Page 27 of Alessandra (Chisholm Manor #1)

The next day, Edward and Alessandra stood on the steps of the manor house and hugged each of his parents as they said their goodbyes.

Neither Edward's mother nor his father had spoken of the possible pregnancy.

They wouldn't do so until Alessandra felt sure she could announce it, but they both felt certain that they would have a grandchild soon enough.

After what seemed like a much longer journey than the one she'd originally made to the estate, Alessandra was shown to the room that she would share with Edward.

They were staying in the same inn she had stayed in when she'd headed in the reverse direction previously.

When they closed the door behind them, after eating and readying themselves for the night, they immediately closed the gap between them, hungry for each other.

It felt different, being in a different place and it being just the two of them, with no parents at all anywhere in their vicinity.

Edward felt like he couldn't get enough of his wife.

She continued to surprise him in her eagerness to be so close to him so often.

After satisfying her with his mouth more than twice, and he had been satisfied three times, they both lay back in the foreign bed and smiled indulgently at each other.

"I do think I shall need sleep at some point tonight, Alessandra, if we are to face your parents tomorrow," Edward said in his teasing manner.

In response, he heard Alessandra giggle at him with a sound that, to Edward, was simply delightful.

As he looked at her, he was again thankful for the choice his mother had made.

It may have been made for an entirely different purpose - that being the money that had been able to be injected into the estate.

Even so, after their initial unease with each other, he could not have asked for a more giving and loving wife.

"I do wish to make the most of our time together," she said, smiling as her giggling toned down.

"I am so happy to be with you, Edward."

Edward could feel the emotion emanating from her.

He pulled her close to kiss her over and over before they finally let themselves fall asleep.

The following morning, they made their way to Alessandra's family home.

On the way there, she started to feel nervous about Edward seeing where she'd grown up.

Sensing her anxiety, Edward questioned her to find out what she was so worried about.

"Edward, I did not grow up like you," she said.

"My parents' home is very small, and we live on the edge of a small village.

In fact, I believe your estate might be larger than the whole village!"

Edward looked at her closely and tried to understand her concern, having not given any thought to their different upbringings.

"Alessandra, I enjoyed getting to know your parents, and I love you.

What your house looks like is of no consequence to me.

I simply want to be with you," he said, holding her hand tightly and kissing her lightly.

"Do not worry so."

Later that day, Edward was introduced to the small village that his wife had grown up in.

He realised then that not only had he never visited the village before, but he had never visited anything like it before.

His wife had not been stretching the truth.

The village did seem much smaller than the estate that he had grown up on. To help further reassure her, he kissed her hand and smiled at her in affection.

Almost immediately after arriving at Alessandra's family home, they saw her mother, Isabella, running out to greet them.

Isabella pulled them both into a hug, with tears in her eyes.

"You are here! Oh, Edward, thank you to you and your father for bringing my daughter home to me," she gushed as she gave him an extra hug and made him laugh.

"Come in, come in," she continued, ushering them both inside, where Alessandra's father joined them.

"Edward, it is good to see you," he said, shaking Edward's hand.

"I trust you are taking good care of my little girl."

As Edward and Alessandra smiled at each other, her parents could both see the happiness of their daughter.

"I certainly am trying, Sir."

As they entered a small room, Edward, although he didn't want to be, was surprised at how small the room and the house were.

He hid his feelings, in the wonder of finally seeing where his wife had grown up.

"Sit down, Edward," he heard Alessandra's mother insist.

He did as he was bid before she continued.

"I shall make some tea.

Alessandra, please come and help me."

Alessandra looked at her mother, surprised, but did as she was instructed, and followed her mother out of the room and into the kitchen.

Once away from everyone else, Alessandra saw her mother take her hands and smile broadly at her.

"You are with child," Isabella said, without any hint of a question at all.

"I am your mother, Alessandra, and I can tell."

"I am not certain, Mother..." Alessandra began to say, relieved that the subject had come up.

"Have you bled in the past few weeks?"

"No," Alessandra replied and her mother looked pleased.

"Oh, my daughter, you are going to have a baby," Isabella said, clearly excited.

"But Mother, can I be certain enough to declare it?" Alessandra asked.

"I do not know when is the right time."

Her mother looked at her and held her hands tighter.

"Alessandra, babies come when they are meant to," said Isabella.

"Some look like they are meant to, but then they do not.

We never know what is going to happen, but if you find out you are expecting a child, you do not need to hide it.

It is a joyous thing - something to be celebrated. Do Edward's mother and father know?"

"No, I wanted to see and talk to you first, to be sure."

She watched her mother as she started to make tea and prepare the tea tray.

"As long as there is no bleeding, I believe you can be certain that a baby is growing inside of you," Isabella said.

"I am so very happy for you, my darling daughter.

Does Edward know?"

"He knows that I think I might be with child," Alessandra replied.

"Good," Isabella said as she nodded and looked closely at Alessandra.

"Is he treating you well, my daughter? Is all well between you?"

"Oh yes, Mother.

He is wonderful," Alessandra said.

The dreamy look on her face told her mother that all indeed was well in the marriage that had been arranged purely for money.

That evening, Alessandra and Edward lay alone not in the room Alessandra had grown up in, but in a guest room with a bigger bed.

Alessandra was too aware of her parents being so close, to be able to summon desire.

She'd wondered if Edward might have been upset about it, but all Alessandra saw on his face was his look of amusement.

"I think we can be good while we are here, do you not agree? Especially after last night..." Edward said, teasing her.

He saw her face blush deeply while remembering how many times they had made love well into the night during their stay at the inn.

They lay facing and looking at one another, content to do just that.

"Did your mother talk to you?" he asked and saw Alessandra smile at him.

"Yes.

She told me I was with child, even before I said anything.

I think, now, I may let myself believe it," Alessandra replied.

"Edward, we are having a child!"

Edward smiled brilliantly at her.

"I am going to be a father, and you shall be a mother," he said with a quiet indication of excitement revealed in his voice.

Alessandra looked at him in wonder, thinking about how much her life had changed in only a few months.

Prior to the day she'd learned of Edward, she had questioned if she would ever get married, or would end up staying at home with her parents and then alone.

"Do you think this could be the first of many?" Alessandra asked.

She saw Edward's face begin to beam, revealing his wishes.

"If that is what is intended for us, then we will welcome it, but you and I both come from small families," he said.

"We must not forget how things can go sometimes.

If we only have the one - even if we have none - you and I shall be happy enough, Alessandra."

Alessandra cuddled into him and let herself drift off, thinking about the prospect of not only having to learn how to run an estate, but also having to learn how to be a mother.