Bewitching The Recluse [BOOK 2 of Price Family Saga]

13. Chapter (Ah, The Time Flies So Fast)

Three years and several months later...

The chamber's door swung open slowly, and a gentleman entered, gently closing and locking it behind him. His eyes fell upon the bed where a lady, her face veiled with a mask that had two holes for her eyes, sat – she was clad in a mere corset, with a scarlet skirt peeking beneath. Both garments were of striking crimson colour, offering a contrast to the black mask that concealed her identity. However, it was her tresses that drew his attention most – they possessed a lustrous chocolate hue, cascading down to her waist in long, graceful waves. She resembled, to him, a goddess of allure, a notion that wasn't entirely misplaced. She also noted his appreciative gaze, responding with a demure smile as she gently bit her lower lip.

"I would have arrived earlier, my lady, but the roads were heavily drenched," the gentleman remarked as he carefully removed his coat, never once diverting his eyes from the young woman.

"We have the entire evening and night ahead of us, and Charles will not arrive until tomorrow at noon. Allow me to assist you," she said, rising from the bed to aid him with his cravat.

Yet he held her by the shoulders and gazed into her sapphire eyes, a shade of blue as deep as the ocean.

"Do you reckon he harbours suspicions about us?"

She let out a disdainful sigh.

"If he even suspects, he cannot raise any objections. I am discreet; he has his prized possession, and I have you, just as you have me. Thus, everyone finds contentment and joy. I dare say he's counting on you and me to bless him with an heir."

The man's brow furrowed in thought.

"I've made it quite clear before—I have no intention of entering wedlock, nor do I desire to sire offspring. It's not just the issue of paternity as no one would ever believe that the child is Charles'; how can I reconcile... how could I look at myself in the mirror with the knowledge of my progeny growing up without my presence in its life?!"

The young lady listened intently, all the while discreetly undressing him. She then enveloped him from behind, her delicate fingers tracing the contours of his chiselled chest, a testament to a man who certainly did not spend his time being idle.

"My dear, remember that this isn't the bustling heart of London. In our rural countryside, nobody truly concerns themselves with lineage or about who fathered whose child. I haven't forgotten your words, yet there have been countless moments where I've yearned to hold you between my legs before your withdrawal. I am also aware that you care little about me, but by getting me with a child, you would bring unmatched happiness to my life. Know that my womb is well-prepared for you and the baby's presence."

He turned to her, taking her by the waist and drawing her closer. Then, he gallantly took her hand and pressed a kiss to it.

"I do hold regard for you, but we were well aware of the nature of this arrangement from the outset, not to mention the fact that your hand and person are pledged to another gentleman. I shall forever hold gratitude for your deeds, yet I cannot fulfil this entreaty. Regrettably, my family's lineage shall meet its end with me."

She gazed at him with tenderness, her hands gently cradling his face.

"A lamentable circumstance, indeed," she murmured softly, tilting her alabaster neck to lightly graze his skin with her lips.

Her kiss felt like a delicate summer breeze, barely caressing his flesh as she moved to his ear and whispered:

"The watchword is 'fork'."

He smiled and suddenly pushed her onto the bed. She emitted a soft laugh at the sound of her body colliding against the soft duvet.

"Laugh, for in no time you will be in tears of pleasure," he said as he leapt on top of her.