Page 43 of Alessandra (Chisholm Manor #1)

"Oh!" Edward heard his wife say as they sat at breakfast.

On hearing her alarm, he jumped up in concern, seeing her hands go to her belly.

"Alessandra, what is it?" his mother asked, also moving closer to her.

"Oh ... it feels like ... fluttering," Alessandra replied, showing her face to be in her scholar mode as she tried to find the right words to explain the new feeling she was experiencing.

Edward saw his mother smile at his wife.

"You are not in pain?" she asked.

Alessandra shook her head.

"No! It feels ... odd ... but nice."

Edward's mother asked for permission to touch Alessandra's belly.

After receiving it, she placed her hand on her daughter-in-law.

"Your baby is moving, Alessandra ... inside of you.

Edward, come and feel your child," she said.

Edward rushed around the table to put his hand on the belly of his wife.

"Oh, Alessandra, how wonderful," he said as he knelt beside her.

After she adjusted her chair slightly, he held himself against her, his emotions overwhelming him.

On his face, Alessandra could see that he was feeling the same wonder that she was.

She leaned down to deliver a kiss, which he accepted eagerly.

Edward's mother and father exchanged a knowing look, both happy to see their son enjoying his marriage so much.

With their daughter-in-law now more than halfway through her term, they held much hope that they would see the successful delivery of a child - the first child that had been born in their home since the day Edward had been born.

Later that day, Edward's father received a letter from Alessandra's father, which, concerned about why her father might be writing to him directly, he put aside until he could be alone to read it.

Once in the steward's room, he opened the letter and was stunned by its content.

"I write to you with urgency after having been informed that a known acquaintance of Alessandra's, Mr Tom Missinger, who I understand has been trying to secure her affection for some time, has been reported as missing for the past two weeks.

Please be vigilant in case he has travelled to your location.

I beg you to keep my daughter and our grandchild safe."

Edward's father sat alone for some time, thinking about the situation.

He had not laid eyes on Missinger, so wouldn't be able to identify him even if he did see him, and yet he could not sit and do nothing either.

Walking around the manor, he finally found his son in the glass room, sitting quietly with Alessandra.

He was reluctant to disturb them, and adamant that his daughter-in-law must not know of the possible threat.

He also knew that Edward had met the man and might be the only person able to know if he crossed their paths.

Considering the option to disturb the young people or not, Edward's father moved away and decided to let them have their time together.

In the meantime, he would go and spend time with his own wife.

He didn't know to what extent this 'Missinger' desired to claim Alessandra, nor how far he would go to try and win her.

The thought resulted in a shudder passing through Edward's father. He had never had conflict in his life, and was too old for it to come his way now. Even so, he was determined that he would protect his wife, his son, his daughter-in-law, and his grandchild with whatever means he would have to.