On the evening of his arrival at Cullera, Ferdinando had been overjoyed to have seen Margherita again. After Mass, as Alfonso had suggested, he asked if she would partake in a walk with him in the rose garden. With Marina at a discreet distance, they did so, and after several such occasions, it seemed to him that Margherita had truly reconsidered his offer. During one such walk, Ferdinando decided he would risk broaching the subject of their relationship. Looking behind at Marina to make sure she was not too close to hear anything said.

“My dearest, all I can say is that you are my whole world. My reason for waking in the morning and face the trials of each day,” he said.

Their arms looped he held her hand with his own and entwined their fingers. Margherita glanced sideways and smiled.

“I do love you, Ferdinando and…” she hesitated before continuing “I regret deeply the day I had refused you. Had I accepted you that day, then perhaps our dear Miguel would still be alive to this day.”

“It is not too late to reconsider.”

“I will think on it, I promise.”

“Good. Let us enjoy each other’s company without prying eyes. Will you come to my bedchamber later?” he asked cautiously.

Without answering, she nodded discreetly.

It was late. The sun had descended hours before. Ferdinando stood before the open window of his bedchamber staring out into the darkness. Since his earlier proposition to Margherita, he had been apprehensive for the rest of the day unable to concentrate on anything. Unfortunately for him, there was not much to do, and Alfonso had not asked his help with anything. Instead, he spent his time either walking in the rose garden or trying to read whilst sitting in his father’s library to create distraction without much success.

Night birds flew amidst the fruit trees feeding on the crop and Ferdinando was watching them when a gentle knock on the door snapped him out of his reverie. He turned about and stepped towards it lifting the latch to open the door.

Margherita stood before him. He ushered her inside closing and locking the door behind them.

Without speaking Ferdinando took her in his arms gently, drawing her close. She tilted her head to gaze into his eyes. The only light coming from the brilliance of the moon as its beam shone through the open window.

Ferdinando lowered his face to hers and their lips met, timidly at first, a delicate embrace of the inexperience of first-time lovers. His hands had been resting on her shoulders now slid down her arms in a light caress.

His touch sent tingles of pleasure through her body. She reached up with her mouth to lock onto his lips again, this time more forcibly. Her own hands searching his body her fingers running through his hair as their embrace became more intense.

Ferdinando gripped her, lifted her, carrying her to his bed where lowering her onto it, he lay next to the love of his life. Uncertainly she began to undo the lacings at the front of her bodice, he placed his hands on her shoulders and slowly, ever so slowly pushed the sleeves off them and letting the gown drop to her waist exposing her breasts. He looked at them in wonder. Never had he imagined them so beautiful, so firm, and so full. It made him shudder with pleasure, and his mind screamed with ecstasy.

Margherita reached down and began to loosen the lacings on his breeches. Ferdinando pulled off his shirt and threw it to the floor before burying his face in between her soft mounds, his hands holding them and letting his fingers search the nipples, which were firm and erect.

Her hands were also searching his lower regions. As she gripped his penis and squeezed he let out a guttural moan of pleasure. She lowered her face to it letting it touch her cheeks lightly as she moved her head from side to side until temptation made her place her mouth over it. She then clamped her teeth delicately around it and let her tongue explore its head, sucking and licking its juices as they slowly leaked.

Ferdinando rolled to his side, letting her take pleasure from her actions but pulled her gown from her body exposing her sex. He admired her shapely legs, the smoothness of her thighs and the tight curls of dark hair between them. He lowered his face, burying it and inhaling her scent. She had prepared for this eventuality as he tasted the flavor of cinnamon amidst an aroma of jasmine.

Margherita was overwhelmed by the moment of passion. As Ferdinando gripped her buttocks, she released her own juices at the same time as his own exploded within her.

They rolled off each other exhausted, perspiration completely covering their bodies as though they had run up a mountain. After several moments of silence, Ferdinando changed his position so that their heads were inches apart. He looked lovingly into her eyes, reaching up to kiss them. They embraced once more, gently as at the start, their arms about each other, pulling their bodies as close as possible and lay quietly until sleep overwhelmed them.