"Thank you, Sophy. I believe I shall continue to rely on my port. I understand it and it understands me."
Sophy's brows rose inquiringly. "What is there to understand, my lord?"
"Do you wish me to be blunt, Madam Wife?"
"Of course." She was surprised at such a question. "You know I prefer free and open conversation between us. You are the one who occasionally experiences difficulty in discussing certain matters, not I."
"I give you fair warning, this is not a matter you will care to discuss."
"Nonsense. If you are having difficulty sleeping, I am certain there is a better cure than port."
"On that we agree. The question, my dear, is whether you are willing to provide the cure."
The lazy, taunting quality of his voice brought her head up swiftly. She found herself looking straight into his glittering green gaze. And suddenly she understood.
"I see," she managed to say calmly. "I had not realized our agreement would cause you such physical discomfort, my lord."
"Now that you are aware of it, would you care to consider releasing me from my bond?"
A length of embroidery floss snapped in her hand. Sophy glanced down at the dangling threads. "I thought everything was going rather well, my lord," she said distantly.
"I know you did. You have been enjoying yourself here at Eslington Park, haven't you, Sophy?"
"Very much, my lord."
"Well, so have I. In certain respects. But in other respects, I am finding this honeymoon extremely tiresome." He tossed off the remainder of the port. "Damned tiresome. The fact is, our situation is unnatural, Sophy."
She sighed with deep regret. "I suppose this means you would prefer that we cut short our honeymoon?"
The empty crystal glass snapped between his fingers. Julian swore and dusted the delicate shards from his hands. "It means," he stated grimly, "that I would like to make this a normal marriage. It is my duty as well as my pleasure to insist that we do so."
"Are you so very anxious to get on with producing your heir?"
"I am not thinking about my future heir at the moment. I am thinking about the current Earl of Ravenwood. I am also thinking about the present Countess of Ravenwood. The chief reason you are not suffering as I am, Sophy, is because you do not yet know what you are missing."
Sophy's temper flared. "You need not be so odiously condescending, my lord. I am a country girl, remember? I have been raised around animals all my life and I have been called in to help with the birthing of a babe or two in my time. I am well aware of what goes on between husband and wife and, to be truthful, I do not believe I am missing anything terribly elevating."
"It is not intended to be an intellectual exercise, madam. It is a physical pursuit."
"Like riding a horse? If you don't mind my saying so, it sounds rather less rewarding. At least when one rides a horse, one accomplishes something useful such as arriving at a given destination."
"Perhaps it is time you learned what sort of destination awaits you in the bedchamber, my dear."
Julian was on his feet, reaching for her before Sophy quite realized what was happening. He snatched her embroidery from her fingers and tossed it aside. Then his arms went around her and he dragged her close against him. She knew when she looked up into his intent face that this would not be just one more of the coaxing, persuasive good-night kisses she had been receiving lately.
Alarmed, Sophy pushed at his shoulders. "Stop it, Julian. I have told you I do not wish to be seduced."
"I'm beginning to think it's my duty to seduce you. This damned agreement of yours is too hard on me, little one. Have pity on your poor husband. I shall undoubtedly expire from sheer frustration if I am obliged to wait out the three months. Sophy, stop fighting me.
"Julian, please—"
"Hush, my sweet." His thumb moved along the edge of her soft mouth, tracing the contours. "I gave you my word I would not force you and I will keep my oath even if it kills me. But I have a right to try to change your mind and that, by God, is exactly what I intend to do. I've given you ten days to get used to the idea of being married to me. That is nine days longer than any other man would have allowed in this situation.
His mouth came down on hers with sudden, fierce demand. Sophy had been right. This was not another of the gentle assaults on her senses that she had grown to expect in the evenings. This kiss was hot and deliberately overpowering. She could feel Julian's tongue sliding boldly into her mouth. For a moment a heavy, drugging warmth surged through Sophy. Then she tasted the port on his breath and instinctively she started to struggle.
"Be still," Julian muttered, soothing her with a long, stroking movement of his big palm down her spine. "Just be still and let me kiss you. That's all I want at the moment. I intend to remove a few of your ridiculous fears."
"I am not afraid of you," she protested quickly, keenly aware of the strength in his hands. "I simply do not care to have the privacy of my bedchamber invaded yet by a man who is still very much a stranger to me."
"We are no longer strangers, Sophy. We are husband and wife and it's time we became lovers."
His mouth closed over hers again and her protests were cut off. Julian kissed her deeply, thoroughly, imprinting himself on her until Sophy was trembling with reaction. As always when he held her in his arms like this she felt breathless and strangely weak. When his hands moved lower, gripping her and forcing her up against his body, she felt the hardness in him and it made her flinch.
"Julian?" She looked up at him, wide-eyed.
"What did you expect?" He smiled wickedly. "A man is no different than any other farm animal. You claim to be an expert on the subject."
"My lord, this is hardly a matter of putting a ewe and a ram together in the same pen."
"I am glad you appreciate the difference."
He refused to let her ease away from him. Instead, he cupped her buttocks in his two large hands and urged her even closer to the bulging hardness of his thighs.
Sophy's head whirled as she felt the unmistakable shape of his swollen manhood pushing against her softness. Her skirts swirled around his leg, caught, and clung to his calves. He widened his stance and she found herself trapped between his legs.
"Sophy, little one, Sophy, my sweet, let me make love to you. It's only right." The urgent plea was punctuated with small, persuasive kisses that traced the line of her jaw and traveled down her throat to her bare shoulder.
Sophy could not respond. She felt as if she were being swept out to sea on a mighty, surging tide. She had loved Julian from afar for too long. The temptation to surrender to the sensuous warmth that he engendered in her was almost overwhelming. Unconsciously her arms went around his neck and she parted her lips invitingly. He had taught her much about kissing during the past few days.
Julian needed no second invitation. He took her lips again with a low groan of satisfaction. This time his hand moved under her breast and he cupped her gently, his thumb searching out the nipple beneath the muslin bodice.
Sophy did not hear the drawing room door open behind her but she did hear the apologetic gasp of dismay and the sound of the door closing again very quickly. Julian lifted his head to glare over the top of her curls and the spell was broken.
Sophy blushed as she realized one of the servants had witnessed the passionate kiss. She stepped back hurriedly and Julian let her go, smiling slightly at her disheveled appearance. She put her hand to her hair and found it in far worse than its usual disarray. Several curls were tumbling down around her ears and the ribbon her maid had tied so carefully before dinner had come loose. It dangled down the nape of her neck.