Lady Jane's Desire

By Sassa Daniels

Fearing his new bride is too innocent for him, Lord Andrew Walters leaves her on the morning after their wedding night. When Lady Jane follows him to London, he takes refuge in Mrs. Chaney's brothel, believing his wife will not follow him to a house of ill-repute. But Andrew has underestimated his bride. Determined to win him back to her marriage bed, Jane visits the brothel and employs the services of Mademoiselle Celine to teach her how to please her husband. When he learns what his wife has been up to, will Andrew embrace her passions, or insist she returns to the country without him?

 

This Regency romance novella contains scenes of a sexual nature and some spankings.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shed 63 Publishing Ltd
• Release date: Mar 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201277185

Book preview

Chapter One

Blackfolds Manor, Yorkshire, October 1814

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It was beginning to feel as though this tedious lecture would never end. For more than an hour now, Lady Jane Walters had sat and listened politely as her brother-in-law and his wife berated her for failing to hold her new husband’s interest. While she nodded occasionally to show she was still paying attention, they droned on endlessly about her responsibilities to the family she’d been born to and the one she’d just married into.

Did she not realize being abandoned by her husband immediately after their wedding night made her the talk of society? Had she no concept of the shame being heaped upon the whole family because her husband preferred the company of rakes and harlots to that of his pretty new bride?

Of course, Jane knew how embarrassing the situation was. Andrew had left her here by herself before the blood of her innocence had even been cleaned from the bedsheets. His abrupt departure from the marital bed was a humiliation she felt keenly. She must have done something to drive him away, but had no clue what it was. Completely inexperienced in matters of intimacy, she feared she’d displeased him. She wasn’t sure whether she’d taken part in their lovemaking with enough enthusiasm, or too much. Perhaps he’d have preferred her to hold herself still, even as her body willed her to move with his. Having to contemplate her failure was terrible enough without her in-laws descending to heap stinging criticisms upon her shoulders.

As her red-faced brother-in-law Henry Walters finally paused for breath, Jane was at last able to get a word into the conversation.

I do not know what you expect me to do, Henry. Andrew’s actions make his feelings plain. He has no desire to remain shut away in the country with me. He would rather seek his pleasures in London.

His pleasures! Henry scoffed. And what depraved pleasures they are. You do realize what he gets up to?

As a matter of fact, she knew more about that than she ought. Jane shifted uncomfortably in her seat, hoping her prig of a brother-by-marriage wasn’t about to detail her husband’s sexual proclivities. She’d heard all about what he liked to do with women. Her dear friend, Lizzie, who’d never spoken about such things before, warned her Andrew had colorful tastes in the bedchamber. Just not her bedchamber, it seemed. That was a pity because, for reasons she didn’t fully understand, Jane was intrigued by the whisperings she’d heard.

Her husband liked to tie women up, apparently. He spanked and whipped them with all manner of implements, from what she’d heard. It sounded outrageous, and yet the thought of being utterly at his mercy did funny things to her insides. She thrilled at the idea of having her bottom receive the full force of his discipline. She wasn’t sure why that was so appealing. Perhaps it was the lure of the forbidden.

It is a wife’s duty to beguile her husband, so he does not stray, Jane. Her sister-in-law’s insistent tone broke her out of her thoughts. She must charm him so utterly with her beauty and grace that he cannot bear to leave her side.

Jane fought the temptation to roll her eyes as Henry nodded in vigorous agreement. She’d known before she married Andrew that the match had been arranged, in part, because his family thought she might use her feminine attributes to persuade him to curb his debauchery. There seemed little chance of that. It was clear to Jane that Andrew had married her only because the time had come for him to sire an heir. She was to be his pretty, docile brood mare and nothing more. Whatever charms she held beyond her big blue eyes and perfectly proportioned figure, the man was clearly oblivious to them. He had no interest in her as a person. She doubted he much liked her. What other conclusion could she draw from his sudden disappearance back to the brothels of London?

You have consummated the marriage? Henry asked, his tone demanding a response. You have performed your duty?

The impertinent questioning brought a blush to Jane’s cheek.

Henry, that is such an indelicate thing to ask. Clarissa admonished him before turning to Jane and fixing her with an inquisitive stare. You have, haven’t you?

Yes, Clarissa. Jane did roll her eyes now. Of course we have.

Oh, well, that’s something, Henry said.

It had been quite something alright. Jane bit her bottom lip as she thought about it. She’d always imagined her wedding night would be an ordeal. Nobody ever spoke about what happened between a man and woman, unless it was in riddles. She’d never really understood the coded words and euphemisms, but the sympathetic glances her female relations had cast her way during the wedding breakfast hadn’t inspired confidence. Fearing the worst, it had pleasantly surprised her when Andrew was gentle with her, attentive to her needs.

For such an imposing figure of a man, he’d been unexpectedly tender. He’d taken time to let her become accustomed to him. At first, he’d placed the lightest of kisses on her neck, and assured her all would be well. His fingers had explored her body with such care and consideration she had, just for a moment, been able to fool herself into thinking he might actually love her. When his body had finally joined with hers, there had been only a little pain. Andrew had soothed it immediately with kind words and the gentlest of caresses. His sweet lovemaking had made it even more bewildering that he’d chosen to desert her the next morning. He hadn’t even bothered to leave a note to explain himself.

Well, that is something, Henry said, rising from his seat and pacing over to the fireplace. He needs an heir, Jane. The family must endure.

Jane felt a momentary pang of sorrow for Henry and Clarissa, who exchanged a mournful glance. In almost six years of marriage, they’d failed to conceive a child, making it more important than ever that Andrew perform his duty as head of the family and father the next generation of Walters.

I shall write to him and ask that he return to me posthaste.

It would mean swallowing her pride, of course, but perhaps an emotional entreaty was what was required to bring her husband back home where he belonged.

No, no, Clarissa said firmly. That will not do. You must go to London and confront him directly. Use all your powers of persuasion to make him forget about these cheap women and return to Blackfolds with you.

Yes, Henry agreed, effectively backing Jane into a corner, go to London. Stay at Grosvenor Square. He cannot ignore you if you are residing beneath the same roof.

Jane sighed heavily. Go to London? She’d only just escaped the pressures of the endless social whirl that came with life in the city. She hated being the center of attention and knew gossip about her would be rife. People enjoyed nothing more than a juicy scandal, and she did not know whether she would be welcomed or shunned. Her failure as a wife might