Chapter 69

As the

four-month anniversary of his father's death passed, Edward found

himself starting to feel very lonely. He knew his wife was there

for him , and yet he could not

bring himself to bother her with his desire for her. Night after

night, he kept quiet and focused on simply holding her

close.

As always in the

evenings, he and Alessandra put the children down to sleep after

extensive time hugging each of them, and then moved to the privacy

of their bedchamber.

On that evening, he

sensed something about his wife was different, as if she had

something serious on her mind. He put his arms around her and held

her in front of the fire before taking her hand and leading her to

the sofa. There they reclined back and held hands, sitting

close.

"What is it, Alessandra?" he

asked gently, finding a surge of panic inside of him.

Alessandra looked at him as if

only just realising he was there.

"Oh, it is nothing, Edward. My

milk has dried up much sooner than it did with Isabella and

Elizabeth, that is all. Margaret has already weaned Charles onto

cow milk," she said and put the matter out of her mind, determined

as she was to not talk about trivial things when Edward was so

exhausted at the end of each day. "I am sorry. Please tell me how

your day was. Did you sort out…" she continued, encouraging him to

speak about his tasks of the day.

~~~~~

The next morning, after

breakfast, Alessandra felt withdrawn and alone. As difficult as it

was to acknowledge to herself, she knew she missed Edward. She

tried to formulate some kind of plan to have some real time alone

with him. The idea initially seemed impossible, until she

considered her father's offer the day before.

Midway through the day,

she entered the drawing room and found her father in pleasant

conversation with Edward's mother. Alessandra decided to be bold

and approach both of them for help.

"I would like to ask both

of you for assistance with a matter," she started. She could feel a

slight blush on her face beginning, but determined to see the

request through.

"Of course Alessandra, how can

we help?" her father asked, jumping up quickly, as if it were an

emergency.

"I t is not something

that requires immediate attention, however…" she started, feeling

awkward before she found her resolve once more. "I would like - if

the two of you would not mind - to go away to Bath with Edward for

a short time. I…" she continued, now feeling the full force of her

'beetroot face', as she had come to refer to it over the

years.

Alessandra saw her father look

at Edward's mother knowingly, as if the two of them had already

discussed such a plan. When he looked back at her, he smiled

broadly.

"Alessandra, that is a

wonderful idea."

"Yes, go tomorrow,

Alessandra, with our blessing," Edward's mother said. "Do not

worry. The estate will be well, in the hands of me and your father.

You and Edward have been working so hard that you deserve

it."

Alessandra could not hold back

her smile as she moved to give each of them a hug.

"Thank you!" she

exclaimed excitedly, making them both laugh. "I shall sort things

out now." Before she left the room, she turned back to them with a

sly grin on her face. "Could we perhaps keep this a secret until

breakfast tomorrow?" she asked.

Both parents nodded,

smiling.

~~~~~

That night in bed, Edward

sensed that his wife was keeping something from him. He did not

want to pressure her, given all that she was dealing with, so once

again went to sleep feeling content to be with her, but at the same

time feeling a slight sense of loneliness, like he was losing

her.

~~~~~

After breakfast the next

morning, Edward stood up to excuse himself, before he was

unexpectedly commanded by his wife.

"Sit down, Edward …

please."

He did so, looking at all

of the faces at the table, and realising that something was going

on that he had not been made party to.

"You shall not be going to work

around the estate today," Alessandra continued, pretending to be

stern in her voice. "I have quite another job for you to do."

Edward looked at his

wife. He was ready to comply with whatever she needed assistance

with, but when he looked into her eyes, he saw something he had not

seen in a long while.

"What can I help you with, my

lovely wife?" he asked, sensing she was somehow teasing him in her

mock seriousness.

"You can help me with packing

enough clothing for you and me, for two nights."

Edward sensed his mother

and Alessandra's father both looking at him. Turning his attention

away from his wife, he saw how much they were both smiling. Upon

seeing his further confusion, all three people before him started

laughing quietly.

"What have I not been told?" he

asked in good humour.

"You shall go with your

wife, Edward, and enjoy two nights in Bath with her. Do not worry

about the estate. We shall look after it, and we are quite

qualified to handle anything out of the ordinary, should it

happen," he heard his mother say, smiling at him. "Your children

are in good hands, and the estate is in good hands. Do not argue.

Just do as your wife bids."

Alessandra watched her

husband's face change through different emotions as he looked at

each person in the room. When his eyes settled on hers, she saw he

was inwardly pleased. It made her happy.

"Go!" Alessandra's father

insisted. "You are young, and you are in love. Do not waste another

moment."

~~~~~

As the door closed behind

them in their bedchamber, Edward felt shy for the first time since

their wedding night. Sensing it, Alessandra moved to him, put her

arms around him, and kissed him deeply.

"Let us go and say

goodbye to our children, and then be off, Edward," she said to him,

making him instantly aroused and hard just by the look in her

eyes.

Edward blushed and smiled at

her.

"I cannot go to the nursery

right at this moment, Alessandra," he said, making her giggle for

the first time in months. As he listened, he remembered what a

wonderful sound it was to him - and how much he had missed it.