Betrothed to the wrong gentleman: Historical Fiction

CHAPTER 7

Madison moaned and hunkered as Chadwick’s lips moved away from her mouth.  Fierce arrogant male triumph blazed in his eyes at his ability to arouse this fiery lady who was always trying to put him to rights.  With surprising gentleness his fingers peeled the linen off her shoulder to reveal satin smooth flesh.  A flush rose above the neckline of her dress.  His lips hot with desire, hungry to taste her forced the material out of the way so it revealed a plump shapely breast.  Madison felt the gentle breeze cooling her hot exposed flesh.  The swaying branches and rustling leaves seemed to egg Chadwick on.  Her fingers clasped at his upper arms, even through his shirt, her fingers tingled at the well defined muscles.   Chadwick’s lips dropped lower.  His tongue laved over the supple mound, releasing a soft cry from her lips.  Her fingers dug into shoulders.   Chadwick felt it like liquid heat on his aroused flesh.   Even with her brown eyes tightly shut, Madison’s head arched upwards on the soft green grass.  Trembling fingers touched his face.  Electricity ripped through her at the feel of his hair roughened flesh beneath her fingers.

‘Chadwick---Chadwick,’ she pulled him closer, her arms tightening around his neck.

The sound of her impassioned voice brought him back to his senses.  By Heaven what was he thinking?  And why had the chit not stopped him?  Instead of protecting her virtue, her arms were entangled around his neck, neglecting propriety.  Disgustedly he ripped her hands away from his body, shoving her away.

‘Chadwick?’ Madison cried out in alarm.  What was going on?  First he took her into his arms and kissed her like he was enjoying it, and then he was discarding her as if she was somebody with leprosy.

‘Get up Lady Madison,’ Chadwick roughly pulled her up by her arm, his eyes dark , like he really despised her.  ‘You should know your place lady and not be rolling in the hay like an over eager courtesan!

Madison gasped.  His hurtful words were like the piercing of a razor sharp sword into her flesh.  Was it not he that had pulled her into his arms and kissed her first?  Shame and embarrassment filled her.   Not because of his cruel description, likening her to a courtesan, but more because he was the first, the only man to have dared to kiss her and to touch her as he had done just a few minutes ago.  She lowered her head blinking furiously at the stinging moistness that threatened to embarrass her further.  Hurriedly Madison turned to her mare that was keenly chewing on the fresh grass beneath the shady tree.   Before Chadwick could get to her, she mounted with ease and sped off, leaving Chadwick standing there.  Madison did not want this conceited, hurtful gentleman to know he had hurt her like no other had dared to before him.

Why is it that gentlemen secretly preferred women who exhibited social freedom in their bed chambers, yet in public they wanted to be seen with a respectable woman on their arm?  Madison ranted to herself silently.  When they declared for a lady, she had to be highly educated; able to quote poetry and play music; be able to have intelligent discussions on any subject and not bring disrepute to herself.

With her back to Chadwick, and the wind sweeping into her face, Madison angrily brushed at the single tear that fell to her cheek.  She rode furiously, her foot thrusting against the mare’s rump.  Even though she got to the street of her home quite quickly, for good measure she sprinted past her home.  She needed to pull herself together.  Her parents could not see her in the emotional state she was in at the moment.  Madison looked over her shoulder, Chadwick was not following her.  Feeling somewhat calmer, she headed back home.

     'Madison?’ Her mother called out.  ‘Where ever did you go without being chaperoned?’  Rachael looked at her daughter questioningly. 

Riding with Chadwick. 

‘Where is Mr. Rochester?

Who cares? 
She did not give Madison any opportunity to attempt to answer her.