Chapter 27

The next

day , Edward and Alessandra

stood on the steps of the manor house and hugged each of his

parents as they said their goodbyes. Neither Edward's mother nor

his father had spoken of the possible pregnancy. They wouldn't do

so until Alessandra felt sure she could announce it, but they both

felt certain that they would have a grandchild soon

enough.

After what seemed like a

much longer journey than the one she'd originally made to the

estate, Alessandra was shown to the room that she would share with

Edward. They were staying in the same inn she had stayed in when

she'd headed in the reverse direction previously.

When they closed the door

behind them, after eating and readying themselves for the night,

they immediately closed the gap between them, hungry for each

other. It felt different, being in a different place and it being

just the two of them, with no parents at all anywhere in their

vicinity.

Edward felt like he couldn't

get enough of his wife. She continued to surprise him in her

eagerness to be so close to him so often. After satisfying her with

his mouth more than twice, and he had been satisfied three times,

they both lay back in the foreign bed and smiled indulgently at

each other.

"I do think I shall need

sleep at some point tonight, Alessandra, if we are to face your

parents tomorrow," Edward said in his teasing manner. In response,

he heard Alessandra giggle at him with a sound that, to Edward, was

simply delightful.

As he looked at her, he

was again thankful for the choice his mother had made. It may have

been made for an entirely different purpose - that being the money

that had been able to be injected into the estate. Even so, after

their initial unease with each other, he could not have asked for a

more giving and loving wife.

"I do wish to make the

most of our time together," she said, smiling as her giggling toned

down. "I am so happy to be with you, Edward."

Edward could feel the

emotion emanating from her. He pulled her close to kiss her over

and over before they finally let themselves fall asleep.

~~~~~

The following morning,

they made their way to Alessandra's family home. On the way there,

she started to feel nervous about Edward seeing where she'd grown

up. Sensing her anxiety, Edward questioned her to find out what she

was so worried about.

"Edward, I did not grow

up like you," she said. "My parents' home is very small, and we

live on the edge of a small village. In fact, I believe your estate

might be larger than the whole village!"

Edward

looked at her closely and tried to

understand her concern, having not given any thought to their

different upbringings.

"Alessandra, I enjoyed

getting to know your parents, and I love you. What your house looks

like is of no consequence to me. I simply want to be with you," he

said, holding her hand tightly and kissing her lightly. "Do not

worry so."

~~~~~

Later that day, Edward

was introduced to the small village that his wife had grown up in.

He realised then that not only had he never visited the village

before, but he had never visited anything like it before. His wife

had not been stretching the truth. The village did seem much

smaller than the estate that he had grown up on. To help further

reassure her, he kissed her hand and smiled at her in

affection.

Almost immediately after

arriving at Alessandra's family home, they saw her mother,

Isabella, running out to greet them. Isabella pulled them both into

a hug, with tears in her eyes.

"You are here! Oh,

Edward, thank you to you and your father for bringing my daughter

home to me," she gushed as she gave him an extra hug and made him

laugh. "Come in, come in," she continued, ushering them both

inside, where Alessandra's father joined them.

"Edward, it is good to see

you," he said, shaking Edward's hand. "I trust you are taking good

care of my little girl."

As

Edward and Alessandra smiled at each

other, her parents could both see the happiness of their

daughter.

"I certainly am trying,

Sir."

As they entered a small room,

Edward, although he didn't want to be, was surprised at how small

the room and the house were. He hid his feelings, in the wonder of

finally seeing where his wife had grown up.

"Sit down, Edward," he

heard Alessandra's mother insist. He did as he was bid before she

continued. "I shall make some tea. Alessandra, please come and help

me."

Alessandra looked at her

mother, surprised, but did as she was instructed, and followed her

mother out of the room and into the kitchen. Once away from

everyone else, Alessandra saw her mother take her hands and smile

broadly at her.

"You are with child,"

Isabella said, without any hint of a question at all. "I am your

mother, Alessandra, and I can tell."

"I am not certain,

Mother…" Alessandra began to say, relieved that the subject had

come up.

"Have you bled in the past few

weeks?"

"No," Alessandra replied and

her mother looked pleased.

"Oh, my daughter, you are going

to have a baby," Isabella said, clearly excited.

"But Mother, can I be

certain enough to declare it?" Alessandra asked. "I do not know

when is the right time."

Her mother looked at her and

held her hands tighter.

"Alessandra, babies come

when they are meant to," said Isabella. "Some look like they are

meant to, but then they do not. We never know what is going to

happen, but if you find out you are expecting a child, you do not

need to hide it. It is a joyous thing - something to be celebrated.

Do Edward's mother and father know?"

"No, I wanted to see and

talk to you first, to be sure."

She watched her mother as she

started to make tea and prepare the tea tray.

"As long as there is no

bleeding, I believe you can be certain that a baby is growing

inside of you," Isabella said. "I am so very happy for you, my

darling daughter. Does Edward know?"

"He knows

that I think

I might be with child," Alessandra

replied.

"Good," Isabella said as she

nodded and looked closely at Alessandra. "Is he treating you well,

my daughter? Is all well between you?"

"Oh yes,

Mother. He is wonderful,"

Alessandra said.

The dreamy look on her face

told her mother that all indeed was well in the marriage that had

been arranged purely for money.

~~~~~

That evening, Alessandra

and Edward lay alone not in the room Alessandra had grown up in,

but in a guest room with a bigger bed. Alessandra was too aware of

her parents being so close, to be able to summon desire. She'd

wondered if Edward might have been upset about it, but all

Alessandra saw on his face was his look of amusement.

"I think we can be good

while we are here, do you not agree? Especially after last night…"

Edward said, teasing her. He saw her face blush deeply while

remembering how many times they had made love well into the night

during their stay at the inn.

They lay facing and looking at

one another, content to do just that.

"Did your mother talk to

you?" he asked and saw Alessandra smile at him.

"Yes. She told me I was

with child, even before I said anything. I think, now, I may let

myself believe it," Alessandra replied. "Edward, we are having a

child!"

Edward smiled brilliantly at

her.

"I am going

to be a father, and you shall be a mother," he said with a

quiet indication of excitement

revealed in his voice.

Alessandra looked at him

in wonder, thinking about how much her life had changed in only a

few months. Prior to the day she'd learned of Edward, she had

questioned if she would ever get married, or would end up staying

at home with her parents and then alone.

"Do you think this could be the

first of many?" Alessandra asked.

She saw Edward's face begin to

beam, revealing his wishes.

"If that is what is

intended for us, then we will welcome it, but you and I both come

from small families," he said. "We must not forget how things can

go sometimes. If we only have the one - even if we have none - you

and I shall be happy enough, Alessandra."

Alessandra cuddled into

him and let herself drift off, thinking about the prospect of not

only having to learn how to run an estate, but also having to learn

how to be a mother.