Winter Wonderland [27/12, noon]- Xmas 1677

[Charles Audley]

That pout should have been banned by international treaty.

 

"Perhaps if you ask very nicely," Charles conceded, blowing gently into her ear. He wouldn't mind making a protracted thing of their first joining. Sophia, wonderful but sadly deprived creature that she was, deserved his best.

 

He smiled as she said that she would pine for him and reached out to stroke her cheek.

 

"And you will haunt me waking and sleeping, my sweet Psyche."

 

She bloody well would too, especially if she carried on saying and doing things like that. (Charles could almost believe she was being deliberately cruel.) It felt like years since he had had release, even if it had, as a matter of fact, been at most three hours.

 

"Be very careful about making promises like that," he warned playfully. "I just might hold you to them."

 

It was just as well they left when they did. Charles could feel his self-control fraying and flattered himself that Sophia's was not much better off. He declined to take advantage of her clever little gambit but did offer her his arm as they left the grotto. There was absolutely nothing improper or objectionable in that, after all.

 

"The maze? Yes, as it happens. One of my dance partners at the ball felt faint and insisted on touring the labyrinth when I took her out for air." He glanced about the garden and murmured. "I'm at St. Marks for the moment. Can you think of anywhere suitable? If not I'll make appropriate arrangements. Rent a room somewhere or something."

[Sophia de la Cerda]

“Perhaps I will.” Her young body trembled visibly when he blew into her ear. Sophia was so hot that if she had not been surrounded by snow, she might have thought that it was summer in Venice. When he stroked her cheek, her tongue darted out, trying to lick his hand. “But it will be a sweet torment, will it not, and it will make our joining all the more precious.”

 

She did hope that once would not be enough for him and that he would want to meet her again and again. Although Juan had been her only lover, he had taught her much about lovemaking and she had learned even more through her own experimentation, which her Prince had seemed to enjoy immensely. Thanks in part to those racy Italian novels, she had become quite creative. She suspected that this handsome Earl who intrigued her so would be inventive as well.

 

“You can hold me to any promises I make,” she assured him. Even after they left the Walled Garden, she was still amorous, and it was all she could do to keep her hand from moving sensuously up and down his arm. Any kind of familiarity would be noted, and so she did nothing more than squeeze his arm lightly.

 

“Then you have seen the center? I have not been there this season yet. During the summer, the bubbling of the fountain was musical, and the water it sprayed sparkled like diamonds. There were flowers everywhere and like the Grotto, it was like a world unto itself.”

 

She pointed out a few things of interest before lowering her voice again. “I do not know many places in London. I will leave the arrangements to you.” Yet another crimson blush splashed across her cheeks and she turned her head so that her guardians would not see. “I have never done this before,” she confessed, hoping that the knowledge that he would be her first lover (or at least the first one her husband didn't know of and agree to) would not chase him away.

[Charles Audley]

Charles smiled as Sophia's tongue crept out, his index finger sliding to trace the outline of her lips. His free hand moved to rest on the small of her back.

 

"A most exquisite torture," he agreed, "but our release from it will be rapture itself."

 

Assuming, of course, that Charles did not expire of sheer frustration first. Even just having Sophia on his arm as they left the Walled Garden was keeping his blood at a simmer. If this went on much longer, he would start melting all the snow within five yards. Even their polite conversation for the benefit of their chaperones was no help, reminding him as it did of Juliana and what they had gotten up to in the maze.

 

"We found the centre, yes, after a few false starts. Winter is not the best time of year for it, though I believe you when you say it is lovely in summer." His head turned to track the flight of a bird and his voice lowered to a whisper. "We should not bother visiting, lest I give in to my urges to peel you out of that gown."

 

They continued conspiring as they walked. Charles frowned in thought.

 

"Will we have enough time to visit Chelsea or south of the Thames?"

 

Her confession drew forth an uncharacteristically gentle smile as he fought the urge to kiss her, opting instead to try to project the thought through his gaze.

 

"Oh you poor, deprived little thing. I shall have to spoil you properly to make up for lost time."

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Sophia smiled coquettishly and licked his fingers when he traced her lips. Her back arched when he placed his hand upon it, thrusting her abundant breasts upward and enhancing the cleavage peeking from the lacy neckline of her gown. She nodded when he spoke of their rapturous release, but she said nothing more. If they continued their seductive banter, she was afraid that they would not be able to stop and any further liaison between them would be impossible. They were both treading on dangerous ground, leading each other into irresistible temptation.

 

She wondered what he and the lady he had gone into the maze with had done when they reached the center, but that was none of her business. The diminutive singer knew that she would have to share him with other women and that did not bother her. It would be unfair to expect him to be faithful when she was married and in love with the Prime Minister of Spain. What she hoped for was to carve a place for herself in his heart so that she would become an integral part of his life, one that he could not live without.

 

His whispered words intensified the desire that was still coursing through her. “I wish you could.” Her voice was wistful. “I do not tolerate the cold well, but you have set me on fire and I do not think I would feel the chill, only the ecstasy of your hands and lips upon my bare skin."

 

They passed the maze, but did not go in, continuing down the pathway that led back toward the palace. “I do not know how much time we will have, but it might be better to choose somewhere nearby.” Another flirtatious smile. “I do not want to rush. If my lord husband does allow you to escort me and he agrees that I can go shopping afterward in your company, we may have time to go farther away."

 

Instead of being dismayed by her lack of experience, Lord Chatham seemed even more eager to please her. “That sounds absolutely divine. And I shall lavish you with attention and indulge your every whim.”

[Charles Audley]

"Oh you are a wicked creature, to tempt me with such images." Charles turned his head back to look at Sophia, lips curved and eye glittering. "But perhaps I should not complain. I do not find the cold with you firing my blood so."

 

Teasing and brewing sexual frustration notwithstanding, Charles was rather enjoying this little promenade. Sophia's vivacity and mischievousness appealed to the boyish side of his nature. If Charles was being honest, which he generally tried to avoid, that was the greater part of her attraction. One could select a partner for a casual bout of swiving on looks alone, but when choosing a lover Charles preferred to be more discriminating.

 

They had just passed the labyrinth when a thought struck Charles, a memory from when he had last lived in London.

 

That could work.

 

"Tell me, would the old Oriental Gazebo in the park meet with your approval?" he whispered. "It's out of the way and not the sort of place people go in winter. I could have Wodehouse stock the place with blankets, candles, some wine, things like that. It would be quite intimate."

 

He wanted to stroke her cheek as she confessed her inexperience.

 

"My only whim is to give you the worship you so rightly deserve. It is a crime against nature that a woman such as you has gone without passion in her life."

[Sophia de la Cerda]

“You have no idea how wicked I can be, and I cannot wait to show you. And when I do, I would not be surprised if all the snow in London melts around us.”

 

Sophia had thought that they had left the naughty banter behind in the grotto, but it seemed as if they could not help teasing each other. It took all her willpower to stop from moving closer to him, to press her bosom against his arm again, to lift up her head and kiss his shoulder, which was a far as she could reach without standing on tiptoe.

 

To distract herself, she continued to point out places of interest, punctuated with anecdotes about some of the things she had heard or seen. Her hand tightened slightly on his arm, but other than that small concession, she showed no sign of the desire coursing through her veins. He was absolutely intoxicating, and she rued every step that took them back toward the palace. Parting with him was going to be heartrending.

 

Sophia had already met one gentleman at the gazebo, but they had not tarried long. The thought of having a tryst there was quite appealing, as long as it wasn't too cold. The candles and blankets would help and they would be entwined together, sharing each other's body heat in the most intimate of ways.

 

She grinned up at him. “Yes, I think the gazebo will do quite nicely. I cannot imagine being cold with you to warm me. I was there only a couple of days ago and it was deserted. I just hope nobody sees the candles flickering and decides to investigate.”

 

Her gaze watched his lips as he spoke, wishing that he would kiss her again. “Such are the perils of arranged marriages. But I have found you now, my darling Eros. It is you, not him, who will hear me sing the sweetest of songs.”

[Charles Audley]

Sophia was not alone in her suffering. For Charles every moment they spent together was a test of will, the temptation to kiss or caress or otherwise take liberties a constant. Only by framing it as an investment, that by abstaining now he would be able to gorge later, did Charles find the mental fortitude to resist his impulses.

 

But my word, it is bloody hard work.

 

On the credit side, however, it seemed that they had found a suitable location for their rendezvous. Charles met Sophia's grin with one of his own.

 

"Capital. And no, I cannot imagine ever being cold in your presence." He waggled his eyebrows. "Perhaps we will see Chione melt after all, hmm?"

 

How many divine pseudonyms have we given her now? It may become difficult to keep track.

 

"And I would not worry about interlopers. The Gazebo is hidden away, and well-screened by trees. We shall be quite private."

 

Conscious that they were nearing the palace, and thus their parting of ways, Charles was feeling... sentimental. That should have been both irksome and frightening, but it was not.

 

"You are a wonder, dearest Psyche," he whispered.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Sophia didn't look back at Karl and Anna. To do so would be like admitting guilt and she did not want either of them to have anything negative to report to Esteban. She believed that Anna was loyal to her. Even though Lord Kingston and Sir Cedric had paid her wages when her mistress was under their protection, she had kept the loss of Sophia's virginity a secret and had helped her to hide the evidence. But Karl was Esteban's man, and had already been reprimanded at least once for allowing her to go out on her own. He would be looking for ways to redeem himself in his master's eyes.

 

She hoped that her acting skills were sufficient to conceal her feelings for Lord Chatham. How wonderful it would be when she could act on her desires without fear of retribution. Even though she had made promises to both Lord Arundel and Lord Winchilsea, it was Charles who had won her affection.

 

The young Baroness was not the type of lady to bestow her favors on any gentleman who took her fancy, but the one-eyed Earl had utterly captivated her with his eloquent words and ardent kisses. They were of like minds in many things and could be friends as well as lovers. Sophia was not certain if the other two gentleman truly cared for her or just wanted to add her to their list of conquests. She thought Charles' feelings for her ran nearly as deeply as hers for him.

 

“If anyone can melt Chione's cold heart, it is you,” she purred, reluctantly tearing her eyes from his lips and gazing at the snow covered beauty around them. “I came upon the opera's composer at the gazebo once, and we were later joined by another gentleman. That was during the summer, though, and on Friday, I would think everyone will be preoccupied with the snowball fight, either participating or watching.

 

“If we don't feel safe there, maybe we can go to your room? It is nearby and I can disguise myself so i won't be recognized. I have been there before to visit friends. When we meet here on Thursday morning to adorn the garden with flowers, we can finalize our plans. Maybe if you speak with my lord husband before then, he will not make me take my bodyguard with me when I meet you here."

 

They were almost at the entrance to the palace now, and she glanced at the bench they had only recently sat upon. An errant tear slid down her cheek and she turned her head toward him so that her guardians would not see. “I do not want to leave you,” she confessed.

[Charles Audley]

Charles, too, was considering the depth of his feelings. He had never been in love before, never even fooled himself into thinking he had been in love. Oh, there had been women of whom he had been more than fond, but never anything like that the poets called love. (Indeed, Charles had not infrequently declared that there was no such thing.)

 

So why, in the name of all that was sacred, was he running such risks for Sophia? A thorny problem, and Charles knew he was going to dislike the answer, regardless of what that answer turned out to be.

 

But Charles was very good at ignoring things that discomforted him, and so returned his full attention to their conversation, smiling at her purred words. The smile remained in place even as he felt a strong desire to frown at Sophia's revelation that the Gazebo was perhaps not quite so private as he remembered.

 

"If you would be more comfortable," he began, "and if you think it would be sufficiently discreet, we could just use my rooms. My sole concern in this is you, for you are running greater risks than I, and I will not have you suffer harm for my sake." He grinned, attempting to lighten the mood. "And rest assured that I will begin wooing your husband forthwith."

 

It was painful to see Sophia tear up and be unable to take her in his arms and kiss the sadness away. For a moment, Charles allowed himself the pleasure of hating Toledo and the servants.

 

"Oh, don't cry Psyche, or you shall set me off, and I can't manage it half so well as you." He sighed. "Parting company will be nothing short of the purest torture, and I will not and cannot offer any platitudes to soften the blow. But you are Diana as well as Psyche, and you have strength enough to endure until the rapturous moment of reunion."

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Sophia appreciated his concern for her reputation, but she was more worried about him. If they were discovered, what would Esteban do to him? He had killed a man who had only tried to swindle money from her. What would he do if someone told him that they had seen her entwined naked in another man's arms? Challenge him to a duel? Have him quietly assassinated? Charles was the kind of gentleman who could take care of himself, but she didn't want to purposely put him in harm's way.

 

“It is perious for both of us. I do not want you to be on the receiving end of my lord husband's wrath. But nothing worth having comes without risk and being with you is one I am willing to take.

 

“Maybe your rooms would be a better place. No one would come upon us there. We could both wear cloaks with hoods. If anyone sees us, we can pretend that I am a young relative who visited you unexpectedly. I am small enough that I can pass as a child. I will just keep my head down, as if I am shy, and let you do the talking.” She smiled up at him. “Maybe we can use the gazebo sometime this season as well. And the grotto too.”

 

The thought of Charles wooing Esteban brought back that image of her husband dressed as Venus, and she couldn’t resist teasing him. “Wooing him might be easier if you think of him as Venus.”

 

Sophia wiped away the tear, pretending she was flicking back her hair for the sake of Karl and Anna. “But it is easier for you, dearest Eros,” she said with a wan little smile. “Fewer tears come from only one eye.” Her sigh echoed his own. “It will be the most excruciating torture I have ever experienced, as will the next few days. Already my heart is aching dreadfully and you are still with me.”

 

After squeezing his arm again, she let it go and held up her hand to be kissed in farewell. “I will try. Perhaps the anticipation of being able to fully express my feelings for you will give me the strength I need to persevere. Every second that passes without you is one moment closer to being with you again.”

[Charles Audley]

Charles was more concerned about Sophia simply because he felt he was better able to deal with any consequences of them being discovered. He would have a fighting chance against Toledo's revenge, what ever form it took. Sophia was considerably more vulnerable.

 

(Charles would have found it hilarious that she did not want to purposefully put him in danger. He did it to himself all the time, and did it laughing.)

 

"My rooms then. We shall find more amenities there, if nothing else. And yes, we should be able to bluff our way past anyone we encounter." (In reality, there might be one who would see right through their deception, but Charles still blissfully assumed his stepmother would be staying at an inn if and when she came to London.) He laughed softly as Sophia proposed locales for their future assignations. "I see I shall have to fortify myself. What monster have I awakened?"

 

He laughed again at her quip.

 

"Oh, I shall need no further encouragement, for I already have the promise of fair Psyche's many charms to sustain me. How can I fail with such a reward in the balance?"

 

He ached to take her in his arms as she wiped away her tear and gave him that brittle little smile. He responded in kind and stooped to kiss her hand.

 

"I have every confidence that you have the strength. And however great our torment, it will be as nothing to the pleasure of our reunion."

 

He stood and spoke more loudly.

 

"It has been a pleasure my lady, and I thank you for your patience in putting up with my digressions. Give my regards to your lord husband, would you?"

 

 

 

 

(OOC: Fin?)

[Sophia de la Cerda]

“I do not think we will run into anyone. The halls were deserted every time I was there.” Sophia had not been to St Marks often, but she assumed by the time they got there, the other residents would either be out visiting friends or exploring the city or in their own rooms where it would be warm.

 

She grinned impishly. “I do hope the walls are not too thin.” In the gazebo, they might have been heard as well, and there was no place to hide if someone happened upon them. Hopefully, his neighbors, if he had any, were not very nosy. She wasn't exactly quiet when she was in the throes of passion.

 

“I did warn you earlier about keeping up with me,” she reminded him. “This little monster will ravish you so exquisitely that you will always come back for more.” Sophia had never been called a monster before and thought the term rather amusing, although she much preferred being called Diana, Chione, or Psyche.

 

She fervently hoped that Esteban would listen to Charles and accept his offer to escort her both to the gardens Thursday morning and to the snowball fight Friday afternoon. Perhaps they would be able to indulge their passions on both occasions if everything went well. “All of her charms will be yours to enjoy again and again if you can convince her captor to let down his guard and trust you. I have the utmost faith in your persuasive skills … and other skills that I cannot wait to experience for myself.”

 

Her hand tingled where he kissed it and her heart leapt in her chest. “Yes,” she breathed. “Our reunion will make up for all the torture of our parting.”

 

Charles said his farewells and she smiled politely, although he would still be able to see the desire in her eyes. “A pleasure indeed. I enjoyed showing you the garden and now that you know the wonders it holds, you can enjoy it at your leisure. And I will certainly give my lord husband your regards. Until we meet again, my lord.”

 

And with that, she turned and strolled into the palace, her bodyguard and maidservant following behind her. Sophia longed to look back for one more glimpse of him and to blow him a playful kiss, but she did not dare. Oh, how she hoped the days would fly by so that they could be together once more!

 

~finis~ for Sophia. Thanks to both of you for a fun thread.