“Lady Natalia, you are quite wanton. Thank God I married you when I did for you would have made a deplorable holy sister. I fear you will prove a questionable influence on our impressionable girls.”
“In that case, perhaps we should retire to our chamber for a short while, my lord. Just to make sure I do not create the wrong impression.”
“What an excellent suggestion, my sweet. Even if Clare and Sophia were not traumatised I doubt Helena would approve of my fucking you on this table. I believe it to be freshly polished.” He glances around the hall. “Where is Mathilde?”
Just at that moment the maidservant reappears from the kitchen, a mug of ale in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. Stefan meets her halfway across the floor.
“Thank you.” He takes the drinks from her. “Lady Natalia and I have some matters of considerable urgency that we must attend to in our chamber. Perhaps you could watch the girls for us now? And ensure that we are not disturbed.”
Mathilde grins and nods, though she does have the grace to blush. Would that I still retained such finer feelings.
“She will know. She is sure to know what we are about.” I whisper my admonition to Stefan as he drags me up the stairs in his wake.
“They will all know soon enough. You do tend to be most vocal, my dear. I suppose I could gag you, if that helps.”
I sigh. “I am sure we will manage perfectly well, my lord, gag or no gag.”
He chuckles as he bundles me through the door into our chamber. “No doubt we will. Now, strip, and kneel, your grace.”
The End
