A Bluestocking for the Wicked Duke – Extended Epilogue

A Short While After

The sweet scent of lemonade drew Joane’s attention back from watching her twins march away excitedly. She was already fully dressed for the occasion but their constant bickering over who could wear which sweater had their nanny bring them to her for help. Joane finally got them to wear one by proving to them that both sweaters were exactly the same. One just had a feminine design so Alexandria had to wear that while her twin brother, Alexander wore the other. They still argued as the nanny returned them into the chambers. Joane smiled, she didn’t know that twins could be this troublesome till she had hers.

“We need to get to the ball,” she soliloquized.

Imagine being late for a ball you are hosting.

She had dealt with the first problem. Her children were ready now and would be back in a short while. She couldn’t go into the hall without William. And she had not seen her husband since he got off the bed that morning. He said he was going to organize the stewards to prepare for the ball but Joane guessed some other official duty had entrapped him. The past three years, after full assumption of the role of the Duke, had made Joane realise a Duke had so much to do that she didn’t even know. A lot of times, William’s responsibilities spilled off to her. There were many a time when she had to act as the escort of the official from the King on his tour around Wellington because William was too busy.

Joane looked into the huge mirror William had just placed in the sitting room. Motherhood had made her put on little weight although she was starting to lose it again, three years after she had her twins. Her glistening hair was past her shoulders. She pulled at it gently. She wanted to cut it, even if just to take it above her shoulders, but William refused.

“You are even more beautiful this way,” he would say.

Joane wondered if it was worth the stress. Her green gown was picked to match the suit William would wear. It fit her immaculately.

The clock chimed, drawing Joane’s gaze. It was 1 o’clock. She and William were officially late for their own ball. Joane turned and walked to the door. She pushed it open. The coach was at the base of the stairwell, waiting for her, William and their children. Joane walked down and stopped in front of the coach. Frank, a young lad, was the new driver and was looking forward, oblivious of her presence. Joane walked to the back of the carriage. It was a brand new one, a gift from her father. Her father had not become a complete gentleman but the fire had made him and William close, they were friends.

The hard gallop of a horse made Joane raise her eyes. It was William. He halted his stallion just in front of her, smiling as he got down.

“Why are you smiling? We are going to be late,” she said.

“That is exactly why I’m smiling. I knew you would say that,” he replied.

His beard was shining; sweat had sipped between the hair strands. Joane took her mind off the allure of his appearance. Her skin prickled, in defiance of the decision she inwardly made. His smile showed glowing teeth and the pink of his tongue.

That tongue that paints shrilling patterns on my skin, no one knows it wriggles faster than a dervish’s feet.

Joane remembered the pleasure the pink bud evoked when William dipped it in the dip between her legs the night before. She fought the promise of gratification that his shrouded mouth offered. William, as if reading her mind, pecked her cheek before he ran up the steps, imprinting a warm sensation on the spot his lips touched. As he got to the top floor, the entrance opened and the twins waddled out.

“Pa, we are going to be late,” Alexandria said.

Always the advocate, that girl.

William bent down to greet them. He had not seen them since he woke up. His son put his hand on his father’s chin, his tiny fingers hardly able to wrap round the stump of hair.

“Leave them William. And you do need to clean up fast,” Joane shouted to him.

He turned back and winked at her, causing her to smile despite her attempt to keep a straight face.

“I’ll be done in a jiffy,” he replied.

He walked in the door as the nanny led the twins down the stair well. Alexander walked straight to his mother and making her to lift him into her arms. Joane worried about his shoes staining her gown but she was reluctant to drop him. She didn’t.

“Mr. Frank, good morning,” Alexandria shouted.

She had walked to the front of the coach and curtseyed in an amateurish manner. Frank laughed and replied her.

“Good morning, Alexandria, how are you?” he asked.

Alexandria answers were drowned out by complaints as she struggled with Miss Anne, their nanny, who was trying to get her into the carriage. Joane smiled as her daughter struggled in futility against Miss Anna’s stronger arms. She stopped struggling when Joane lifted her and place her on her other lap, beside her brother.

“The two of you are too heavy to sit on my laps,” Joane told them.

“Xander is. I weigh far less than he does,” Alexandria was quick to say.

“That isn’t true,” Alexander replied.

“It is.”

“It’s not. It’s not right?” he directed to his mother.

Alexandria was bigger than her brother but Joane would not risk war by pointing that out.

“Of course not, you both weigh the same,” she answered, drawing a smile from Miss Anne.

The entrance of the house flung wide open, William walked out from inside. The sun seemed to focus on him in that instant, the gold of his hair and beard holding its rays captive.

I cannot get tired of looking at this man.

Joane looked to her side and felt jealousy creep in

Miss Anne still has her eyes riveted on him.

She pushed away the absurd emotion. Her husband was a very handsome man; she didn’t blame the nanny for a moment of distraction. William walked down the stairs and greeted the driver before he came into the coach. The strong rose scent preceded him.

“Papa,” Alexandria shouted and jumped off Joane’s laps onto William’s

He smiled and balanced her, ensuring that her feet were away from his clothes. His extended a palm to Joane’s fist, giving it a light squeeze. Joane smiled.

The carriage moved slowly at first, keeping steady till it went out of their compound. The pace increased once they were out in the street.

At the pace we are moving, it will take nearly an hour to get to Buckingham.

“Were the decorations finished when you left?” Joane asked William.

This year’s Wellington ball was being held in Buckingham. Joane’s father never hosted any balls so William decided to do something new and host the ball together with Duke Nicholas in Buckingham. Her father had refused the idea at first but William pestered till he accepted. Joane loved the idea. It was a sign of the unity that existed between both families now, after the marriage.

“They were almost complete but the stewards were still working on it. It would have been completed,” he responded.

“Did you see father?” Joane asked.

“I did. He is expecting you.”

Alexander’s small, tapping palm lowered her gaze to him.

“What of grandma?” he asked.

“She has left for the ball, son. She’ll be waiting for us,” Joane replied.

The answer pacified him and even had an effect on his sister as they both kept mum for a while before falling asleep at virtually the same time. Joane said nothing, sparing looks at her dashing husband intermittently during the trip.

She knew they were at Buckingham when she saw closed stalls beside the road. They were on the road to her house.

The humongous gate that hadn’t stopped daunting her was the first sight that greeted her. It had garnered a bit of brown over the years, showing the presence of rust. There were carriages everywhere. She looked at the corner where the stable was and was not surprised to see it was completely full.

The stewards will have a lot of work on their hands.

Their carriage slowed down and rode to a stop when they got to the front of the house. Joane could not see the stairs through the other window. She shook Alexander, waking him up from his sleep before handing him over to Miss Anne. Alexandria was already awake though still drowsy but was taken out by her father. Joane got down and looked at the stairway, the decorations were amazing.

There was a splattering of petals at the sides of each step, with boughs of green and white flowers attached to the banisters. Joane waited for her husband to get set before stretching out her arm, taking William’s arm at elbow link before they walked up the stairs. The stewards opened the doors for them as they made to come in.

The hall was glorious. Joane drew near to her husband and spoke into his ear.

“This is amazing, William. You did a great job.”

William smiled and leaned into her before speaking.

“It wasn’t really me. Regina came over from Bolton, she and mother helped in the decorations,” he answered.

“I have to thank them for a job well done,” she replied.

The hall was full with guests. Everyone stopped talking as William and Joane walked in. The twins had awoken completely now, Joane was sure as she could hear their excited chattering behind her. Only the instruments played, the rest of the hall was dead quiet. There were chills running through her skin, every eye was on them. Joane looked into the eyes of the guests; she was searching for her friends.

She saw a lot of familiar faces; some were faces she had only seen once in her life, during her wedding. They were dignitaries and people of ton but she couldn’t know them all. She didn’t even know most of them, they had been identified by their titles then but she had forgotten most of the titles.

Joane was about to take her gaze forward when her eyes caught a familiar face. It was Esther, Esther Wembley. She was holding the hand of a very tall man.

That has to be Andrew, her husband.

Joane smiled to her. Esther caught her gaze and waved gently with her big fan.

They walked to the middle of the hall before the music stopped. William turned her to face him in the ready stance for the first dance. Joane looked over his shoulder; she had not seen her father. The music was serene, like a current from the soft flapping of a butterfly’s wings. The music was having an effect on her, causing her to yearn to close the distance between her husband and her. But William’s grip was firm; he turned and bent her, his skill at dancing as unmatched as his fencing. Joane caught a familiar face just as William turned her, it looked like the Duke. She danced carefully; the multiple eyes on them caused her to be pent up with tension.

William turned again, making her turn with him and returning her to the former position. She looked into the crowd and saw her father. He caught her gaze and smiled. Joane smiled back. Beside him was the Regent Duchess Henrietta.

These two would make such a couple.

Joane dropped her gaze, grinning at the silliness of her thoughts. The tune from the violin rose up in pitch and William drew her into his embrace. His grip on her waist was tight, pressing into her and reminding her of the heat he gave off, the heat that had radiated into her. Joane felt his breath on her neck, soft and caressing. There was a growing tide of want from inside, breaking but swelling as it hit her body.

If he could just dip lower and place his mouth where his breath touches.

Joane held tight to his back. Her fingers mapped out his muscles, the etching of his muscular back. She placed her hand on the jut of bone that broke the smooth line his back was. William drew her even closer, pressing her bosom into his chest.

“You will make me lose control,” William whispered into her ear.

Joane smiled.

I have already lost control.

“You would be providing the ton with juicy talk till the end of the season. The Duke of Wellington attempts to undress his wife in the middle of the dance. How about that for interesting gossip?” she replied.

It was really funny to William because he laughed out and had to hide his face in her hair. He lost a bit of fluidity in his steps and took the next two seconds getting back in step.

“How do you still have this effect on me after four years of marriage?” he asked her.

Joane blushed.

“It’s wonderful knowing I still hold such an allure to my darling husband,” Joane replied.

“It’s more than an allure, Joane,” he said. His voice was deep with strained edges. “It’s a spell.”

I only hear him speak like this when we are alone.

“Well if it’s any respite, you make me feel just the same,” Joane told him.

The violinist was the only one playing now, the final line in the tune drew slowly to an end. Joane hung closer to her husband and fused her body with his as the dance ended. There was a loud applause but William and Joane still held each other for the first few seconds. William was the first to draw back, jolting Joane’s mind back to the hall. They curtseyed to the clapping audience and walked away from the center, joining the crowd.

Joane felt a small tug at her shoulder. Still holding William, she turned to see her mother-in-law.

“Mother,” she said before hugging the woman briefly.

“I left home a few moments after William. I guessed they would need my help here and they did,” Duchess Henrietta said.

“Thank you very much, I checked your room and I was told you had left. The twins even asked of you,” Joane replied.

“Where are they?” Duchess Henrietta said. She turned around to search for her grandchildren.

Joane didn’t bother looking around. Miss Anne would have taken them somewhere they couldn’t be up to any of mischief.

Good luck with that, Anne.

“They are with Miss Anne, probably somewhere in the house,” Joane replied.

“Mother,” William said behind her.

He leaned across Joane and pecked his mother on the cheek. Duchess Henrietta’s skin had flaked over the years, old age was taking its toll but she was still beautiful, Joane prayed for the umpteenth time that she aged as gracefully as William’s mother.

“I saw you with Duke Nicholas a few moments ago,” William said.

William’s mother smiled.

“Yes, he went to attend to some things. I need to find him too, he owes me a dance,” she said and turned around, moving into the crowd to look for her dance partner.

Joane caught William’s gaze on her.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Could you have ever thought my mother and your father would share a dance?”

Joane shook her head and laughed.

“Not in this lifetime,” she replied.

A host of dignitaries came to meet them. William remembered most of their names and titles, Joane just repeated after her husband.

It is his responsibility to remember them, so I can give myself a pass on that.

After a period when no one came to them, William started walking away from the center of the hall, dragging Joane with him.

“Where are you going?” she asked him.

“James and Emma, they might have arrived. I haven’t seen them,” he replied.

His words were like a splash of cold water. Joane remembered that she had been so keen on seeing her friend. She had not seen Emma for almost a year now. Emma had married Lord James two years ago and that had halted her regular visits to Wellington to see Joane. She visited once a while, most of the time coming over with her husband. But both of them had not come over to Wellington for a while and William had been too busy to go over to Eusten. He had hoped to see his friend during the ball, just as she had.

Joane looked towards the door but she could hardly see, she was too short to see past so many people. William had his gaze there. He was tall enough, of course he would see past the sea of heads. William suddenly started walking quickly towards the door. Joane quickened her steps to keep up with her husband.

“Why are you walking so fast?” she asked.

“I see them. They just arrived.”

They were at the door and Emma was the first one Joane saw. Emma saw her immediately too, telling her husband to look their way. Joane held herself back from breaking into a run for the few steps it took to get to her friend. When the two couples met each other, there were smiles everywhere.

William took Emma’s gloved hand and kissed it as Lord James did Joane’s. Then the two pair of friends faced each other. Joane hugged her friend tightly. Emma’s strong arms wrapped around her too, but couldn’t reach around. The men moved a bit to the side, giving their wives a small berth.

“You have gotten bigger woman,” Emma squealed. “My arms do not reach completely around you anymore.”

Joane blushed.

“Wellington has good food, I guess. And majority of this,” Joane said, pointing to the small flap of skin under her arms, “Is as a result of having twins. I have started to lose weight though.”

Emma laughed.

“You still look great. Your beauty refuses to ebb,” Emma said.

Joane blushed.

“Stop the flattery, Emma. It has been so long since we’ve seen, how are you?” Joane asked.

Emma moved backwards and twirled gently.

“You tell me, how do I look?” Emma asked her.

“You look happy.”

“I am happy. I didn’t know marriage would be so interesting, if I did I would have brought James up to scratch long before I did,” Emma said.

Joane laughed.

“Your sharp mouth is still the same, I see.”

“James says if everything about me changes, my mouth will remain as sharp,” Emma replied.

Joane shook her head.

Emma had not changed one bit.

The music had started once again and couples were moving to the dance floor. Joane looked over to her husband and caught his gaze.

“I guess we’ll continue our discussion after the dance,” Emma said.

“Yes, it’s a shame but that’s correct,” Joane replied.

William walked over to them and stood beside his wife. He extended his hand to Emma.

“Would you allow me this dance, Mrs. Emma Pardew?”

Joane did not expect that. She smiled when she saw Emma glance furtively to her husband. Emma took William’s palm and they walked to the middle of the hall. Lord James walked to stand beside Joane.

“I guess that leaves the two of us,” he said.

Joane looked up to him. She saw a grey streak embedded in the brown of his hair.

Or is it the effect of the lighting?

Regardless of what it was, Lord James was aging too, just like her husband. There were creases at the side of his eyes that had not been there when she had married William.

“Yes, it does,” she replied.

“So would you give me one dance, Lady Joane?” he said.

“Of course.”

His grip was firm, unfamiliar, much unlike the strong grip-soft touch her husband’s grip was. Lord James bowed to her before moving in front of her and placing his hand behind her back. He didn’t press his hand into her skin like William, just barely holding her in place with his open palm. His face was stoic; Joane could see the intense concentration he was placing in every move.

William would be at so much ease. He and Lord James are so different, how are they so close?

“Would it be too much to let me into what takes your thoughts so?” Lord James said.

Joane blushed.

“It’s nothing, my mind wasn’t too far. I was just observing you and I came to the conclusion that you and my husband are so different, how come you are so close?” she said.

This dance was short and the tune was already nearing end. She was drawn closer into Lord James embrace. Joane turned to the side, she saw William and Emma. Emma was talking and William was listening. She saw it in the tightness of his mouth and the way he gazed at a distant object, William was holding back a laugh.

Emma has said something funny again.

The dance had come to an end. Lord James held her in front of him. He bent close to her ear.

“We are close because unlike attracts. And you are right, we are very different,” he said.

He drew back again and bowed. Joane was not even upright from her curtsey when Emma drew her away. She turned back and saw Lord James walk to her husband.

Emma led her out of the front door to the garden. They sat on the one of the huge rocks William had ordered to be installed as decoration when the house was being rebuilt.

“So tell me Emma, how is life as a Countess?” Joane asked.

“There are too many restrictions, Joane. I can’t speak this way, dress that way, it is frankly tiring.”

Joane laughed and tapped her friend on the arm.

“I thought you said you were happy.”

“I am happy. You asked about my life as a Duchess, you didn’t ask about my life as James’ wife,” Emma replied.

Joane smiled.

“Surely problems will always pop up but we will always push past them. Have you ever thought about this? I have come to the conclusion that the deadly duel that happened between your father and William is ultimately the best thing that could have ever happened to us,” Emma said.

Joane raised her brows in surprise.

“That’s a big declaration, Emma,” Joane replied.

“Think about it, Joane. If your father hadn’t cheated your husband then he probably wouldn’t be your husband now. You wouldn’t have those two beautiful kids you have now.”

Emma’s words caught on to Joane in the last sentence. She thought about her life since she met William, their wedding, the birth of the twins, the death of his father and how it had brought out the fragile underside behind the hard exterior William always had, the completion of her father’s new house in Buckingham.

Those are moments I will never exchange for anything in the world.

“I think you are right. I have just never thought about that before,” Joane said.

“I am right. I for one am grateful to your father for cheating your husband out of his win,” Emma said, grinning. “And almost killing him in the process.”

Joane laughed and slapped Emma playfully on her shoulders. The laughter welled up, bringing tears to her eyes.

“You need to bridle your mischievous mouth,” Joane said.

Emma smiled.

“I have a surprise for you,” Emma said.

Joane looked into her friend’s eyes. There was a twinkle in them.

It could be something mischievous, maybe a prank.

“What is it?” Joane said warily.

“Why don’t you guess?”

Joane thought about what it could be. Nothing came to mind.

“Tell me,” Joane said.

Emma blushed as she was about to speak.

This will be something big.

“I might have a bundle of trouble on the way too, maybe two,” Emma said.

“You are a bundle of trouble. Why do you need one more? Lord James doesn’t need it, that’s for sure,” Joane replied cheekily.

“You do not understand,” Emma replied.

Joane cocked her head in a slant angle.

Bundle of trouble, could it be?

Her eyes popped open. Emma looked into her eyes and nodded her head.

*******The ride home was even slower. William was thankful that Frank drove at that pace. His body was too tired for the bumpy ride of a quick pace. He had spent almost the entire evening talking with Lord James. Lord James was a happy man.

He’s just as happy as I am.

William never thought marriage could be so good to them.

And to think I once felt I would never get married.

The twins were on the side opposite him and Joane. Both of them had fallen asleep and had their heads on the Miss Anne’s laps. William drew close to his wife. She turned to him with smiling, happy eyes and took his right hand between her hands.

“The day went wonderfully well,” William said.

“More than wonderful,” Joane responded.

William saw Miss Anne’s head droop, she was falling asleep too. Joane saw it too because she wriggled even closer into William’s arms, resting her head on his chest. He felt her hot breath through the space of his button holes, caressing tiny spots on his skin. One hand surreptitiously squeezed between the open slit in his shirt, rubbing his skin, the hand forayed dangerously southward, twirling and pulling at the sparsely spread hair. There was a speedy growth occurring further down to where her hand was, pushing stubbornly against the fabric of his breeches. William pushed Joane’s chin up and fused their lips together. Their kiss was quiet, tentative and roaming. William breathed in the heady rosy smell that was always with Joane. He couldn’t wait till they got home.

Miss Anne’s leg shook, causing Joane to ease off William. The nanny was still asleep but Joane’s hand no longer forayed. Her head just remained on William’s chest.

When they got home, William picked up his son while his wife carried their daughter. They shook Miss Anne awake as they alighted. They carried their children into their room and laid them on their beds. William walked out first; his wife closed the door behind him. He walked into his room and sat on the bed. Joane entered, the door shutting behind her. She stood in front of her husband.

“I didn’t see my mother before I left,” William said.

“I did. She left before us. I was escorting Emma to Lord James when she got into the landau coming home. I even saw it downstairs before we came upstairs,” Joane replied.

William nodded. He wrapped his hands around her waist and drew her to him. Joane placed both her legs on the bed and sat on William’s lap. William opened the buttons at the front of her gown. His eyes caught the creamy skin of her breasts beneath her shift. William kissed her. He poked his tongue through her open mouth and tasted her. Their kiss started out like a blacksmith’s bellows, soft and easy at first, fast and furious after a little time. William bit down on her lower lip ing a drawing a small squeal from Joane. She suddenly shot her hand down and grabbed his growing member.

“Woah, take it easy,” he said.

Joane pouted her lips while rubbing his member between her fingers. William felt pleasure sprout out from the rubbing motion till it reached the ends of his appendages. She stopped and put her hands around his neck.

“I have good news to give you. I don’t think Lord James would have remembered to tell you,” Joane told him.

“What is it?”

“Emma is pregnant,” Joane said.

William looked at his wife’s eyes. There was no jest in them, she was serious.

“He did forget to inform me,” William said.

“I guessed so because you would have mentioned it if he did,” Joane replied.

“So what does this tell us?” William said.

Joane gave him a confused stare.

“It tells us not to rest on our oars. We need to make more children,” William said.

Joane laughed then squealed as William dipped his face into the open gap in her gown that showed her bosom. William was ravenous. He pulled at the strings behind her gown, loosening the apparel and pushing it off his wife’s body. His hands were equally quick in getting rid of the shift that separated him from her shapely breasts. His mouth jumped on her nipple, nibbling and sucking, his tongue flicked at the bud in between bites. Joane held on to his head, her fingers dug into his hair. William sucked one then moved to the other, twirling the one he just left between the thick pads of his fingers.

Joane worked on the buckles of his belt, loosening it and dragging at the waistline of his breeches. William stood up, carrying her before turning around and laying her on the bed. He helped her hands, kicking off his breeches. His cock jutted out, pointing directly at Joane as if seeking her out as the bane to its hard form. She wrapped her soft fingers around him, massaging gently. William grunted in frustration at the torrents of pleasure that ran through him. He lay on her and grinded his mouth against hers.

“This is what I thought while we danced in that hall,” he spat out.

“Now you have me, do what you thought,” Joane replied.

William flicked his fingers through the wet lips of her vulva, his fingers hardly entering but rubbing against the swollen bud at the top. A moan jumped out of Joane’s mouth, making William even more eager to please. He set himself at the entrance of her swollen labia and pushed in gently. Her warmth, wetness, tightness were too much for him, William could not control the other thrusts. He pushed himself into her, drawing small moans from Joane every time he buried himself in her sweet center.

There was a roaring sound in his ears. The crashing of waves and tides, growls and grunts, William heard everything but nothing mattered. William kept driving himself into her till he felt the pleasure crash to the top. Her fingers dug into his buttocks, pushing him deeper into her. She stiffened suddenly; her husky breath dropping in pace, William still rode on. He pushed once more and there was an explosion in his head, providing a hugely satisfying wave of pleasure. His seed shot out of him, leaving him raw, limp and satisfied.

William rolled off his wife. She turned to him and pushed her chest on his, wrapping one arm around him.

“Do you ever think back and wish my father did not cheat you in that first duel?” she asked.

William peered downwards and laughed.

“What? Never.”

THE END

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