Act 19: Duty and Desire

                                    

                                          
They remained tangled in each other's embrace until the first rays of light broke over the horizon. Sebastian untangled himself from Louisa's resting form and drew a bath. Waking her gently, he scooped Louisa into his arms. He lowered her into the warm water before sliding in behind her. She relaxed into him as Sebastian washed her hair and rubbed the aches from her back. Louisa tilted her head back, turning so her lips could find his, he returned the kiss, his tongue exploring her mouth. Breaking the kiss, Sebastian smirked, "as much as I would love to continue this, we have duties to attend to, and I need to find you a uniform before we begin."

                          
Louisa pouted as Sebastian lifted himself from the bath and held out his hand to help her out. He wrapped a towel around her before leaving to find uniforms for Louisa and the twins. Sebastian returned to find her already in her underclothes and struggling to tighten her corset. He lifted her hair, placing over her shoulder before adjusting the strings on the corset and tightening it, making Louisa gasp.
                          
"You enjoyed that far too much."
                          
"I take pleasure wherever I can find it, my love", he smirked. Pulling the strings once more and nuzzling her neck, he continued, "wait until our day ends, and I take pleasure in punishing your mistakes today."
                          
Louisa moaned as his lips brushed her neck, "that's not fair, it doesn't encourage me to do well."
                          
"You should know by now; I never play fair."
                          
Louisa grinned, "no, but two can play that game, remember."
                          
Sebastian smirked as he helped her into the maid's uniform, and they left to ensure the twins were ready to begin their training. The four of them made their way down to the kitchen, where Sebastian instructed on breakfast preparation. He left Louisa and Raven to continue with breakfast while he took Lord Birch is morning tea, and Lilith did the same for Margaret.
                          
The morning continued without issue. Sebastian marvelled at how quickly the twins accepted and carried out the different duties they were given. The guilt that had plagued him the night before deepened as he realised just how much Louisa had taught them on her own while he had been away. Sebastian kept her close to him, not wanting to be any further away from her than he needed to be. Sebastian knew that she could have completed any task that he set, but his plan for that night hinged on being able to distract her and keep track of her mistakes. However, Louisa was determined to play him at his own game. Despite not being able to feel his presence because of the contract, Louisa could still hear and smell him, so whenever he tried to sneak up on her, she was prepared. By the time they gathered to prepare the afternoon tea, Sebastian had failed to distract her enough to spill, break, or spoil anything. Louisa smirked at his growing frustration with her impeccable performance. Now she would do her utmost to increase his frustration, ensuring they both got exactly what they wanted once the house was settled.
                          
As Sebastian walked the children through making the chocolate cake that they would serve Louisa stood close by his side. She heard his heartbeat quicken as she moved closer. As the twins left to collect the ingredients that they would need, Louisa brushed her hand down his back. Sebastian shivered at the gentle touch, "you are playing a dangerous game" he breathed, growling as her hand continued down to his backside. He turned to grasp her just as the twins returned. She stepped back grinning.
                          
"I do not believe you need me here, what else needs to be done?"
                          
Sebastian smirked, "the library needs to be dusted, I shall check on your progress once the twins have the baking under control."
                          
Louisa trailed her fingers across his arm as she left the kitchen. A low moan left Sebastian's throat, causing the twins to giggle, stopping suddenly as the sound drew Sebastian's attention.
                          
"Something amuses you both?"
                          
"No father, but we can manage here, should you believe mother incapable of dusting a few books."
                          
Sebastian glared at the twins, trying to maintain his sternest look as they struggled to preserve any sense of composure at their parents' obvious games. He straightened the front of his tailcoat.
                          
"See that the cake is perfect and ready on time."
                          
With that, he left the kitchen, giggling erupting behind him as he swept through the doors. He did not have time to reprimand the twins and punish Louisa in the time available, even a butler such as himself had limits. He grinned and made his way swiftly to the library, choosing the more pleasurable option.
                          
Louisa stood on the top of the steps, reaching up to the highest shelves, contemplating how much easier the task would be if she could uncase her wings and simply hover. She grinned as hurried footsteps entered the library door and approached the steps. 
                          
"Are you going to come down from there or do I have to fetch you down?"
                          
Louisa continued to dust as the footsteps came closer. Without warning the steps shook, and Louisa lost her balance. Sebastian caught her as she tumbled from the top step and grasped her close to his chest.
                          
"Now, that was unfair," she began as Sebastian placed her on her feet and pressed her against the bookshelves, his hands griping her wrists and holding them firmly at her sides.
                          
"No, my dear, that was just the beginning," he smirked, his mouth finding hers. Louisa moaned as Sebastian deepened the kiss. His tongue exploring her mouth as he released one wrist, his hand sliding across her body and grasping her breast, causing her to moan again.
                          
His other hand slid from her wrist to her skirt, he began to gather the material, pulling it up to give him access to her. He broke from the kiss, his lips moving to her neck as his hand continued up her leg. "I will have you beg for release by the time I am finished with you tonight," he whispered as his teeth grazed her neck. 
                          
Louisa tangled her hands in his hair as his fingers brushed across her underclothes, "and if I beg now, Sir?"
                          
Sebastian growled his hand pressed against her mound; his teeth poised at her neck. They froze as new footsteps approached the library door. Sebastian's eyes flashed as he removed his hand and lowered her skirts just as the door opened, and Lord Birch entered the room. He surveyed the sight of the dishevelled pair in front of him. Under normal circumstances, if he had caught his staff in that state, they would have been severally reprimanded. Still, these were not normal circumstances, nor were they usual staff. Choosing instead to ignore what he had obviously interrupted, he took a breath. He regained the thought that had previously been at the forefront of his mind.
                          
"Margaret and I will take tea in the library today, Sebastian, please see to it."
                          
"Yes, my Lord."
                          
"And, Louisa,"
                          
"Yes, my Lord."
                          
"You may wish to do something about those buttons before heading back to the kitchen."
                          
Louisa's hand went to the front of her dress, there were barely enough buttons left closed to hold it in place. Sebastian smirked, "oh dear, improperly dressed at work, that just won't do. We will need to discuss that at length later."
                          
Lord Birch shook his head as two demons left the room, his mind raced with the possible meanings behind Sebastian's words. His imagination began to run wild based on the noises he had heard coming from Sebastian's room the night before. By the time Margaret joined him for tea, his mind swarmed with images that he wasn't sure he would ever truly be able to remove again.