Chapter 43

"Oh!" Edward

heard his wife say as they sat at breakfast. On hearing her alarm, he jumped up in concern,

seeing her hands go to her belly.

"Alessandra, what is it?" his

mother asked, also moving closer to her.

"Oh … it feels like …

fluttering," Alessandra replied, showing her face to be in her

scholar mode as she tried to find the right words to explain the

new feeling she was experiencing.

Edward saw his mother smile at

his wife.

"You are not in pain?" she

asked.

Alessandra shook her head.

"No! It feels … odd … but

nice."

Edward's mother asked for

permission to touch Alessandra's belly. After receiving it, she

placed her hand on her daughter-in-law.

"Your baby is moving,

Alessandra … inside of you. Edward, come and feel your child," she

said.

Edward rushed around the table

to put his hand on the belly of his wife.

"Oh, Alessandra, how

wonderful," he said as he knelt beside her. After she adjusted her

chair slightly, he held himself against her, his emotions

overwhelming him.

On his

face, Alessandra could see

that he was feeling the same wonder that she was. She leaned down

to deliver a kiss, which he accepted eagerly.

Edward's mother and father

exchanged a knowing look, both happy to see their son enjoying his

marriage so much. With their daughter-in-law now more than halfway

through her term, they held much hope that they would see the

successful delivery of a child - the first child that had been born

in their home since the day Edward had been born.

~~~~~

Later that day, Edward's

father received a letter from Alessandra's father, which, concerned

about why her father might be writing to him directly, he put aside

until he could be alone to read it. Once in the steward's room, he

opened the letter and was stunned by its content.

"I write to you with urgency

after having been informed that a known acquaintance of

Alessandra's, Mr Tom Missinger, who I understand has been trying to

secure her affection for some time, has been reported as missing

for the past two weeks. Please be vigilant in case he has travelled

to your location. I beg you to keep my daughter and our grandchild

safe."

Edward's father sat alone

for some time, thinking about the situation. He had not laid eyes

on Missinger, so wouldn't be able to identify him even if he did

see him, and yet he could not sit and do nothing either.

Walking around the manor, he

finally found his son in the glass room, sitting quietly with

Alessandra. He was reluctant to disturb them, and adamant that his

daughter-in-law must not know of the possible threat. He also knew

that Edward had met the man and might be the only person able to

know if he crossed their paths.

Considering the option to

disturb the young people or not, Edward's father moved away and

decided to let them have their time together. In the meantime, he

would go and spend time with his own wife. He didn't know to what

extent this 'Missinger' desired to claim Alessandra, nor how far he

would go to try and win her. The thought resulted in a shudder

passing through Edward's father. He had never had conflict in his

life, and was too old for it to come his way now. Even so, he was

determined that he would protect his wife, his son, his

daughter-in-law, and his grandchild with whatever means he would

have to.