Cassie joined her fingers to his as he jerked free the bowed sash, and tugged at the strings of her petticoats.
Edward gave a shaking laugh as he clumsily helped her to rise to free her of her clothing. As her shift fell from her hips to land on her discarded skirt, Cassie hesitated and furtively crossed her hands over her thighs. She remembered starkly having overhead whispered words of two young maids when she was but twelve years old. Molly had said hoarsely, “He’ll drive it into ye and ye’ll scream with pain and bleed afore ye learn to like it.”
She realized dimly that she was afraid to give herself over to him, to lose the mystery and innocence that bound her to herself, to a self that was known and safe. She stood stiff with uncertainty, lacing her fingers tightly together.
“You needn’t fear me, Cassie. Come, look at me, love.”
She forced her eyes to his face and saw understanding there. “I’m being quite silly,” she said in a low, nervous voice.
“No, you are being you. Trust me, Cass. I’ll not take anything from you, nor would I ever hurt you. I want to give you everything that I have and that includes my passion and my body.” As he spoke, he traced her throat with his fingers, and then her breasts. He felt her quiver at his touch and drew her into his arms, closing his mouth over hers.
His fingers caressed her until she dropped her arms to her sides and leaned against him.
“Do you want me now, Cassie?”
“Yes.” She closed her hand over his caressing fingers.
He fell to his knees in front of her and she felt his eyes upon her, looking at her. His fingers touched her, and her embarrassment at his intrusion slipped away from her as his gentle caressing sent intense sensation down to her belly. His other hand was kneading her buttocks, pressing her closer to him. His fingers caressed her until at last they parted her. Cassie panted, her breathing hoarse. Her legs trembled violently, and she felt she would collapse if Edward were not holding her.
“Oh, please, Edward.” She moaned, and tugged at his shoulders.
He lifted her in his arms and laid her gently on his coat. He pulled at the buttons on his breeches, so caught up in his desire that he did not at first hear the nearing shouts.
But Cassie did. Her face paled in consternation and she scrambled to her feet, her passion turned to furious embarrassment.
Edward dropped his hands from his breeches and whirled about toward the mouth of the cave.
“Cassie! Edward! Where are you?”
“It’s Becky,” Cassie said between clenched teeth, feverishly pulling on her rumpled shift and petticoats.
“Damn that woman to the devil,” Edward said under his breath, but he too reached down to retrieve his shirt.
“Cassie! Edward!” Miss Petersham’s voice was growing closer.
“It is too bad of her. We are soon to be married, and we are not children.”
Becky Petersham was on the point of calling out again when she saw a disheveled Cassie and Edward emerge not twenty paces away from a narrow rift in the side of the cliff. She sucked in an angry breath, angry with herself for trusting in the viscount’s scruples.
The viscount appeared as pale as Cassie was flushed. She drew her lips in a tight line, her foot tapping the coarse sand.
“What a pleasure to see you, Miss Petersham,” Edward said in a tone of bland sarcasm. “You wish to explore the cave with Cassie and me?”
“I imagine that there has been sufficient exploration, my lord,” Miss Petersham snapped, her eyes narrowing on an open button of Cassie’s bodice.
“For heaven’s sake, Becky,” Cassie said, “Edward and I are to be married in two days. You are acting as if we were both ten years old. I’ll thank you to mind to your own affairs in the future.”
“You are my affair, Miss, until the day that you are married.”
“I believe everyone’s points have been clearly made,” Edward said. “Cass, Miss Petersham, may I escort you ladies back to the Hall?”