I wrote most of this before the UK general election so all party references, i.e. party in power and political leaders were changed. Kate's background and political views are so obvious. She could never be a Socialist. So rather than try and change everything about her, I decided not to change any of my references and to let it stand.

Petruchio and Kate both swear a lot and this is them swearing and not me.

Also, they are not only newlyweds but also they are a very passionate couple, according to Shakespeare, Sally Wainwright, Rufus, Shirley and me, so if you think this maybe a bit too steamy for you, please don't read it.


I suppose the song should be "Lady in Pink" but Chris de Burgh wrote "Lady in Red". The rest of the words are exactly how I think Piers would feel on that special night."I hardly know this beauty by my side"

I've never seen you look so gorgeous as you did tonight

I've never seen you shine so bright, you were amazing

I've never seen so many people want to be there by your side

And when you turned to me and smiled,

It took my breath away.

I have never had such a feeling of complete and utter love as I do tonight.

The lady in red is dancing with me

Cheek to cheek.

There's nobody here

It's just you and me

It's where I want to be.

But I hardly know this beauty by my side

I'll never forget the way you look tonight

I never will forget

The lady in red

My Lady in Red

I Iove you.


LEADER OF HER MAJESTY'S OPPOSITION

When we were in Pisa, Kate wanted to buy a dress, something fancy.

"Why?" I said. "Why here? You could buy one in London."

"I want to buy something for the party conference, for the last night. Something different, a bit special. After the leadership election, now I... Whatever happens."

"You want to show them, you want to sock it to them." She tried to hide a little smile but her two little dimples showed.

"Do you want me to come?"

"You can if you want."

So we went together.

She had seen something in the window she liked, a navy thing.

I knew it was expensive. It had to be; everything about the place screamed money! I was left to wait in a large very plush waiting room, with a cup of coffee, while Kate was swept off to try it on.

"Do you like it?" she said.

"Yeah, it's ok" I said and then, "Have they got another colour?"

She always wore navy or black or grey.

The saleswoman gabbled on in Italian about la Contessa and they disappeared again.

When they came back, the woman said to me in English, "I think this colour is better for the Contessa and also in a smaller size. Maybe, Milor' you think it is better."

And, yes it was.

And Christ! Was it expensive !

God, when Kate spent, did she know how to spend.

"".""

The week of the Party conference arrived and although we weren't there every day, I found I quite enjoyed it, even if I know sod all about politics.

By Thursday, two of the other candidates had withdrawn and then while we were on our way down to Brighton on Friday morning, John phoned to say that Paul Fox had also withdrawn, leaving Kate unchallenged, leader of the party.

So there we were in our hotel room getting ready for the last night ball, and Kate's presentation as leader to the party members.

She was wearing her loose dressing gown over her dress.

"Umm ...um ... Would you, um... would you do my face? You can do it better than me."

So, I made up her pretty little face, and her brown velvet eyes and by the time I got to her lovely mouth, held up, pouting, for me to paint, I had the most enormous hard on.

Who would have thought that doing your wife's makeup could turn you on.

"God, I want to shag you."I murmured against her hair.

"We haven't got time. Have we? "She was breathless.

"No ...not now!"

I rubbed my mouth against her ear."Just remember where we were."

She slipped her dressing gown off.

Deep breath, mate, control...concentrate on other things.

"Will you do me up? I've done the hooks but I can't manage the zip. You will have to pull it together tightly." she said.

That wasn't helping me any, but I did it, and she reached to get a pair of long gloves from the dressing table.

She stood in front of the full length mirror, then as I turned to put in my cufflinks, she said in a funny little voice, "Am I making a fool of myself?"

"Don't be daft, my love. How? You were unanimously elected."

In an even smaller voice she said "I mean this." Gesturing at herself.

I put my jacket on and came to stand behind her, looking at her in the mirror.

Her hair was up higher than she usually wore it, softer, looser, and her dress, a vivid shocking pink, was strapless, tight and straight, sweeping around the back to make a big sort of bow, something like the Marilyn Monroe dress, with matching elbow-length only jewellery was a pair of diamond earrings which sparkled alongside her face.

She had never worn anything like it before.

She looked wonderful.

"You don't think I look..."she grimaced and shrugged.

"You look fabulous; you'll be the most beautiful woman in the place." I put my arms around her waist and kissed the top of her head.

"Bianca will be there." she muttered. Oh! I had forgotten her sister and mother would be there. How did they manage to put her down without even knowing they were doing it?

"Nobody will be looking at her. They'll be looking at their stunning new leader." She still looked so doubtful.

"Hey, what is it you say? 'Straighten the backbone Katherine; never let them know you care.'"

She gave a wry little smile.

The phone rang, I answered it. It was Tim, Kate's PPS. "Yes, yes. We're ready, we'll be down now."

I picked up Kate's speech and her stole, "Ready?" and she nodded.

John and Tim were waiting at the platform entrance of the ballroom. If their mouths dropped open, neither said anything.

The party machinery took over. They would take Kate on stage for the presentation and I would go to the ballroom and join our party.

I turned to go; "My Speech." Kate said. I gave it to her.

Then as I reached the ballroom doors, she said in a soft voice, "Piers?" I turned to look at her and she tilted her head questioningly, almost apprehensively, biting her lip.

"Sock it to them Baby." I said and winked at her. She straightened her back and smiled back.

I joined our party at our table in front of the platform, just in time to hear them announce her.

"My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, please be upstanding for your Leader, the Right Honourable Katherine Minola, M.P."

And she walked out to the front, she looked so small and somehow defenceless, until she lifted her chin and looked out over the room and she was in command.

Yes! She couldn't just lead the party, she could run the country, she would be a world leader. I was choked with pride.

The whole place rose to their feet to applaud her. She started to speak.

"My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you, thank you. No, come on, that's enough... First I would like to thank you all for your trust and confidence in me, Thank you, thank you. Thank you too, my fellow candidates for the straight and clean campaign, thank you gentlemen." she nodded to them and gave them a round of applause.

"There are other people too, I have to thank, for their help and support in my campaign.

First and foremost, Sir John Naps who encouraged me and helped and supported me throughout. Thank you, John.

Secondly, Tim Agnew, my PPS who not only took the brunt of my temper" a little ripple of laughter went around the room, "but worked tirelessly on my behalf ...and Caroline, his wife who gave selflessly of their personal time. Thank you both.

Lastly, I would like to thank the person without whom, none of this would have been possible. He has become the wind beneath my wings, my husband, Piers. Piers, where are you?" She came right to the edge of the stage, holding out her hand.

"Come up."

I wasn't expecting this. This hadn't been planned, not with me anyway. John came to the head of the steps to the platform, beckoning. I shook my head but Harry and Bianca pushed me and I could see Kate still holding out her hand. She came to the head of the steps to meet me, took my hand, led me back to the mike and said "For those of you who haven't met him yet, this is Piers." She put my arm around her waist and held it there.

"I had written a speech for tonight about my policies and so on," She held it out. "But now I see it wasn't necessary, you know me and what I stand for, so I am just going to talk to you, tonight, from the heart."

She looked at her speech, not knowing what to do with it. I took it from her and put it in my pocket and stood just behind her, my hand just resting on her waist. It was then I realised this was going to be my place in future, one step behind Kate.

Did I care?

Did it matter to me?

Why should it?

I didn't want all this. I had never wanted anything like it, but Kate did, and if Kate wanted it, I was bloody well going to help her to get it.

And if it meant I was going to be one step behind her for the rest of our lives, that's where I'll be.

"The next three years are going to be hard. Gordon is not going to resign, he is not going to go to the country, so we must prepare ourselves for a fight, and it will be hard and it will be dirty! They will use every weapon to attack us and the main target will be me. "

She looked at me and suddenly I saw the laughter in her eyes. She was having fun.

"They will attack me and they will say things about me. Well... I am going to tell you the truth so you will be able to answer them.

First they will mock and say I picked up and agreed to marry Piers in 15 minutes.

Not true!

No! That was Piers, Piers picked me up and Piers decided to marry me in 15 minutes. It took me all of 48 hours to agree."

A great burst of laughter ran around the room, and somebody shouted, "HE's a brave man!"

"They will say we met and married in 3 weeks ... That is true. They will talk about Piers and his choice of clothes; what he wore to our wedding, that he wore a skirt...True...

But he will tell you that thousands of Scotsmen wear kilts every day and does anyone say a word?... and anyway it's nobody's fucking business but his what he wears and if he wants to wear makeup, he sodding well will! "The laughter roared around the room."They will say that we rowed all the way up the aisle.

Not so!

We rowed all the way up the aisle, through the ceremony, through the signing and back down aisle. As a matter we rowed half way to Italy, when we lapsed into not speaking. "

The noise was tremendous but she was controlling them. I looked down at her, surprised and amazed at her.

"Is it true you beat him up with your bouquet?"Somebody shouted.

"Uh... Uh...I don't know "she said and behind her I nodded several times, laughing.

"They will say we took his best man with us on honeymoon. Not true, he came the next day and went home the day after. I think he came to make sure we didn't kill each other. Now, there's a brave man."

"Is he still alive Katherine?" someone else called. She laughed. "Yes. He's here somewhere. Where are you, Harry?"

He waved.

"They will say it will never last, they'll be divorced in no time ... Well, I am here to tell you there will be no divorce in this family. Murder maybe... In which case, you are all cordially invited to the funeral.

Ladies and gentlemen, speeches over, time to enjoy yourselves. Good night."

They stood and roared their applause as we left the platform.

Then we heard the orchestra leader announced that the dancing would be starting and would the Leader take the floor for the first dance.

"Oh, shit, shit. I'd forgotten about that." Kate said."We have to do the first dance on our own. Can you dance?"

"Yes" I said.

"I don't mean stand and wave your hands in the air. I mean proper ballroom dancing."

"Yes!" I said. "My old man considered it was part of a future peer's education. Can you?"

"Yes, of course, my mother considered it was part of my education. We've never danced together..."

We had reached the dance floor.

I said, "Just hang on and follow me." The music started and we burst out laughing and took off, singing along as we did.

"there may be trouble ahead,

But while there's music and moonlight and love and romance,

Let's face the music and dance"

And we danced together, spectacularly well.

"Duty Time!" Kate said. "Now you have to do your duty, and so must I. See you later."

So, we parted company. I danced with the old dowagers, made conversation the senior party members, joked with the younger members and found I liked it.

I like most people so it was easy.

The night was coming to a close and I hadn't danced with her again so I thought I would find her but first I went to the orchestra leader and asked for a special request.

"The name, sir?" he asked.

"Oh, she'll know." I said.

I found her amongst the elders of the party.

"Excuse me, Gentlemen, do you mind if I take my wife away for a dance? I haven't seen her all night." And her smile made it all worthwhile.

We stood on the dance floor and heard the band leader say, "Now, a special request. The gentleman declined to give the name saying his wife would know it was for her. In my experience when a man says his wife will know, I know she won't know what the hell he's talking about. In this case I know the gentleman... and his wife! She's a very new bride, 5 weeks today, I think! And she has a brand new job, a very important job."

I glanced down at Kate but she still didn't have a clue.

"And she is standing in the middle of the floor in an extremely lovely pink dress."

A spotlight hit us, Kate looked around to see who it was and then realised it was us.

"For the leader of Her Majesty's Opposition, from her brand new husband,

Can't take my eyes off you. "

I took her in my arms rested my head on top of hers and we slowly danced in each other's arms.

"".""

Later, we went up to our room.

"Will you undo me?" she said and I unzipped her.

I took off my jacket and tie and sat on the end of the bed to undo my cufflinks and take off my shoes and socks. When I looked up, Kate was zipping her dress into its bag.

"That's quite some outfit!" I said.

She smiled, smoothing down the dress inside the bag. "Yes, it felt lovely to wear."

"I didn't mean that. I meant " I gestured towards her.

She was wearing a rosy red strapless bra with matching filmy French knickers, pale stockings and stiletto heeled pink satin shoes. She looked breathtaking.

She said "Oh!" and smiled her little dimpled smile.

She took the pins out of her hair, shook it loose, then pouting slightly, sashayed towards me, and put her foot on the bed between my thighs.

"Care to do the honours, my lord?" she said. I slipped off her shoe and fumbled with the suspender until it was undone, and rolled down her stocking, then the other shoe and stocking, while she stroked my hair and ran her fingers around my ears. She pushed me back on the bed and taking her bra off; leaned over me, her breasts so beautiful I caught my breath. She began to undo my zip but I caught her wrist.

"No" I said firmly. "No, Kate." I sat up. "This is your night and everything is going to be for you. I am going to do everything for you."

I cupped her face and kissed her a long slow open kiss, stood and threw back the bedclothes and swept her up into my arms.

"You going to throw me into bed again?"

"Only if you want me too."

Her tongue slipped between her lips moistening them and she giggled provocatively.

"So you do?"

She raised her eyebrows and pouted, so I threw her, still laughing on the bed. I pulled off my shirt, pants and boxers and lay beside her. Flicking the soft silk of her knickers I said "I like these."

"Hmmph ...You'd like school regulation passion killers if you could take them off"

And I shut her up with my mouth.

Kate.

Her eyes were the darkest languorous brown and I fell down into them.

I fell off a cliff the first night I met her and have been falling ever since.

Her eyes, her mouth, her skin have been spinning a web binding me tighter and tighter to her.

I buried my mouth into the hollow of her throat; her fingers were stroking the nape of my neck, her mouth kissing my ear.

"Oh God! Kate, Kiss me Kate !I love you so much. Everything about you, your hair, your eyes, your skin, your body. I love your body, your shoulders, your breasts, your thighs, the soft smooth silken feel of you arouses me like nothing else. You tantalize me, excite me, the way you respond to me, you drive me wild ...Kate, Kate"

I kissed her from under her chin to the hollow behind her ear whispering her name between each kiss. Down her throat, little open mouthed kisses across her breast till her nipple slipped into my mouth. I teased it with my tongue until I took as much of her breast as I could in my mouth and she made a little wordless sound. I stopped, looked at her till she opened her eyes and looked back at me, Huge, serious, dark eyes, parted lips, then she whispered softly, invitingly, alluringly,

"You haven't taken my knickers off yet." and there were those dimples telling me she was hiding her laughter.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"Moi?" Her eyes and mouth were wide circles of mock astonishment."Moi? ...Laugh? ...at you?"

"I am in the middle of making tender sensual love to you and yes! You are laughing..."

She reached forward and sucked my bottom lip into her mouth, one hand circling my ear and the other stroked the back of my neck, little circles, sending thrills down my back.

"I love you, Petruchio, 16th Earl of Charlbury,"

Kate...Kate, I am trying to exercise some control..."

"Mmm... Yes, I can feel you are!"

"Kate ...Kiss me Kate!"

Still stroking my ear she whispered into it,

"Take my knickers off."

"God, I' m nearly coming... you are making me...I'll come..."

"Take them off and we'll worry about that later."

Later was about 3 seconds later, I took off the scrap of silk that was her knickers and she moved fast, so fast to grip my cock tightly at its base and wrapped one of her thighs around mine. I rested my head against hers ... shuddering...Deep breaths, deep breaths... Kate.

"Kate." My voice thickened and I kissed her all along her throat to her ear the way I loved, and my fingers moved harder on her hips digging into her. My mouth took one nipple and my other hand had the other, she gasped and held her breath, arching her back then my hands were all over her, then back to those nubs of pleasure. I could feel her breath getting faster and she was murmuring wordless sounds that were so exciting, driving me wilder.

An electric jolt shot down to my groin and I wanted more. I moved, lifted her and she was lying on me, both my hands on her breasts stroking both nipples, my mouth on hers, getting harder, more demanding.

"Sit on me Kate," I whispered.

She looked at me unsure; we hadn't done this before but I wanted it. I had told her that everything was for her but I wanted this, I wanted it. I wanted to look at her, to touch her, I wanted her. She straddled me.

"Put my cock in you." I lifted her while she slipped my cock into her and she gasped.

I bent my knees behind her.

"Lean back, Kate, lean back, against my thighs, I won't let you fall."

I looked at her, so lovely, arousing, still so unsure of us in some ways, I slid my hands over her up to her breasts, caressing kneading, stroking. I ran my fingers down her soft curved belly into her and found her clit. I stroked, rubbed it gently. She spasmed, her hair falling over her face and breasts. I brushed it back behind her ear, my other hand still working her nub.

"Please, please, my love, oh love, my love, you must stop, stop, I cannot bear it, Ah Aah, you must stop...Don't stop... Never stop."

I put my fingers over her mouth.

"Sh Sh Sshh my sweet...next door will complain."

Her eyes and mouth opened wide.

I wanted to laugh at the horror on her face but how could I when I felt the same, wanting to shout aloud with ecstasy, so I kissed her instead.

She began to move on me and the volcano in me began blow and I was thrusting up into her.

"Kate, Kate, I want you, I want you, I've always wanted you, right from the beginning, Kate, my Kate!" I was saying.

At least those were the words in my mind, the words that I was gasping out, were "I must fuck you, fuck me Kate, my Kate."

I knew I was near, the huge shudders and groans that tore through me. She was near too, the quivers and shaking moans that broke through her, pushing me even nearer.

"Don't come, please, please don't come, not yet, not now."

"No ...No"

Pulling her to me, I rolled taking her with me, onto her back and her hands were touching me stroking all over me. She clenched her fists under her lifting her hips to me. I caged my arms under hers lifting her higher to me moving in it began; the wildness ripped through me and I lost every thought except the thrusting into her, again and again, harder and faster until I was lying, empty, on her, both of us gasping for breath and we were both laughing aloud with joy, with ecstasy, full of love for each other.

I covered her face with tiny kisses while she twisted her fingers in my hair.

"I love you, madam Leader of the Opposition!" I murmured.

"I love you, Lord Charlbury, my love, my beloved."

"Ssh Sshh, my love...they'll bang on the wall again."

"Again ...again? Did they? Who? Which side?"

I pointed to the bedhead wall

"Oh Christ! Norman! Oh Christ, he didn't? Did he?"

Norman, Lord Tebbitt, almost 80 years old, irascible, formidable, scathing, most senior member of the Party, second only to their Sainted Margaret, terror of the junior back benchers and apparently, of my love.

"Oh Chr..."
"Sssshhhh, "

"Oh God ...he didn't really?... Really?"

She is so easy to wind up.

I relented, shook my head, lay shaking with laughter.

"He didn't? He didn't? You sod, you bastard, you sodding effing bastard. "

"You shouldn't swear at me Kate; you know it gives me a hard on."

She was thumping daylights out of me."Give you a...I'll ...you'll be very sorry...I'll... when I've finished with you, you will have doubts as to whether you will ever have a hard on again!"

"No you won't, you like it too much!"

"You, you...you swine..."

"Kate, he will bang on the wall!"

"I love you Kate."

"Do you? Well, I think I may have changed my mind about you."

"You don't mean that."

"Don't I?"

"No." I kissed her neck, pulled her into me and held her till we slept.

"".""

We slept late the next morning.

Having missed breakfast, we rushed downstairs to check out.

In the foyer there seemed to be groups of people. All waiting for us.

"Katherine." Her mother called us over to where she, Bianca and the others stood.

"Oh God." Kate said. "They'll be all done up to glory and I'll look like dragged through a hedge backwards"

I smiled at her.

She didn't. Her hair, just caught back with a hair slide, hung like shimmering silk down her back. Without makeup, her skin glowed and her eyes shone. She looked like a woman who'd been shagged all night, which she was. She looked wonderful!

We had just reached them when someone else called "Katherine."and there was Norman bearing down on us.

"Oh God!" Kate muttered.

There were the usual greetings and compliments about the previous evening and Kate was beginning to relax, when he said,"We had the most terrible night... the bloody couple in the next room. Terrible! No sleep! No sleep at all! They were bloody at it all night. 'Please, please' she kept saying. Wanted to bang on the wall and tell him to bloody well get on with it and we could all get some sleep. You were on our floor, weren't you Katherine? Did you hear them?"

Kate was shaking her head.

Hysterical laughter was coming up in me and my stomach muscles were beginning to hurt with the effort of trying to stop it.

I didn't dare look at Kate but out of the corner of my eye, I could see the colour rising in her cheeks and her mouth opening and shutting like a baby goldfish.

I was biting the inside of my cheek trying to control myself when clenching my hand hard over whatever I was holding, I realised it was our room key.

"I'll just check out, shall I, my love?" I said and, like the rat I am, I left her to it.

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