Chapter 56

After giving Elizabeth her

final feed for the evening, Alessandra and Edward left the nursery

and walked quietly back to their bedchamber. Alessandra wondered

what she could tell him about her meeting with the lawyer, without

causing him pain. In turn, Edward wondered what he could ask

her.

Upon entering the room,

Alessandra moved to stand in front of the fireplace, letting the

warmth from it seep into her. Edward watched her, uncertain from

the day's events what she would want from him. Should he approach

and ask, or should he stand back and avoid questions?

As if hearing the question in

his head, Alessandra reached back with her hand and pulled him so

that he was standing behind her. With both of his hands wrapped

around her, together they watched the flames in the fireplace.

"Kiss my neck," she whispered

to him.

Edward obliged, enjoying the

way she moved her head to allow him access, and the sound of her

breathing deepening and the quiet moan that escaped her lips.

Feeling not only highly

aroused, but also completely empowered, Alessandra moved one of his

hands upward onto her breast, and immediately felt him start to

caress her nipple through the layers of fabric. Even through their

clothing, she could feel him grow hard against her. She reached

back with one hand and touched him, driving him to groan against

her neck.

They stayed that way for

some time, both enjoying giving and receiving the clothed pleasure,

until Alessandra turned around and faced him, wrapping both arms

around him and kissing him passionately. In doing so, she pushed

him to another level of arousal that Edward knew he would have to

satisfy. He turned her away from him again and with slowness and

patience, undid and removed each article of her clothing, one piece

at a time, kissing the skin before him as it became

visible.

When she was naked, he

hurriedly removed all of his clothing. They stood together, naked

in front of the fire, holding one another tightly and kissing.

Everything about her was intoxicating to him. Even in seeing how

her body had changed since having a baby, Edward still yearned for

her, hard and extended in desperation to be much closer to her.

Alessandra revelled in the high

degree of arousal she felt. Holding him close, hip to hip, she felt

him nestle between her thighs - not inside of her but still

enclosed by the tops of her legs. They stood like that, kissing

each other while in no hurry to move from that spot.

Finally, eager to pleasure her

husband, Alessandra edged Edward back onto the sofa and knelt

before him, taking her time to tease him with her hand and her

mouth, doing what she could to not drive him to climax too

soon.

"Oh, Alessandra, what you

do to me!" she heard Edward exclaim as she worked to draw the

pleasure out for him. The feelings she felt when knowing he was so

aroused made her want to please him. She no longer cared that she

knew women were not meant to enjoy marital relations. To her, it

was a beautiful thing that she shared only with Edward. She would

not feel bad about that.

"Oh my darling, I'm going to…"

she heard him say before he convulsed before her, making her giddy

in delight and arousal herself at his climaxing. She knelt before

him, watching his face as he relaxed back in recovery, and waited

until he opened his eyes and looked down at her.

Edward leaned forward and

kissed her passionately, wanting to give her everything in the

world in that moment, as full of love as he was for her. He pushed

her back on the rug on the floor in front of the fire and knelt

between her legs to pleasure her in return. Leaning over her, he

kissed her all over - her lips, her nipples, and down over her

belly. Finally, he came to rest as she placed her hands on his head

and guided him. As aroused as she was, it took only minutes before

she felt the release, and all stress that had been inside of her,

flow out.

Edward

pulled away and lay down on top of

her, nestled between her legs on the rug, enjoying the flames

beside them. He took his time kissing her lips over and over, in

between the two of them looking at each other and saying

nothing.

Alessandra looked at the

face of the man she had come to love so deeply. She felt the

heaviness of having not immediately talked to him about the matter

of Tom's will, and suddenly felt the need to make sure there was

nothing unsaid between them.

As if sensing the change in

her, Edward pulled away and held out his hand to help her up.

"Come and get into bed, my

love," he said quietly, coaxing her but letting her lead.

They settled themselves under

the covers and lay facing each other quietly.

"Edward," Alessandra started,

then found herself uncertain how to go on.

He touched her cheek and ran

his fingers lightly over the side of her neck and onto her

shoulder, in an attempt to relax her.

"What is it, Alessandra? I can

see that you have something consuming you."

"Tom's will…" she started

again and paused until Edward prompted her to keep going. "Mr

Hogelby informed me today that the will has been set up in such a

way that I must accept what is being gifted to me. Not only did Tom

state that I was to become the owner of everything he left behind,

but he also expressed that his wife was to not have

anything."

As

Edward listened, Alessandra saw his

face change in disgust about what she'd said.

"But his family…"

Alessandra shook her

head. "There are none. His mother was the last remaining relative

in their line, and she died shortly after his death."

Edward let the information

process in his mind, focusing on not letting his anger toward the

man who had tried to ruin his marriage, affect anything that

Alessandra had to say. Aware that she was waiting patiently, as if

to reveal more to him, he encouraged her to keep talking.

"There is more…" he said

and saw her nod, with a slight blush forming on her

face.

"I … he …" she stuttered,

trying desperately to muster more confidence in her words. "The

will states that everything left to me is to only come to me - to

be only mine."

"Yes, you said he did not leave

his wife anything…"

"No, Edward, you do not

understand. Everything is to come to me, and it is not to come to

you."

Edward let out a sigh.

"Oh, Alessandra, is that

what you have been worried about all day? That I might want to make

some claim on whatever he has left to you?" he asked and saw her

silently acknowledge just that. "Oh my love, no. When you came into

this marriage, your parents gave everything they had to my parents,

for the sake of the estate. I have been aware from our wedding day

that it is difficult with you not having any money of your own. I

know it has been hard for you, always having to rely on my parents

for things like your dresses, or things for Elizabeth," he said and

paused in silence for a moment before continuing his words. "As

much as I despised the man, if he has left you a small income for

you to enjoy, I want you to enjoy it."

Alessandra revelled in

the words she was hearing, wondering why she had thought Edward, of

all people, would want to take anything from her.

"Yes, however, it is not

a small income he has left me, Edward," she said timidly, looking

into his eyes so she could gauge his reaction. "He left me a

considerable fortune, which I have asked the lawyer to pay me a

small allowance out of, but there is much, much more. I have asked

the lawyer to invest it for the moment, until I know for certain

what I want to do with it."

Edward thought about what he

was being told - that his wife was now wealthy - and found himself

slightly insecure. He endeavoured to keep the feeling as well

hidden as he could.

"Is there more?" he asked,

sensing she still had not finished her news.

"His entire family estate

has been left to me also, Edward. I have an estate property not far

from my parents' home. In that, I do want us to make choices

together. I need to explore whether to keep the property, with the

income that it produces, or sell it. I would like that to be a

decision we both make, because I want us to think about it in terms

of the future of Elizabeth, and any other children we might

have."

Edward was silent for some

time, letting his mind flow through a myriad of thoughts about all

that he had been told, but he could not think what to say in

response.

Surprised at how silent he was,

Alessandra kissed him softly.

"We do not need to make

any decisions now, but I would like us to travel to the estate and

deal with things that must be done there. Staff are there,

uncertain what is happening…"

"Yes, of course," Edward

responding, understanding fully the importance of staff and tenants

on a large estate. "And the property is near your parents' home,

you say?" he asked and saw his wife nod. "Then we shall go, if you

wish. We will need to bring Margaret with us, to help with

Elizabeth - or would you prefer they stay here?"

"No! Oh no, Edward, they must

come also, so my parents can spend time with Elizabeth. Perhaps the

four of us could travel to my parents' home, and from there you and

I could go alone to the estate for one night to assess things,"

Alessandra said.

"But Elizabeth's feeding…"

Edward started to say.

"No," Alessandra

responded. "She is weaning off my milk and on to cow milk, so

Margaret will be able to feed her."

"Very well. Winter is not far

off. Should we go soon, or on the other side of that?"

Their conversation

continued far into the night, discussing different options and

deciding to leave as soon as Elizabeth was fully weaned.

Eventually, they fell asleep in each other's arms, both feeling

much better that, once again, nothing was being hidden between

them.