Courting Miss Hughes

Chapter 19

Arthur would never lay a hand on a woman, but right now he wanted to fly out of the closet and throttle this particular one. Her behavior towards Katherine made him beyond furious.

Katherine on the other hand was more levelheaded than him, who simply said "Thank you for your concern, dear cousin. I'll be sure to keep your advice in mind. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to folding my clothes."

Once Eleanor had left, Katherine locked her chamber door again and released Arthur from his uncomfortable confinement.

"How could you allow her to do that?" Asked Arthur.

"Allow who?" asked Katherine "You mean Eleanor? It is only a dress, I don't see any reason why she can't borrow it."

"I do not mean the dress, I meant how can you let her berate you like that?" He was clearly irked.

"If you haven't already noticed, let me clarify for you" She said using his earlier words "there is no point in quarreling with my cousins, it only makes their retaliation worst. When our sham engagement is over, I'll be left again at their mercy, thus its best not make matters disagreeable."

"Besides, nothing she said was untrue. Her method of delivering it might have been a little unpleasant, but I cannot find any falsehood in her statements. Although she shouldn't have spoken about mistresses. I thought ladies are supposed to not know of such things or they are expected to feign ignorance on such matters." Arthur was dumbfounded by her nonchalance, he had expected her to lash back with her willful tongue.

"I thought you to be quite a headstrong girl, never knew you were such powerless chit." If this was meant to rouse her anger, he surely succeeded at it.

"I am not sure what you think of me, but I am certainly not powerless. I just have a composed head, and know not to pick battles that I cannot win." She replied in a tart tone.

"Now, there is the vixen I know" He said with a smug smile.

"Pardon me, but do you always use such flattering names for your female acquaintances? No doubt you still haven't managed to woe anyone." She was playing with fire.

"My failure to procure a wife certainly isn't due to lack of my charm I assure you." He said inching closure

"That maybe, but I'll have you know there is no point in arguing with my cousin, she probably thinks our engagement is a result of us being found in a compromising position in the stables, and she is not wrong." He could see why she would make a good teacher, she certainly acted like a headmaster with her lectures "Further, she is also right in thinking that you would've never noticed me had it not been for the said incident. We are from different classes, you and I. You are a future marquess and I, simply a daughter of a country reverend, everyone knows that aristocracy does not marry gentry, without a compelling reason, in this scenario, a scandal."

"And what about her claim of my having one or two mistresses? as a friend you could have at-least defended my character." Arthur questioned.

"I do not mean to pry in your personal affairs, but I believe that assumption to be true as well. I might be naive in certain ways but even I know it isn't uncommon for men of nobility to have such dalliances." She replied.

"Ah, then you must think me a rake as well" He stepped closer with an irate expression, and she reverted backwards, with her back now touching the edge of the bureau.

"you certainly kiss like one" She replied blatantly. If he meant to corner her, she wasn't gonna make it easy.

"I do not kiss like a rake, you would know that if you weren't so inexperienced." he said mockingly. His hands were now placed on both sides of her, caging her in.

"I have kissed a gentleman, and that is how I know the difference." She reciprocated his mockery with equal vigor.

"Well then, let me enlighten you, with the difference between the two." His lips hovered dangerously closed "Since you have never been kissed by a rake before."

Just like that his lips were on hers, it was a frenzied kiss, one borne of recklessness and passion. No matter how much time it took, he was determined to make her kiss him back this time. When she hadn't kissed him back the first time they locked lips, it had almost felt like a rejection. He wanted to know if she found him just as arousing, as he found her.

The sudden onslaught of his lips took her by shock, but once it subsided she responded by matching the rhythm of his lips with her own. She had such soft, luscious lips, moulding them with his, only set him afire. The more he kissed her the more he wanted. He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, while his other hand tilted her head so he can access her mouth better.

He slowly trailed down his lips from her mouth to her neck. He intend to continue his journey southward, then he heard her moan. She had accused him of being a rake, it was only fair he showed her what rakes were like. He took this opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth, to taste her fully. This was too shocking for Katherine to bear, she tore herself away. "That's enough" she said with a ragged breathe. Her cheeks were inflamed with a crimson blush.

"I hope that clarifies what rakes are like" He said smugly "But if you ever need me to re-demonstrate, I will be more than happy to assist you."