Training the Marquess

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

London, 1815

Lavinia felt a thrill surge through her body as she saw him give her a cocky grin. "What brings you to the stables, Madam?" She noted his smoky eyes as they roamed up and down her body, clothed in a bordeaux silk gown.

"I wanted to check on our horses, Haythorne."

An amused grin played across the man's face.    "I can assure you your horses are fine, Madam."

Lavinia graced him with a playful smirk. She inched in closer to him. "That isn't all I came for." Lavinia planted a kiss on his mouth.

"Madam, please. If anyone should find us, I shall be dismissed."

Lavinia placed a silencing finger on his lips. She continued her defiant demand for kisses. Soon, the groom surrendered to the lingering kisses. Lavinia ran her fingers down his hard muscles. "I can tell you've done the work of a real man," she whispered into his ear. "And please, no more Madams. It makes me feel like my mother-in-law. I'm only five and twenty,
after all."  She cast a glance at his bulging member. An amused chuckle escaped her lips. "I do believe you are enjoying this."

Stuart Haythorne surrendered to Lavinia's strokes. He returned Lavinia's kisses, and they fell to the ground. Lavinia lay on top of him. "Please, it isn't my place to be with the Marchioness of

Coltfield."

"Sssh," she soothed. She put her hand on his aching arousal. "Is this so terrible?" she inquired, as her hand caressed his organ.

"No, not terrible at all." He closed his eyes, as the delightful sensations engulfed him. "But why me, Marchioness? You were married to the Marquess of Coltfield."

Before she had a chance to answer, they were both startled by a high-pitched shriek. Lavinia slowly turned her head, and could see who the owner of the voice was. Her heart pounded when she realized who had emitted the high-pitched shriek. She quickly jumped up. "Lady Howlington, you must be wondering what happened. There's a very simple explanation. I came here to check on our horses, when I tripped. The stables are no place for ladies."

The groom quickly got up, and brushed himself off.  "I tried to prevent the Marchioness from falling, and my foot got caught in the hay."

"And you just both tumbled down together. A perfectly acceptable explanation, I suppose." Her eyes darted from Lavinia to the groom, and then back to Lavinia. "I came out here for a little air.  Excuse my shriek. I thought there was some sort of accident, and I suppose I was right."

"You were very right," Lavinia assured. "It was all just an accident."

"Of course," she said with a little laugh, "I'm sure that's exactly what happened. "She looked to the ground. As she looked up, she said, "As long as everything is alright, I'll return to the house. You really should be getting back, Lady Coltfield. We are just about to be served dessert at the lovely dinner party." Lady Howlington abruptly turned and walked back to the house.

Lavinia's eyes followed her as she walked back to the house. "Do you think she'll talk?" the groom asked.

Lavinia let out a derisive laugh. "No, I don't think she'll talk, I know she'll talk."

"Lady Coltfield, you are a very selfish creature."

"How impertinent. I shall have you dismissed."

"You won't have to bother. When the news gets out about what she just saw, I will surely be dismissed.  Well, what are you waiting for? Go back for the dessert. Your just deserts, I believe."

"And face the rancor of the ton?"

"You should have thought about that before you seduced me."

"Haythorne, you have that all wrong. I tripped on some hay. That is all that happened between us. It would be best for both of us if you remember that."

"Perhaps you are right, my Lady, but if I'm right about the ladies of the ton, we won't be believed. "

"You are probably right, of course. I've always felt different than the other ladies."

"Different? My Lady, you are the supreme example of what is wrong with high born ladies."

"And what is that, Haythorne?"

"You said it yourself. You all need a real man. All those Lords, Earls and Dukes know how to do is eat with the proper utensils. But they don't know how to use their own utensils properly, if you know what I mean, and I think that you do."

Lavinia couldn't help but chuckle at Stuart's astute observations. "Haythorne, I can't go back into that house. Will you take my carriage to my house?"

"And risk the wrath of your mother in law, and my employer."

"Please have pity on me. I am already scorned by the ton. "

"You can't really blame them, my Lady. After all, your husband died two years ago, and you have been quite the vixen."

" Haythorne, you don't know what these two years have meant to me. I felt almost free for the past two years. I just wish...." Her voice fell silent as a sad expression crossed her face. "Haythorne, won't you reconsider?"

"I'm sorry, my Lady. You will have to face the Philistines alone. I am already in a precarious position. I can't risk it, Marchioness."

Lavinia shrugged. "Then I will walk the short distance to my home."

"It won't look proper to see a lady walking down the street unescorted at this time of night."

"Whoever said I was proper? This vixen is off for an evening walk. Goodbye Haythorne, I wish you luck." She walked out of the stables and, as she reached the front of the house, she cast a glance at the Mayfair townhouse her mother-in-law lived in. She knew if she went back to that house, she would face her wrath. By now, her rendezvous with the groom was the topic of conversation.

Lavinia estimated it would take her about twenty minutes to walk to her Mayfair townhouse. She took a deep breath, and started her journey back to her home. As she strolled past the Palladian style townhomes. many of which belonged to Earls and Dukes, she felt strangely free. It was as if being liberated from a carriage, liberated her spirit. She was startled out of her thoughts by a male voice, screaming "freedom." .She turned around to see where the baritone voice originated from. A raven hackney coach halted in the street.  A pair of brandy eyes met Lavinia's topaz eyes, as she felt an electric jolt move through her body.