What a Picnic!

It had been a month or so since her coming out ball and Rorie was very happy in London at this time. She had been to more balls than she could count and was ready for a rest. Her and the Dowager had begged off all balls for the week and planned to go to Almack's on Saturday night as their only engagement of the week. Colt cautioned her to eat before going to Almack's as the refreshments were stingy and mediocre at best. Leave it to Colt to always think of the quality of the food. Rorie was certain it was all the years in the King's Army that made him be so interested in good, heavy meals, and wondered if he had gone hungry much during the years at war and how he felt on the long nights of fighting and resting in ditches for protection with no water and no provisions. She believed that he must have not minded much as he stayed at war for twelve years without taking any of the opportunities to leave and go home.

Colt was beginning to make a statement to her and to the ton about his intentions. The rumor mill had begun and it was Colt's doing. She had no idea that a man should not come and see his ward before the Queen's Drawing Room, but apparently, it was just not done. Colt however, had brought her a gift before hand in front of the other maidens and it had been hushed for a couple of weeks, but after her coming out ball at Lady Angela's, everyone began talking. Mr. Cheshire left the ball with a bloody mouth and had not approached her since and that caused talk too.

Then, a week after the coming out ball, Viscount Vandelay had come calling thrice and she had entertained him the first time but declined his next two calls in the same week. There was no sense in making the man think there was something there, that was not. She would no longer play the baiting game. It would seem she did not need to any further. Viscount Vandelay had come for dinner once per week since she declined his visits along with other guests and had brought her a gift each time. Rorie was careful to not be caught alone or in a situation where Colt or the Dowager Duchess was not with her.

Rorie had met another young lady that she had befriended, named Ellie Frankton and was spending more time with her as well so that she would always have someone with her out in the ton at parties and balls. Ellie's parents were Lord and Lady Frankton and were well known and respectable in society. The Dowager Duchess always invited Ellie's parents to be present on the evenings that Viscount Vandelay were in attendance so she was able to keep Ellie beside her.

After the incident with Devon, Rorie had been honest with Colt about her feelings and how it made her feel when he stayed away, and it appeared that he took it to heart. Colt took her for a drive in Hyde Park in his phaeton the following week and had done so three times since. She also had not known it, but that seemed enough to alert the ton of his intentions as Mrs. Rockport had told her...Colt had never taken a woman on a drive to Hyde Park before. Never. That was clear enough to the entire ton, except Viscount Vandelay. He did not get the picture and pressed to see her each week without ceasing, no matter her rejections of his invitations. He asked her to accompany him for a picnic in the country, to attend his brother's house party at his estate, and to go for a drive in Hyde Park. Rorie had tactfully refused all his invitations but truly no longer had a reason to continue refusing all of his invitations as she was not yet betrothed. Sighing inside, Rorie pushed Viscount Vandelay out of her mind as she fleetingly wished he would just move on.

Colt would be taking her for a drive in Hyde Park and she was wearing a new day gown cut across her bosom that revealed the creamy round tops of her breasts made of floral printed challis in a delicate pastel rose. With a cloak to battle the chill in the March air and to conceal her dress from Colt, she wore delicate rose slippers and bonnet, and picked up her reticule.

Hearing the footfalls on the stairs, she turned to see Colt descending at merry pace as he smiled at her. Grabbing her about the waist, he swung her in a circle and pressed a quick and chaste kiss to her lips and set her down. Rorie could not help but laugh in glee as he pulled her through the front doors and into the waiting carriage.

"We are not going in the phaeton today?"

"No I will have a driver take us today, I have a surprise for you."

Rorie was delighted. Colt was behaving truly like he was courting her and it was wonderful. She did not believe that she had ever been happier in her whole life. After the short ride to Hyde Park, the carriage entered a secluded area and then stopped.

Stepping down from the carriage and into a small green glade with a tiny pond filled with Japanese Koi in a variety of beautiful colors, Rorie was amazed.

"I love it, Colt! However did you find such a place?" Her eyes lit up like sapphire in the sun.

Colt chuckled at her delight. "Mother and Father brought us here as children to let us play where the entire park would not think we were heathens. I came recently to see if the area was still here and it was, and appears largely untouched from when I was a boy."

Sliding her hand into his and squeezing, Rorie was very happy that he chose to share this place with her. She followed as he pulled her around to the back of the carriage and lifted a giant picnic basket out of the back and the footman carried a large blanket that he spread out on the ground beside the small Koi pond. Reaching down behind the rocks surrounding one side of the small pond where a tiny spring trickled into the larger part of the water, the footman pulled out a bottle of sweet sparkling wine, chilled from the spring.

Gasping, Rorie said, "Oh my, I see you have thought of everything! This is wonderful, Colt, thank you!" Her face beamed with pleasure.

The footman asked, "Do you need anything else, Your Grace?"

"No, you both have done brilliantly, just come back as we discussed." Colt pulled two half crowns from his pocket and flipped them in the air at his driver and footman. They caught them with pleasure and bowed to their Duke and left.

Colt was all smiles as he sat the picnic basket down and helped Rorie settle herself in the sun and sat beside her.

"Where are they going?" she asked as she pulled her bonnet from her head to feel the sun on her hair and face. The sun was strong and it was an uncommonly warm day in March. Colt knew she had missed the warmth of the summer and winter had proven long for her.

"I believe they will visit the tavern and relax a time until they come to take us home. They are hard workers and deserve the time to themselves for a bit of enjoyment."

She loved that about him. He always thought of his workers and those who made his life easier and took care of his things. She never knew a master to care so much about his staff and treat them like his own family.

Untying her cloak, she shrugged the cloak off and laid it neatly beside her bonnet. Colt was captivated by her gown and could hardly take his eyes from her. He was of firm belief that the old Whittington was torturing him on purpose. It was almost unbearable to not run his hand down over her shoulder and trail his fingertips over her breasts. He believed the famous old dressmaker and his mother to be in cahoots. He had finally seen that not only did his mother wish him to take Rorie for a wife and make her a permanent member of the Kingston household, but so did the entire staff of the House of Kingston. From Kingston Hall on the Essex Coast to Kingston House in London, she was loved by all. He supposed he was the last to see it, but she belonged.

Rorie smiled and bit her lip, holding in a chuckle. Colt saw it and feigned a frown at her. The minx had worn the dress on purpose.

"You're a beautiful devil," and he leaned over planting a soft kiss on her lips and dropping another on her shoulder, nibbling lightly until she shivered and drew a deep breath. "Who is smiling now?" Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes had deepened their shade of blue. He could not wait to take her in the marriage bed. He knew she would be a passionate lover and eager to learn. He began to harden in his trousers and chuckled at his lack of control near her. Rearranging himself to a more comfortable position and opening the basket, Colt began to pull out their lunch.

Baileywig had packed them cold chicken breast on soft, fresh croissants, plump grapes, tiny cucumber sandwiches, and a small basket of lemon bites filled with Baileywig's famous lemon curd.

Colt led them in a short blessing over their food and then they ate their fill. Colt lay back on the blanket in the sun after pulling off his waistcoat and cravat and Rorie leaned beside him with a glass of champagne and enjoyed the beautiful spring day. Colt could hardly stand how beautiful she looked in the sun and could not wait to make his permanent claim on her. Knowing he shouldn't, he reached up and caressed her cheek and trailed his fingers down her jaw and throat to brush over the gentle swells of her breasts showing above her gown.

Rorie sat her champagne glass down on top of the basket near them and reclined on her elbow facing Colt and giving him easier access to explore her curves with his hands. Propping himself on one elbow to face her, he leaned in and touched his lips to hers while continuing to trail his fingers over her body. Running his hand outside the dress over her breasts and cupping her gently, she released a tiny moan of pleasure that made his manhood ache with wanting her and yet made him want to touch her more. He kneaded her breast firmly and touched his mouth to her throat and sucked gently there.

Rorie's arm gave out and she fell back the short distance to her back and Colt leaned over her and trailed kisses down her throat to the tops of her breasts. Gently tugging her neckline down to expose her pink tips, Colt groaned at the sight of her white breasts in the sun and the perfection of her body. It was unbearable. He lowered his head to suckle her nipples, from one to the other until she arched from the blanket and moaned in need. He lightly twisted her nipples with his fingers while he teased her mouth with his tongue and lips. Knowing she would be wet for him, Colt reached down with his right hand and placed it on her ankle. Ever so slowly, he ran his hand up her leg and over her knee to stop at her thigh. Rorie let out a frustrated moan and reached down with her own hand and cupped his manhood firmly between his legs. Colt growled in his throat and reared up and pulled her hand from his hardness and trapped her questing hand between his knees where she could not pull her hand away.

"No, my love, I cannot take it. Just let me bring you pleasure and I will take mine soon enough. The day will come when I will make you mine in every way...when I take you as my wife."

He knew his words set her on fire. She was so passionate and with flushed cheeks and quick breathes, she squirmed under him as he replaced his hand on her thigh and swept up to the slit in her pantalettes and touched her. As his finger probed her already slick folds, a rush of wetness flooded over his fingers that made him so hard it hurt and he had to pause a moment to regain control of himself. She moved her hips in an effort for his fingers to move and he took the hint and began stroking her nub of womanhood as she writhed in response. Working two fingers within her, he had to take her lips in a vicious kiss to silence her cries as his thumb worked her center of pleasure. She shattered in moments and he tensed as her body convulsed repeatedly over his fingers and around his hand.

It was all he could do not to release himself and plunge his hot aching blade within her and quench the powerful wanting and need in his loins. Breathing deep, Colt brought himself down a bit from the heights of desire he had been soaring and looked to calm down.

He turned his attention to straightening Rorie's clothes and helping her become decent for when the driver and footman arrived back and began packing the remnants of their lunch back into the basket. Pouring them each another glass of champagne, they talked and waited for their staff to return and carry them back home. Rorie was tired after the intensity of their encounter and leaned against Colt's side while they waited and enjoyed the outdoors, basking in each others company and their love.

I hope I rocked your socks! Thank for reading! ~LadyF xoxoxo