Chapter 22

CHAPTER22

As Henry pushed inside Isabella, the pain was sudden. Her hands found the tops of his arms, and she gripped them hard. All the pleasure seemed to freeze, hovering in the air, as she thought of the pain.

“I’m so sorry, Bella,” he whispered to her. His lips found her temple, and he kissed her there. It was the softest and gentlest kiss he’d ever given her. Startled at the softness, she laid her head back, looking up into his eyes. “It will pass, I promise.” He kissed her on both cheeks, then found her lips.

Isabella threaded her arms around his back, reaching up to press her palms against his shoulder blades, pulling him down towards her. At that closeness, and with his kiss, she discovered the pain was beginning to subside. It was as if a wave was receding on a beach. What had come fast was now trickling away, rushing backwards.

“Henry,” she murmured as he parted from their kiss. “It’s gone.”

His smile flickered into place. Lifting a hand, he brushed away one of the loose locks of her hair that had come out of her updo. It was caring, a sweet thing that had her smiling back at him. Then, he lowered his hand down on the bed and moved his hips back and forth.

The sudden sensation was soreness at first, but then it became pleasure. Isabella recognized it as the thrill she had felt before in his arms, but somehow, it was lodged deeper inside of her this time, and it was much more intense. There wasn’t a part of her body that wasn’t responding to him.

Her hips raised on either side of him, even higher than before, as she just wanted to drown more in this feeling. She continued to cling to him, her hands moving down his back. He began to moan above her as he rocked their bodies together. Her head moved from side to side, her sounds of pleasure becoming mixed with his own.

It abruptly stopped. Isabella looked up as Henry pulled out of her. She wished to protest, to beg him to come back, but he was trying to change their position. He lifted one of her legs and flipped it over the other so her hips rolled onto one side whilst she stayed on her back. He found her center again and slid into her.

That sudden feeling of pleasure was overwhelming this time. The way in which he made love to her was fast, firm, but somehow, he kept giving her those sweet touches too. He bent down towards her, kissing her softly, then held her gaze as he moved. He put his hand on her legs, gently keeping her in place, and raised his other hand to push more hair out of her eyes.

Is it supposed to be like this? Somehow passionate and tender?

He changed their positions again. It seemed to her he couldn’t do everything that he wished to do, for he pulled out of her, took both legs and slid her down the bed. He clambered off so he was standing on the floor and moved her so that her derriere was on the very edge, with her legs on either side of his hips. This time when he drove inside of her, he could move fast while standing on the floor. He made his thrusts smaller, as he moved faster.

Isabella began to climb such heights that she thought of how she had finished before with a release that had made her body shudder and tremble for him. As fast as she could remember, it came now. Her body arched off the bed, and she flattened her hands against the sheets. One of his hands found hers, and he intertwined their fingers, holding onto her as he rode out her climax.

She was on such a height, feeling herself slowly coming down, that when he pulled himself out of her, it was abrupt. He turned his body away and spilled on the bed sheets beside her. His body still touched hers, and their hands were entwined, but he didn’t finish inside her.

Isabella was too caught up in pleasure to think of what such a thing meant. She knew a man had to finish inside of her for there to be children.

We haven’t talked about such things yet, that is all. This was something else altogether.

Trying to catch her breath, Isabella laid her head back on the bed, panting. Henry stood straight and moved away, releasing her hand. Rolling onto her side, she reached out towards him, but he was back within seconds. He had a cloth he used to dry himself, then took another to clean her up too. When he reached for her center, she moaned in surprise, tilting her head back. He chuckled softly at her reaction.

“Now that was something else,” he said quietly, then tossed the cloth away to the side of the room.

Clambering onto the bed, they didn’t pull the cover over them but stayed bare. Henry hovered over Isabella and kissed her. She raised her hands and buried them in his hair, wanting to hold him to her for just a beat longer. When she found her tangling her fingers in his hair made him growl, she vowed to remember such an action, for he seemed to like it.

“Something else, eh?” she teased him as he raised his head and looked down at her.

“Just so.” He smiled. “Wife.”

He lowered his lips and kissed her temple. It was one of those soft kisses he had given her before. Uncertain of what to make of it, she curled her hands around his biceps, clinging onto him.

What does that softness mean?

All night, their pent-up frustrations had been bubbling. This passion had overwhelmed them, along with their jealousies, but it didn’t explain the tenderness.

Does it mean something more? Does he care for me more than just for this excitement? It would explain why he said he had no mistresses, nor did he want one.

The mere thought that he could care for her deeply, and potentially even be as devoted to her as she was to him, had her curling herself around him, wanting him nearer.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered in his ear, apparently sensing her thoughts without having to hear them. “You’re going to be sore for a little while, you know.”

“Am I?” she asked in surprise. She supposed if she wriggled her hips, she could feel that soreness, but she had thought nothing of it before. She’d only thought of the thrill he’d given her. “Oh.”

“Yes, oh,” he mimicked her sound and rolled the two of them over so he was on his back.

It was so warm in that room, with sweat beading across their chests, that neither of them reached for the blanket. They stayed as they were, with Isabella resting her head on his shoulder and Henry toying with one of her hands.

“Stay here tonight,” he pleaded. “I just realized I said I’m not going anywhere, but I don’t want you to go either.” He didn’t look at her as he asked her to stay, even though Isabella lifted her head to try and meet his gaze.

“I won’t leave,” she promised.

Sitting up, she turned to face the bedside cabinet and took out the last few pins that kept her hair in place. The long brown locks fell down past her shoulders. Distracted with her task, it took her a few seconds to realize Henry had reached up towards her and was trailing his fingers through her hair.

“There’s something intoxicating about these wild locks, you know?”

“Intoxicating? Ha! You make it sound as if I am some heady drink,” she teased, turning round to face him again.

He pulled her back down to rest her head on his shoulder, then toyed with her hair, trailing his fingers repeatedly over the locks.

“That’s because it feels like you are,” he said with a deep sigh. “My wife.”

“You keep saying that tonight.”

“Perhaps I like saying it,” he murmured, then turned his head towards her and kissed her on the temple.

Isabella almost asked what those soft kisses meant. Her lips parted, ready to utter the words, but then she feared the answer and she stopped.

No matter what Henry had told her, still that evening Lady Hampton had whispered in his ear. Just because Henry was close with Isabella now, it didn’t mean he wouldn’t change his mind in the future. Scared of telling him just how much their lovemaking had meant to her, she closed her lips and replayed every single moment in her mind. Soon enough, she heard Henry’s breathing level out, and when she lifted her head, she found him in a deep sleep.

* * *

“Bella? You might need to wake up soon.” Henry moved towards the bed and pulled playfully at the sheet.

“A few more minutes,” she mumbled, tugging the sheet back over her body.

“Don’t tease me by pulling at the sheets like that.” He was playful, tugging on the sheet again so her breasts were revealed. She laughed with her eyes closed and covered her body once again. “Such a tease.” He flicked the sheet back down.

“Why do I have to get up?”

“Because I have prepared something for you.” At last, his words made her open her eyes.

Henry felt a smile grow across his cheeks as Isabella sat up, rearranging the sheet so it covered her breasts. Henry moved the dressing screen to the side of the room.

He’d used it after he had woken to mask the fact Isabella was in the bed. He’d called for his valet, who had prepared a bath and brought up breakfast for the two of them on a tray. Though the valet must have suspected Isabella was behind the screen, he was very discreet and never mentioned it. He simply carried out his duties, offered Henry a smile and then left the room.

“What’s this?” Isabella asked, pushing her mussed dark hair away from her eyes.

“A bath, for you,” Henry said swiftly and reached towards her.

“What are you doing—ah!” she yelped in surprise as he lifted her from the bed, with her still clutching the sheet to her breasts. “I can walk to a bath, Henry.”

“Indulge my fantasies,” he said deeply, then lowered her back down as he reached the copper bathtub. It was placed beside the fire, with a table of soaps on one side. “This will help with your soreness. Plus, you don’t need this anymore.” He easily swiped the bed sheet away from her.

She wobbled on her feet, nearly falling over in surprise.

“This seems hardly fair,” she protested and held her arms over her breasts. She flattened them, making his eyes dart down towards them. “I’m bare and you’re not.”

She flicked a finger, making his eyes meet her own once again. He was wearing the trousers and shirt he’d hastily pulled on that morning.

“Well, I could hardly greet my valet wearing nothing, could I?” He laughed deeply. “You bathe first.”

He helped her step into the bath.

“Thank you.”

She dropped down into the water. As she released her arms from her breasts, Henry couldn’t resist admiring her figure. Her long, willowy limbs folded themselves into the bath, and she sat back with a deep contented sigh, indulging in the heat.

“Ooh, I am sore,” she murmured, wincing only a little.

“I hope it won’t be for too long.” He stopped behind the back of the bath and bent down, kissing her exposed neck and drawing a giggle from her. “What do you wish to do today then?” he called as he crossed towards the silver breakfast tray that had been brought in for the two of them.

He lifted the tray and carried it towards a table much closer to Isabella. He laid it down, then he poured two cups of tea.

“I had not thought,” Isabella said softly. “Do we have no engagements today?”

“No. There is just a ball on Saturday,” he replied as he passed a cup of tea to her.

She thanked him as their fingers brushed over the cup. That simple touch had his mind wandering back to what they had done the night before.

The way he had made love to Isabella he had never experienced with another woman. They’d been passionate, certainly, and he’d wanted her so badly that he had performed three different positions, even though it was her first time. What had shocked him equally was how tender he had been. It had hurt to see her in pain, and it had changed things for him. The way their hands had been entwined as he had climaxed seemed to have imprinted itself on his memory.

“Henry?” Isabella called, sipping her tea. “You seem distracted.”

“Apologies, I was thinking of last night.” He winked at her. “I wonder why.”

His amused tone had her giggling then taking another sip. He returned to the tray and sat in a chair beside the table, trying to concentrate on their conversation.

“I was wondering if we could go for a ride with the horses,” she suggested with a smile.

“You might be too sore for that too.”

“Oh! I am not that bad.” She wriggled in the bathtub pointedly, then winced.

“See?” He raised his eyebrow.

“I’m sure I can cope, and I’d like to go riding again. Would you come with me?”

“I’d like that.”

Henry didn’t hesitate. It struck him that he’d suggested to John last night they could go shooting together today, but he could easily send a letter to explain he’d come another time. After his conversation with John the night before, somehow, he didn’t doubt his friend wouldn’t mind.

“You could show me more of the estate? As much as I like my reading, I’d like to know more about where I live.”

“I’d be glad to. I’ve been meaning to ask, what interests you in your reading about the human mind? Psychology and so on.” Henry looked at her curiously.

“I’m not sure. I’ve always been interested in it,” she replied, pausing long enough to take a small sip of her tea. “I guess it fascinates me the way people can become so different, even if they have the same upbringing. Look at myself and my sisters, we are certainly alike, but so different too. I think our childhoods can change us, affect our adulthoods, yet perhaps some of it is in our genes too.”

“Perhaps.”

Henry found himself thinking of his own childhood and his late father. Had it not been for all the pain that had happened in those years, he wondered how differently he’d feel about having children.

As his eyes wandered over Isabella, he found he could imagine her being a mother. Just as she protected her sisters, she could fiercely protect any child and love them dearly.

That is not a life I can indulge in.

“I have some more books on the subject here in the library. You can look at them any time, you know.”

“Thank you,” she said with a growing smile, then shifted and winced once again beneath the water. “Will it always be this sore after we…” She nodded at the bed.

“No, just the first time, and it doesn’t always have to take place in a bed,” he assured her, watching as she blushed and looked away from the bed.

Chuckling, he returned his teacup to the silver tray beside him to see that the butler had kindly placed his post on it. Shifting through the letters, he recognized the handwriting of some business associates and pushed them away, but the handwriting on the last envelope, he knew it well.

Mary?

Pulling the envelope forwards, he broke the red wax seal and read her letter hurriedly.

My dearest friend, Henry,

I am so sorry to have caused such a rift between you and your wife the other day. Perhaps I had partaken of one too many drinks. The bond between us is a close one, but I would hate for that to be spoiled by my foolishness after too much liquor.

May we begin again and forget that night? I hope you know I only ever wish the best for you.

Your friend,

Mary, Lady Paulbridge.

“Is everything all right?” Isabella asked. Henry lowered the letter and looked at his wife. “You’re scowling at a bit of paper, so it can’t be good.”

“It’s from Mary.” His explanation made her stiffen in the water. “Worry not,” he assured her, “she is apologizing for the other night. For her causing trouble between us.”

“Oh.” Isabella frowned all the same. “Is she genuine in her apology?”

“I do not know, in truth.”

Henry wanted to believe Mary would not cause trouble on purpose. After all, he had known her for many years, and she had been a good friend to him, comforting him in times of need, and she had been fun to be with, but the other night still bothered him.

Despite Mary claiming she had just had too much to drink when she had moved towards him, he was not sure he had seen her drink that much. The possibility that she had been quite sober when she suggested intimacy between them rankled him.

“I don’t know, but I don’t think I’m bothered to know.” He shifted his attention towards the fireplace beside them and tossed the letter into the flames.

“Well, it makes it more difficult to reply to her now,” Isabella said with a laugh.

“I have no intention to reply today. So, where shall we go? Do you wish to see the whole estate?”

“Take me wherever,” Isabella said.

Henry smiled, for he had many ideas in mind of what to show her.