Chapter 19: A Grand Day Out

"Roberts!"

The Countess was not calm.

"Roberts, can you do something with my hair? Do you think these earrings are suitable? I wonder if I should have checked if this suit will be appropriate for lunch." She looked in the mirror. "Oh good grief! I've got wobbly eyeliner."

Roberts suppressed a smile. "Take a few deep breaths, my lady. We have plenty of time. Would you like me to do your make-up?"

The Countess gave out a deep sigh. "Please. My hands are shaking."

Half-an-hour later, the Countess came down the stairs, beautifully dressed, perfectly coiffured and made up. The Earl smiled at her.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," she told him. He offered her his arm and led her out to the car.

The journey to London seemed interminable but it was only an hour before Morris drove them up to the palace gates. He identified his passengers and they were waved on into the familiar courtyard and through the central arch.

The Earl leaned over and kissed his wife. "Don't worry. You look great. You're going to enjoy this."

As they got out of the car they were greeted by a tall handsome young man who said he was an equerry. He led them through beautiful corridors and up grand staircases, into a blue and silver ante-room. He invited them to freshen up in a bathroom behind a panelled door then, when they were comfortable, led them on to the White Drawing Room where, despite knowing why they were there, the Countess was astonished to be cordially greeted by the Queen.

There were twelve people around the table for the private lunch. The Countess had met two other couples and knew most of the other guests by reputation. She had discovered only after they had received this invitation that her husband had met the Queen many times. One of his naval appointments had involved a good deal of contact with the Duke, who greeted him with a hearty slap on the back and inquiries about mutual friends.

Lunch was far more enjoyable than the Countess could have imagined as she shook in her dressing room that morning and, whilst it was not possible to forget who her hostess was, she was soon able to converse with her without stammering. All too quickly, lunch was over and the same equerry escorted them back to the blue and silver ante-room.

"His Royal Highness wondered, if you were not in a rush, if you would like to see some photographs of the tour of Japan you went on with him 10 years ago."

The Earl said he would like that very much.

"Then if you will excuse me. Please make yourselves comfortable; I will be back in about 15 minutes."

When they were alone, the Earl gave his wife a wicked look.

"Fifteen minutes. Plenty of time. Wouldn't you love to be able to say you had made love in the palace?"

"You're joking!" the Countess laughed. "Anyone could come in here."

The Earl looked around. He took her hand and led her across the room to a tapestry screen shading a silk upholstered chair from the light of the huge palace windows. He pulled her behind the screen and backed her against the side window frame. His hand moved up the outside of her leg, pulling up her skirt until he cupped her naked buttock. The Countess began to protest, but he silenced her with a deep kiss. He hooked his finger under the back of her G-string and slid it down, pulling the thin strip of fabric to one side.

"You can't mean to do this," she breathed, already hardly able to resist. He kissed her neck, and simultaneously made contact with her damp pussy. With his other hand, the Earl unzipped his fly and let loose his impatient cock. Hoisting her up against the wall, he slid deep into her and began to pump hungrily into her hot, wet hole.