“YOU MISSED THE SUNRISE,” MA chides as I step out onto the porch.
My gaze travels along the expansive deck that overlooks the river and eventually lands on Ma and Elisabeth, who are sitting at a small table. Elisabeth avoids my gaze as she sets to stirring her tea as if she doesn’t even realize I’ve arrived.
“I’m sorry. I, uh, was tied up with Alexander,” I stammer out.
When I finally meet Ma’s stare, she’s beaming at me. “That boy has a way of demanding one’s attention. You should have known him when he was two and then again when he was in his teen years,” she chuckles.
I grin, imagining a small boy with a mop of messy, brown hair, wearing suspenders, and tugging on his mother’s dress as he begs her for a lollipop. It reminds me of his words—that he wants me to bear his children. The very thought of sweet, little boys who look just like Alexander running around is almost as satisfying as it actually happening.
Almost.
Now, I crave the real thing more than anything.
“I do apologize,” I say as I sit between her and Elisabeth. “Lissa, we missed you at supper last night.”
She finally looks over at me and nods. “I was ill. Do forgive me.”
When she looks back down, I sneak a glance at Ma, who is observing our exchange. I feel as though this breakfast will be uncomfortable, and it’s confirmed when Ma bluntly calls out the obvious unease between my sister and I.
“My sister, Magdalene, and I were very close. In fact, I helped deliver her first child when her husband was away on business. She was my confidant and my friend. Even after we both married, we spoke often and drove our husbands mad with our incessant giggling.” She smiles at the memory. “But then, one day, we had a disagreement. She accused my Alcott of forcing himself on her daughter. My boys were as rowdy as they come, and I can always sniff out their lies, but Alcott was adamant that he wouldn’t do such a thing to his cousin. As it turns out, my niece was seeing a boy of whom her father didn’t approve. When they caught a glimpse of a man sneaking out her window, she threw herself into hysterics and claimed it was my son. Of course, they had her examined by a doctor and discovered she was no longer a virgin. They had taken her word without considering there could be an alternative story.”
Elisabeth and I are both completely enraptured in her story, and we wait for her to continue.
“Our families were divided. I stood by my son’s word and she hated me for it. Two years went by and we didn’t speak. When I would see her in town and attempt to approach her, she would glare at me and take off in the other direction. Eventually, I gave up on attempting to clear my son’s name.”
“So, you lost your sister over a misunderstanding?” I blurt out. I know that Elisabeth hates me for what I’ve done, but not ever speaking to her again breaks my heart.
When I risk a glance at my sister, I find her eyeing me warily. So I smile at her in such a way that begs for forgiveness. We hold each other’s gaze until Ma speaks again.
“Nearly, darling. It wasn’t until my niece turned up pregnant by the boy her family disapproved of. The very idea that she was carrying the child of a simple man who worked at the mill despite their own family’s higher social class was the talk of the town. I felt bad for them and sent my sister a letter. In the letter, I reminded her that we were still sisters and, if she needed someone to confide in, I was still here.”
“What did she say?” I question.
Ma purses her lips together. “She wrote back and told me that she was thankful for the sentiment and the offer but she had to decline. There was also a small apology stating that her daughter finally came clean and confessed that the boy from the mill was her only lover. Alcott never touched a hair on her body, much like I already knew.”
“So you two forgave each other and worked through your problems,” I state with hope filling my voice.
Ma glances at Elisabeth and then at me. Her eyes fill with tears before she blinks them away. “No, that was not the case. I’d been planning to visit her in an attempt to rekindle our relationship. It was as I was packing that I was informed of the fire.”
I gape at her, and when I turn, I see Elisabeth doing the same. Out of habit, I reach across and take my sister’s hand to comfort her. She accepts my hand, and I squeeze it.
“Dear girls, the fire consumed her entire family. Later, it was determined the boy from the mill was so distraught that her family had refused to let her marry him. In an effort to eradicate them so they could run away together, he burned their estate to the ground. But he hadn’t expected my niece to be inside, as she was supposed to be waiting for him at his home. At the last minute, she had gone to warn her family and was taken by the fire as well. The boy from the mill took his life that night. It was all a tragedy.”
Elisabeth and I can no longer hold our sobs in. She clutches my hand, and it reminds me when I had to hold both her and Ella for countless nights after our mother died.
“My point, beautiful girls, is that no grudge is worth holding on to. I loved my sister, and events put a wedge between us. But they weren’t events that were more important than the love we shared. We made mistakes, but in the end, I still loved her. And I know she loved me. Our last moments were stolen from us, and I’d do anything to get them back. Elisabeth, I’m sorry for what Edith has done to you. It may seem unforgiveable, but it’s not. She is your sister.
“Edith is very much in love with my son, much like you are with Jasper. The William you told me of earlier was just as much to blame. I know that the betrayal you feel from your sister is too much to bear. Believe me—I was in your shoes. However, it is mud in the water now. You two still have the rest of your lives to mend this relationship. Soon, you’ll have babies, and it will be important to have your sister’s support. Please promise me that you’ll learn to forgive and let love back into your heart.”
Ma is simply an angel.
I turn toward Elisabeth and tearfully state my piece. “Dear sister, I am so sorry for what I did to you. It was awful, and I’ll always feel the guilt of it in my heart. But know this—I never stopped loving you. After Mother passed, I wanted to protect you and care for you like she had. Clearly, I fell short and lost my way. Please give me another chance. I’m not the same person I was during those times. When Mother died, a piece of my heart became jagged and ugly. Alexander has helped mend my heart. I want you to know that I am truly sorry and I want nothing more than your forgiveness, Lissa.”
Elisabeth sniffles and dabs her red nose with her handkerchief. “You broke my heart, Edith. I looked up to you.”
I nod. “I know and I’m so sorry.”
She purses her lips together but finally flashes me a small smile. “I have been bursting at the seams with wanting to tell you all about this pregnancy. It was my hope that we could shop together and find things for the baby. Each time I go to speak to you, I have to remind myself I’m angry with you, and then I’m only angry with myself. I’m tired of fighting. I want my sister back.”
The words are barely out of her mouth before I leap from my seat and launch myself at her. We hug like we used to and cry like a couple of babies. When our sniffling subsides, I slide my palm over her swollen belly and feel my niece or nephew like I’ve been dying to since the moment I discovered she was pregnant.
Her baby moves in her belly and we giggle. Then I finally break away to take my seat and see that Ma is no longer smiling. Her face is ashen, and her mouth is slightly hanging open.
“Ma!” I scream as I collect her in my arms when she begins to fall from her chair. “Lissa, get help!”
Elisabeth scurries off as I hold Ma up from falling into the floor. Tears stream down my cheeks as I mutter reassurances to her.
“Stay with me, Ma. Wake up!”
Several moments later, she flutters her eyelids and blinks them open. “Darling,” she purrs as she lifts a shaky hand to swipe a stray hair out of my face. “Why are you crying?”
I squeeze her to me and sob into her chest. “You fainted again. What is going on with you?”
She pats my back but doesn’t answer. We stay glued to one another until we hear a collection of stomping feet toward us. I’m suddenly pulled from her as Alfred takes her in his arms. Then I find myself tight in Alexander’s embrace. He’s recently bathed again, and he smells like the lavender soap that we found in the washroom. His scent comforts me and I snuggle my face into his chest to inhale him.
“Shhh. Don’t cry beautiful,” he coos as he strokes my hair.
His presence is soothing, but my worry for Ma doesn’t dissipate. “What’s wrong with her, Alexander? We can’t lose her too!”
“We’re not going to lose her. Alcott, alert me of the doctor’s findings. I’m going to take Edith to our room—she is a bit distraught,” he calls out over my shoulder. Then he slides an arm beneath me and scoops me into his arms.
I rest my cheek on his shoulder as he carries me to our room. I’m lost in thought as he walks and don’t completely rid myself of my daze until he sits me down on our bed.
“Did you eat anything?” he questions as he crosses his arms over his chest.
Warmth surges through me as understanding hits me. This man cares deeply for my wellbeing. His mother is ill, yet here he is fussing over if I’ve eaten or not.
“I managed a little,” I lie.
He cocks a dark eyebrow at me. “Edith, the corner of your mouth twitches when you fib. You’ll never be able to trick me. I’ll bring you something to eat. Until then, get comfortable and lie down.”
I scrunch up my nose at having been caught.
He chuckles. “Do as you’re told, woman.”
Before I can argue, he strides from the room, his laughter echoing down the hallway with him. If he weren’t so good-looking, I could be angry with him for being such a smug arse. Luckily for him, I’ve seen him naked and I know that his cock has the uncanny ability to make me forgive him.
The moment I’m alone, I shed myself of my clothes and climb on top of the bed. I’m lying on the bed, tracing patterns along the duvet with my finger when Alexander reenters the room carrying a tray. When I hear the dishes rattle, I glance up and see that he’s glaring at me.
“What?” I question with concern. My thoughts immediately go to Ma.
“You. I can’t think straight around you—especially when you distract me with your naked flesh. You’ve afflicted my mind, wife.”
I smile at his words and sit up as he places the tray on the bed. It’s filled with pastries and fruit. We both chuckle when my stomach growls at seeing the foods.
“I passed by Alcott on the way back, and apparently, Mother is doing well. He was on his way to the garden with a large basket to fill it with lemons for her. She’d already created a rather long list of chores he is to complete before our reception this evening. If he weren’t such an insufferable idiot, I might have felt sorry for him,” he laughs. Then he sits down beside the tray and watches me as I begin devouring a small cake.
“I’m glad she is well. I hope the doctor will treat her accordingly for her symptoms,” I tell him with a worried tone. “It isn’t natural for her to faint so often.”
He nods in agreement as he picks a strawberry up by the green stem and brings it to his lips. My chewing halts, and I swallow my food down as his lips surround the fruit and he bites into it. A small, pink dribble of juice rolls down his chin, and I do exactly what feels right. Leaning in, I drag my tongue along his stubbly face and lick him clean.
When I pull away, his eyes are clouded and seemingly angry.
“What?” I ask with feigned innocence. The bulge in his trousers indicates what I’ve done is far from innocent.
“Lie back. Now,” he growls as he picks up another strawberry.
With a cocked eyebrow and a smirk on my lips, I do as instructed. His eyes peruse my body, not missing an inch of my flesh. When they land on the small pelt of hair at my pubic bone, I spread my knees apart and award him the rest of the view I know he wants to see.
“My God, woman.” His voice is gruff and one would almost think annoyed. But I know better. He’s very much aroused by my body.
He brings the strawberry down to my belly button and trails it all around in circles with no pattern. It tickles, yet it also turns me on. I feel myself becoming increasingly wet as I wish for him to bring the fruit lower. I’m not exactly sure what I want him to do with it, but this teasing is simply not enough.
“Alexander,” I whine.
He lifts a dark eyebrow up in question. “Yes, sweetheart?”
“Stop—don’t stop—yes, stop—oh my goodness,” I gasp and snap my eyes closed when he drags the tip of the strawberry between my legs. It barely nudges against my clitoris, and I see stars.
He chuckles in a deep timbre that vibrates down my thighs and to my core. Then, when his mouth finds the inside of my thigh and he begins kissing me toward my center, I nearly become unhinged.
“Alex—ahhh!” I cry out when his tongue replaces the berry.
“So goddamned sweet,” he murmurs as he tastes me.
Everything disappears aside from the way his tongue owns this part of me. My hands have long since tangled themselves in his hair and are tugging and pushing him to continue the delicious assault he’s begun on my body.
When I finally can’t take any more of the tantalizing tasting, I succumb to a shuddering climax, all the while repeatedly screaming his name out. The moment I relax after having come down from my high, he pulls away and grins at me. His lips and chin glisten with my arousal, and I swear to God I might come from the sight of it.
“Darling,” he tells me with a mischievous tone, “I think I shall spend the rest of the day feasting upon your decadent flesh. I want my lips and tongue to learn every inch of you. My hope is that you’ll be sore and achy from the pleasure I want to give you but somehow still crave more.”
His words work their way deep into my womb and have the exact effect he desires. He thinks he’ll have to pleasure me to get me to crave him. Well, he’s incorrect in that thinking.
I’m already hopelessly addicted to him.