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“Oh. Kate.”
Anthony was surprised to find his wife reclined in a chair in his study, book in hand. She looked up and smiled as he approached.
“I thought you were accompanying Franny to the modiste this morning.” He kissed her temple as Kate closed her book and placed it on the side table.
“I was. We returned an hour ago.” She answered, seemingly bemused.
“Well, you should have found me.” Anthony looked down at his pocket watch, his eyes widening when he read it. “Ah, I do seem to have lost track of time.”
“Yes, it seems.” Kate’s soft laugh was good-natured.
“Oh, the modiste! Our account needs to be funded for the season.” Anthony moved to his desk.
“It is,” Kate said, causing Anthony to pause before settling into his seat. “I have confirmed it.”
Anthony raised his eyebrows. “When?”
“This morning,” Kate said, adding, “while we were at the modiste,” when Anthony didn’t immediately indicate understanding.
“Oh, right. Of course. Forgive me.”
“No need,” Kate got up and walked over to lean against the desk beside Anthony’s chair. She ran a hand through his hair as she asked, “Are you quite alright?”
Anthony caught her hand in his. “Yes. It is simply that the beginning of the season can be quite…” he exhaled dramatically, “taxing, to say the least.”
“Of course.”
“With so much to do, I sometimes find it hard to decide where to direct my focus.”
“Well,” Kate pointed to a stack of papers at the corner of the desk, “Here is a task for you. I have applied my signature where I could and those contracts have already been collected. Those are the accounts that will not accept my designation and require yours,” the latter part said with much derision.
Anthony nodded wryly at his wife’s annoyance. He turned his attention from Kate to the papers in question, and paused again, furrowing his brow. “What is this?”
Kate looked over her shoulder. “Your… desk? I would think you would be familiar with it after more than a decade, but perhaps I have overestimated–”
Anthony rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes, but what has been done to it? I do not think I have seen so much of the actual surface of it in years. Surely something of significance is missing.”
“Ah. No, nothing is missing. I simply organised it, so that I may actually get some work done. Honestly, Anthony, I do not know how you managed to be so productive for so long considering the state in which it was.”
Anthony looked from this desk to Kate, who seemed to be giggling at his wonder. “When did you do this?”
“Anthony, I have been managing to keep it orderly since we returned from the country,” she scoffed. “Most recently, before breakfast, so that I could review candidates for Francesca’s new lady’s maid. You and I have appointments to meet with them this afternoon.”
“You have already…” A laugh bubbled out of Anthony, spurned on by a feeling he couldn’t quite name. Disconcertion? Relief? Embarrassment? Perhaps some combination of the three, or something else entirely.
Anthony shifted his chair towards Kate and pulled her into his lap. She settled in happily.
He kissed her jaw before speaking into her ear, his voice low. “Is all this the reason our bed was cold when I awoke this morning?”
He smiled smugly when he felt her shiver. Encouraged, he gathered the skirt of her dress in his hands until the hem skimmed up over her thighs, giving him the access he sought.
Anthony could tell Kate was struggling to keep her voice even as she answered.
“I… am afraid, as the season gets underway, my attention must be further divided, which means less time–”
“For me?” Anthony’s hand reached its destination, and had its desired effect, as Kate seemed to lose her train of thought, if only for a moment.
“Only in a singular aspect, yes.” She leaned her head against his and he ghosted his lips over the shell of her ear.
“Well, that simply will not do.” A second finger followed the first that had disappeared into his wife’s core.
“No?” Kate whimpered.
“No. I will not stand for it.” His thumb started moving over the outside of her, causing her to grind her hips into his lap.
Kate said breathlessly, her eyes screwed shut, “What remedy then, husband?”
Anthony tsked, shaking his head. “Viscountess… I have every confidence that you will find a way to manage your time such that none of your duties are shirked during the season. You are undoubtedly the most capable woman–” He laughed at Kate’s ability to glare at him even in her current state, “–person in all of England. And I will offer my assistance.”
She laughed as she gripped his shoulders desperately. “Oh, how grateful I am.”
“Kate?”
“Mmm?”
“What were you doing when I walked in here?” With his free hand, Anthony started undoing the buttons on the back of his wife’s dress.
“Rewarding myself for… all my hard work with a… um, a book.“
“Might I also reward you?”
Kate was starting to take over the pace, working against his hand more than his hand was working against her. Still, she managed to speak between gasps.
“Reward? I suspect these current means of yours may actually be for a selfish end.”
Anthony’s laugh was dark and foreboding. “Perhaps you are right. Perhaps I should stop.” He wrenched his hand away.
“Anthony!”
“Shh.” He soothed Kate as he moved her to sit on the edge of the work surface, pulling down her loosened bodice. Speaking before closing his mouth over her nipple.
“I think we should make use of this immaculately organised desk.”