"I remember how it is in the first weeks of marriage, Alessandra, so do not worry so much. Edward's father is eager for Edward to take over full running of the estate, so he wants him to be prove his sense of responsibility, and he has forgotten what mornings were like for us also at the start," Alessandra heard Edward's mother say quietly, and when she turned to look at her she noticed a slight blush on the woman before her.
"Enjoy this time and make the most of it. Once a baby comes along, something changes between a husband and his wife and things are never quite the same again. Work hard to hold onto what you are sharing."
Alessandra nodded while quietly eating, not sure how to move forward with the day from this conversation, but was then brought into a conversation about the storage of linen that relieved her mind of having to think about pleasure anymore.
"Come, Alessandra, today you and I are going visit and talk to every staff member who works in this household, to help you to be certain of who everyone is by name, and what their role is. I know it is not a common practice, but since I have been mistress of this estate, it has always been important to me that the people who work for us are all treated with respect and appreciation, and for some of them, us simply remembering their names shows them how much we need and respect them," Edward's mother said as the two of them began walking through the house that was quickly becoming home to Alessandra, even though she was sure she had still not been into even half of the rooms.
And so the day passed with Alessandra spending it almost completely in the company of Edward's mother, with the exception of later in the afternoon when she was dismissed and made her way to the glass room that she had come to love so much. Sitting in the late afternoon sun behind the glass, in complete solitude, was something she appreciated doing every day when she could be spared. Always there was so much for her to remember from what she considered her daily lessons in the manor management. It was invigorating to someone like Alessandra, who loved learning and viewed everything as being a possibility to discover new things, but she did become overwhelmed when she took a moment to consider that one day she would be running it all.
She turned off her mind, closed her eyes, and let the sunshine warm her face, sitting like that for a long time until she heard the door quietly open and close, and felt a presence sit beside her.
"You look so tranquil," she heard Edward say, as she turned to see him smiling at her.
"I do love it here in this room," she replied, loving looking at this man who was her husband. Almost instantly she was transformed into a woman of desire again, even without him touching or kissing her.
He moved closer to her and leaned in to softly kiss the side of her neck, while taking her hand and holding it in his.
Alessandra moved her head so she could grant him access to her neck completely, and sat like that, with eyes closed once again, as she felt him softly move his lips slowly but steadily all over her accessible skin.
* * * * *
From a distance, Edward's mother watched the interaction, and felt a huge sense of sadness. On the one hand because she felt like she was losing her son - the one person who she had always felt really needed her - and on the other, because she had lost that level of physical interaction so long ago, and even though she had put that aspect of her marriage out of her mind through these past years, now the memories were resurfacing at a rate that was starting to affect her greatly.
Suddenly she was aware of her husband moving up behind her, and she briefly turned and smiled at him before resuming her stare at the young lovers.
"You miss that, I think," he said to his wife.
She knew him well enough now to know there was no point in not being honest.
"Yes, I had forgotten for so long but when I see their faces when they are like that, I do miss what you and I shared." She was silent before continuing. "I am sorry that I was restricted from the possibility of getting pregnant. I know that you have missed out…" she started but he cut her off.
"I have not missed anything. I have you and I have Edward, and now we also have a daughter who I believe we both highly regard," he said and saw his wife nod in acknowledgement.
He turned her slowly so they could look fully at each other.
"I did not know you missed our physical closeness so much. Come with me," he said to her softly, took her hand and led her to the room that he now slept in alone.
She stayed quiet, not sure why she was in this room, that was foreign to her.
"You are still the most beautiful woman in my acquaintance," he said and she realised he was in the mindset now to make love to her, but the thought invoked fear in her.
"I know that we agreed that we would keep apart all those years ago, as a way to ensure you did not get pregnant," he continued, as he started to undo her gown, and as nervous as she was, she did not stop him. "We are older now, and we can better control what we do. Let me help you to feel like the desirable woman that you are. I will not put you in danger of a child, but we can still give joy to one another."
He continued undressing her, until she stood naked before him, and he drank in the sight of his wife of all these years, while he removed his clothing. She fell into his arms, realising then how hungry and lonely she had been in body, and let him kiss her all over, including that special spot that he had found all those years ago, teasing her until she had the first release she had had in almost two decades.
After her climax she became worried again, as it was always at this point that he would, before, join with her. But in the time they had spent apart, he had learned, as a way of managing his desires, the art of self-pleasure. And so now, he took her hand and placed it on himself. She had never pleasured him like that so it was new to her as it was to him, to have her touch him in such a way. They kissed as she did as he showed, and it was not long at all before he found that release came.
They lay together, holding one another, relishing the contact of their bodies once again.
"I did not know we could both find pleasure without joining," she whispered quietly, feeling tears come to her eyes for all the years they had stayed apart from one another in body, and he held her even closer.
"Oh my dearest love, I love you as much now as I did when we began our marriage, and I have always desired you. When you miss this, you only need to let me know," he said, and suddenly, with remembering how it was, he was more understanding of how his son could have been so distracted and late to breakfast each and every morning.
Chapter Twenty Four
Alessandra found herself learning more and more about the running of such a grand household over the next two weeks, spending almost all day every day with Edward's mother. There was so much to learn, she found, and so many things she had assumed would only be the responsibility of the household staff, but she was surprised to see the level at which Edward's mother - who she now regarded as her mentor - knew what was happening in each little corner of the great home.
Over this time, with them all often being confined indoors, Alessandra was introduced to some other rooms in the house, but due to it being so cold, there were places that Edward's mother told her she would not see until the weather warmed up once again, when a full spring clean would be undertaken.
One afternoon her mother-in-law took her to the steward's room, where she was pleased to see Edward going over the accounts with his father.
"And this, Alessandra, is where you will find your husband often when you cannot find him anywhere else!" she said in a teasing manner as she looked fondly at Edward's father.
Edward's father responded by smiling at Edward's mother shyly.
"Now, my dear, you know how important this part of the house is," he said to her before turning his attention to Alessandra.
"This is where we monitor the success or failure of the estate, Alessandra. It is important to keep on top of the business accounts and paperwork, and this job Edward will take over from me in the not too distant future, so it is important that
he know it completely, and if you are good with numbers, it would not hurt for you to learn also," he said, resulting in a sound of surprise coming from Edward's mother, but he continued regardless. "Would you like to learn about the business also, Alessandra?"
His question placed Alessandra in an awkward position, due to her knowing it was not standard for women to have any place in financial matters, and hearing his words resulted in her face once again showing the depth of her embarrassment. As she felt all eyes on her, including those of Edward's mother who seemed to be horrified at the question, Alessandra settled her eyes on those of her husband and saw in them extreme amusement at her having been put in this position. But looking at him she also found a small amount of strength to hold her head up high and answer confidently, while looking clearly at Edward.
"If my husband would have no objection, I shall like that very much. I am confident in my abilities with figures, and would enjoy working with Edward in this aspect of the estate management," she said, and saw Edward respond with approval at her choice of words.
She turned to look at Edward's parents, hoping the question had been sincere and that she had not read more into something that his father had not been serious about, but the only person in the room who did not seem impressed with the idea was Edward's mother.
"Well Alessandra will have plenty of other work to do every day so this must not be treated as a priority for her," she said more abruptly than Alessandra had heard her speak before. After a few minutes of everyone feeling slightly uncomfortable, she spoke again. "And now, Alessandra, let us visit the kitchen," she said and Alessandra timidly fell in step behind her mother-in-law as they left the men behind in their work.
That evening as the young married couple lay together in the privacy of their room, Alessandra spoke up, full of her natural curiosity once more.
"Why is this house so big, Edward? It feels like it is a castle, and yet only three of you live here," she said, full of wonder at why she hadn't asked this question previously.
"There are only three of us now but this house was built more than 100 years ago, and the families then were large, and the social need for guests and entertaining much greater."
"But do you have brothers and sisters? You have not mentioned any."
Edward shook his head.
"No, my mother told me once that she was informed by the doctor after I was born that she must not have any more children, so I was all they had. But I do think my parents would have preferred that they could have a large family."
Alessandra processed what he was saying. Even her own parents had only her and her brother as offspring, but until now she had never wondered how they felt about that, even though she knew that other families in the village she grew up in, were much larger.
"We must have many children then, while your parents are still alive," she said, making him laugh softly while looking into her eyes.
"Oh must we?" he teased her as he saw that look come over her again. "Best we get on with that then," he continued before kissing her and once again indulging in further pleasure.
Chapter Twenty Five
Another two weeks later Edward approached Alessandra as she was looking through store cupboards with his mother, making what seemed to be endless lists of things they would need to have delivered in coming weeks.
"Mother, I would like to take my wife away now, if you do not mind," he said, causing his mother to experience equal amounts of love when she looked at her son, and frustration at his timing when she felt she was teaching her daughter-in-law something important.
"Edward, things need to be learnt…"
He nodded and kissed her on the cheek, playing on his ability to charm his mother, and making Alessandra smile at him knowingly. By now she was very used to seeing how he could turn both of his parents to his way of thinking so that he could do what he wanted, when he wanted.
"I know, Mother, but today there is a smell of spring in the air and this sunshine might not last. I would like to take Alessandra out for some fresh air while I can."
Edward's mother agreed, resignedly, and soon Edward was walking Alessandra up to their room as she laughed at him.
"What are we doing, husband? You are not going to pull me into our bed chamber so blatantly at this time of day…" she teased him and he smiled back at her.
"No! Although…" he started to tease her back, before laughing and continuing. "Put on your riding habit. I need to ride and I shall enjoy it infinitely more if you are with me."
They quietly changed in each other's presence, both too focused on the sunshine they could see outside to be tempted into anything else, and soon they were on their horses again, after what seemed like such a long period of time stuck inside the house.
As she sat on her quiet little pony, Alessandra could sense the power of Edward on Beauty, and the desire of both of them to not only be out, but also to be having a good run.
"Edward, you and Beauty look like you are ready to run a race, but I cannot accompany you on that," she said to him, worried about where she was going to fit into this excursion.
"Worry not, my love. Once we are out of the gate I want you to make your journey to the summit as you feel confident to, and I will let Beauty run as he needs to, but I will keep coming back to you so you will not be alone," he said, and she could see excitement on his face as he spoke. Always when he had been out on his horse since she had come to the estate, he had forced himself to remain slow and steady beside her, and she found herself now looking forward to seeing him enjoy his horse riding to the full degree she had not seen before.
"Alright," Alessandra replied tentatively, not certain about the plan that had been presented to her.
They passed through the main gate to the yard and then Edward was beside her, looking at her with almost the same look he had during passion, and was smiling a brilliant smile at her that made her melt.
"Just take your time, as we normally go," he said and she nodded and smiled at him.
Then he was off, Beauty taking him at a speed that meant they were far away as Alessandra and Misty began their slow journey toward the hill. For the duration of their journey, now and then she would see Edward and Beauty not too far off in the distance, running at what seemed like a frightful speed to Alessandra, but she was thankful that Misty did not seem in any way inclined to move with such fervour.
She made her way up the hill and when she reached the summit she secured Misty and spread out the blanket to sit down and watch her husband's horse skills from the distance. Soon he was riding up toward her and then slowing, finally, to dismount and secure Beauty next to the timid pony who always looked like a dwarf next to him.
Alessandra looked at Edward, and remembered how she had always thought him not in any way handsome, and yet as she looked at his face when he was full of excitement and passion as he was right now, she regarded him in a new light as a most handsome man indeed.
He sat down beside her, grinning so much that she laughed at him.
"If you get this much joy from riding, you must have been missing it greatly since I arrived," she said and he smiled at her.
"Yes, but it has been a great pleasure seeing you learn your horse riding skills, Alessandra," he said, taking her hand and kissing it. "On the other side of spring, when summer truly arrives, Father usually organises a hunt that brings many people, and then you shall really see some horse riding skills!"
Alessandra drank up the vision in front of her, of her husband looking so excited and full of life, and it brought out in her thoughts of wondering what kind of father he would be. And as she let her mind wander there, she realised that she had not had her monthly visitor, which by her calculation should have already arrived.
Edward saw a look of confusion pass over his wife's face and immediately felt concerned himself.
"What is it, Alessandra?" he asked, revealing his concern.
She looked at him, still trying to count weeks in her head, but wasn't enti
rely certain.
"I'm not sure, Edward, but I think I should have bled…"
He briefly had a thought in his head that she was saying that she was bleeding and so would be a bit distant over the next week, but then he seemed to register exactly what she had said, and she saw his eyes go wide.
"Alessandra, are you saying that you … might be with child?"
She continued to look uncertain.
"I am not entirely certain, Edward, but I do think I am late," she responded and saw his face transform to a similar level of excitement that she had seen on his face just a few minutes earlier as he had come to her from his ride. "Oh but Edward, I am not absolutely sure so please, can we not say anything yet? Just for another week or two, to make sure I am not simply mistaken?"
He pulled her to him and kissed her hard.
"Yes, of course my darling. Oh but if it is true, we are blessed, are we not?" he asked and smiled at her.
She sat quietly - very quietly for her, he knew - and also knew that for her that meant she was processing things over in her mind, so he sat quietly and watched her, waiting until she would speak her thoughts.
"Edward, if I am with child," she said quietly. "I should like very much to see my mother."
Suddenly he felt a seriousness about her, even a slight sadness, and found himself seeing how difficult it might be for her if she were to be pregnant, being so far away from her mother. And how it could affect his own mother also, given her sadness at having been prevented from having more children.
Alessandra saw his face change and take on the seriousness of what she had said, and for a moment regretted having spoken at all.
"When would you like to see your mother? We can arrange things with Father for her and your father to come here, or we can go and visit them," he said, putting his wife's worries instantly at rest.
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