Page 70 of Dick Stone, Regency Stud
“See anything you like?”
Edward turned to discover that Phily had entered the room. She’d come from the hallway, unencumbered by spiderwebs.
“I was just admiring your boudoir,” he replied.
“If the gossip is correct, you’re invited to plenty of inner sanctums,” she said, sinking onto one of those plush fainting couches.
Phily knew just how to array herself for optimal effect. Her body collapsed as though she were without bones, and the pose displayed every curve to her advantage.
“Why am I here, Phily?” He hoped to dispel any confusion and make his way towards his boarding house before night firmly buttoned itself to the streets and made walking increasingly unwise. If he had to dance attendance on the duchessandpay for a hack home to his lonely lodgings, he would burn all future summonses on sight.
Phily sighed. “It’s most vexing, Edward, you just don’t know.”
No, he didn’t — because she wasn’t telling him. He moved towards the door to the hallway.
“Oh, if you must go, don’t use that one. I wouldn’t want my staff to get the wrong idea. About us,” she said.
Edward groaned. And what would her dear husband think?
Now, there was the minor issue of the duke having done roughly the same thing to him, but going through the motions of a duel — with no intention of firing; it was 1820, after all — seemed a bother. He didn’t even own or have access to dueling pistols these days! And the breeding business depended on everything being aboveboard with husbands. He fucked for pay, after all, and wifely allowances depleted by gambling weren’t sufficient to keep Tencendor in shoes and the finest clover.
“I wouldn’t want the duke to think anything untoward,” continued Phily, her hand full of hems. “He’s a most possessive sort of man.”
She shimmied her skirts to her thighs, with a sliver of skin showing above her stockings.
“He’s already upset with me for playing so deep at the tables. I don’t know what he’d do if he were to discover you in my rooms,” she said.
She was a minx and almost certainly playing him, but when she revealed the apex of her legs and then spread them to show her cunny — for the first time in his life — he could only chuckle and let himself be trapped.
“What do you want, Phily?” he asked. “I haven’t got money to pay off your debts. And taking my cock will not change that.”
“It’s just that Monty issucha tyrant, you know.”
No, he absolutely did not. He didn’t attend gossip, and if he did, all the talkers said the duke adored his young wife and granted her every wish.
“What’s this about me being a tyrant, my love?”
Damn and blast. It seemed the Duke of Chevaliermont was at home. And had discovered him in the duchess’s chamber while she had her dress about her waist.
Chapter 3
Edward, long accustomed toremarkably awkward interludes with husbands, knew better than to move quickly. On one occasion prior to his stud days, he’d remained so still that a captain hadn’t even spotted him on a chair, and Edward made his way out of the room when husband and wife retired to dress for dinner.
No such luck. Edward stifled a groan.
“Dick Stone, a pleasure to meet you again,” said the duke, directing a casual nod his way. He was a tall, well-formed man of about 50 with thick gray hair and a commanding aspect. Edward supposed he was fine if one preferred their men rich and handsome.
“Darling, I was just telling Lord Ed—Netherwallop about the latest foals. We’ve excellent prospects, do we not?”
The duke cast a pitying look at his wife. Oh, that was not good. This man clearly knew there was a game afoot.
“We do. I understand Netherwallop knows a thing or two about breeding? Perhaps he might give his opinion on the bloodlines. I believe the new foal shares a great-grandfather with his own stallion.”
Now he’d done it, entangling himself in the affairs of Tencendor’s relatives. The next time his horse tried to throw him, Edward would need to accept the toss; he was a right idiot who belonged on his arse.
Phily’s lips had formed a smile, and she was about to spout some additional nonsense to steer them from the shoals when the duke interrupted.
“Damn, Phily, help me with these falls so I can get in that pretty mouth. You’ve got me hard as fuck.”
