Under the Earl’s Wicked Spell – Extended Epilogue

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Four Years Later

“When are we going sailing, Papa?”

Rafe smiled at the little boy holding onto his hand.

“Soon, Richard. We’ll be going soon.”

Richard frowned.

“We’re not going to be there long, are we? Mama says it’s for a holiday, but it feels like a long time.”

“Well, America is a long way away. We’re going to have to make up for the long journey by staying for a long time.” Rafe ruffled the boy’s hair. “Don’t worry, you’ll love it. And the sailing is uneventful. You’ll love it.”

His son didn’t appear to think so. Then again, his three-year-old mind wasn’t one that could keep occupied for very long. He was going to take a lot of patience, but Rafe had promised Victoria he would look out for their eldest. It was the least he could do when his wife was dealing with a six-month-old baby.

The journey to America was going to be eventful for them. But Rafe was looking forward to it. It had been four years since he had left, and he was curious to know how things were now. Charlie had returned with his wife six months after clearing Rafe’s name, and he had been urging his friend to come and visit for some time now. Rafe had wanted to wait until his daughter was a bit older, but Victoria had said there was nothing wrong with doing it now. They could build plenty of memories when they were this young.

She was right. In a week, they would be going down to Southampton and getting on a ship bound for America. Rafe had to admit he was behaving like a little boy himself, excited to be going back. America may have been his exile, but it had become his home. He did miss it. And, at the same time, he didn’t.

If he hadn’t come back to England, he wouldn’t have the family he did now. He wouldn’t be a father, cleared of any wrongdoing, with a wife who kept him on his toes. Life with Victoria was never boring, and Rafe couldn’t ask for anything more. He would rather have it like this, especially with their son running around getting into everything while their daughter was thinking about getting a move on herself.

They were more like Victoria than him, and Rafe couldn’t complain about that.

“Come on, Richard.” Rafe tugged his son away from the fence. “We’ve watched the sea for long enough. Let’s go back to the house.”

“Do you think Annabelle has stopped crying by now?”

“I’m sure she has.”

Victoria had said that Annabelle had teeth coming through, and apparently, screaming all the time was common when the teeth were coming through. Rafe wasn’t sure he believed that, but he wasn’t about to argue with his wife on that. She knew her daughter, and she was the one who stayed up with her during the night. They didn’t have a wetnurse, which was normal when people of their social standing had babies. Rafe was confused as to why Victoria wouldn’t have one, but she was adamant about it. She wanted to feed her daughter. She had agreed eventually to a nanny for Richard so they could have a break and get on with other errands, but this was something she was not budging on. With her as the mother, Rafe knew it was best to leave it alone.

She had certainly grown in the last four years. Both of them had. Rafe hadn’t known how much weight was really on his shoulders until it got out that Hayward had been the one to murder Richard. Once that started, it was everywhere. Rafe wasn’t treated like a pariah anymore, and people actually gave him respect. There were quite a few apologies as well, something Rafe never expected. But he welcomed it.

Victoria certainly seemed a lot happier as well. She was also firmly on Rafe’s side. And she withstood the comments made about her cousin, which were not very kind. Her family went through a bit after it got out why Hayward had done what he did, something Rafe didn’t agree with; she was an innocent in this, so why was Victoria getting targeted? It was not her fault her cousin was greedy and a maniac.

At least he wouldn’t be dealing with them for a very long time, if at all. Victoria had been right that Hayward wouldn’t be hanged, which was what he deserved, but he had been given the same offer that Rafe had been given; go to another country and never come back. No title and no status or money. Nothing, just the clothes on his back, just like Rafe had gone through. Hayward had wanted to go to Ireland, but the courts transported him to New Holland, where they took all the other criminals. Rafe heard that Hayward was still protesting even as he was dragged onto the ship.

A humiliating outcome for him, but at least he could be thankful he was alive. Unless he upset the wrong person, which Rafe could see happening. Gregory Hayward was going to be under the solid impression that he was right, and he was above everyone else due to his status.

A status that had been stripped from him. That was going to go down well. Murderers didn’t fare well in New Holland, according to the rumours Rafe had heard.

He was going to have a tougher time in New Holland than Rafe ever did in America, that was for certain.

It was starting to rain a little as father and son reached the terrace. Richard squealed as the raindrops hit him, and he ran towards the door. Rafe hurried after him, catching his son as he tripped over the threshold.

“Slow down, little man. Otherwise you’re going to get yourself hurt.”

“Yes, Papa.”

Richard gave him a cheeky grin before running off, squealing when a tall, redheaded woman appeared in the hallway. She smiled back as Richard practically jumped on her, tugging her hand so hard he looked like he would take her arm off. Richard laughed.

“A few minutes in the fresh air, and he’s still going.”

“I’ll take him to the nursery, my lord.” Clarice gave her master a nod. “Lady Blackmore is in your bedchamber getting things organised.”

“And my daughter?”

“She’s asleep for now. I’ll take care of her when she wakes up.”

“Would you? I need to discuss a few things with my wife.”

Clarice gave him a curtsy before leading Richard away, the little boy talking so fast it was hard to understand what he meant. Rafe couldn’t help but watch them with a smile. Clarice had settled really well into the household, and even Victoria had to admit that she was a good addition. Richard and Annabelle adored her, which was something. Rafe couldn’t begin to think how it would have worked if they didn’t like their nanny.

Closing the door behind him as the rain started to come down harder, hitting the window panes, Rafe headed through the house and towards the stairs. A few minutes alone with his wife. He would happily take it.

***

Victoria looked around at their trunks, mentally going over everything. Surely, they didn’t have enough luggage. They had to have more. Richard was going to need another trunk, for certain, and Annabelle’s trunk was nearly full. Who knew that children needed so many clothes?

This was getting more stressful than she wanted it to be. When Rafe had suggested going to America for a holiday to see the country he had called home for six years, Victoria had been interested. Charlie had spoken about the place often in his letters, and she knew his wife Amelia was enjoying the change of scenery. It sounded like a perfect place to visit.

Of course, it was going to have to be done without Abigail. She was heavily pregnant with her second child, and Victoria didn’t want her to give birth on the ship. It also meant that Manning wouldn’t be going either; there was no hope of tearing him away from his wife. Victoria could understand that.

But they could manage. They weren’t completely helpless without their servants. And Clarice was coming. It would be doable with the three of them to look after two small children. Victoria could handle it if the nanny and her husband were backing her up.

The thought of going on a ship was exciting. While she was nervous about it, Victoria was eager to see what it was really like. Rafe had said it was a calming, rocking sensation. She partially believed him. After all, didn’t storms happen at sea as well?

The sound of the door opening had Victoria turning around. Rafe came into the room, giving her a smile.

“Are you still trying to organise our belongings? We’re not going until next week!”

“I just wanted to be sure. We do have two children to pack for as well.”

“I’m sure that can wait.” Rafe closed the door and locked it. “Just for a short while.”

Victoria didn’t need to ask what he meant by that. Whenever he looked at her with that glint in his eye, it made his intentions clear. Especially when he also locked the door with it. She crossed the room, putting her arms around his neck as she kissed him. Rafe’s hands ran down her back and cupped her backside.

“I can’t get enough of your body, Victoria.”

“We’re not going to be disturbed, are we? I don’t want to be interrupted again.”

“Clarice has the children in the nursery, and Annabelle is still asleep.” Rafe smirked. “We’ve got time.”

Victoria hoped so. Ever since the first time they made love, she found herself unable to stop touching him. It didn’t matter how long they had been married now; she couldn’t get enough of him. Any snatched moment they had, they took advantage of it. Rafe seemed to be under the same mindset, backing her into a quiet corner to make her fight back the urge to scream his name. A caress that would have been against society’s rules. Or maybe a kiss that inevitably led to something more. Then at night….

At night, once the door was closed, they didn’t hold back. Victoria fell asleep with a smile every night in Rafe’s arms. Not how she had imagined her future, but she wasn’t about to complain.

“We may not have much time to undress and dress again, though,” Victoria warned as Rafe backed her towards the bed.

“Then maybe we won’t have to worry about that.” Rafe urged her to turn around. “Nobody will know. Not unless you start screaming my name again.”

“You’re not going to let me forget that, are you?”

“I love it when I hear how much I make you scream.”

Victoria shivered as Rafe drew her skirt up, bunching it around her waist and draping it over her back. Rafe removed her drawers, bunching them around her ankles before cupping her backside, smoothing his hand over her rump. Victoria moaned.

“This isn’t exactly fast, Rafe.”

“It’ll be as fast as you want.” Rafe dipped his fingers between her legs, thrusting two fingers inside her. “How fast do you want it?”

For a moment, Victoria couldn’t speak. Rafe knew how fast she wanted it, but he also knew how quickly she came to pleasure and was always intent on drawing it out. It drove her insane, to the point she was about to beg. But Victoria wasn’t about to do that, not when it felt this good. She pushed back against his hand, feeling him adjust the angle enough that it made her shudder. There was something about how her body reacted to lovemaking after having children; it was like she was more sensitive.

Rafe made the most of it, and Victoria knew it. She did enjoy the torture, to a point.

She was close to coming apart when Rafe withdrew his fingers, causing her to whimper. Then there was a rustling of clothes, and a moment later he was inside her, pressing her against the side of the bed. Victoria’s whimpers turned to moans as he built up a tempo that built her pleasure up at a fast pace, uncaring that people could hear her. She had become a wanton woman, desiring this so much, and she didn’t really care.

Just as long as Rafe was with her, and he made her feel like this.

Her whole body was shaking as she climaxed, her fingers digging into the sheets while she wailed. A moment later, Rafe was snarling out his response, thrusting deep one more time before he froze. Then, with a shudder, he lay over her, covering her hands with his as he kissed the back of her neck.

“Is it me, or is snatching these moments rather exciting?”

“They’re certainly daring.” Victoria smiled. “I still think you went too far sneaking me away when my parents were here shortly after we told them I was carrying Richard.”

“What can I say? I wanted to be with my wife. No one’s going to deny me that.”

“But with my parents close by? We were lucky not to get caught.”

Rafe chuckled and kissed her shoulder.

“I think it’s safe to say we’re not the most conventional couple. If people haven’t figured it out by now, they will soon.”

Victoria groaned. Then she gasped as Rafe lifted off her and withdrew. Her hands shaking, she managed to pull up her drawers and tug her skirt down. Rafe turned her slowly and sat her on the edge of the bed before putting his arms around her and kissing her softly. He was smiling when he pulled back.

“I don’t think I’m ever going to get bored of snatching these moments with you. It certainly makes the days interesting.”

“You think it’s not with two small children?”

“They certainly keep us on our toes. But I’m glad I get to be alone with you.” Rafe kissed her forehead. “I guess I still keep thinking about how lucky I am that I’ve managed to gain a woman like you as my wife.”

“If your brother hadn’t died, you wouldn’t have married me.”

“Much as I love my brother, I don’t want to think about him moments after we’ve been intimate.”

“Fair enough.” Victoria stroked his cheek. The graze from the bullet Gregory had shot him with had left a scar on his face. “To think I was stupid enough to believe that you were a murderer. And you almost died because of someone in my family.”

“Hey.” Rafe tapped her nose. “We’ve been through this before. You thought it was the truth, and there was nothing to prove the contrary. As for your cousin, he’s getting his punishment now. It’s what he deserves. I’m alive, and I intend on staying that way.”

“I hope so.” Victoria leaned into him. “I know I’ve apologised, and you said I’ve made it up to you plenty of times, but I still feel like I need to keep doing it.”

Rafe chuckled.

“You worry too much, Victoria. I’ve accepted your apology. It’s been four years now. I think it’s safe to say I’ve put it in the past.” He winked. “But I’m sure I won’t object if you keep making it up to me. I certainly like it when you do.”

“I know you do.” Victoria kissed him. “Once the children are asleep tonight, I’ll make it up to you then. But that will be after you help me make sure we’ve got everything for going on the ship next week.”

“Labour with pleasure at the end of it. I suppose I can handle that.” Rafe kissed her before nuzzling her. “Whatever you say, my lady.”

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