good squeeze and tweaking the nipple. 'You're nice,' he mumbled, nuzzling her neck. 'What's your name?'
'Why, Juliet, my Romeo,' she answered him.
'Wanna fuck?' he said crudely.
Maybelle giggled. 'You're bold! Have some more champagne, Charlie. Juliet's a virgin, and don't fuck without a wedding band.'
Lord Trahern stood up, almost dumping the woman on his lap upon the floor. 'Then le's get married,' he slurred drunkenly. 'I saw lots of monks here tonight. Any left who can marry us?'
The single footman filled Trahern's glass again, and he drank it down quickly, holding it out for another refill.
'The man's a fool,' murmured Sir Roger. 'Closing the trap on him's almost too easy. Ain't no sport in it at all.'
'The fun comes when he realizes what he's done and that he can't get out of it,' Lord Shelley said, laughing softly.
'Where's the priest!' Trahern half shouted. 'Can't fuck Juliet till she has her marriage!'
'Why, Charles, you rogue,' the duke said, coming forward with a cleric. 'So you want to wed this pretty creature, do you?'
'Aye, your grace, I'll marry her, and then we get to fuck!' Lord Trahern said enthusiastically. 'Where's your good lady. She can be Juliet's witness!'
'Here I am, Charles,' Aurora said, coming forward.
'Wouldn't dance with me this evening,' he muttered. 'Why wouldn't you dance with me, Aurora?'
'Poor Charles,' she said. 'I'm sorry, but my duties as your hostess just overwhelmed me. I promise you two dances at the next ball we attend, all right?'
Trahern quaffed down his glass of champagne, saying, 'Le's get married, Juliet!'
The ceremony was duly performed, and then Trahern signed the papers put before him by the duke, his hand guided by the clergyman, for it was shaking as his excesses of the evening began to overtake him. The Duke and Duchess of Farminster along with Lord Shelley and Sir Roger signed the marriage papers as witnesses. The minister was paid most generously, and departed with his bag of coins and two bottles of French champagne. While Aurora distracted Trahern, the duke took the new Lady Trahern aside.
'I had your husband sign two sets of the papers. If he should ever find yours, come to me for the duplicates,' Valerian Hawkesworth told Maybelle.
'He ain't going to find 'em,' she said firmly. 'After he sobers up and sees 'em, I'll give 'em to the goldsmith to keep safe. My witnesses will speak up for me, won't they?'
'They will, your ladyship,' the duke said, and he kissed May-belle's hand. To his surprise, she did not giggle or simper.
'Thank you for your friendship, your grace,' she said quietly.
The three men loaded Trahern into the duke's coach, the duke giving his coachmen instructions to help her ladyship get her husband into his house, and his bed, before departing. The carriage rumbled off, and the three men reentered the house where Aurora was awaiting them with a celebratory glass of champagne.
'Gentlemen,' she said, raising her glass to them, 'I thank you for your help in protecting my good name. You will always be welcomed at Hawkes Hill by my husband and me. We are in your debt.'
'Actually, madam,' Sir Roger said, 'it was rather fun,' and he grinned mischievously.
'Never liked Trahern anyway,' Lord Shelley said. 'Man's a damned scoundrel. Actually feel sorry for the wench.'
'You need not,' the duke promised him. 'Lady Maybelle Trahern is quite up to the task of handling her husband.'
'Can't wait to brut it about tomorrow at Boodles,' chortled Sir Roger. 'I imagine if Trahern dares to show his face, he'll have quite a head. Ha! Ha!'
'We'll take our leave, then,' Lord Shelley said. 'It was a grand party, ma'am.' He kissed Aurora's hand.
Sir Roger then kissed her hand and thanked Aurora.
When the door had closed behind the two gentlemen, Aurora and Valerian looked at each other and burst out laughing.
'I can't believe that we actually pulled it off!' she said.
'Shelley was right,' Valerian replied. 'There really wasn't much sport in it. At least not quite yet.'
'You will go to Boodles tomorrow afternoon?' she asked as they walked hand in hand up the staircase.
'My only regret is that you won't be there,' he answered her. 'I shall report it to you in careful detail.'
'I intend going with you,' she said.
'Women are not allowed in Boodles.'
'I'll dress myself as a boy, and you will pass me off as your cousin, St. John,' Aurora told him.
The duke was about to protest, and then he laughed. 'All right, my darling,' he agreed. 'Why not? You deserve to be there at the kill, and if any notice, they will remain silent in agreement. Men like Trahern cannot be allowed to stain any woman's reputation unfairly.' Entering the ducal apartments, he drew her into his arms. 'Revenge really can be sweet, Aurora, can it not?' His lips brushed hers.
'Ummmmm,' she murmured, and ran her tongue along his lips. 'Very, very sweet, my lord.'
'I like your Roman matron's costume,' he said softly in her ear, loosening it so that it fell away from her body.
'And I adore your conquering general,' she replied, unfastening his sword and scabbard and sliding her hand beneath his tunic as it clanked to the floor.
He pushed her back against the closed doors of their bedchamber, and sliding his hands beneath her buttocks raised her up, then lowered her upon his rock-hard lance. Aurora put her arms about his neck and kissed him passionately, allowing him to guide their lovemaking to a torrid peak. The walls of her silken passage clutched at him, arousing him to an even hotter lust. Holding her, he walked slowly to the bed, never once breaking their conjunction as they collapsed upon the down comforter. Her legs were wrapped tightly about his torso. Pressing her back into the mattress, he moved himself slowly and with great deliberation, delving deeply into her depths. And when she finally spasmed sweetly, his own desire exploded rapturously.
'You are perfect!' he said several minutes later when he had finally managed to come to himself again.
'As are you, my lord,' she told him contentedly. She really did have to tell him soon about their baby. After tomorrow, Aurora thought sleepily, rolling over onto her side with a drowsy sigh.
He drew the coverlet up over her, smiling softly. What a woman she was! Not simply beautiful, but clever and intelligent as well. Neither his father nor hers could have known it when they matched their children all those long years back, but it really was the perfect marriage. They had begun badly, but thank God they were now on a straight path. He smiled to himself. Not so Charles Trahern. Come the morning, when he was sobered up, he was in for quite a shock. And would he come to Boodles tomorrow afternoon? Yes, the duke decided. He would come because he wouldn't believe Maybelle despite her marriage lines. He would think it a
