This is a continuation of the Georgette Heyer novel Black Sheep, and begins just as the book ends. It features the characters Abby and Miles Calverleigh, Fanny Wendover, Selina Wendover and their household. I have written more so if you like it or if you don't please feel free to comment. Thanks for reading!

Chapter One

Finally releasing her from his strong clasp, he looked down at her, the sternness of his face belied by the smile in his eyes.

"My dear ma'am, do you, or do you not wish to be abducted?" he demanded.

Accepting that she was dealing with a man hopelessly lost to any moral scruples, his beloved rested her head on his shoulder and responded meekly "Yes please, Miles!"

Capturing her lips one more time in a brief, decisive kiss, her tormenter once more attended to his horses and she sat back, wondering what on earth she had just agreed to. But the day was so unusually pleasant, the drive to Chippenham one that she enjoyed and she was guiltily aware that not only was it delightful to be by his side again after so many weeks apart, but that she felt a shocking sense of gleeful anticipation.

On their arrival, her escort had lounged off to attend to mysterious errands of his own and she had taken refuge in the private parlour of the coaching inn to struggle with the frankly unenviable task of writing to her sister. After several unsuccessful attempts, and with a very tiresome pen, she had at last dispatched a bald little note informing Selina and Fanny that, without her knowledge, Mr Calverleigh had arranged for them to marry that afternoon by special license; that she was sorry to cause them distress but this is what she truly wished for; and that she would write again as soon as she knew their direction. Expressing her difficulties to her abductor, she had been outraged at his lack of sympathy.

"You really have no delicacy at all!"

He grinned. "Who said I did! But that's why it's not conventional etiquette to write notes from an abduction! It's dashed difficult to explain!"

"Well, I had to tell them something!" she protested, quite reasonably. "I couldn't have had them combing the countryside when we didn't return. And in any case, I was engaged to dine with the Leavenings tomorrow."

"I am very sorry that you will miss your engagement," he said gravely. "But I am reassured that they at least will understand."

"Do you think they will?"

"I think that a great deal of your friends in Bath are fully aware that I wish to marry you. Mrs Grayshott certainly knows."

"How does she know?"

"I told her," he explained.

There seemed nothing to say to such a man, so, ceasing all further argument, she allowed him to hand her into a luxurious post chaise where he produced, with the satisfied air of one who has remembered all, an enticing nuncheon basket.

In fact, by the time they reached Reading, Mr Calverleigh had applied himself so well to the task of soothing her conscience that not only had she been coaxed to sit very improperly within the circle of his arm, but to seem entirely reconciled to her fate. He, on his part seemed completely content with the outcome of his plot, even to the point, so his doting bride informed him, of quite obnoxious complacency.

Their marriage satisfactorily enacted, her new husband swept her back into the chaise and onwards to what he loftily described to her as their country estate.

"It's an appalling ruin, of course! We don't have to stay there above a few days, but as it's not yet October it won't be as cold as usual. I hope."

"Of course," she had returned, with some acidity. "I should have known that the only correct conclusion to an abduction is for the villainous hero to immure his shrinking bride in a crumbling and excessively inconvenient estate. I collect that it is, of course both brooding and sinister, with ivy that taps the window like ghostly fingers? Bats, perhaps and chimneys that smoke?"

"The chimneys have smoked for generations," he said proudly. "And food has to be carried over several floors to the dining room, so that it is almost always inedible. In winter, of course, it is entirely unbearable. You'll be lucky if the water doesn't freeze in the pitchers. But we don't have to live there then," he added cheerfully. "Perhaps we could winter in Italy. I always wanted to visit Venice, but my father always claimed that he wasn't plump enough in the pocket to let me go on a Grand Tour. I'd imagine that he simply mistrusted my motives. Probably with good reason," he added as an afterthought.

"Probably." She agreed, regarding him with a fascinated eye as he grinned and reached for her.

The dim glow of late afternoon was spreading its golden light across the North Wessex Downs when they finally arrived at their new home. She had truly not known what to expect, only that it was said to be antique, extensive and completely falling down, so she was charmed as they approached a rambling, handsome house, its golden stonework warmly illuminated by the rays of the dying sun. With its pointed gables, tall mullioned windows and long grass bordering some very untidy rose gardens, it was an attractive scene, and extremely romantic.

"Miles! It's beautiful."

"Reserve your judgment until you've seen inside," he warned her, but as the chaise came to a halt, a elderly couple came out to greet them and their attention was claimed.

Old Mr and Mrs Penn were evidently delighted that the property had been taken back into more conscientious hands and warmly welcomed their new mistress. Tactfully noting her rather ruffled appearance Mrs Penn suggested that she might like to wash her hands after their journey, an offer gratefully accepted, as was a much needed cup of tea. When she was refreshed, Mrs Penn tentatively offered to show her new mistress about the house while her husband, briskly adjourning her to enjoy herself, removed to his study.

The two women began their tour, Mrs Penn in an obvious state of high excitement and extreme apology. The youngest scion of the Calverleigh name had spent little time there in recent years, drawing on the estate only for funds even as he had let it decay into a lamentable state of dilapidation. Although valiant efforts had clearly been recently made to bring it into at least some kind of order, the dust danced in the last of the sunlight filtering in through the long, diamond paned windows, the furniture in many of the rooms still swathed under holland covers. As they wandered through the high ceilinged, wood panelled rooms, the housekeeper, who recognized Quality when she saw it, was tentatively eager to share both her domestic concerns and the history of the Calverleigh family and Abby let her talk; she was sufficiently curious to learn as much as she could about her new home and had no wish to snub the good woman. She could see that she had tried conscientiously with few resources to maintain the beautiful but crumbling façade and also that the return of the Prodigal Son had been a matter of profound relief. Mrs Penn was conspicuously short on the matter of both Stacy and his father and Abby, skilled at interpreting the language of servants, hunderstood that they had been quite as disliked by their dependents as the reprobate Miles was held in affection. Abby agreed with fascinated horror that the roof was indeed leaking, the stove was in urgent need of replacement and that a stout girl from the village should certainly be immediately procured to act as maidservant. When her husband reappeared she confided in him that she was not sure which she found the more daunting acquisition, her new spouse or his equally ramshackle estate. He only laughed, caught her by the waist, kissed her most improperly and blithely assured her that he had every confidence in her ability to bring them both up to snuff.

They dined in the charming Elizabethan library, and afterwards, hand in hand, they walked through the overgrown gardens, Miles pointing out places of interest and notable spots from childhood misadventures. As it began to get darker, she shivered a little and he put his arm around her shoulder, drawing her to him. "Would you like to retire inside, my dearest?"

Her eyes met his a little apprehensively and he smiled down at her "There's a fire in the library."

"Oh, of course."

She allowed him to lead her in through the long glass doors that led into the warmly lit room and sit her on a settle by the fire, chafing her hands a little to warm them. He closed the doors and slightly frayed brocade curtains, coming back to her with his quick smile.

"You're nervous," he observed dispassionately as he sat down next to her, one arm along the back, stretching out his legs in his negligent fashion.

"Does it have anything to do, may I ask, with my possible expectations of your Duties as a Wife?"

She smiled reluctantly and a little shyly back. "You are the most disconcerting creature!" she complained. "Will it offend you if yes, I admitted to some slight apprehension?"

She raised her eyes to him with rather uncertain defiance and he smiled lovingly down at her.

"Then that makes two of us, my darling!"

"Really? Why?"

She tilted her head inquiringly and he leant forward and kissed her.

"This is an entirely new experience for me too, you know," he said seriously. "Unless, of course, I'm wrong and you have a Secret Past that you've concealed from me."

"Of course I don't!" she said indignantly. "And if I did I would have told you! After all, it would be very hypocritical of you to judge me if you'd being doing the exact same thing!"

"True!" he acknowledged. "Not that that would stop most people."

Refusing to be distracted, his love pursued "How do you mean, a new experience?"

He rubbed his chin and his eyes smiled at her a little ruefully.

"I'm in love with you!" Her look of puzzlement made his smile widen and he expanded "You know full well it don't mean a scrap to keep a mistress! But making up to females of quality was never my line of country. Maybe I should have enquired of Stacy how to go about it."

He neatly ducked as his infuriated wife threw a cushion at his head and explained "You know, once one has a reputation as a rake, there's a deuce of a lot of expectation. I mean, I know what I would like to do, but no idea if I should. It's a devilish difficult fix to be in!"

She laughed, relaxing a little as he pulled her into his lap. "Well, don't look to me!" she retorted. "I was relying on your experience, or should I say, expertise."

"You see? The pressure! You'll be lucky if I don't end up hiding under the bed."

"I feel entirely misled! If I end up having to flush you out with a broom, I shall feel myself very ill used!" she complained. "I've never felt so taken in!"

They came together in laughter, and for a long time, nothing more was said. Mr Calverleigh appeared to have gained sufficient confidence in his abilities so as to make his wife most amenable to further advances, and, sweeping her up into his strong arms, he carried her to their bedchamber, the romance of the moment, he told her austerely, somewhat marred by his bride's inability to stop laughing.

Although not entirely uninformed of the facts of physical affection, the closest that Abby had come to the act of love was wondering at times what it was like - whilst acknowledging to herself that she hadn't the least desire to find out with any of the men of her acquaintance. Her married sisters, whilst unexceptionally wed, gave no sign of labouring under the pangs of uncontrollable passion and she had naïvely assumed that, should she marry, the physical demands placed upon her would be at best tolerable.

But with the abominable Miles it was different. From the first time they had met she had felt him awaken something in her; a physical longing that she had tried her best to deny. A strictly reared maiden aunt of advanced years had no business to wish such a man to kiss her, let alone feel the shocking urge to return his embraces. But at last, now that there was no necessity for shyness or restraint, their intimacy was like nothing she could have anticipated. Their first night together had been wonderful, she thought with reminiscent contentment. Her new husband had initiated with infinite patience, exploring and enticing whilst leaving her in no doubt that, whilst he was exerting intense self control over himself, he wanted her desperately. She in turn had wondered how it was possible to feel such delight, and he, in turn, had gloried in her response, telling her how much he loved her, how much he had longed for her until he too was spent.

Afterwards, as they had lain together, she murmured sleepily "I can quite see now why libertinage would appeal."

She had felt him chuckle as he bent his head to kiss her hair, drowsy with contentment. "Before you embark on a new career, my love, I feel compelled to tell you that in all my experience, that was unique."

"It was?"

"Mmm-hmm. But I rather thought it might be with you," he added thoughtfully.

"You did?"

"I wouldn't have married you otherwise," he retorted.

"So that's the reason you married me?"

She laughed up at him and felt the vibration of his chuckle.

"It is one of them," he admitted candidly. "I knew that I was attracted to you from the start, but once I knew that I was in love with you, it was different."

Abby raised her head from the broad shoulder where it had been resting most comfortably to ask "Is it so different? With me?"

The question was a little wistful and he pushed himself up on one elbow to look down at her. "Yes. Completely so. My love, of course it is."

His tone held none of the ironic amusement that normally inflected his speech and as she looked up at him, she saw no laughter in his eyes, only sincerity. She smiled up at him, reaching up to his lips. "I didn't expect it to be – like that."

He allowed her to pull him down, kissing her gently. "Did I meet with your approval?"

"Yes." She grinned shyly. "I must be entirely shameless because I am very glad that you abducted and ravished me. I liked it a great deal."

"I married you as well," he pointed out. "Do not try to paint me as entirely unscrupulous."

"You are, though." Her eyes smiled at him affectionately "And quite ruthless. I know."

Then she sighed. "Do you think Selina fell into complete hysterics when she received my note?"

She could feel his laughter all through him and rested her head back against his neck, kissing his collarbone. "I can only hope so. If only we'd been there to see it. Lord, how funny!"

"You see? Quite unscrupulous."

He rolled her underneath him, smiling down at her. "My dearest love, when I first came back and saw you so knocked-up, I was sorely tempted to kick up a hell of a breeze and carry you off then and there. You have looked after them for long enough, it is time for me to look after you."

He bent and kissed her even as she protested. "I didn't look such an antidote! And if I did, it was equally your doing."

"How so? I wasn't even there!" he objected.

"And that is why! You were away so very long, I missed you."

"I wasn't that long."

"Nineteen days," she muttered. "Plus the three after you came back."

"Abductions don't plan themselves," he pointed out. "And you knew I would come back."

"I didn't know! There were times when I was sure you were never going to return at all."

"Because you had so cruelly rejected me?"

"Perhaps."

"So you pined in thought with a green and yellow melancholy," he laughed down at her, dropping his head to kiss her. "My poor darling. I'll not lie, I'm extremely gratified."

"I'm sure you didn't miss me a bit." She declared bitterly.

"I did," he assured her. "I did! A great deal. I thought about you all the time."

"You did?"

"Of course. It was damned distracting."

She sighed "It is probably very wrong of me to feel so very happy. I suppose that I should feel terribly guilty about upsetting everyone so dreadfully, but I can't regret it."

"Pea-goose." He kissed her neck reprovingly. "You really had no choice in the matter. And in any case, if they choose to kick up a dust that is their concern, not yours."

"I shall just stay here forever. We shall have to face everyone sooner or later, I suppose, but I refuse to think about it now."

"Or we could go away?" he suggested, settling his long form more comfortably next to her. "Anywhere you would like to go. Paris, Vienna?"

She twisted her head to look at him solemnly. "Miles, are you truly very rich? I mean, I suppose you must be, to have bought Danescourt, but when you first told me I thought you were joking me."

"I know you did, my little love. I am sorry to say that I was not joking you. I am very rich indeed."

"You are?"

"I am. Should I lavish you with jewels and furs and exotic animals? I could give you a tiger. That was quite en vogue in India."

She chuckled. "What would we do with a tiger?"

"It might dissuade your family from visiting," he pointed out calmly. "But I'm inclined to think that once they ascertain how perfectly unexceptionable - and more importantly, very, very wealthy - I now am, they will not, in fact, disown you. Plus my aunt Kelham– Lady Kelham – is in favour of the match. I am saddened to say that your odious brother will almost certainly come round."

"You spoke to your aunt about me? What did you say?"

"I said that I'd fallen in love with you and that we were going to marry."

"But I turned you down," she reminded him "You couldn't have possibly known that I would agree."

"Well, I already had it in mind to abduct you if you did say no," he admitted. "I knew that you wished to say yes. And you did, didn't you?"

"Well, yes." She sat up, looking down at him, stroking his dark hair back from his brow. "I wonder if people will say that I married you for your money?"

"Will you care if they do?"

She considered. "No. After all, anybody who knows me would know that I would never do such a thing. And in any case, if I didn't know that you have money, how would anyone else?"

"Exactly so."

"I wonder who knows?" she mused. "Selina will have written to James and Jane and Mary. Fanny has probably told Lavinia, so if she knows, Mrs Grayshott certainly knows."

"If they don't now, then they will tomorrow when they see the announcement in the newspapers."

"Are you saying – did you have the audacity to send in an announcement…" she trailed off as he smiled at her, yanking her down to him. She sighed in resignation. "You know, I think we should stay here for a few more days at least."

"At Danescourt, or this room? Because I agree with both. Now I've finally got you into my bed, I'm not going to let you leave so easily."

"I fear James may descend on us in any case." She remarked gloomily. "I never did tell you about the scene we had, did I?"

She described her last interview with James, imitating his face, voice and tone, her story culminating in a broad impression of the Terrible Revelation. Her unregenerate husband burst out laughing, his whole body shaking in mirth, wiping his eyes "O my God! Of all the – and nothing even happened! Upon my honour!"

She laughed gleefully at him "I couldn't help but laugh!"

"So I should think! I only wish I had been there!"

"Can you imagine?" she exclaimed "James having a bilious attack, Selina in hysterics – "

"I really feel we should introduce Miss Butterbank in there somewhere too," he mused. "Perhaps she could have called at an inauspicious time. Can she be counted upon to add to the scene?"

At that her gravity was completely overset and she collapsed into the sheets, gurgling with laughter as he took her into his arms.

She awoke to the sound of heavy rain and the clatter of the grate. As predicted, it was extremely cold and she shivered, gratefully pulling the blankets up around her as she sat up, watching as her husband crouched by the fireplace, deftly stoking the logs into a cheerful blaze, coughing as smoke blew back into his face. "Hero!" She said devoutly.

"You don't know the half of it." He replied cheerfully, rising. "Any self respecting East India trader provides his bride with tea."

He retrieved an ornate brass tray, pouring her a cup of tea and she received it gratefully. It was remarkably good and more importantly, hot. "Is that what you were doing?" she asked, regarding him over the rim of her cup. "Trading?"

"At times."

She did not pursue the matter, instead sliding down in bed, regarding his long lines in some pleasure and remarking "There's a certain air of disreputability in wandering about the house barefoot and shirtless."

"You are not even dressed at all." He pointed out loftily. "Very pretty behaviour at this time of day."

"Why, what time is it?"

"About three."

She moved aside a little as he shrugged off his clothes and rejoined her, wrapping the blanket firmly about them. "Three! That late! Oh! You're cold!"

"I warned you," he said calmly, shivering as he pulled her tightly against him. "The only answer is to stay in bed. Otherwise you'll catch an inflammation of the lungs and I'll never be able to face your sister again. In any case it's far too late to get up now."

She sighed "I should write to Selina. If only so that she can send me my clothes."

"You don't need clothes. And all in good time. Drink your tea."

"I can see you're going to be a Masterful Spouse," she muttered. "What have I let myself in for?"

He kissed her, taking her cup from her hand and carefully placing it on the side table. "Perhaps I should remind you."