Free Surrender Your Grace by Maddie Taylor

indecent. People will think I’m a three penny upright, or worse.”
    Shocked that she knew the dock worker slang for a prostitute, he paused to frown down at his young bride. “Such language Cecilia, where did a lady of your breeding hear such low class cant?”
    “Excuse me? Weren’t you the one giving me a vulgarity lesson just a few short hours ago?”
    “Mind your tone and guard your tongue, woman. What’s tolerable for a gentleman is not suitable for a lady. I’ll have to watch what I say if you’re going to pick up such vulgar dialect. Now be still, I won’t warn you again.” He pulled her blouse off and then began to work on the tightly laced corset. He had to also loosen her skirt to remove it. The knots in the lacings confounded him and he cursed under his breath. “Damn women’s trappings.” Bending he pulled his knife from his boot and efficiently cut the lacings before pulling the steel and linen from her torso and throwing it on the straw covered floor.
    “That was one of my best corsets I’ll have you know. It was quite expensive, too.” She huffed at him under her breath.
    “Stop grumbling or I’ll take you over my knee right now. Just look around wife, there are plenty of interesting implements I could use to help you regain your composure.” He watched her look around the dimly lit tack room. After staring wide-eyed at the sight of the straps, crops and long handle brushes, she instantly took on a more demure demeanor. “Smart girl; now stand still while I set your clothing to rights.”
    Once he’d tied, buttoned and straightened her riding costume, he set both hands on her narrow waist. “You’re a tiny thing and don’t need that contraption at all. My hands can span your waist without it.” He demonstrated that fact as his big hands wrapped around her.
    “I will be mortified if we come across a neighbor or acquaintance, husband.”
    He chuckled, his earlier pique quickly evaporating. “We are riding the grounds of our estate, not the fashionable hour in Hyde Park.”
    “But surely in London…”
    “Cici, I would never subject you to gossip or ridicule, although I might push forward a proposal to outlaw these ridiculous garments next session in the Lords. No matter what the physicians say that can’t be at all healthful.” Pulling her close he placed a kiss upon her forehead as his hands continued to hold and caress her unbound body. One big hand rose to cup a full breast and his thumb slid over the nipple. Smiling as it peaked instantly with the caress, he was convinced. “Yes, I can definitely see the merits of ditching those manky contraptions.”
    She eyed him with a quirked eyebrow, silently challenging his own use of what he called low class cant. Unable to resist she challenged, “Manky husband?”
    “Point taken, I shall guard my tongue as well.” Turning, he grabbed her hand and led her back to the stable yard. “You can tell me later where you learned so much.”
    The next moment she was mounted with a stable hand holding her horse's bridle. A precaution he said, in case his lordship’s stallion got out of hand. Everyone turned to watch, admiring the sheer beauty of the animal as he was led out. Standing at least sixteen hands high, his stallion dwarfed her mare. He was in high spirits and pulled against the handler. Andrew approached and taking the reins murmured something in a low voice that immediately calmed the big animal. He patted his neck firmly then mounted up without further incident.
    As he came abreast of Cici, she admired him up close. “He is magnificent, My Lord. Will Daisy and I be able to keep up?”
    “It's doubtful. Obsidian is a thoroughbred, but a groom is going to follow and stay with you while I exercise him in the valley. Until then he will be a gentleman. Ready?”
    They had a wonderful ride. Daisy had a soft mouth and responded easily. Obsidian was as Andrew said, a gentleman. She could tell Andrew used skill and exerted enormous