Page 22 of A Duchess to Reclaim (The Devil’s Masquerade #2)

EPILOGUE

A month and a half later

“V ery good.”

Dominic’s whispered praise tickled Amelia’s ear, and even though she knew she was supposed to be concentrating on her target, her mind and body reacted to her husband’s deep voice.

She turned her head slightly and slowly grazed her eyes over him.

Dominic chuckled as he lifted a hand to her chin, and turned her head forward once more.

“No distractions, love,” he scolded, “Keep your eyes on your target like I told you.”

“Even if you are the distraction?” She teased.

Dominic pressed himself even closer to her body, and she could feel the smile on his lips as he kissed her neck.

“Especially if I am the distraction,” he replied, his tone dripping with seduction. “Now come, show these fools what I have taught you.”

Amelia shook off the growing arousal that had clouded her thoughts, and took a steadying breath. She raised her arms and found the center of the target with the sight. Keeping her body loose as Dominic had taught her, she found her center, and pulled the trigger of the Derringer.

The loud shot rang in her ears as the small recoil reverberated through her arms. The scent of fresh gun powder stung her nostrils. From behind her she heard Dominic’s holler of victory, and she smiled wide as she lowered the pistol and took in the perfect hole at the very center of her target.

“Well done, darling, well done!” Dominic praised, pulling her fully into her arms to smother her neck with kisses.

“What did I tell you, old boys? My wife is a natural!”

Amelia giggled as she sat the gun carefully down on the table, and turned in Dominic’s arms to hug him.

“I do not like this,” Everett grunted. “Women shooting guns? What is next?”

“Do not even think about it,” Tristan said, turning his head to Theo.

Amelia giggled as she saw her friend frown at her brother.

“I will think about whatever I like, thank you very much,” she retorted, pushing at his arm.

“Besides if you will not teach me Dominic will. Won’t you, Dominic?” Theo asked.

“Me first, me first,” Ophelia insisted, already rising from her chair.

She walked with excitement toward Amelia and Dominic and reached for the pistol. Before she could lay a hand on it though Dominic snatched it back.

“Ladies, please,” he scolded, his tone full of sarcasm, “Pistols are not to be played with. You can’t just go snatching them up as they were a purse or pair of gloves.”

“That sounds a bit outdated, Your Grace,” Theo retorted, joining them. “According to my blue-stocking meetings, women can do anything a man can. And they certainly should not be categorized to objects such as purses or gloves.”

Tristan groaned and covered his face with his hands.

“Enough about your meetings, Theo. I beg you. They are all you talk about.”

Theo smiled sweetly at her brother.

“Would you prefer I talk about the Devil’s Masquerade? She asked, her tone laced with sarcasm.

“God help me,” Tristan groaned.

Amelia chuckled as she shook her head. The siblings had reached a compromise with Theo’s free time. She had promised to stop attending the masquerade if Tristan allowed her to attend more speeches and meetings of the blue stockings. And, now that their mother had sadly passed, she was going to more and more of them instead of going to balls and parties.

The passing of Lady Briarwood had been an uncomfortable mixture of great sadness and relief. Toward the end, Amelia had traveled to London often to be with Theo and her mother, and each time the once sweet woman appeared as more of a shell than the brilliant soul she once was.

Theo’s way of grieving was to spend more of her time pushing for women’s rights, and though Amelia agreed that they deserved more freedom, she found herself unable to be as stalwart for the cause as Theo or Ophelia.

Tristan’s way of grieving, she had discovered through talking with Dominic, was to throw himself into his responsibilities as an Earl. One such in particular was finding a wife. Amelia worried that trying to accomplish such a thing while dealing with such heartbreak would be unwise, but she’d kept such opinions to herself.

Especially since her marriage, though tumultuous at first, had ultimately saved her.

“Well if Dominic is not going to teach me how to shoot and Tristan won’t, you must do so, Everett,” Ophelia said turning to him.

“Come on lazy bones, get up and show me what to do.”

“I shall teach you,” Hugo spoke up.

“No,” Everett and Tristan said in unison as Hugo leaned over to kiss Seraphina.

Everyone but the two men chuckled.

“He is an excellent instructor,” Seraphina told them, bouncing Penelope on her lap.

“Here, Everett,” Hugo said, placing Preston onto Everett’s lap.

Everett grimaced at the smiling toddler, and immediately got up before Hugo could let his son go.

“On second thought I shall play instructor after all,” Everett said quickly, walking to Dominic, his hand outstretched for the pistol. “I don’t know why you people keep pressing me to spend time with your children. It is most unnatural.”

Dominic handed Everett the pistol and leather bag of ammunition, and together he and Amelia walked back over to the outdoor table shaded by the trees, where the rest of their friends all sat. The leaves above them were starting to turn shades of brilliant yellow as fall settled in, but they still had warm days from time to time.

“Where are your little monsters today anyway?” Tristan asked, preparing the pistol for another shot as Ophelia excitedly bounced on her feet by his side.

“They are out shopping with their governesses,” Amelia explained, sitting on Dominic’s lap, “We thought since it has been a while since we could all get together for some fun that perhaps they should be out.”

“A wise decision, apparently,” Everett retorted, waving the pistol for emphasis, “Though the way you ladies are acting, it still feels like excitable little girls are indeed underfoot.”

“Would you stop complaining and show me what to do already?” Ophelia insisted.

Amelia giggled as Everett and Ophelia glared at one another. Slowly, they were all getting to know one another better. Even though Tristan had been friends with the other four men for years, her, Theo, Rose, and Ophelia, really hadn’t interacted with any of them until Seraphina and Hugo had gotten married. Now they all seemed to act like siblings; constantly picking on one another and driving the other mad.

“I miss Rose,” Seraphina sighed.

“She will be here later on,” Amelia promised, “Her mother was taking her to an early luncheon of some sort.”

“That poor girl,” Seraphina said, shaking her head. “I am so grateful that I am no longer in her position. Please tell me you are not going to be that way with Lydia and Sarah.”

“Heaven’s no,” Amelia retorted. “Though Sarah is not like us. She still has a couple of years, but she is most looking forward to being on the marriage mart. And as Lydia likes to mimic everything Sarah does she feels the same way.”

“And you, old man?” Hugo asked Dominic. “How do you enjoy your new father-figure role?”

Dominic and Amelia both smirked. It had surprised them both how quickly her husband had stepped into the role of over-protective father figure for the girls. He was still very much himself when it came to handling things in a business-like, somewhat stiff manner, but the girls were certainly flourishing under his attention.

They had balked quite a bit when he had told them they would be resuming their studies earlier than they expected, but each evening after their family dinner, the girls would go to his office and report everything they learned. Amelia often sat in on these, amused with how business-like their little meetings appeared.

“It is not so bad,” Dominic answered presently. “I have even started teaching them a few things about business. More for my enjoyment than theirs, I am sure.”

“They love it,” Amelia interjected, and Dominic smiled at her.

“And their real father?” Everett asked.

“I have heard nothing of him. Have you?”

Amelia’s smile faded as Dominic shook his head.

“No,” he replied, “and I hope it stays that way. The business I gave him was strong. It would take quite a lot of mismanagement for him to run it into the ground.”

Amelia felt a tinge of guilt as Dominic said this. He would not speak much on what he’d had to do to get her father to sign over custody, but she had no doubt that it had cost her husband a great deal.

Soon, perhaps, they would have a child of their own to add to the family. But she wanted to wait until she was sure her father would not cause any more problems for them. For now they were simply enjoying being together, and get used to becoming guardians for two young ladies. As promised, Dominic had yet to travel without her. He now took most of his meetings there in Ellsworth, and when he absolutely had to go into London, Amelia was with him.

She would mostly visit with Theo, Rose, Ophelia, or Seraphina while he conducted his business; sometimes they would all gather together as they always had. At the end of the day, though, Dominic would always come to collect her, and they would travel home. Often using the privacy of the long carriage ride to give in to their raging desires.

Another gun shot went off, and as they all looked toward the sound, they saw Ophelia deposit the pistol into Everett’s hand and quickly walk away.

“I changed my mind,” she said, stomping toward the picnic table. “I do not like that.”

Amelia couldn’t help but chuckle at Ophelia’s frown as she took a seat and picked up a scone; looking absolutely appalled by the experience.

“We tried to warn you,” Tristan teased.

Ophelia glared at him.

“Hush, you. I need your taunting like I need a husband.”

Tristan glowered right back at her, making everyone chortle at the exchange.

Everett carefully put the pistol back in the wooden box Dominic had used to carry it outside, locked it, and brought it back to the table.

“How do you enjoy that?” Ophelia asked, turning to Amelia.

Smiling, Amelia shrugged.

“I do not know,” she replied, “I suppose I like a lot of things I’m not supposed to.”

At her side Dominic choked on his food. He knew she was talking about much more than guns or her growing enthusiasm for boxing. They had tried quite a few new things in the bedroom as of late; many acts that Amelia was sure her blue-stocking friends would find most degrading. She however, found them quite wonderful.

“Back to the topic of business,” he choked out, bringing his cup of tea to his lips to clear his throat, “I have discovered the location of the mysterious new Caldermere heir, Allistair Harleigh.”

“My cousin?” Seraphina asked quickly, appearing interested at the new information.

Dominic nodded.

“Where is he?” She asked.

“In Scotland,” Dominic replied. “He has established himself quite well there and it is taking longer than predicted to get everything sorted. It will still be a while before he can come to London and claim his inheritance. But he has offered me a meeting, so Amelia and I are going to go in a few weeks.”

He then looked around at his friends with a grin.

“In addition I have found another brewery for sale there. I’ve already put in the bid and will be touring it when I go. Anyone else want to buy in if I secure it?”

“I do,” Everett answered quickly. “Business is soaring with the other, and I have found a few more venues that are looking to partner with me. It would be good to provide some options.”

“Where?” Tristan asked, leaning forward. “You have almost every gentleman’s club in London buying from you.”

Everett gave him a devilish grin.

“While the lot of you have given up your time at the Devil’s Masquerade, I have not. They are in need of a new vendor for their libations and I have managed to speak with the owner about it.”

Tristan groaned and leaned forward, putting a hand to the side of his face to block out the view of Theo.

“Could you please not mention that place in front of her?” He asked. “Knowing that she has been there as a guest, I can never go back again.”

“I can hear you, you dolt,” Theo retorted, reaching out to slap her brother’s shoulder. “And you do not need to worry about my attendance there. For a while, at least.”

“What do you mean for a while?” Tristan asked, and the siblings soon ensued in an argument.

“Ophelia, darling,” Amelia said, reaching out to touch her friend’s hand as the argument went on, “I was hoping to ask you a favor.”

Though Ophelia seemed more interested in the argument between Tristan and Theo, she gradually pulled her gaze from them and focused on Amelia.

“Of course, darling. What is it?” She asked.

“I want Amelia to come with me to Scotland,” Dominic answered. “As a small honeymoon of sorts. We were hoping you would keep watch over Sarah and Lydia while we were gone.”

Ophelia smiled brightly and quickly nodded her head.

“I would love to!” She readily replied. “Oh, we would have so much fun. We could paint. I could teach them so many things about the equality movement happening!”

Tristan whipped his head toward her mid argument and once more glowered at her.

“Not everyone thinks men are as useless you do, Ophelia,” he told her. “Could you please keep such torrid opinions away from young minds?”

“What I do and do not do is none of your concern, Tristan Briarwood,” she shot back, “Besides, there is nothing wrong with a more modern education. Women need to start learning to be more independent. Times are changing.”

“For God’s sake, between you and my sister, I swear…” Tristan’s words became lost in a melee of two feminine voices arguing with him at once; all three of them speaking so vehemently that their words overlapped one another in a confusing, muddled squabble.

“On that note, I think I shall go for a ride,” Everett said, rising from his chair. “Anyone want to come?”

“I would but Seraphina and I need to go put the twins down for their nap,” Hugo said, helping his wife to her feet.

Everett made a face.

“Is that not what nannies are for?” He asked.

“We like to do it ourselves when we can,” Hugo replied, giving his friend a knowing smile. “You will understand when you have your own.”

“I certainly will not,” Everett retorted, looking most disturbed at the accusation. “Fine then. Dominic?”

Amelia looked to her husband and bit back a smile as he made a show of yawning and stretching his arms.

“I am actually quite tired,” he replied. “I believe I shall take a nap instead, that way I am rested up for the evenings games. I hear we are playing Blind Man’s Bluff and imbibing in that special brew Hugo and Seraphina’s chef makes. You ladies remember the last time you played that game, don’t you?”

Dominic asked with a knowing grin.

Amelia tried to bite her lip but her smile but a giggle burst out instead and she playfully slapped at his shoulder. How could she ever forget that?

“I do not know what this is,” Everett said, pointing a finger back and forth between the two, “But something tells me it is much naughtier than it sounds. I am going now. Have fun with your… nap.”

As Everett began to meander toward the stables, Dominic and Amelia headed toward the manor; leaving the three squabbling others to their argument. They were still arguing so intensely that Amelia even wondered if they had noticed the rest of their friends had left.

The moment they were inside the library, Dominic pushed Amelia against the rows of books and kissed her deeply. She sighed softly as her body instantly responded to his touch, and melted.

“There is something so devilishly arousing about you firing a pistol,” Dominic confessed, pulling her deeper into the library. “Especially since you are so good at it.”

Amelia’s sultry smile widened as she let her husband lead her to a more private space.

“Is that so?” She mused, “Perhaps we should practice more often then.”

“We certainly should,” Dominic replied, then whirled around to capture her again.

Heat poured through her body as Dominic pressed her close and lavished kisses and soft bites to her neck. Wanting him just as much as he wanted her, Amelia’s hands went to his trousers, tugging the hem of his shirt away. She smiled with satisfaction as he pulled it away and she saw the evidence of her hunger from the night before. Thin red trails her nails had left. If he turned, she’d find the same on his back.

As if he knew what she was smiling at, he untied her corset, and placed gentle kisses over the bite and suckling marks he’d left on her breasts.

His. Hers. Theirs.

They owned one another wholly, and the marks of their possessiveness covered them both.

Their lovemaking was quick and savage as Dominic held Amelia against the fastened bookshelves, and as they both orgasmed, their teeth left imprints in one another’s flesh. Dominic’s on her neck; hers on his shoulder.

“You shall have to run up to your room to retrieve a scarf for this,” Dominic said after, running gentle fingers over the fresh bruise. “I don’t believe your dress will cover it.”

On the makeshift bed of discarded clothes, Amelia smiled as she stretched by Dominic’s side, then draped an arm over his naked chest.

“Let them see,” she sighed. “It is not as if our friends are unaware of such decadent acts. You heard Everett. And Theo, though untested, is just as wild as he is. Or at least will be when she finds the proper gentleman to discover such things with.”

Dominic chuckled and nuzzled the top of her head.

“And what of Ophelia and Tristan?” He asked. “They are tad more…stringent.”

“Ophelia, perhaps, but I am not sure about Tristan. Everett and I have become good friends in this short time and he’s told me stories of what the four of you used to partake in.”

Amelia looked up in time to see Dominic grimace, and she let out a laugh.

“What? As if I did not already have my own suspicions? You came to the Masquerade with a mask, Dominic, it was obvious that you had been familiar with the place.”

“Still,” he grunted, “I would prefer he keep his mouth shut about such things.”

Amelia moved to lay body atop his and rested her cheek on her hands as she looked down at him.

“It does not bother me, you know. That you had a life before we fell in love. In a way it is sort of…comical, to know that the Devil’s Masquerade served both of us; even if that service was for different reasons.”

Dominic studied her face, a soft smile on his lips as he stroked gentle fingers through her hair.

“Hmmm?” She asked. “I know that face. What are you thinking, husband?”

“It is a radical idea,” he warned her.

“Interesting,” Amelia mused with a smile. “Tell, tell.”

Dominic’s smile grew seductive as his silver eyes flashed with heat.

“I know we made a promise to each other that we would not go back. But when we did so we were speaking of us going separately. What if…what if after we returned from Scotland we went together?”

Curiosity piqued within Amelia, followed by a burning trail of excitement. She’d never considered it before but such an idea was immediately compelling.

“What would we do there?” She asked, turning round to catch sight of her rosy buttocks, still sore from the spanking she’d received the night before.

“Not that,” Dominic assured her, chuckling, “That pleasure is for us alone. Besides, no one else but me deserves to hear those delicious sounds you make when my hand stings your flesh.”

Amelia’s cheeks flushed at his words and she leaned forward to kiss his lips. They had tried many things in the last month and a half they had been living together, and spankings were just many new favorites.

“What then?” She asked.

“A scenario, perhaps,” he offered, his hands going down to massage her pink hind quarters. “Two strangers meeting for the first time, possibly?”

Amelia raised a brow as her lips twitched.

“Hmmm, that could be very interesting,” she replied, drawing her last word out into a seductive moan.

Dominic groaned at the sound, and lifted his head to kiss her deeply.

“What do you think? Shall we try going together? See what the Masquerade can offer us as a couple?” He asked when he pulled back.

Amelia nodded, feeling her own arousal- and his, begin to heighten again with their conversation.

“With you, Dominic, I am willing to try anything.”

Dominic let loose another groan from his throat as his hand threaded through her hair. He pulled her up to him as he gave her another deep kiss, then rolled them both until he was the one on top. Amelia let out a strangled sound of ecstasy as his once more hardened manhood drove deep into her pulsing, moist center, and she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist.

“I love you, little vixen,” he panted as he took her with long, deep strokes.

“I love you more,” she moaned back, then threw her head back and opened her mouth in silent scream as he made her orgasm yet again.

He made her finish twice more before he found his own bliss, then on shaking legs they rose from their makeshift bed and helped one another dress. Dominic pulled his kerchief from his pocket and after folding it diagonally, wrapped it around itself and tied it carefully to Amelia’s neck.

“I should go get a scarf,” she protested weakly through Dominic’s kisses.

“We should go back outside before our friends return,” he said between kisses, “And right now I could not have bare to leave my side. Even if it was only for a few minutes.”

Amelia threw her arms around his neck and Dominic deepened their kiss. With effort, they finally pulled away from another, took hold of one another’s hand, and made their way back outside.

The End?