Rath was surprised that Lisette recognized him when he presented himself at the private entrance to her personal rooms at Chez de Sauveterre. The last leg of the trip had been difficult, the storms seeming endless. He hadn’t shaved in weeks, his hair needed a good wash and his clothes, though still well-cut, were caked with dirt, saltwater and blood. He did not look the part of a peer of the realm, or a partner in Sinclair Knolls, one of the most prosperous shipping and import interests in England.

Lisette had taken one look at him, seen behind the filth and grime and flung herself into his arms. His former mistress was ten years his senior but nothing in her countenance betrayed her age. Though in her mid-forties now, she still looked fresh and carefree, with her white-blonde hair pulled back in a loose knot. Her blue eyes swam with tears at the sight of him.

It was always at Lisette’s home that he regained his land legs. His coachman followed behind him with a small trunk filled with the clothes and toiletries that would turn the feared Captain Wrath into the Rowan Grayson Sinclair, the Earl of Rathbridge or that devilish Lord Sin, as some still called him.

He assured her of his health and general well-being before being seen up to a private guest room. He was relieved to see Gisele and Richards awaiting him in his room. They must have received word that his ship had at last made port.

He wrapped an arm around Richards’ shoulders and kissed Gissy on the forehead. They had been his faithful servants for years and appreciating their company, he regretted that he saw so little of them.

He’d met Richards when he had been a footman in his parents employ, but the young man had shown potential. Upon setting up his own lodgings in Albany, Rath had asked him to become his personal valet. By then, Gisele went where Richards went, and had taken on the role of housekeeper, cook and maid.

Tonight, the two worked together, putting to rest the fearsome Lord Wrath and revealing the gentleman beneath. Richards stripped him out of the offensive rags, and Gisele ran to dispose of them. Richards was nothing if not serious about his work, and Rath knew by the look he gave the sodden clothing that Richards was planning to take them out back and burn them. Rath hid a grin. He would never see the ‘offensive garments’ again. Richards set them by the door and turned back to the trunk, pulling out Rath’s more fashionable London attire.

“Not the jacket, not tonight.”

Richards lifted his brow as if to admonish him. The world, however, would not end if he showed up downstairs in his waistcoat and shirtsleeves. He glared back at Richards, who frowned, but silently relented.

Gisele laughed at them both. “You two have the same argument each time you come home.”

“That was hardly an argument,” Richards grumbled. “It’s hard to argue with a man who looks like a naked caveman. We must do something about that hair and beard, my lord.”

“Of course, Richie.”

“Come on, caveman.” Gisele held out her hand. “I happen to like you naked and hairy. Though not so filthy as you are now.”

“I thought you liked me dirty?” he teased, and saw a look pass between her and Richards. “Good lord, has she finally taken pity on you and agreed to marry you, Richie?”

“Aye, my lord. I’ve made her my wife.”

“You should have said, man.” He reached out to grab a towel and wrapped it around his waist.

Gisele tugged the towel off him playfully. “Pssh, my lord. He’s seen you tup me. He’s helped you tup me. There is no need to be missish about showing me your stick now.”

Richards laughed. “No, my lord. Modesty would be quite out of place. Get in your tub and let Gissy and I clean you up.”

Rath shook his head but couldn’t stop from grinning. He had always expected the two would wed, had encouraged it after Gisele had birthed Richards’ second child. That she’d finally consented was a cause for celebration.

He leaned back in the hot tub and let them take care of him. Gissy washed his hair first, then moved on to washing his body with a scented cloth. Richards had pulled a stool close to the tub side and had prepared a basin of hot water. He began the process of shaving him, which meant cutting the length of whiskers first.

Rath never considered himself a prissy man. He wasn’t a fop. He did for himself for months at a time while at sea, but he did enjoy the feeling of another running a razor or a soft cloth over his skin.

Gisele rang for more water and a parade of young boys brought hot pots into the room. When he stood, she and Richards took turns rinsing him clean with the hot water, before Gissy wrapped him in soft towels. She led him over to the dressing table where Richards completed his transformation by trimming his unruly hair to a respectable, but still unfashionable length.

“You will always look the pirate, my lord,” Gisele said, crawling onto his lap as Richards continued to towel his hair dry.

“Sssh, that’s our secret, Gis.” He laughed as she kissed his newly shaven chin and jaw.

“You will always be Captain Wrath, my lord, scourge of the high seas.” Richards laughed and leaned over his shoulder to kiss Gissy himself. Then he turned a kiss to Rath’s jaw. Rath caught his eye and could not fail to miss the hint of challenge there. He took Richie’s lips in a hungry kiss, their tongues dueling for control as Gissy purred and began releasing him from his prison of towels. She trailed her lips down his chest.

It was his turn to growl as he threaded his fingers through her fair hair. He pulled his lips from Richards. “I know you like your caveman, but you may find manliness a little too wild, even for you, my love,” he warned.

She grinned up at him, skimming his abdomen with her hand then settling it between his thighs. “Should we clean this up so I can suck you proper, my lord?”

“You have the best ideas, Gissy.” He looked from her to Richards then spread his legs wide. His aching cock twitched earnestly.

“You hold it still, Gis, and I’ll expose it.” Richards knelt between his thighs, the snick, snick of his scissors a disturbingly arousing type of foreplay, followed by the scrape of the razor over his aching sac. He held his breath as Gissy’s small hands stroked his cock, her thumb circling its tip as his valet palmed the sensitive skin of his denuded balls.

“Water to rinse, Gissy?” Richards asked. “We need to make sure the captain is every bit the gentleman down here.”

“That cock ain’t never been a gentleman, my love.” She placed a bowl beneath him and poured warm water from the pitcher over his crotch. The preparation was decadent in its deliberateness. “That’s why I can’t get enough of sucking it. He’s so long and thick I can barely breathe around him when he shoves it down my throat.”

Richards used the cotton towels to dry him as Gissy disposed of the basin and pitcher. Richie stroked the towel with arousing intent over Rath’s cock. It twitched in response.

“Really, Gis, it’s just a matter of practice. Isn’t that right, my lord?” Richards ran his tongue over Rath’s balls, then up the length of his cock.

Gissy knelt on the outside of Rath’s thigh, her chin resting on it as she and Rath both watched Richie soak its length with his saliva and his tongue tease the tip before opening his mouth to devour it whole.

Rath’s hands instinctively flew to both Richards’ and Gisele’s heads, his fingers tightening in their hair. “Fuck, Richards, yes, take it like that.” He bucked his hips, as Richards swallowed against its head.

Gisele whimpered and he opened his eyes to see she had pulled up her skirts and had one hand down between her thighs, rubbing her clit hard with her palm.

“She needs you to fuck her.” He pushed Richie away so he could see his wife’s gleaming cunt. She was wet with desire for them both.

“Oh, yes, my pirate,” she agreed, her voice husky. “I need you to fuck my mouth as my man takes my cunny.”

“I need that too, Gis,” he agreed, standing. “Come to the bed. Let me see him eat you before he fucks you.”

Gisele ran to the bed, threw herself onto her back, with her thighs wide. Richards stalked toward her, a feral grin on his lips. He bunched up her skirts and spread her legs wide. Richie’s shoulders fit between her stockinged feet as he pushed her legs open. Rath’s gaze fell to her splayed thighs, watching as Richards bent his head to her softly furred quim. Her arousal glistened, and he moaned with the sweet taste of her.

The sounds of passion beat a happy cacophony in his head and his nostrils flared with the scent of arousal in the room. Gisele’s sweet moans increased with her husband’s lascivious attentions.

Rath smiled and began dressing as he watched them. Gis had led Richie on a merry chase these last seven years. He was going to have to talk to Richards about his plans, and whether they wanted to continue in his service. It was a little unusual for his staff to be married, but his was an unusual household. While he was at sea, he’d given them leave to raise their boys there. He would miss the family should they decide to retire from his employ, and not just because of the carnal pleasures he had shared with them.

Rath was tucking in his shirt when Gissy squealed her release.

“Jesus, Gissy, you made me fight for that one.” Richards laughed and rolled her over, tossing her skirts up over her arse. “Were you trying to hold out for his lordship’s cock in your mouth, or mine in your cunny?”

He had a wicked gleam in his eye when he looked Rath’s way. He released his placard and pulled out his long, hard erection. He pumped it in his hand, his thumb brushing over its glistening tip.

“My lord, will you help me fuck Gissy?”

Rath flicked the button on the front of his pants and his cock sprang free. He knelt on the bed in front of Gisele. With one finger beneath her chin, he tilted her face up to him. “Do you want that, Gissy? You want my cock down your throat?”

She sighed and opened her mouth as Richards plunged his cock into her hard and deep. The momentum propelled her forward and she swallowed against Rath’s cock as it slid across her palate.

Rath let Richards set the rhythm, Gissy taking more of him each time her husband slammed into her. Rath alternated between looking at Gissy, her eyes glassy with desire, her mouth stretched around his girth, her blonde hair tumbling over her shoulders, to Richards. Where Gissy looked wanton, Richards was a testament of restraint. His shirt and waistcoat were still tucked. He looked intent and relieved as he fucked into her.

Rath’s balls drew up tight. He had missed this. The scent of woman’s arousal, her heady cries. His orgasm raced down his spine and through his cock a second before he erupted with a shout.

His shout was followed by Richard’s, as they poured into poor Gissy, drowning her with their seed.

He stumbled off the bed as Richards and Gisele collapsed atop it. Richie gathered Gis in his arms, and he could just make out his whispers of reassurance and love. Rath rubbed at some distant pain on the skin over his heart.

Rath finished dressing.

“You don’t have to go, sir,” Richards said, straightening up.

“I need to try my hand at the tables. I’m out of practice.” He smiled. “You two take your time. I’ll heading back to the ship soon, but my trunks are already on their way to the townhouse. When you are done here, head there and begin sorting things out, if you don’t mind.”

“No trouble at all, sir. Everything will be well and in its place by the time you arrive,” Gisele promised, as she pushed her skirts back over her bare legs.

“I can always count on you, Gissy.” He grabbed his jacket and his cane before leaving in search of a different game.