His Curious Imp Read online

  “It’s larger than I remembered,” Gabby said, her voice tinged with fear. She stroked him gently, smiling when Fergus moaned.

  “Why thank you, my sweet, you’re good for my male ego.”

  Gabby couldn’t help but smile as he lowered himself over her. His cock pressed into her thigh and she wiggled in an effort to put it where she wanted it to be, inside her quim, which was so wet she wondered if he would go in, and then slip right out.

  He kissed her and caressed her cheek, and then kissed her one more time. “How would you like me to take you, Gabriella?”

  Gabby thought back to her books, to the ways the different men had fucked the women; to how the women had reacted to each position. She looked up at him and bit her bottom lip. She wanted to say it, but she was afraid the words wouldn’t come out of her mouth.

  As if he read her mind he stared down at her, his desire as evident as her own. He stood and their gazes locked. Her body quaked with need as he said, “Bend over the bed, Gabriella.”

  She gave him a saucy grin and stood, then turned and bent, spreading her legs to give him a full view of her quim.

  “Goodness, those books of yours are very educational. You know just the position to get into.”

  She laughed and then moaned softly when he slapped her bum twice on both sides. She couldn’t help but think of the story he’d told her, of the woman who appreciated it when he spanked her. If it produced the pleasure she felt right now, she could understand why she enjoyed it.

  “Do you like that, Gabby?” He slapped it twice more on each side and she nodded, afraid to trust her voice.

  “Answer me. I want to hear you say it.”

  His hand came down three more times on each side.

  “I like it, Fergus,” her voice hitched as he slapped again, and again. Each time he struck her behind he would gather part of it in his hands and squeeze gently. Then he would move to the other side. The sensations were very erotic and Gabby squealed in delight. When her behind was starting to burn slightly he slapped her ass repeatedly and she moaned her approval. Then he turned her over, pushed her up onto the bed and settled himself between her thighs.

  “Are you sure, Gabriella? Because once I have you I don’t think I’ll be able to resist you again. I’ll want more and more and more.”

  Oh, how she wanted to know exactly what he meant. Did he want to marry her, or take her as his mistress? She was overthinking it, though. And now wasn’t the time to ask questions. She wouldn’t think about that now. She wanted him inside her. Needed him inside her.

  “Take me, Fergus.”

  She felt an uncomfortable twinge when he pushed inside; it had been so long. She took a deep breath and felt herself relax as he pushed farther inside.

  He stopped and the look he gave her told her he was concerned that he was hurting her.

  “Don’t stop,” she whispered.

  Once he was fully inside her, their gazes locked and he kissed her lips gently. When he began to move she wondered why she hadn’t told him she wanted him before now.

  He slipped his hand between them and his fingers found her center and a few minutes later she felt that wonderful feeling that came before she climaxed. Her pleasure escaped her mouth in the form of his name and he followed moments later.

  He moved his hand away and placed one on either side of her head. He started to pump her, harder and faster, and Gabby thought she just might climax again. But she didn’t. When he did, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him close, savoring the heat and the scent of their lovemaking.

  She felt safer than she ever had in her life. It was a feeling she never wanted to let go of.

  “Can I stay here forever?” Her words were soft and Fergus laughed as he gently kissed her over and over and over.

  “Did I say that out loud?”

  “You did,” he said. “And you can stay, as long as I can stay with you, Gabriella.”

  “I wish we had time to stay tonight,” he said. “But you know we have plans for later. Maybe tomorrow we can try out some things from your books, to give you practice for your writing.”

  They were still lying together, with her arms wrapped around him. “I’m sure I can figure out something we can try,” she said. “What about you, Fergus, do you have particular things in mind for us to try together?”

  “The answer is most definitely yes, Gabby. But they might be things you’ve never read about in your books.”

  * * *

  “If it starts to rain I’m going to postpone this until tomorrow night,” Fergus said as they settled on the same bench they’d been on the previous evening.

  “We can’t,” Gabby countered. “There is too much of a chance that they will move the objects in the other room.”

  “There are too many of them,” he said. “Besides, we can’t be certain that we’ll discover the truth of what is happening tonight.”

  “What are you suggesting?” she asked.

  “Nothing right now,” he said. “After we examine what is inside we should sit and talk. Maybe we should include Robert in that discussion. If these people are duping my friends by selling fakes, I want something done about it.”

  “Fergus McIntyre, the righter of wrongs,” she said. “Perhaps I should do a story on you and your friends.” She cleared her throat. “While we wait, can I ask you a question?”

  “You may,” he said.

  “Why did Charlotte tell me you were a highly sexual person?” She hoped her voice didn’t betray any of the emotion she felt. “Has she been in your bed?”

  “No,” he said. “There is something I need to talk to you about, but now is not the time.”

  Gabby felt as if her stomach had dropped to her feet. She’d slept with him, and it was obvious he had other lovers. She would be his mistress, something she’d told herself she would never do. Of course there was still time to back out, but being with him tonight made the decision harder.

  “It’s not what you’re thinking,” he said. “I need more time to discuss it with you, but tonight we need to focus on the house where our friend is currently exiting.”

  Gabby looked up and saw the woman coming down the steps of the townhouse. She silent cursed herself for not watching more closely. She’d been too worried about Fergus, and sex, to pay attention to what was really happening. She wouldn’t allow herself to lapse again.

  When she was gone, Fergus reached into his pocket and pulled out a few long pieces of metal.

  “You can get through the lock?” she asked.

  “It depends on whether it’s a Detector,” he said. “Those new type locks are difficult to get through. But it if takes nothing more than a skeleton key, which I hope is all it is, I can get us in.”

  “Then let us try before it gets too late and someone comes back,” she said.

  They hurried across the street and Gabby was grateful for the amount of cloud cover there was tonight. It meant less chance of being discovered.

  “Sit on the steps while I work,” he said.

  Gabby followed his instructions without arguing. She didn’t like the idea of not being in the action, but she knew nothing about picking locks, and if she got in the way and things turned bad it would be her fault.

  She watched the street as Fergus worked, shifting her gaze from one side to the other, looking for someone who might disrupt them. It was moments later when Fergus said, “Got it.”

  “I guess it wasn’t this Detector you thought it was,” she said as they went into the townhouse.

  “No, that lock came out in the 1850s, but some people are still holding out because they are an expensive item.” He shut the door behind them.

  “But if they keep your belongings safe, then it would be a good investment,” Gabby said.

  They walked toward the room where they’d found the artifacts. Gabby put her hand on the door and turned the knob. It was unlocked.

  “I wish there was more light,” he said. He pulled two candles fro
m his pocket and lit them both. After he’d given her one he said, “Let’s make quick work of this. See if there is anything else in the other boxes.”

  She went to work and found nothing but smaller statues in the boxes she searched. “Are you finding anything?” she asked.

  “Nothing that we haven’t already seen,” he said. “Small statues that I am sure have meaning, but I don’t know what it is.”

  “Should we take another?” she asked.

  But before he could answer the front door slammed shut.

  “Damn bitch forgot to lock the door again,” a male voice said.

  “You’re angry with her about not locking the door when you forgot the money box?” another male voice said. “You’re both slacking.”

  “Bugger off,” the first voice said.

  Gabby blew out her candle and Fergus did the same. They stayed in place, and when they heard the footsteps go past them she wasn’t surprised that the men hadn’t noticed the little bit of light coming out from under the door. They were too busy trading snipes.

  Another door opened and closed, and Gabby crawled over to where she had last seen Fergus.

  “We should go,” she said.

  “Not yet,” he whispered. “If they are here only to pick up their money, then they should leave fairly quickly.”

  Gabby sat down next to him and leaned into his chest. “This wasn’t in the plan.”

  “It proves they are the pickpockets you were looking for,” he said. “Of course, they are more than that. I don’t know a police officer. Do you?”

  “No,” she said. “When they’ve gone we should leave, and tomorrow we should go to the opening of the exhibit and talk to your friend some more.”

  “Agreed,” he said. They sat in silence, and Gabby wasn’t sure how long they’d been in the room before the two men left. One of them said to make sure the door was locked, and she worried they wouldn’t be able to get out the door.

  “I’ll protect you, no matter what,” he said.

  She believed him, and she got on her knees and kissed him.

  “Save that for later,” he said as he stood. He offered her his hand and helped her up. “Want to take a souvenir?”

  “No,” she said. “I just want to go home.”

  “Which home?” he asked. “Mine, or yours?”

  “Yours,” she said. “Although…”

  “I understand,” he said. “I’m sure you’re sore. Tomorrow will be soon enough for me to fuck you again.”

  It was almost frightening to her how well he could read her. But then again, that was a good thing. She just wanted to find a time to continue the conversation they’d started earlier. She was eager to hear what he had to say.

  * * *

  When Gabby woke the next morning she was alone. She had barely sat up in the bed when a maid entered and curtsied. A footman followed and sat a suitcase on the floor. He left quickly and did not glance in Gabby’s direction.

  “Shall I draw a bath, milady?”

  Gabby nodded and when the woman went to leave she stopped her.

  “I’m not a lady.” She blushed as she stood there, naked except for the sheet that she had wrapped around her.

  “To Lord McIntyre you are.”

  Gabriella laughed out loud as the woman left the room.

  Once the bath was drawn she settled herself into the water, wincing as her behind slid under the surface. She was sore from the lovemaking, but it was a soreness that she savored. She and Fergus had cuddled during the night, and he’d told her that he was going to send a servant for her things in the morning. That, she knew, was what was in the suitcase.

  Either that or it was another gift from Charlotte.

  Gabby smiled as she thought about their lovemaking from the night before. He’d convinced her that spankings could be erotic, and every flinch brought up wonderful memories of the night before, of Fergus’ lips, his wonderful manhood and the way he held her in his arms while he was inside her.

  Those thoughts caused her to still. Now that he’d brought her things to his house it was obvious to her she would be his mistress. There was no way a woman of her station could dream of being with a man of Fergus’ station.

  She’d promised herself that she would never do something like that, never allow herself to be a kept woman. She knew it would mean that she belonged to him. That she was trading her body for security. But was that true? Was it a trade? She knew that the buds of love bloomed in her heart. If Fergus left her she would be devastated.

  Then her mind took another track. Did she have to be his mistress? She could do her writing and if it took off she would be able to support herself and they could just be lovers. But, truthfully, she needed to talk with him. She’d made a major mistake in the first part of her life, and she wouldn’t do it again. She wondered how he felt about her and what he was thinking this morning.

  She settled in for a soak and then smiled moments later when Charlotte’s voice filled the hallway.

  The door flew open and Charlotte stepped inside, a huge grin on her face.

  “Good morning, Charlotte.”

  “Morning? It’s almost one, Gabby. You must hurry because we have an appointment with a seamstress at two-thirty. Then I want to hear all about it. Every last, luscious detail.”

  “Seamstress?”

  “Yes. Fergus told me that in his haste to get you naked last night he ruined my dress.”

  Gabby blushed furiously. “He told you that?”

  “Well, he told us, Dalton and myself.”

  “I can’t believe it,” Gabby buried her face in her hands, even as a smile spread across her face. “How could he tell you that?”

  Charlotte laughed. “We’re all very close. Now, hurry and bathe. The case has some of your clothing.”

  Charlotte entered the bedroom and her voice trailed through to the bathing room.

  “He’s ordered us to buy at least five dresses. I’m thinking bright colors that will show off your beautiful black hair. Fergus loves blue so we’ll make sure that a dress in blue is ready for the ball at our house on Saturday.”

  “Charlotte, I can’t attend your ball,” Gabby said as she entered the bedroom.

  “Nonsense. If you refuse, Fergus will be angry. Of course, then he may spank your bottom.”

  Gabby gasped at the knowing look that Charlotte gave her. “You know? How?”

  “He didn’t tell me if that’s what you’re worried about, Gabby. But my husband disciplines me also. And spanks me for pleasure. I recognize the glow that comes from a good spanking.”

  Gabby wasn’t sure exactly what to say, so she kept her mouth closed.

  “Hurry and dress. There’s a meal waiting downstairs and then we can shop to our heart’s content.”

  * * *

  Several hours later, Gabby was exhausted. Being poked and prodded by dressmakers with her arms stuck straight out was tiring. She’d selected two evening dresses and three day dresses, all in beautiful bright colors. She’d also bought a beautiful light pink ready-made dress for the affair at the museum and was happy to hear that the Essexes were accompanying them to the event. She almost felt as if she belonged to the group.

  Charlotte had ordered the matching underclothes, slippers and other accessories over Gabby’s objections.

  “Fergus would be very angry with me if I didn’t,” she whispered in Gabby’s ear.

  They finished at the dressmakers’ and made their way to a teahouse. Gabby had enjoyed the afternoon but part of her missed the newspaper office. She wondered what was happening, what story McNutt was destroying this time.

  Their entrance caused heads to whirl about as ladies tried to decide the identity of the woman with Lady Essex. Ladies of Charlotte’s station would not know who Gabby was. Part of her was happy about that. They wouldn’t know her history. Not yet anyway.

  As they talked about Charlotte’s children and her various parties Gabby wanted desperately to ask her what she’d said about know
ing how sexual Fergus was. Each time she opened her mouth to ask the question Charlotte would bring up something else about the life of a lady. Gabby sighed as she listened to her. Experiencing the life of a lady was something she would never do. She had taken her first steps today as Fergus’ mistress, allowing him to purchase clothes for her.

  By this afternoon, the ladies who were watching her would know that Lord McIntyre was outfitting his new mistress under the tutelage of Lady Essex. The next time she walked into a teahouse all the ladies would know who she was. She would be a scarlet woman, and she wasn’t exactly sure how she felt about that.

  Chapter 7

  The walkway leading to the museum was lined with gas lamps and Gabby marveled at the illusion they created. It was just dusk and the lighting provided a wonderfully eerie atmosphere for an exhibit that included a mummy.

  Robert stood near the door, greeting guests. He kissed Gabby’s cheek with a murmured, “Miss Saunders, a pleasure to see you again,” before he shook Fergus’ hand.

  Fergus introduced Lord and Lady Essex and the foursome was directed to the upper floor, where the exhibit awaited them.

  The academic crowd that had gathered didn’t stare at her as she walked side by side with a member of the nobility. Several other lords and ladies were present, however, as well as a duke who had funded the dig where the artifacts were located.

  Gabby’s fingers itched to go upstairs and examine the artifacts, to see if they were like the ones they’d seen at the house on Blimpton Road.

  Fergus squeezed her hand to let her know he knew what she was thinking. She smiled at him and he raised his eyebrows.

  “Behave yourself,” he whispered, “or I might make you go without tonight after we get home.”

  Gabby put her hand over her mouth to hide her smile, because she knew it wasn’t true. He was as eager to be inside her as she was to have him inside. He’d told her that while they were in the carriage on the way over. It had been hard to keep her hands off him. She was sure they would make up for it later, when they were at home.