouragement. He knew she was an innocent, but her actions were all the encouragement, a red blooded male needed.

  Xavier still told himself that he could stop at any time and he would just enjoy exploring her charms a little more. It was not long before clothes were discarded and then he was worshipping the beauty of her soft flesh. Smothering her breasts and stomach with kisses and then nuzzling between her legs and watching her writhe in the moonlight as he licked and kissed between her legs. Her skin was so soft and smooth and her eyes were wide at the newness of the experiences, she was feeling.

  Xavier murmured sweet nothings to her, but then moved up and kissed her neck before once more claiming her mouth. He knew he could take her, but he was not a man who would take an unwilling woman. He had been expecting some sort of protest, but the signals he was receiving were all conveying her desire for him. He had been taking his time, because he knew she was an innocent and all he had planned was to enjoy her charms without irreparably damaging her for marriage. Xavier found everything about Celeste so delectable that he did not want to break off although he knew he must. She was so sweetly responsive to his caresses and kisses. He reached down and combed one finger through her luxuriant curls seeking the heat inside her.

  Instead of responding with shock and struggling against his arms, her arms tightened on him holding his body close to hers, surely she must be able to feel how excited he was as he lay naked upon her and the proof of his passion was throbbing against her belly? Now was the time when she must say “No”, or he would be unable to resist making love to her. Xavier began to move away, but his fingers sought and teased within her, even while he was trying to restrain his bodily instincts.

  From how she clutched and caressed him and sighed at his fingers’ intrusion into her core, Xavier was well aware that Celeste was as aroused as he was. If only she would push him away and make it a little easier for him. He had expected that she would protest and demand he stopped when he covered her yielding body with his, but she threw herself into his kisses and caresses with enthusiasm, mimicking his actions and only arousing him more.

  “Celeste, we mustn’t do this, we must stop…”

  But the only reply he got was more of her kisses which removed his last shreds of restraint as he slipped between her legs and entered her. She felt so delicious and was so obviously enjoying his love-making; she was gasping and rolling with pleasure, as he tore through her hymen. He had tried telling himself that she was so responsive, because she had not been chaste and that he was not the first man to lie with her. Now he knew that had been a lie to salve his own conscience, so he could make love to this innocent without feeling guilty.

  But despite feeling guilty Xavier continued to drive into her yielding flesh. He was thrilled by her first amazed ecstasy, as her mind abandoned her corporeal body to enjoy the sensual joining of their bodies. Even while he enjoyed their love-making, his mind was arguing with his sense of honour. He had known she was a naïve innocent and he had seduced her and taken her virginity. There was only one honourable action he could do to rectify the situation. He must marry her.

  Xavier withdrew from her before releasing his seed onto the grass. He had tak
en Celeste’s virginity, but at least she should not fall pregnant from their love-making; that much he could do. He held her to him gently stroking her hair and kissing her neck.

  “Celeste, I am sorry but I did not mean for things to go this far. You have lost your virginity and I am most heinously responsible. In honour you must marry me, though my father is going to be furious. We are not wealthy and I can’t offer you much of a life, but I promise that as soon as I can get away from my father I will return and ask your father for your hand in marriage.”

  “I don’t care whether you are rich, Xavier, I can think of nothing better than to be your wife.”

  “I will try to be back by Sunday, but if I can’t come I will be there the following week. I promise Celeste, now we had better get you home before your father misses you.”

  They dressed and Xavier whistled Abraxus, who came at his call. Xavier re-saddled Abraxus and lifted Celeste up in front of him before riding at her directions. He dropped her off down the lane from the vicarage, blowing her a kiss before riding off with a heavy heart. How was he going to explain to his father, that he had offered to marry a penniless girl especially considering the parlous state of their finances?

  Kittleton Place 1800

  Chapter One – Visitors

  Four vehicles rattled up the bumpy drive to Kittleton Place, through overgrown vegetation over a pot holed track. The first vehicle, a spanking new closed carriage with four matched chestnuts pulled up outside what should have been a picturesque Tudor mansion. The smaller vehicles following parked behind it. But even here the neglect was obvious; the building was overgrown by creepers which even encroached upon the grubby windows, blotting out most of the sun which might have filtered through. It was obvious from the outside of the manor house that repairs were needed as at least two of the windows were broken.