Chapter 32

Sarah

"One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood." ―Seneca the Younger

Sarah waited in her cabin in a state of febrile tension. She would have wished to have gone straight to Benjamin, but Ambrose objected to this plan, insisting she wait here for him. Reluctantly, she had agreed. For the last ten minutes, she had been pacing the narrow confines of her cabin impatiently. What could be taking him so long?

The door behind her clicked open, and she whirled to face the person who had come in. It was Benjamin. His hair was mussed and there were tired lines around his eyes, but to her ardent gaze, he was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. Slowly, he shut the door behind him and prowled towards her. He came to a stop a mere foot away and whispered, his voice hoarse, "Sarah."

Next instant, his hands cupped her face and he brought his lips to hers. Her arms flew to clasp him to her body, opening herself up for his urgent kiss, feeling once more that inimitable joy that comes with being embraced by a loved one. Their breaths became one, so too did the rhythm of their hearts. For a long, long time, they held each other, speaking of their love in the language of their bodies, letting each touch, each caress express what was in their hearts.

"Oh darling," Benjamin groaned, when finally he could free his lips enough to speak. "Does this mean what I think it does?"

"Yes, I came for you as soon as I could." She pulled back then, eyes full of rebuke. "Benjamin, you were too hasty in making your departure yesterday. Had you stopped to think, perhaps you would have realised that I could not entertain any sort of romantic relationship with you until I had extricated myself from my engagement to Philip."

"And have you?" he barked.

"Yes, my dearest, I have. While you were packing your belongings in haste to be gone, I was paying a visit to Graveley. It is done, and I have been released from my betrothal to Philip."

"Thank the Lord!" Benjamin sighed, bringing his forehead to hers.

But Sarah was not finished with her tale. "And then," she continued, "as soon as my business with Philip was concluded, I rushed to Stanton Hall. I could not wait to tell you that I was free and that I returned the sentiments you had expressed on the rooftop to me that night."

Benjamin kissed her again then, and she marvelled once more at how right it felt. She did not think she would ever get enough of his kisses. He nibbled at her bottom lip and growled, "Tell me how it is you feel. I need to hear the words."

"I love you, my dearest, darling one," she breathed, eyes shining with joy. "It was always you, never Philip." She put a hand to his face, caressing his soft beard as she had forever longed to do. Then, she resumed her tale. "My heart shattered when I got to Stanton Hall and found you gone. Then I read your letter and knew I had to get to you before it was too late. Only when we reached the Scotia, we were told in no uncertain terms that we could not board the ship to speak to you unless we were ticketed passengers." She frowned at him. "I will have you know that this escapade has cost Ambrose sixty pounds."

He laughed, dropping another kiss on her lips. "I will pay him back, with interest. The important thing is that you are here now and that we are together. Sarah, will you be my wife, please, just as soon as it can be arranged?"

"Yes, I will."

He held her to him once more, rocking her in his arms as if to soothe her, or was it to soothe himself? After a while, he spoke softly in her ear. "Why did you not tell me that night? Why did you let me think that all hope was lost?"

She nestled against his hard chest. "I am sorry, Benjamin. I was not thinking clearly. I was suddenly consumed with the knowledge that I had acted dishonourably, kissing you when I was promised to another. If I had stayed a moment longer in your arms, I do not know what else I would have done, what other sin would have compounded my original misdeed. I had to take flight."

"Well," he said, "it is over and done now. Will you live with me in Ohio, Sarah?"

"I will go wherever you are."

"And the same goes for me, my love," he murmured.

"Then we shall settle the matter in due course. Benjamin, how soon may we marry?"

He laughed merrily, his heart carefree for the first time in a very long time. "As soon as we arrive in New York, we can apply for a license and find a minister. Although…" He paused, lost in thought.

"Although what?" she asked impatiently.

"There is another possibility, but I would have to make enquiries first."

"Then please, darling, make those enquiries," she pleaded.

He smiled into the top of her head that was tucked under his chin. "I see you are just as keen to become Mrs Stanton as I am to put a ring on your finger and call you mine."

"Benjamin," she whimpered, "you have excited me for years with tales of your seductions. It is well past time I experienced those delights for myself."

"And so you will, my sweet vixen." He thought for a minute then added, "Do you know, I believe I wrote to you of these seductions because deep down, I wished it was you I was seducing. All these things I wrote of, I wanted to do with you. It sounds so depraved, I know, but that is how it was with me."

She trembled, whispering, "No less depraved than I was, imagining it was me you were doing those things to. Benjamin, I have to tell you, I am… I am… wet… down there."

"Agh!" he groaned. "What you are doing to me, Sarah!" He kissed the top of her head. "I promised Ambrose nothing untoward would happen between us." He took a deep breath to try to calm himself. And then came to a decision. "Take your drawers off and go lie on the bed, Sarah. I will not approach or do anything untoward, only watch you. I want you to touch yourself, darling, and bring yourself to a sweet orgasm."

She gasped, then hurried to do his bidding. Slipping her hands under the petticoats of her gown, she removed the drawers and threw them over a chair. Then she spread herself on the bed and brought a hand under her petticoats until her fingers reached the soft, wet folds of her cunt. Her breath hitched as she began to touch herself, and as she saw what Benjamin had done. Her discarded drawers were in his hands. He raised them to his nose and sniffed, breathing in her most intimate scent. All the while he followed her movements with his dark eyes. Her fingers rubbed that special place, over and over again, while she stared into the eyes of the man she loved.

"Benjamin," she panted.

"Yes, darling. Let yourself go."

"Ah!" With a muffled gasp, she claimed her blessed release, her core convulsing in waves of blissful pleasure. She looked to him, face flushed, yet feeling wonderfully content.

"Good girl," he praised. "You did so well. And look what you have done to me." He pointed down at himself. The crotch of his trousers had swelled. He dropped his hand there and held himself through the fabric.

She raised herself on her elbows to look more closely. "Your turn, Benjamin," she said. "Show me how you touch yourself."

He threw her an agonised glance, but he could not hold himself back any longer. With frantic hands, he loosened the top of his trousers and pulled out his engorged male shaft. It was as he had described to her—red, stiff and angry looking. He took hold of the drawers he had been so ardently sniffing and wrapped them around his hard length. Then with jerky movements, he began to rub himself up and down, an intense look of concentration in his eyes, which were glued to hers. All too soon, he reached his climax, his eyes drifting shut on an involuntary moan.

For a few moments, he stood there, breathing heavily. Then quickly, he re-arranged his clothes, crumpling the soiled drawers in his hand. She came to him and took them gently from his grasp. As she did so, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "This," he promised, "is just the beginning. I cannot wait, Sarah, to make you mine."