Epilogue

In Victoria's eyes, the wedding befitted a princess. Now, she found herself at the ball following the ceremony. The ballroom was filled with guests, both from the ton and the theatre troupe. Lord Worthington—Samuel—and Loralie danced together; the pair had scarcely parted since the night began, something which Victoria noted with sly amusement. She wondered if that wedding would be soon, too.

Certainly, Samuel and Loralie seemed very deeply in love. Even during those long two weeks of engagement, when Thomas had come to visit Victoria at the theatre, Samuel had often accompanied him and spent hours in Loralie's company.

"Victoria." Bernadette's voice cut through the air like a knife.

Victoria turned away from her other guests and smiled tentatively at her stepmother. Invitations for the wedding had been a topic of contention between Victoria and Thomas. He had not wanted to invite Bernadette, but Victoria had insisted. In Victoria's mind, forgiveness meant extending certain courtesies, and besides, there would have been gossip if her own stepmother had not attended the wedding.

"Congratulations," Bernadette said. "The ceremony was lovely, and you look beautiful. Happy."

"I am happy," Victoria said. "Thank you for being here to share this day with me."

Bernadette smiled. It was the most genuine expression that Victoria had ever seen on her stepmother's face. "Good for you. You have achieved something that so few women do," Bernadette said. "Enjoy your happiness."

Without waiting for an answer, Bernadette turned away and disappeared into the crowd of guests. She received a few disgruntled glances from members of the theatre troupe. While Victoria had forgiven her stepmother, that certainly did not mean that everyone had.

"You handled that well." Thomas' voice came from behind Victoria.

"Were you watching?" she asked.

"Yes. I thought that you might need my assistance, but I did not want to interfere until you had the chance to defend yourself against Lady Norwood. You were very gracious, as befits Lady Bedford."

Lady Bedford! A delighted chill traced the path of Victoria's spine. She was his lady and his alone. Even though the vows had been exchanged, she still could not quite make herself believe that she was a married woman, much less one with a title and what seemed to be a very substantial fortune. When Morgan explained everything to her, Victoria's jaw had nearly dropped.

"I appreciate your thoughtfulness," Victoria said, turning around to face her husband. "However, there was no need to worry. My stepmother was amicable."

"She should be," Thomas said, "given that you are graciously taking care of her."

Victoria shook her head. Thomas was a different sort of creature than she was. Perhaps it was his background in business; he had learned to be a man who did not take slights lightly. It was impossible to say if he would ever forgive Lady Norwood.

"She does not owe me anything," Victoria said. "Besides, I may soon earn enough with my writing that I can pay for my stepmother's expenses without having to use the inheritance."

Although Victoria's money was legally Thomas', they had both agreed that any money Victoria earned from her plays would be hers alone to do with whatever she wished.

"There is no need for you to support her financially on your own," Thomas said. "Now, enough talk about her. I think it is time for the two of us to have our wedding night. Is it not?"

Victoria's breath hitched. It had been the longest two weeks of her life. Every small touch from Thomas, every exchanged glance, and every shared witticism ignited a fire within her. The patrons had agreed to produce her play, too, which was wonderful and terrible all at once. It was wonderful because it was proof that she was doing something worthwhile. It meant that she had some talent as a playwright.

However, it also meant that she had seen her own play, which involved Lady Constance having several amorous escapades countless times. Every scene that involved Loralie arching her back and moaning against Henry's mouth or lifting her skirts or darting behind a column and making suggestive sounds made everything inside Victoria grow tight and sore.

At Thomas' insinuation, that place between her thighs ached. She felt as though her legs might begin shaking if she thought too much about what was to come.

Thomas offered his arm, and Victoria placed her hand at the crook of his arm. Carefully, they walked to the edge of the room and slipped through the open doors. They crossed the gardens and walked into the townhouse. "I have something special for you," Thomas said.

Victoria smiled. "I have seen your something special before."

He grinned as they walked into the bedroom, and Victoria laughed. Before the bed was a stage covered with a hastily hung curtain.

"Oh, you have a stage!" she exclaimed.

Thomas grinned. "I told you that I had something special for you and that I loved the performance you did for me. It seems only fair that I should offer the same to you."

He grabbed a nearby chair and placed it before the makeshift stage. With a grin, Victoria sat. Thomas clambered onto the stage and raised his arms. "Thank you for coming out to see the show tonight. I promise that it will be an unforgettable experience."

Victoria stifled a laugh, and Thomas shot her an amused look. "We must remember that not everyone is trying to be London's best playwright. Some of us are incapable of writing good dialogue."

"Noted," Victoria said. "If I had my book, I would be making notes for you."

"I suppose you shall have to watch me very closely, then."

"I suppose."

He unbuttoned his jacket and slowly removed the garment, his eyes never leaving her face. "I am told that ladies love Shakespeare," he said, "but he cannot compare to the brilliance of Kit Marlowe."

Victoria's face hurt from smiling. "You remembered."

"Of course," he said. "So let us speak of Dr Faustus, that proud man who traded his soul to the demon Mephistopheles in return for magic. And you—my dear Victoria—are to play the role of Mephistopheles tonight. But I shall call you Lilith, the temptress of all men!"

Thomas removed his waistcoat and winked at her. Victoria laughed and pressed her thighs together, trying to soothe the ache that grew between her legs as she beheld Thomas in his shirtsleeves. When her gaze drifted lower, she could see that he was as affected as she. His trousers visibly strained against his manhood.

"And are you tempted?" Victoria asked.

"I think you know," Thomas replied, his hand drifting to his trousers.

A lump rose in Victoria's throat. "I do know."

Thomas carefully reached for his shirt, drawing it over his head with aching slowness. Victoria's eyes traced over his bare chest and down his stomach. Her heart thundered against her ribcage, and she leaned forward in her seat, aching with need.

"I wonder," Thomas said slowly, "what that demonic temptress would have me do. I need to hear her say it."

"Pleasure me," Victoria rasped, channelling her inner Lady Constance or maybe Loralie or some aspect of them all. "Please."

Thomas stepped from the stage and placed a hand on each side of her head. He towered over her and bucked his hips so his hardness brushed against that place where she most wanted him. Victoria groaned and arched her back. Her hands curled over the arms of her chair. "Do it now," she moaned. "Please, you have kept me in agony for two weeks."

His hand seized the skirt of her gown, and she lifted her hips. He took great handfuls of the fabric and hauled it all—her gown and chemise—over past her thighs. Cold air swept over her core, and Victoria's hands found his trousers, fingers fumbling with the buttons. His hard manhood sprang forth, and Victoria groaned in anticipation. Thomas removed his trousers and kicked them away. "Stand," he murmured.

Victoria did, and he edged into the chair with her. She gasped, realizing that if she lowered herself, it would be onto his length. He grinned mischievously. "And this is where I manage to trick Lilith. You desired me. Now, you must impale yourself upon my manhood if you wish to take your pleasure from me."

"Oh God," she breathed.

"Put your hands on my shoulders," he said kindly. "It will help."

She did. Her thighs shook in anticipation, and her core ached as she lowered herself onto his length. A low groan tore from her throat as his member pressed against her entrance. She moved slowly, aware of her muscles giving to his length, taking him in. Victoria dug her nails into Thomas' back, moaning and bucking her hips as she took in his full length.

She felt her muscles tighten. Aching desire and heat burned within her, and she felt so close to achieving her moment of bliss. She was just barely on the edge of it. Victoria groaned, frustrated, and bucked and twitched in an effort to bring herself closer to the edge. "Oh, Thomas! Thomas, please!" she exclaimed.

He bucked his hips, driving himself impossibly deeper into her. Victoria screamed as a wave of pleasure washed over her. She tipped her head back, gasping for air as white spots dotted her vision in the most intense release she had ever experienced. Thomas seized her waist in his hands and moved his hips. They moved together, finding their rhythm. His every thrust was countered with her falling against him.

He moved in and out, in and out. Thomas groaned, moving faster. That tightness curled in her stomach again, and her thighs shivered. Victoria moaned as another wave of pleasure swept over her, followed by Thomas' groan and the flood of warmth and wetness between her thighs. She remained panting against Thomas, sweat clinging to the fabric of her chemise and gown.

"Did you enjoy it?" he murmured huskily.

"God, yes."

She fell against him. Her body felt strange and weightless as if she were floating. When Thomas chuckled, his laughter reverberated through his chest. "You seem tired. I was thinking that later we ought to consider performing on the stage."

Victoria clenched her thighs against him, and Thomas swept her into his arms. Effortlessly, he lifted her from the chair and carried her to the bed. He placed her down on the bed and stood before her. Victoria still gasped for air, her breath coming hot and quick. She let her eyes shamelessly linger on his form—to his softened manhood and powerful thighs—and up to his strong jaw and intense eyes. "I love you," she said.

"I know."

He crawled into bed beside her, entirely undressed, and Victoria smiled. She placed a hand on his chest, marvelling at the tautness of his muscles. "On the stage," she said. "That sounds exciting."

"We can act some scenes from your play," Thomas said.

"You sound like a rake," Victoria said with a laugh.

She squeezed her thighs together, simply thinking about it. He wanted to act out a scene from her play. There were some truly salacious scenes, and her mind eagerly conjured the image of herself in a red gown, hitched up past her waist, with her knees in a chair and Thomas kneeling behind her.

"You will have to improve your acting skills," Victoria said, "or I might laugh."

"Are you going to improve yours?" he asked, chuckling.

"Maybe."

"I suppose that is the least I can do for you," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist and placing a long, sensual kiss against her neck. "I shall become an actor to please my lady playwright."

Victoria curled her fingers in his hair and tipped her head back. Her toes curled as he continued to trace a path of kisses down her neck. "You are insatiable!" she declared.

Perhaps she had married a rake, after all. But if she had, it was the best choice she had ever made in her life.

THE END ?

Can"t get enough of Theodora and Maxim? Then make sure to check out the Extended Epilogue to find out…

What unexpected news will Victoria share with Thomas after their enchanting evening at the theater?

What significant event is on the horizon for Samuel and Loralie?

What hidden tensions will surface among Thomas and Victoria's friends, threatening to disrupt their harmonious relationships during the celebrations?