Epilogue

EPILOGUE

W hen they arrived at Greyhall, all of the household servants were lined up outside to greet them. Greyhall was a massive stone edifice, but it did not intimidate Madeleine. She had been there many times as a child and was familiar with the house, the land, and the older servants. Percy stepped out of the carriage and offered her his hand. “Welcome home, Your Grace,” he murmured smiling.

Madeleine smiled in return and stepped out of the carriage. “Thank you, Your Grace.”

The elderly stablemaster came around to take the horses. “Welcome home, Your Graces.”

Madeleine smiled widely in greeting. Gregor had always been a favorite of hers, and she of him. “Gregor, it is good to see you.”

“As it is you, Your Grace. The Duke could not have chosen a better duchess.”

Madeleine blushed at the compliment. “Thank you, Gregor.”

“My pleasure, Your Grace.” Gregor bowed. A young boy ran up to stand beside Gregor. He had the biggest blue eyes that Madeleine had ever seen. He was too thin by half with dark stains on his hands and circles under his eyes. Whatever his history might have been, it appeared that he was clean and well cared for now.

“And who is this?” Madeleine asked with a smile.

“This is Mr. Tobias Matthews, our newest stable hand,” Percy introduced the young lad with obvious pride in his voice.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Matthews,” Madeleine greeted him with a smile.

“What do you have to say to Her Grace, Toby?” Gregor urged the boy forward.

The boy bobbed some semblance of a bow. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace,” he replied using her exact words. He was the most adorable child that Madeleine had ever seen.

Gregor and the boy turned to the horses and headed for the stables. “He picked my pocket one day when I was walking the street of London,” Percy answered the question that was in her eyes.

“And so, you brought him home and gave him a position in your household?”

Percy nodded. “I did. I hope that his past does not make you feel uncomfortable.”

Madeleine shook her head, smiling up into her husband’s face. “You are a wonderful man, my handsome husband,” she praised him, hopping up on tiptoe to kiss his chin.

Percy smiled. “Not as wonderful as you, my beautiful wife.” Percy lowered his head and kissed her softly on the lips.

“I am glad that you brought him home with you. He looks like he belongs here with Gregor. He needs fattening up though.”

Percy nodded. “Cook is doing her best. She bakes him all kinds of sweet treats. He has won the hearts of everyone here on the estate. He is quite the conqueror of hearts.”

“And now, he has conquered mine,” she admitted lovingly smiling up at Percy. “Just like his lord has.”

Percy grinned. “Are you happy, my love?”

“Incandescently,” she answered with a radiant smile. “Are you happy, my darling?”

“More than any man has a right to be. You have lit up my world with your love in ways that I did not know were possible.” Lowering his head, he kissed her once more, this time with more passion than was societally acceptable in public.

Blushing, Madeleine pulled away. “We should not be rude to the others. They have assembled to greet us.”

“They have assembled to meet the most beautiful woman in the world. I hear she is a duchess now.” Percy’s eyes were alight with joy and good humor as he led his wife over to the waiting staff and introduced her as the new lady of the house. “May I introduce my wife, Madeleine Hardy nee Gillett, Duchess of Greyhall.”

Madeleine spoke with each of the servants in turn, greeting each one with a smile and a kind word. Once she reached the top of the stairs, Percy swept her up into his arms and carried her into the house. “Percy,” she exclaimed in surprise.

“Now, I want you all to myself.” He carried her up a flight of stairs and kicked open a set of doors that led to the master bedchamber.

“Percy, what will the servants think?” Madeleine asked breathlessly, laughing in delight.

“They can think whatever they wish. I have no thoughts but for you.” He set her down on the floor and closed the doors behind them. Turning back towards her, he gathered her into his arms and kissed her deeply. A rush of desire filled Madeleine’s body, causing her to tremble. “Are you frightened?” he asked, concern clouding his eyes.

Madeleine shook her head then hesitated. “A little, perhaps.”

Percy smiled, caressing her cheek. “There is no need to fear. We can take our time. It will only hurt for a brief moment then you will feel nothing but pleasure. I swear it.”

Madeleine reached up to run her fingers along his brow. Percy caught her hand and brought it to his lips. He turned it over and kissed the inside of her wrist tenderly, causing ripples of sensation to travel up and down her arm and across her chest. Madeleine’s nipples tightened into hardened buds showing her pleasure through her dress.

Smiling, Percy kissed his way down her arm across to her breasts where he teased the tender buds with his teeth. Madeleine moaned.

“Percy,” she whispered, running her fingers through his hair, grabbing a fistful of it when another wave of pleasure coursed through her.

“My love,” Percy growled, lowering himself to his knees. Slipping his hand beneath her dress, he removed her shoes and stockings. He ran his fingers up the inside of her thighs, caressing the silken flesh.

A shiver passed over Madeleine’s body. She stood still, waiting with bated breath in anticipation of where his fingers might go next. When his fingers finally reached the sensitive bud hidden beneath her feminine folds, she let out her breath in a rush of desire. “Percy,” she cried out his name as he massaged the bud, driving her into a frenzy.

Rising from his knees, he reclaimed her lips in a passionate kiss. His hands roamed her body. “I need to feel you,” he murmured against her lips. “I need to feel your skin against mine.”

It had taken Lucy some time to get Madeleine ready for their wedding. It took Percy a mere matter of moments to slip her dress up over her head and drop it to the floor. Madeleine stood in nothing but her shift, the cold floor beneath her feet, his warm hands upon her body. He next grabbed her shift in his fingers and pulled it up over her head, dropping it to the floor as well. He took a step back to gaze at her.

Madeleine stood there in nothing but the skin that God had given her. She fought the urge to cover herself. “You are beautiful,” Percy breathed, his eyes filled with awe and desire. “You are the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen.”

Madeleine blushed in response. “I very much doubt that.”

Percy shook his head. “Do not doubt it for a single moment. You steal the breath from my lungs. You rob the words from my mind. You rouse my body to excruciatingly painful need. You are beauty and love itself. You are Venus and Aphrodite in human form. You are the goddess of heart.”

“Percy,” she breathed, his words robbing her of all thought but for the need of his body upon hers. “Percy…”

Percy took off his jacket, untied his neck cloth, and pulled his shirt up over his head. Madeleine’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of his muscles rippling as he moved. He was pure masculinity. Everything about him screamed ‘male’. His eyes met hers as his hands went to his breeches. He held her eyes as he released the buttons and let the breeches fall to the floor. He stepped out of them and kicked them away.

Madeleine gasped at the sight of his erect member. It was larger than she had anticipated. She had seen Greco-Roman statuary and had expected something more along the lines of those men. Percival Hardy was significantly bigger in every way. She took a step back, unsure of herself. She had seen horses mating, but she had never thought a human man could come close to such virility. How did he contain that in his breeches?

“You look frightened,” he observed with concern.

“I am,” she whispered.

Percy gazed at her with loving compassion. “I swear that I will not hurt you, my love. Do you trust me?”

Madeleine nodded. “I do.”

“Do you love me?” he asked, smiling gently.

Madeleine nodded again, smiling in return. “I do.”

“That is all that we need.” He moved towards her slowly, as if he were concerned about scaring her further. This time, Madeleine did not move away. She allowed him to come to her. They stood in front of each other, naked and bare before each other’s eyes. Percy reached out and cupped her face with the palm of his hand. “You are perfect.”

“I am not perfect.” Madeleine shook her head in disagreement, but he stopped her.

“You are absolutely perfect in every way.”

He lowered his head to kiss her lips, tenderly at first, building in passion as he took her into his arms. The tips of her breasts brushed against his skin, causing shivers of delight to ripple through her. He deepened the kiss as if to savor every part of her mouth.

“Sweeter than honey,” he murmured as his lips lowered to nuzzle at her neck and throat. His tongue and teeth licked and nibbled their way down to her breasts. The hardened peaks of her nipples greeted him in joyous rapture as he lathed each one in turn, suckling each one into his mouth.

Madeleine gasped, her breath quickening as she threaded her fingers through his hair. She clung to her grip on his hair as he moved down her torso to the juncture of her legs. His tongue flicked out to caress her nether bud. Madeleine moaned, throwing her head back in pleasure. Growling possessively, he delved deeper, taking the bud into his mouth and suckling it as he had done her nipples.

“Percy!” she cried out in lustful need. “I need you.” She gripped at him, pulling him as close to her as she could.

Rising up, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the waiting bed. “You are mine now and forever,” he whispered as he laid her down. Starting at her feet, he kissed every part of her body, all the way up to her lips, until his naked form was hovering over her own. Every muscle in his body was tensed so as not to crush her with his weight. She could feel the hard length of his member against the inside of her leg. She looked up into his eyes and found nothing but love shining back at her.

“Always,” she whispered softly, reaching up to trace the side of his jaw with her fingertips.

Percy turned his head to kiss the inside of her wrist. “Are you ready?” he whispered, looking deep into her eyes.

Madeleine only hesitated for a brief moment. She was ready for this. She had loved Percival Hardy all of her life but had never been willing to admit it, even to herself. Now, she was his wife, and nothing but love stood between them. “I am ready.”

“I will be as gentle as I can,” he promised.

“I trust you,” she whispered, running her fingers down the length of his neck to his shoulders. She traced the muscles of his arms and chest, causing his nipples to harden. Smiling shyly, she ducked her head to flick one of them with her tongue as he had done to her. His hardened member jerked in reply against her leg, brushing against her nether regions and causing a fresh wave of feelings to course through her body.

“Madeleine,” Percy groaned as she moved her hips beneath him. “I am trying to go slow for your sake. Do not tempt me beyond what I can bear. I am but a man with a man’s willpower, not a god with infinite control.”

Madeleine smiled, pleased that she had such an effect on him. She liked that he desired her. It made her feel powerful and brave in a way that she had never felt before. Reaching out with her tongue, she flicked his nipple once more. His member jerked again, this time coming to rest against the folds of her most womanly places. She ran her hands over his shoulders and back, raising her hips in response to the pressure.

Unable to restrain himself, Percy moved his hips in response. His member moved to press against the entrance to her innermost heat. Claiming her lips with his own, his tongue dueled with hers as he thrust himself deep inside of her. A sharp pain caused her to cry out and dig her fingernails into his back. “Percy!”

“It will pass, my love. I promise.” True to his word, the pain did ease, and he began to move slowly inside of her.

The pain was quickly replaced by pleasure unlike anything that Madeleine had ever experienced before. She had thought that Percy’s tongue and hands were the most enjoyable parts of his body. She had been wrong. The pressure inside her built higher and higher with every thrust. She wrapped her legs around his hips, driving him further, deeper inside of her.

“Madeleine,” Percy groaned as she moved beneath him. “Oh, my Madeleine.” Lowering his head, he suckled her nipples as he continued to move inside of her.

Madeleine felt as if her head was going to explode from the pressure that was building up inside of her body. When she thought that she was not going to be able to take it another moment, as if the feelings inside of her might actually drive her to madness or kill her outright, she fell over the edge, soaring into a darkened star filled oblivion. “Percy!” she cried out his name as she fell.

“Madeleine,” he breathed in reply as he emptied his seed into her, his member convulsing and causing more ripples of pleasure to course through her body. “Good God, woman, what have you done to me?” he asked as he fell, exhausted against her.

Madeleine smiled, breathing heavily as she caressed his hair. He had made her feel as if she could fly to the highest heights. She had never felt so strong or powerful, and it was a feeling that she did not ever intend to surrender. “Can we do that again?” she asked, blushing slightly at her boldness.

Percy chuckled, lifting his head to look into her eyes. “We can do that as many times as you would like, Monkey, but I am going to need a moment between times. You have robbed me of my strength. You are a woman like no other,” he breathed in awe. He traced the features of her face with his fingers, memorizing every curve and line. “You are the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen. I do not deserve you, but I will spend every day for the rest of my life in the endeavor.”

Madeleine shook her head. “You are more than worthy, my love. It is I who am not worthy of you.”

Percy shook his head. “If you were a man, I would challenge you to a duel for saying such things about the woman that I love.”

Madeleine laughed. “If I was a man, I would not be lying naked beneath you now.”

Percy’s brows rose at her brazen speech, and he chuckled. “That is true. You are bold, wife. I like it.”

Madeleine smiled in pleasure. “You helped me to be so. With you, I am free to be myself. I am free to be bold, to be passionate, to love.”

“I pray that you always feel that way.” He kissed her lips gently, softly.

Madeleine traced his throat from his chin to the hollow at the base of his neck with the tip of her finger. “You have awakened a side of me that I did not know existed.”

“I look forward to exploring all of your sides,” Percy murmured, brushing the hair out of her face. Her dark locks fell across her breasts in a silken cascade, drawing his eyes to the creamy mounds. Bending his head, he kissed each one in turn.

Madeleine sighed in contentment. She shifted her hips ever so slightly but stopped when the ache within her loins increased. “Hmm,” she hummed in response to the discomfort.

Percy, recognizing the issue, smiled. “I am not the only one who needs a moment of rest.”

Madeleine blushed. “Soon?” she asked, her innermost parts still throbbing from the pleasure that he had brought her.

“Very soon,” Percy growled in promise, claiming her lips once more.

The End?