Alessandra

by Ann M Pratley

  She looked up at him, appreciating now, as she had done many times since their wedding, the good man who had been chosen as her husband. And on this occasion passion was the last thing on either of their minds as she pushed herself against him and into his arms, encouraging him to hold her tightly as she started to cry.

  * * * * *

  "My daughter, I am so proud of who you have become, and the life you are living," Alessandra's mother told her as her daughter sat on the side of her bed. In the night she seemed to have begun a steep decline and now could not summon the strength to get out of bed. "You are happy with Edward, are you not?"

  Alessandra nodded and tried to smile.

  "Oh yes, Mother! He is a good man and I do believe he loves me."

  Her mother smiled back.

  "He does. There is no doubt about that. When a man looks at his wife as he does to you, it can only be a deep love. And I am glad I have gotten to meet little Elizabeth. She will be strong, like you."

  They sat quietly, holding hands. Everything had happened so quickly - word being sent for Alessandra's brother, and him and his family coming and settling into the estate. And now Edward's mother and father had arrived also to provide support.

  "Daughter, will you ask Edward's mother to come in to see me? I would like to talk to her," her mother requested and Alessandra nodded and quietly left the room.

  Immediately she passed the request on and Edward's mother went to the bed chamber, while Alessandra settled into Edward's arms in the drawing room once more. The local physician had been and gone, confirming that her mother was in the final stages now, and would soon pass quietly, as he had seen many patients do in this state.

  "Alessandra," she heard a voice say, and turned to see Nicholas, her brother, looking eager to talk to her. "Can I walk in the garden with you?"

  She nodded and pulled away from her husband once more.

  Outside, they walked companionably beside one another. Although it had been just the two of them as children in their family home, they had not grown up close, nor spent much time together as they each embarked on their own lives, but they were not uncomfortable with each other.

  "Thank you for inviting me and my family to come and be with Mother for this time," her brother said, surprising her.

  "Of course you must be here, Nicholas! She is our mother - mine and yours!"

  He smiled at her, having by now met many people who were so driven by greed that they would not have brought any family members to an estate such as this, refusing to share their wealth.

  "It has been nice for Victoria to see Mother one more time also, and for the children to see her."

  "It is good for Mother, too. And Father - he will need our support most of all I suppose. When I try to imagine losing Edward…"

  She shuddered at the horrifying thought and he saw it.

  "You seem very happy in your marriage, Sister. I like Edward - he seems a very good man, and very much in love with you," Nicholas said with a wistful sound in his voice.

  "Yes. But you are also happy, are you not, Nicholas? You have four children so something must work well," she said, trying to bring some humour into their sad circumstances, and he looked at her and smiled, somewhat surprised by her open candour.

  "I don't think we have what you and Edward have, Alessandra. But yes, we are happy enough, and I do love our children. And it is nice that they can spend this time with their grandparents. You are a good sister to let us be here."

  She smiled at him and they continued to walk peacefully together, not needing any more words.

  * * * * *

  As days passed everyone in the family spent time in the bed chamber at some point of each day and Alessandra's mother continued to look at her daughter and appreciate the person she was to have been able to bring all of her family together for her. Even the three grandchildren who were past the baby stage and able to run around and climb up on her bed brought her much joy.

  "You have given me a great gift, Alessandra, by bringing everyone here, under one roof. Thank you," her mother said as the two of them had some time together alone. "I was not with my mother when she passed, and I do regret that. There was no real reason that I could not have gone back to Italy, but once I was married to your father … well, I never did get back. Take your children there, Alessandra. I have written down the last people I remember who are family, and their addresses, but it has been some years since I heard from any of them so they may not still be there, or still alive, but go and see your heritage, Daughter. Promise me."

  Alessandra found herself crying quietly yet again whilst holding her mother's hands.

  "I promise I shall do that, Mother."

  "Do not cry, Daughter. I have lived a blessed life and I go happily to Him, knowing that my children are both well settled in their own lives. But do, please, keep a distant eye on your father. He is such a strong man, but sometimes needs someone to lean on…"

  Suddenly Alessandra felt the hand in hers go slack, and saw her mother relax back as if going to sleep. Except, deep in her heart, Alessandra knew that it was not sleep at all, so she took one more moment of alone time with her mother before announcing to everyone else that her mother had finally gone to rest.

  Chapter Sixty One

  The funeral, despite the circumstance being her mother's death, was a happy one, the death accepted easier by all knowing that Alessandra's mother had been ready to leave the world they inhabited, and move on.

  When it was over, everyone spoke of plans to return to their normal lives. Edward's father and mother moved back to their estate immediately, leaving only Alessandra's family in the home, and once again she found herself walking with her brother.

  "I have asked Father to come and stay with us for a while, but he refuses and says he must get back to his home," Nicholas was saying with the sound of dismay in his voice. "I worry about him though."

  "Yes, but his life is there - perhaps the thought of being back into his normal daily tasks is something that he needs. I will suggest Edward and I staying there with him for a while, and see how he takes to that idea."

  Suddenly Nicholas stopped and turned to his sister, taking her hands in his.

  "Thank you again for this, Alessandra. You have a good heart and we do not see enough of one another. If anything has come from Mother's passing, it has made me realise that I need to work harder to see family - you and Father. We must make more of an effort, no matter what fills our daily lives."

  "I agree, Brother. Perhaps I shall make this our family holiday home," she said, smiling as she waved her hands around to indicate she meant the estate they were on. "It is a good, central location for all of us, is it not, for such an event?"

  "It is indeed. Although it still surprises me that Tom left it to you, one cannot argue that it is an outstanding property, and we shall be glad to come to stay here whenever you invite us."

  "I have to decide what I am going to do with it in the long run, but for now I shall keep it. It now holds some memories for me, of Mother…"

  Alessandra started to cry once more and soon found herself enveloped in her brother's arms, for the first time in her life, and then realised that she was not the only one crying.

  * * * * *

  "Father, are you sure you will not come with us?" Nicholas asked his father as he and his family readied themselves to return to their home.

  Alessandra saw her father shake his head and smile a brave smile.

  "Thank you, my son, but I shall return to my home. I have much to do there."

  Edward watched the family as they started to disassemble, Nicholas, Victoria and their children disappearing down the road to leave only Edward, Alessandra, her father, Margaret and Elizabeth.

  "Well Edward and I will travel with you, Father, and stay with you tonight, if you have no objection. It will make our journey home vastly easier if you agree to it," Alessandra said to her father, trying to insert herself into his presence in his home, whilst making
it sound like he would be doing her the favour.

  "Of course, Daughter. You are all welcome to stay as long as you like," he said, looking around the views once more. "It is a lovely estate, Alessandra. I believe from what the staff have told me that it was unloved for a long time, and if that is true, perhaps it was always meant to come into your hands. You will love it as it should be loved, I have no doubt."

  Soon they were all walking around, talking to the staff and ensuring everything was in place for the house to be empty for the undefined future, and then the five of them were travelling back to Alessandra's parents' house once more.

  * * * * *

  Upon walking into her parents' home, Alessandra immediately felt the absence of her mother, and looking at her father, she could see that he was similarly affected. The housekeeper greeted them sadly, having been an assistant of one kind or another to Alessandra's mother for much of her life, since they had both been young women.

  Alessandra requested tea be brought into the drawing room, while she settled her father to help him relax. When he did so, he started to talk about his wife, about their life together, right from when they first laid eyes on each other. Soon Alessandra, Edward, Margaret and even June, the housekeeper, were all sitting down, listening to the stories he told over much of the afternoon. Alessandra worried that it might hurt him more but the more he spoke the more he started to smile, and she could see that he had found his way of starting to heal.

  Edward watched his wife, feeling constant sadness for her loss, but admiring how she was determined to place focus on her father now. But the more he saw what was going on around him, the more eager he found himself to get home and be around his own parents, and found himself conflicted.

  As if sensing his internal dilemma, Alessandra turned to him, smiled and took his hand, which she raised and kissed, and he saw something in her eyes that he had not seen in recent times, understandably so with all that had been happening. But regardless, they sat quietly and listened and listened, until her father seemed to run out of stories to tell.

  "I shall go to bed now, as I am feeling quite tired. You are welcome to stay as long as you wish to, Alessandra. I am very glad to have you all here," he said as he kissed her on the forehead before leaving the room, Margaret leaving with Elizabeth shortly afterward.

  Then it was just Edward and Alessandra left in the drawing room, staring at the fire as the two of them held each other.

  "You are distant today, Edward. What is on your mind?"

  "My parents. I am aware now that my time with them is possibly short, also."

  "Do you wish to return to your home? I do not want to leave Father yet, but I do not mind if you want to get back to your mother and father, Edward. I can follow at a later time," Alessandra said and Edward kissed her softly.

  "No, my love. I thank you but I do not wish to be apart from you. And your father does need us for the moment - I can see that. And I can provide him with support in anything he needs help with, so I would rather be here than there, for now anyway."

  "Thank you," Alessandra replied and kissed him. And for a moment they looked at each other before kissing again, whilst trying not to get passionate due to where they were.

  "We need to stop, my beautiful wife. Oh how I long for you, but not here," Edward said to her with his voice deep and quiet.

  "When we get home…" she said quietly, without needing to finish the sentence, and he smiled softly at her.

  "When we get home."

  Chapter Sixty Two

  "Father, are you sure about this? You can come with us, or we can stay longer," Alessandra was saying to her father as he prepared to farewell them from his home.

  "Oh my daughter, you are a blessing to me, and I will certainly come and stay with you when I can, if that is agreeable to Edward's parents. I want to watch Elizabeth grow. But for now I have many things I must attend to, and I shall get through them faster if I know you are all well and safe in your own home. Please, Alessandra, take your family home and I will see you in a short while."

  Reluctantly, Edward, Alessandra and Margaret got into the carriage with Elizabeth in arms, and waved as they departed, leaving her father on the doorstep, waving after them. In Alessandra's heart, she wondered if she would, indeed, ever see him again.

  * * * * *

  Arriving back at Chisholm Manor, they were all eagerly greeted by Edward's parents who whisked them away into the drawing room before they even had a chance to wash up.

  So many questions were asked, and Alessandra and Edward answered them, but inside of both of them was a growing feeling they both knew so well. They had stayed at an inn the night before, but still with Margaret within listening distance, so once again had withheld from pleasure, but they both anticipated and knew that tonight, to make up for what seemed like such a long time, they would not hold back any more.

  Edward buried himself in work with his father in the steward's room, whilst Alessandra ensured Elizabeth was settled again in the nursery, and then she put herself forward to ask her mother-in-law what she needed to do - anything to take her mind off her husband and get through the day.

  Finally the evening came and Edward and Alessandra excused themselves under the guise of being tired from their journey. Closing the door to the bedroom chamber behind them, Alessandra pulled him to her, fully clothed, and led him to the sofa, where she sat down and reclined back, and felt him immediately lie on her, kissing her, touching her through her clothing, and she revelled in the feelings. It felt like far too long since they had been intimate together, and both were so hungry for it, they felt like they could not wait another minute.

  They lay like that for a long time, indulging in the feeling of kissing deeply - even this small thing had been overlooked for too long, and Edward fell into the taste and feel of his lips moving with hers. Through his clothes, he felt himself rubbing against her - reaching out to her even through all the folds of fabric, but withheld from rushing toward nakedness, determined to just indulge in kissing her for as long as it took to feel like they were finally caught up in what had been missing.

  Alessandra felt like her heart was singing, with the degree to which her husband was kissing her. Inside of her was such need to be closer to him, and yet this closeness, holding each other and moving against each other through their clothing, was pushing her arousal to another level entirely.

  Finally Edward pulled away, unable to stand it any longer. He pulled her to her feet and positioned her as he slowly removed every article of her clothing, until she stood in front of him naked, a sight that he felt could almost make him release without any stimulation from her.

  As if just excited, he found himself being undressed also, as Alessandra moved to remove every piece of fabric from his body. And when they were both naked, they embraced and kissed again, moving back toward the bed. Feeling it at the back of her legs, Alessandra moved up onto it and lay back, inviting him to lie on top of her, nestled within her thighs, and continuing to kiss, their mutual arousal grew more.

  "Edward, please…" she groaned and he looked into her eyes to determine what she was asking him for. "Please… move inside of me."

  Hearing the words he did not stop to question if she was certain, but instead plunged into her, both of them groaning deeply at the feeling that was familiar and yet not felt for so long. Surprisingly, although it had been so long, something about the first joining after the time apart, gave him a particular strength to not finish too soon, and Alessandra lay back and felt him fill her again and again as he moved into her, over and over. He paused when he needed to, and kissed her while looking directly into her eyes, and he could feel her hands on his back, pulling him closer and deeper.

  While making his movements subtle, to slow things, Alessandra became aware that the way he was moving - his very slight rocking movement against her - was resulting in her being touched in a way similar to how she was touched by him with his hands, and she prompted him to keep moving in the
manner. Taking his time to do so, he felt her shudder beneath him, with her tight around him, and it was something new that had not happened before, driving him to a point where he had to find release by plunging into her one more time.

  They lay together afterward, both feeling relief and a blissful feeling in their bodies, and stayed connected as he looked at her.

  "I did not know that could happen like that," she said, making him laugh in giddy happiness.

  "Perhaps there is some goodness that comes from not joining quite so often. Do you think we should wait another few months before we do so again?" he teased her and enjoyed seeing her eyes go wide.

  "No!" she exclaimed and laughed with him.

  They kissed softly, caressing each other with their hands while still lying together.

  "We may have just made a child, Alessandra," Edward said, seriously.

  "I know. And if we have, it will be loved as Elizabeth is."

  Looking into her eyes, Edward felt such a surge of love flow over him that it flowed through to his arousal and he saw his wife's eyes grow large again as he felt himself grow again deep inside her.

  Chapter Sixty Three

  "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 well familiar with.

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

  Alessandra looked at Edward, and his mother and father, and suddenly felt like 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 wished to come and stay," Edward's father said, smiling at his daughter-in-law. "It is only right that he be here to meet little Isabella."