Christopher just shrugged his shoulders and flashed a puckish grin, clearly amused by the whole affair of the bath. Despite Alaina’s protests, Christopher had insisted they share the bath, even offering to help her wash.
But what started as help ended in fondling and a fair amount of chicanery and then finally a wet floor. Alaina had been a little perturbed at first, but then decided to play a game of her own, slowly drying the hearth fully naked, even with Christopher’s insistence that cleaning up the mess could wait. Alaina contemplated if she would even don a nightgown from the trunk they had brought along, while Christopher begged her to come to bed.
His long wait was rewarded though, when Alaina emerged from behind the screen in the corner of the room in a slip of fabric he could barely classify as a nightgown. The fabric was a dark color of some sort, difficult to exactly discern in the low light of the fire, and was almost completely sheer. The sleeves buttoned from her shoulder and gathered at her waist, in the style of a cotton nightgown. Embroidery of flowers seemed to wind around her body, starting from the shoulder and pooling at the floor. A large slit that ended at the top of the thigh allowed for free motion as the gown hugged Alaina’s curves.
This particular slit was where Christopher found his hand drawn to, gently stroking the exposed thigh and roaming under the gown, moving ever closer to the cleft of her womanhood. Alaina nestled against his side once again, this time under the covers.
“Now, this is a bit more of what I envisioned,” Christopher murmured against Alaina’s hair. “Us actually in this bed to consummate the vows of love we took earlier today.”
At that moment, the small clock on the mantel chimed the hour of twelve.
“It seems, my love, that we missed out on your vision for the day,” Alaina stated, smiling against Christopher’s chest.
“Oh well, in my mind it is still the day until we fall asleep,” Christopher countered, his other hand having found her breast, barely concealed by the gossamer gown.
Alaina squirmed at his touch, feeling a tingling begin to grow once again between her legs. Her hand moved down Christopher’s chest to slowly encircle his manhood, now hard and ready for her touch.
A little breathless she countered, “Well, we did fall asleep once already.”
“I guess you are right, but we were not in bed. And, I do not want this day to end.”
“Neither do I,” came her response, and with that Christopher captured Alaina’s mouth with his own, sliding his hand fully under her nightgown, ready to show her the heights of passion once more, amazed that he could feel so complete, so fulfilled.
Chapter 21
Time seemed to both slow down and flash by as the young couple reveled in their newly obtained unity. The hunting cottage, tucked into the back corner of Waverley, provided Alaina and Christopher privacy; privacy to explore, to learn, and to just be. Almost as if the weather predicted the first week’s activities, the sky was gray and the environment was wet, inhospitable to do anything out of doors.
Alaina and Christopher took advantage of this time to explore the benefits of the large four-poster bed in the main bedroom, as well as what unique and evocative opportunities could be found around every corner or at least in every room, revisiting the study a few times to relive and even reinvent memories. On the settee, this time better equipped with a blanket to keep away the chill that followed, Alaina and Christopher shared themselves in body and in spirit, whiling away the hours talking after lovemaking. Many nights ended with Alaina and Christopher sharing a bath in front of the fireplace, their evening repast of simple rations, easiest for them to prepare without household help, lying mostly unfinished on a table beside the tub.
Time not spent exploring the more intimate moments of marriage was spent in quiet domesticity. Christopher cared for the horse at regular intervals, Alaina tidying while he did so, and each of them contributed to making or preparing food, hands wandering in the process. Hopes and dreams for the future were shared in whispers, with giggles or a serious mien. Both Alaina and Christopher were ever surprised and warmed by the depth, intellect, and vision of their other half, and yet also unsurprised by these qualities in their choice of partner.
When the rain cleared later in the week, Alaina and Christopher took a ride in the same phaeton they had used to traverse the path to the hunting lodge. It was a meandering journey to explore the outskirts of the estate, in part to enjoy the weather, and in part to better familiarize Alaina with the grounds.
To Alaina’s surprise, they headed on the path away from the hunting lodge, deeper into the woods that surrounded it.
“Are we still on Rochester land?” Alaina questioned as they rounded another bend in the gravel path.
“Yes, my dear. Never fear I shall wander us into danger,” Christopher smiled, soaking in both the bursts of sun through the dense canopy and his wife’s nearness, her arm gently tucked inside his elbow as he steered the conveyance, her thigh pressed up against his own. They rode along a few minutes more before the trees began to thin and Alaina could see a field ahead.
Christopher spoke almost as if he anticipated what her question would be. “Alaina, my love, this might be my favorite part of the estate, although you have made a compelling case to move the hunting cabin to the top. There is little else I have seen to rival this, and we are here at the perfect time of day.”
As Christopher spoke those words, the sunlight broke through the trees and Alaina beheld a wonderful sight. Lines of trees seemed to go on for miles, a fence to the right of the path surrounding what Alaina could guess was an orchard. So early in the season it was not the scent of ripe fruit that greeted them, but one of flowers and promise.
“Apples, I presume?” Alaina smiled.
“Apples,” Christopher stated plainly, a boyish grin gracing his chiseled face. “I guess it is nothing so spectacular, but I used to come and spend much of my time here; it was peaceful, I guess, with shade enough to read under, and a ready snack depending on the time of year.”
Alaina giggled and snuggled closer to her husband as he slowed the conveyance beside a gate to the orchard. Christopher regretfully disengaged himself from Alaina only for enough time as was required to step down and turn. Alaina followed quickly behind, making her way to the edge of the bench of the phaeton, where Christopher plucked her down by the waist as if she weighed nothing, setting her down in front of him so their bodies touched. They both seemed captivated by the other, their eyes locked and smiles shared.
Alaina’s clean scent of roses drifted to Christopher, and he was reminded of an earlier encounter. “You know, when I handed you down from the carriage at Graham’s estate, I could barely imagine anything so wonderful as this moment. I will admit though that you interrupted my thoughts, when you tested my reflexes that day.”
“I testedyou? I fear you caught me off guard. Kissing me and then never mentioning it again, immediately going back to the brooding bachelor. I dissected every comment, every closeness, every touch. I felt I may go mad,” Alaina said, the teasing tone in her voice lightening her statement. “Besides, there is no way you imagined this very moment.”
Christopher turned his head to the sky in laughter, thankful for his life, and the quick wit of his wife, before settling his eyes back on Alaina’s face, seeing the love he felt reflected back at him. “You are quite right, my dear, but maybe a moment just like this one. I love you.”
And with that he softly kissed Alaina, their bodies melting together as they stood in each other’s arms, time standing still. When Christopher pulled back, it was with a pang of regret, but that was soon overshadowed by his excitement. Ignoring the knot in his belly, he clasped Alaina’s hand in his own and pulled her through the gate of the orchard, excited to share his thoughts, his joy, and his life with her.
The sun was setting over the field when Alaina and Christopher made their way back to the hunting cottage, both content and at ease with the world. Christopher had shown Alaina the sprawling apple orchard, explaining the different varieties, which trees gave the best shade, and even showing her where he had fallen from one tree in search of the best apple, sure he had broken some bone when he had not. Alaina reveled in the opportunity to learn all there was to know about her husband, his joys, his memories, and even his hurts.
