Read Online The Wanton Widow - A Regency Novella by Caylen McQueen - Free Book Online
Authors: Caylen McQueen
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I--”
“ An apology !” Edward insisted. “Or I swear to God, I'll turn my rifle on you!”
“ Very well...” Olly turned to Willow and sighed. “I am sorry for my... inappropriate conduct. I sincerely regret my actions.”
“ It's quite alright, Olly,” Willow said. As she spoke, her eyes were fastened on Edward. She appreciated him coming to her defense, but her bitter heart still ached at the thought of him; therefore, she could hardly show him the appreciation he deserved. “But as you say, I am a... worldly woman. It's not as if I'm some chaste young miss.”
Edward took a step toward her. When she saw him reaching for her arm, she quickly pulled away.
“ I am not even what you would call a lady . Not anymore,” Willow said, her voice a bit cold. “Nothing surprises me.”
Chapter Nine
Philip gently rolled her nightrail off her shoulder. His lips started at her neck, then drifted along her collarbone. He turned his attention to the lower half of her body, where his hands circled her soft, milky white calf. Willow closed her eyes and let it happen, but for some reason, his touch had a sickening effect on her.
When she saw him pull his shirt over his head, she knew she had to stop him. “Philip!”
“ Hmm?” He rolled the nightrail to her hips, parted her legs, and kissed her inner thighs. Willow responded by clamping her knees together.
“ Philip...” she repeated, “I'm not feeling quite the thing. Do you think we could... go to sleep?”
Philip buried his face against her stomach and grumbled against it. “But I want you. I need you!”
“ Not tonight.” Willow gently pushed his head away from her. “Though I hate to disappoint you, Philip, I think I would be a very poor lover tonight.”
Grumbling, Philip covered her with her nightrail and pulled the blankets over them. “Did I say something to anger you?”
“ No.”
“ Have you tired of me?”
“ No.” Willow cradled one of the pillows against her chest. She knew the reason behind her coldness, she just didn't want to admit it to herself. And she certainly couldn't admit it to Philip. “I'm feeling under the weather.”
“ Are you ill?” Philip laid his palm against her forehead. “You aren't with child, are you?!”
“ No!” Willow used her pillow to swat him in the head. “I just want to rest, if that's quite alright with you!?”
“ Very well.” With a grunt, Philip rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. “I'll just have to ignore the throbbing in my breeches, I suppose!”
* * *
The following morning, she happened upon Edward Harcourt, the very man whose visage pervaded her thoughts. She was wearing her breeches and shirtsleeves, her usual attire for a morning ride.
“ Willow!” Edward exclaimed. “You're just the woman I wanted to see!”
“ How fortuitous for you,” she answered apathetically. “Although... considering the fact that I am the only woman here, I think I win by default.”
Edward took her arm and started leading her down the hall. “I was wondering about Eddie.”
“ Eddie?!”
“ Yes!” Edward chuckled. “I had assumed he would be here, but I have not seen hide nor mangy hair of him. Did you leave him in London?”
“ Indeed. As rambunctious as he is, I did not think he could survive the ride, so I left him with Cook. She complains about him, but I believe she secretly loves him.”
“ And what about Philip?” Edward asked. “Has he warmed up to our canine friend?”
“ No. And I don't think he ever shall!” As Willow headed toward the stables, she pulled Edward along with her. “I was going to go for a ride, Edward. Would you care to join me?”
“ A-absolutely,” Edward said, his minor stutter evading her notice. “I would assume that is why you are dressed like a m-m-man?”
Willow caught him that time, and she pinched his arm.
“ You must be getting accustomed to seeing me in breeches.”
“ I am. But you are still very much a lady in my
“ An apology !” Edward insisted. “Or I swear to God, I'll turn my rifle on you!”
“ Very well...” Olly turned to Willow and sighed. “I am sorry for my... inappropriate conduct. I sincerely regret my actions.”
“ It's quite alright, Olly,” Willow said. As she spoke, her eyes were fastened on Edward. She appreciated him coming to her defense, but her bitter heart still ached at the thought of him; therefore, she could hardly show him the appreciation he deserved. “But as you say, I am a... worldly woman. It's not as if I'm some chaste young miss.”
Edward took a step toward her. When she saw him reaching for her arm, she quickly pulled away.
“ I am not even what you would call a lady . Not anymore,” Willow said, her voice a bit cold. “Nothing surprises me.”
Chapter Nine
Philip gently rolled her nightrail off her shoulder. His lips started at her neck, then drifted along her collarbone. He turned his attention to the lower half of her body, where his hands circled her soft, milky white calf. Willow closed her eyes and let it happen, but for some reason, his touch had a sickening effect on her.
When she saw him pull his shirt over his head, she knew she had to stop him. “Philip!”
“ Hmm?” He rolled the nightrail to her hips, parted her legs, and kissed her inner thighs. Willow responded by clamping her knees together.
“ Philip...” she repeated, “I'm not feeling quite the thing. Do you think we could... go to sleep?”
Philip buried his face against her stomach and grumbled against it. “But I want you. I need you!”
“ Not tonight.” Willow gently pushed his head away from her. “Though I hate to disappoint you, Philip, I think I would be a very poor lover tonight.”
Grumbling, Philip covered her with her nightrail and pulled the blankets over them. “Did I say something to anger you?”
“ No.”
“ Have you tired of me?”
“ No.” Willow cradled one of the pillows against her chest. She knew the reason behind her coldness, she just didn't want to admit it to herself. And she certainly couldn't admit it to Philip. “I'm feeling under the weather.”
“ Are you ill?” Philip laid his palm against her forehead. “You aren't with child, are you?!”
“ No!” Willow used her pillow to swat him in the head. “I just want to rest, if that's quite alright with you!?”
“ Very well.” With a grunt, Philip rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. “I'll just have to ignore the throbbing in my breeches, I suppose!”
* * *
The following morning, she happened upon Edward Harcourt, the very man whose visage pervaded her thoughts. She was wearing her breeches and shirtsleeves, her usual attire for a morning ride.
“ Willow!” Edward exclaimed. “You're just the woman I wanted to see!”
“ How fortuitous for you,” she answered apathetically. “Although... considering the fact that I am the only woman here, I think I win by default.”
Edward took her arm and started leading her down the hall. “I was wondering about Eddie.”
“ Eddie?!”
“ Yes!” Edward chuckled. “I had assumed he would be here, but I have not seen hide nor mangy hair of him. Did you leave him in London?”
“ Indeed. As rambunctious as he is, I did not think he could survive the ride, so I left him with Cook. She complains about him, but I believe she secretly loves him.”
“ And what about Philip?” Edward asked. “Has he warmed up to our canine friend?”
“ No. And I don't think he ever shall!” As Willow headed toward the stables, she pulled Edward along with her. “I was going to go for a ride, Edward. Would you care to join me?”
“ A-absolutely,” Edward said, his minor stutter evading her notice. “I would assume that is why you are dressed like a m-m-man?”
Willow caught him that time, and she pinched his arm.
“ You must be getting accustomed to seeing me in breeches.”
“ I am. But you are still very much a lady in my
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