Chapter Fifteen

Darkness crept over the city like a blanketing fog on as they exited The Brody School. The gas lamp over the blue door drew a warm circle of light around them. Clarissa slid her hand into the crook of Francis's arm. Hope and anticipation of life with Francis in London, bubbled in her chest.

If only they could agree to the sort of marriage she wanted…yearned for…with him; and return to the place of harmony and bliss they had briefly attained.

"Are you coming home with me?" he asked.

It was Sunday evening. There was no performance tonight. "You want me to?" she asked.

"I would like nothing better." He squeezed her free hand then brought it to his mouth to press a kiss on her knuckles.

Clarissa's heart sped up. "Good, because there is no other place I would rather be than with you, Francis."

"I'm glad to hear it." His deep voice was full of warmth. "But before we get there, I have a question for you and I want your honest answer."

She swallowed at his ominous words. "And I'll give it to you."

His eyes still held uncertainty. "Do you wish our marriage to continue?"

That was easy to answer. She held his worried gaze. "Yes, I do," she said, with conviction.

"Do you wish to resume it as one of convenience or one with full marital relations?"

I want it all, Frank! "What do you wish for?"

"I think you know very well what I desire from our marriage, but I'm willing to respect your wishes. Do you want chaste marriage, or one where we can freely express our love for each other?"

Clarissa halted, forcing Francis to stop too. His gaze found hers, his brown eyes intense and hopeful.

"Francis, I want everything you will give me. And I want to give you all my love too."

His shoulders relaxed. "Good." He grinned at her. "I love you, Clarissa. I couldn't bear the thought of being without you for one day, let alone a whole theatre season."

"I love you too, Francis." She gazed into his dark eyes, lit by light spilling over the front stoop of The Brody School.

"Then why are we standing here? Let's go home to bed," he urged. "I want to show you how much I need you."

She chuckled. "Ooh, I can't wait." She tugged at his arm, urging him along the street. "Hurry, my love."

By the time they reached Atcherley Chambers, the evening was fully dark. They hurried upstairs. Francis pulled out his key and inserted it into his lock.

The door across the corridor opened and a young man in natty evening clothes stepped out, ready to socialize somewhere. He caught sight of Clarissa.

"Oi, you can't have a woman in here, Reverend!" he said in outrage.

"She's my wife," Francis answered, in a curt fashion.

"Still, not allowed, old chap." He leaned against the wall as though he had already had plenty to drink.

"I'm moving out as soon as I get other accommodation sorted. No need to report me."

"Well, that's all right then."

"Glad you think so, Merrick."

"Don't I recognize you?" Merrick asked Clarissa. "I'm sure I've seen you somewhere before."

Thank goodness he doesn't recognize me yet. Clarissa smiled over at him. "I'm sure we've never been introduced." Please don't figure it out!

He lifted a corner of his mouth. "Right you are. Pity. Evening, Mrs. Brody." He tipped his tall hat and walked carefully down the hallway.

Francis opened their door and whisked Clarissa into the room. He pressed her up against the closed door and stared down into her beautiful face. They shared a smoldering look. "I love you, Clarissa."

Hearing those words again warmed her heart. "And I love you." She had no doubt about her feelings now. She would tell him every day.

They lunged towards each other. Their mouths met with a clash of teeth. Clarissa giggled, but Francis soon stopped that with his questing lips.

He bent and effortlessly lifted her into his arms, and carried her into their bedroom.

"You know there are measures we can take to ensure you don't get with child?"

"Yes, and I think, for now, we should use them, don't you?"

"For as long as you wish, my love." He halted and held her gaze. His brown eyes deep pools filled her need. "Are you sure this is what you want, Clarissa?"

"I'm very sure." And the sooner the better .

He dropped her on the bed, then began stripping off his clothes in double-quick time.

Clarissa made fast work of removing her own clothes. She paused to take in his glorious, muscled body and stroke her hands over his broad shoulders. Her body tensed and heated. His delicious sandalwood and citrus scent teased her nose.

Francis looked his fill, and his cock grew larger.

With a gentle pressure on her shoulder, he guided her back onto the feather mattress, and followed her down into the bed's warm embrace.

Clarissa held out her arms to him and he gathered her to his chest. Their mouths met in single-minded eagerness. Their lips slid together, teeth nipped, and tongues licked. He tasted of tea cakes and wine.

Her heart pounded against her ribs. The only sound was their rapid breathing as they explored each other. Her hands glided over the ridges and planes of his chest and abdomen, savoring his muscles.

His mouth found her hardened nipples and gave them his thorough attention, sending hot arrows of arousal through her, igniting her body, making her a panting ball of want. Finally, his hand cupped her mound and his fingers worked their tantalizing magic, inflaming her body with need.

Clarissa vibrated with need for him. Now. Her hand found his engorged cock and stroked over it.

Francis groaned. He leaned across her and from a bedside drawer, retrieved a French letter like the one Jane had shown her, and smoothed it over his member, tying its ribbons to keep it in place.

Pleased that he was a man of his word, Clarissa looped a foot around his leg and urged Francis back into her arms. He complied, lying half on her, his weight pressing her deeper into the soft mattress.

He kissed her deeply. His erection was hard and heavy against her thigh, revealing his eagerness, but still he didn't rush her. "Are you sure this is what you want?" His fingers teased her folds, plying the wetness there, foreshadowing what was to come.

She panted with need. "I want everything you can give me, Frank," she said, her voice breathy and insistent.

He grinned at her. "I'm only too happy to oblige."

"Fill me, Frank," she demanded. "Make me yours."

He positioned himself at her entrance. "At your command, my lady," he said breathlessly, and entered her smoothly.

With the tightness came a flicker of discomfort.

Seeing her reaction, he held himself still, clearly not wanting to hurt her.

"Don't stop," she breathed.

"I want you to enjoy this experience. This is our first coupling in what I hope will be a long lifetime of shared loving."

"And it's going to be wonderful." She squirmed a little under him. "Don't hold back, Frank. It's now or never."

He pushed in completely and paused.

She tensed for a moment, then urged him onward with her ankles around his legs. Francis began to thrust and with a moan she joined his rhythm. He had begun with a gentle rhythm, but she urged him on until he was pounding into her.

Yes! She relished the tightness and the feeling of completeness from sharing this physical expression of love. With Francis inside her, she felt whole.

There was nothing gentle about their lovemaking. It was too raw, too hard-won, too precious for that. They had retrieved their future from the brink of despair and she had no desire for delicacy or niceties.

Clarissa's sighs turned to achy gasps until she came with a long breathy moan of satisfaction as her body exploded with pleasure.

Moments later, Francis groaned his completion and collapsed on top of her, kissing her deeply . They rolled onto their sides and held each other, breathless and exhilarated.

"Oh, Frank, you have surprised me." Clarissa looked at him with wonder in her eyes.

He chuckled and kissed her lightly. "In a good way, I hope?"

"The best. And I love you more for it."

"Anything for you, Clarissa," he promised. "Any time." He rolled onto his side taking her with him.

They lay in each other's arms enjoying the warm aftermath of their coupling. They talked of their future plans for their life together. Her success on the stage and his work at the mission and how after she retired in a few years' time, they would have a house full of children, with summers in Hampshire and spending some of the season in London attending all the latest stage performances.

Clarissa's mind brimmed with hope, expectation and love. Her body hummed with languid satisfaction.

Her thoughts wandered along an unexpected path. "You know, Frank, I find it ironic that your approach to protecting me from the unwanted attentions of gentlemen drawn to actresses was to pursue me yourself. Yours is a very novel form of pastoral care."

He gave a bark of laughter that vibrated her hand on his chest. "Yes, and I think I've perfected it, don't you?"

She climbed on top of him. "Oh, I think you have. Shall we practice it again?" she purred.

"That would be my pleasure."

"And mine too." She kissed and licked a path down his muscled torso. "I think I could get very used to your brand of ministering, Reverend Frank."

"I hope you do, my love, because I'm sure I'm already addicted to yours. You're far too great a temptation for me to resist." And he proceeded to show her the truth of his words.

~The End~

I hope you enjoyed Francis and Clarissa's story. If you did, please leave your review here . Find more Regency romance by Isabella Hargreaves here or read on for an excerpt from The Persuasion of Miss Jane Brody .

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