Chapter 63

"Father!" Alessandra exclaimed

as she saw who was at the front entrance to the manor. "We were not

expecting you. What has brought you here? Is all well with

you?"

Her father laughed at her

exuberance and never-ending curiosity, which he was very familiar

with.

" Yes, Daughter, I am

well. I am here to see you, and to meet my new

grandchild."

Alessandra looked at

Edward, his mother, and his father. Their expressions made her

wonder if she had missed some important news. All were smiling at

her, as if…

"You all knew!" she said as

they laughed at her.

"Yes, Alessandra, we have known

for some weeks that your father was coming to stay," Edward's

father said, smiling at his daughter-in-law. "It is only right that

he be here to meet little Isabella."

"Isabella?" Alessandra

saw her father ask wistfully. "You named my new granddaughter after

your mother? Oh, my daughter, that is … oh, thank you," he said,

pulling his daughter into his arms, and feeling tears come to his

eyes as he kissed the top of her head.

Alessandra waited for her

father to relax and regain his composure - something that she knew

was always important to him - and let him move away from her as he

was ready. Greetings were expressed and they made their way indoors

as Alessandra looked at Edward, seeing on his face the broad grin

of amusement that she knew too well.

"You kept that secret hidden

well, Husband. I can see that I will have to better hone my methods

of interrogating you," she whispered to him when they were out of

earshot of the older generation, in a suggestive manner that

produced a deep laugh in him, and a slight blush on his face.

~~~~~

"How long shall you stay,

Father? A long while, I hope," Alessandra asked as the two of them

walked through the gardens together.

"It is that which I wish to

speak to you about, my child. Edward's parents have invited me to

live here…" he started and heard her exclaim a sound of pleasant

surprise before he continued. "I am in a mind to accept their

offer, as I do not mind admitting to you, Alessandra, that I am

lonely without your mother. I miss her considerably, every single

day."

"It is not too late to

re-marry," Alessandra said.

"Oh no! I am not… no, that is

not something I desire at my age."

"Then what is it that you seem

uncertain about?" Alessandra asked, confused.

Her father looked closely at

her, uncertain how she would take the news that he wished to convey

to her.

"Alessandra you are well set up

now, with this land of Edward's family, plus the other estate," he

started and saw her nod. "Nicholas is not so fortunate. I believe

things are very difficult for him in supporting his family, given

the rent they pay where they are living. So I would like to give

them our family home, Alessandra - completely."

Alessandra listened and

wondered when the news that he wanted to tell her would come.

When she did not say anything,

her father could see that he would have to ask her a question

outright for her to comprehend what he was saying.

"How will you feel if you do

not inherit any part of our family home? Would this upset you?"

Finally understanding,

Alessandra felt her eyes go wide in surprise.

" No, Father! Of

course not! No, of course giving Nicholas that house is a wonderful

idea. It will help Nicholas and Victoria greatly, although do you

think that the house is big enough for all seven of

them?"

She saw her father consider the

prospect of the family of his son, which indeed did look like it

was unending in producing more offspring.

"Perhaps I may suggest a

better solution, Father? Do you particularly want that house to

stay in our family? For sentimental purposes?" she asked and saw

her father shake his head.

"No, it is not an ancestral

home. It has no importance for passing through the family line.

What are you thinking, Alessandra?"

"What if I invited

Nicholas and his family to live at Missinger Estate, and you sold

your home and gave him the money from the sale? I have not been

able to bring myself to find tenants for the estate manor, as

Edward and I do love going there to stay. If Nicholas lived there,

he would be doing me a great favour by keeping it maintained and

allowing us to have our own rooms in the home there. And the money

from the sale of your house would keep them well provided

for."

As they continued

walking, Alessandra could see her father considering her idea, so

she remained quiet, knowing he would do what he considered was

right for everyone.

"I think it is a good

idea, but you must talk to Edward about it first, Alessandra. I

know the estate is yours outright, and no part of it belongs to

him, but speak to him and make sure it will not cause any

disharmony between you. We get so little time with our loved ones

in this world. Do not let small things build up."

Alessandra nodded and they

returned to the house to once again merge into conversation with

everyone else.

~~~~~

"What do you think, Edward?"

she asked that night in the privacy of their bedchamber.

"I think it is a good

solution for your father and your brother, and you are right - it

would give some reassurance to know someone is living in it, who

will appreciate it and keep it maintained. With it being as large

as it is, we can also keep enough rooms set up for all of us who

live here," he replied, talking to her seriously about her idea. "I

know that Mother and Father are both eager for your father to live

here with us, and it will be good for him to have so much family

around."

"Shall I arrange to speak to my

brother about it, then, to see what he thinks?" she asked.

Edward could see the excitement

on her face.

"Yes, my

beautiful, generous wife ," he

said. "Let me know what you need me or my father to do, and we will

move forward with that plan if your brother agrees."

They lay together contentedly

and quietly for a long while before Alessandra spoke, breaking the

silence.

"Edward?" she asked and he

prompted her to continue. "Will you take me to the waterfall

tomorrow?"

Edward looked at her and saw

the arousal on her face at the thought, which fuelled him to tease

her.

"And what will we do when we

get to the waterfall, my love?" he asked as he pushed her gently

onto her back and began to kiss the parts of her body that he knew

were her pleasure points.

Alessandra lay back, focused on

the feelings he was producing in her, and forgot what she had been

saying altogether.