“What is that?” he asked skeptically and gave her a push until she sat up, impaled on him. He slipped his hands behind her and gave her bottom a sharp little slap. He took her by her bottom and by her nape and thrust himself deep inside her over and over until her untamed passion spent itself upon him.
She was mortified by the sounds she made in her ecstasy, high-pitched, and grunts, and unintelligible words that should not pass from any lady’s lips. Though Elias seemed to like it.
After, she pulled him to the brink of complete surrender, when he emptied his seed into her with a few sounds of his own.
“You do not believe in how much I love and adore you,” she whispered, holding him. “That no one could ever have my heart after you have had it. ‘Tis yours, Elias.”
For a moment, she thought he might have fallen asleep. But then he spoke, “Forgive me fer not appreciatin’ what I have been given. I never thought I would have this. I never thought I needed it. Fer a long time, I thought I would never recover from the ghosts of war,” he said softly, quietly, trusting her with everything, every part of who he was. “But then I met ye, lass, and the more my mind becomes filled with ye, the less filled it is with those ghosts. I find myself well in the midst of darkness and death. I find the me who once was, better because of who I have become, and excited again to see who I will be.
“Ye are…” He paused to let his dusky blue gaze stare into her eyes. “Ye are the most beautiful lass my eyes have ever seen.”
“Elias,” she laughed, blushing. “No.”
“Aye.” He pulled her close. “My eyes will never stray from ye, my lady. My heart is yers. Always.”
She finally felt safe and fell into a deep, restful sleep.
And so did Elias.
The village of Sevenoaks, England
Late Spring
The Year of Our Lord 1349
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Good morning, Lily,” Father Benedict greeted her merrily when she strolled by him on her way to the shop with a basket piled with herbs looped through one arm. She waved at him with the other.
“Good morning to you, as well, Father.”
“’Tis cold, child,” the priest admonished. ”You should wear your cloak. I know you have that fur-lined mantle Richard purchased for you last winter.”
“Father, ‘tis a perfect day. The sun is shining and warm—but I shall wear it tomorrow if it gets colder,” she promised when his scowl grew darker, and then she kept walking.
She didn’t mind the crisp air. It awakened her body…and she needed it. She was exhausted every single day no matter what time it was and also sick to her stomach. Eleanor, Hild, and Helen assured her that all was well. Lily was heavy with child, due in just a month. The last stages were difficult, according to her older, more experienced friends, because everything in the body was stretched to its limit, preparing for the birth. That kind of talk didn’t make Lily feel any better.
Lily knew a few remedies for nausea but she didn’t take them. She didn’t mind being ill with Elias’ babe. She wanted to enjoy every moment of it. She was alive. Elias was alive. Charlie, Annabelle, and Eddie were alive. And now she and Elias were bringing another life into the world. It truly amazed her and as she had heard Elias and dear Brother Simon do, she gave thanks to God.
As she neared the shop, she saw Annabelle and Terrick playing together in front of Eleanor’s house. She didn’t remember them being such close friends before the pestilence came. Tragedy brings people together. They’d gone through terrible days. Just like her and Elias.
She waved at the children and at Charlie, carrying sacks of seed to the shed.
Elias had awakened the children early, as he had every morning to let her sleep more. The children didn’t mind. They loved doing things with or for him.
She tried to pick up her steps to get to the shop faster, but the babe kicked in response and made her feel ill, so she slowed.
She finally reached the shop and stepped inside. Elias was behind the table speaking with Alan on the other side. Eddie sat on top of the table, swinging his legs over the side.
When he saw Lily, he leaped off and was caught in mid-air by Elias’ quick hands. He set him down and the boy ran on chubby legs to her. “Mama!”
She bent with a wide smile to pick him up in her arms. She loved Clare and she promised her every night that she would love Eddie with all her heart. And she did. She planted kisses on his face and laughed with him.
“Oh!” She opened her eyes wide on Elias and placed her hand on her huge belly.
Elias ran around the table to her. “What is it? Is it time?” he asked with a frantic note in his tone. “Ye are early—”
“The babe kicked me very hard,” she told him. “He or she must be jealous of my little darling Eddie.” She kissed him again and again the babe kicked her. She grabbed Elias’ hand and set his palm on her belly, in the place where the kicks were happening.