CHAPTER ONE: The work
There was a knock on the door.
Elizabeth hated that knock on the door.
That knock meant that it was time for William to wake up and prepare for work.
Every man had to work, so it was not something only she had to suffer through. But the hard part was that he was at home. It sounded easier, did it not? But twas anything but true. Knowing you husband was in the house, only a few doors away, but not being allowed to enter the room and ask for his attention, felt like torture.
William had stopped travelling for his work, and got the offer to write a book for the theatre play Pondside. She had worked there voluntary, and that was how they met again – after seven years of a silent fight.
They had had their differences, and it had been difficult to overcome them. But in the end, their love seemed stronger than the hate they had for each other. They would blame each other for lying and leaving, but in the end, they easily forgave each other and admitted their love.
After half a year, they married, and not much later, they got their first child – Francis. After that happy moment, things had gone downhill. They had wanted more than once child, but no matter how much they tried, Elizabeth would not get pregnant again.
They had gone from doctor to doctor, asking them for help, wondering if they would ever be able to have more than one child. They were desperate times, and it had tested their relationship. But mayhap it was not as big of a challenge as their seven year break. And just like that fight, they had made it through.
And eventually, after almost five years, their prayers had been heard and Elizabeth could tell her husband the joyous news that she was with child again. Nine months later, a healthy baby boy was born and named Henry. And two years later, there was Evan. And another two year later, Lewis was born.
People had often jested about the fact that Elizabeth could only carry boys. And mayhap that was why she had had five years of no children. The universe had wanted her to have a daughter, while she could not carry those.
Even though she was the only woman in the house now, she was not bothered by it. She loved her husband as much as each one of her sons, and she would not trade anyone for a girl.
William turned in the bed and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He planted his lips on her forehead.
"Good morning, darling," his low, sleepy voice said.
She smiled at the sound of it. Twas amazing to hear that voice, for it meant she got to sleep next to her husband. And when she woke up, she could see and hear him right away. That knowledge was amazing.
"Good morning," she responded, and she pulled his head closer so that she could kiss him. He gladly accepted her touch and opened his mouth to invite in her tongue inside. His kiss still felt like a miracle. Her body heated up because of the hand that moved over her hips.
Before she knew it, William had turned her to her back and came to lay on top of her. He gave her a few more kisses on her lips, before he trailed down her cheeks to her neck, to end up pushing her night gown away and kissing her shoulders.
"I should not work today," he said against her bare skin. Elizabeth could not respond, for the feeling of her husband's lips on her breasts was too amazing to bring out anything else than a moan. As his hands moved over her belly, he gathered the fabric in his hands and pulled it up.
"You should work," she whispered in an first – and last – attempt to bring them both back to reality.
"I am working on you," he told her, before he captured her next words in his mouth by kissing her lips. And o, how it worked! Her resolve disappeared with every flutter of butterflies in her belly. The touch of his lips, and every moan he let out, made her feel warm everywhere, and she forgot where she was or what she ought to do today. She was here, with her husband, and that was all that mattered.
There was a sudden knock on the door – again – and it startled husband and wife. Elizabeth sighed, then muttered: "I hate that door."
William chuckled, before he yelled at the door: "we are awake!"
"My lord," the voice of his valet said from the other side of the door, "you have a message from Mr. Evans."
Both William and Elizabeth sighed. Mr. Evans was William's superior. Though he mostly worked on his own, he still needed the man, for he arranged the publishing and selling of his books. He did not often call on William, so when he did, they knew it was serious.
"I will be ready soon," he told his valet. Then he looked at Elizabeth, sadness and apology all over his face. He caressed her arms and told her: "I will make it up to you, I promise."
She planted her lips on his. "I know you will."
His smile grew, grateful for her understanding. She did understand, though she did not like it. He had just told her he would not work today, and she had waited so long to hear him say those words. And when finally something really good happened to her, it had to be taken away the minute after she received it.
But she understood. William loved his work, and he was really good at it. And because he was mostly working at home, he could eat luncheon and dinner with his family, and Elizabeth could see and touch him more than most wives could touch their husband.
After one last – long – kiss, he rolled away from her and stepped out of the bed. This was how things mostly went. They both wanted to stay in bed, but he had to go and work.
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While William gathered his things for work, Elizabeth went to the children, and one by one, she woke them. She started with Francis, the oldest and the one laying nearest his parents.
He was very beautiful when he laid down so peacefully on a huge bed. He was eleven, and quite mature for his age. But he was very polite and very loving. He was five years older than his three brothers, but that was not the only difference between them.
Francis was serious when he knew he needed to be, which made him a great student. He was very smart and learning to read and write was easy. She hoped his three brothers would have it as easy as he did, but she believed he was smarter than an average boy – and his brothers.
Elizabeth softly shook her son, and called his name. With a sleepy moan, he turned to his mother and hugged her legs.
"I wish to sleep," he politely said.
She chuckled as his kindness. He had always been so kind – too kind, sometimes – and she did not know who taught him that.
"Did you sleep well?" Elizabeth asked.
He nodded, his cheek rubbing against her leg. "I had a beautiful dream." He suddenly gasped and his head shot up. "Can we visit uncle Andrew?" he asked eagerly.
"Andrew?" Elizabeth asked surprised. "Why do you want to visit my brother?"
Francis had a sweet smile on his face as he said: "I dreamed I was with Alice on our first ball, and I had to protect her from the evil men who want to marry her."
She chuckled at Francis' dream. He and Alice, Andrew and Victoria's oldest child, were very good friends. Mayhap that was because they were so close in age – only one year apart. But the most true reason was that Elizabeth and Victoria were very close friends, and William and Andrew had been best friends since they went to school together as little boys.
"I hope you were strong enough to defy them," Elizabeth told her son.
"Of course!" Francis pushed up and sat up straight while he said: "I beat them up with my bare hands. And it did not even hurt. And Alice, o she was so grateful. And now I want to tell her of my dream. She will like it."
"I am certain she will," Elizabeth said while chuckling. "I shall ask your father. He has to go in to work today, so mayhap we will not be able to go today."
"But soon, yes?"
She nodded her head. "Very soon."
As Francis got out of bed and a servant helped him dress, she walked to Henry's bedchamber. He had a smaller chamber, for the biggest ones in the house had already been taken. But he had not minded it. Mayhap he had not realized the difference in size, or mayhap he realized he was the oldest over his two other brothers – who had even smaller chambers.
Twas not like they could complain, Elizabeth knew. Many people had a master bed chamber that was smaller than their room. And that was without taking their second estate – Hawthorne – into account. They truly had a good life here, and Elizabeth made certain they all knew it.
"Henry," she softly said, while pushing his arm. The young boy was six years old, giving him both younger and older nephews and nieces. He seemed to like spending time with them, for he was both a leader and a follower. Whichever he wanted to be, he could be.
"No," Henry's silent voice said, and he turned away from her.
Elizabeth sighed. Just like William, Henry and Evan were not early risers. Henry had not been either, but last summer he had spent a lot of time with Andrew and Victoria – and Alice, of course – and they would wake up early. He had gotten used to it, and now would sometimes wake up before Elizabeth did.
She leaned closer to her second, wonderful son and told him: "if you rise now, you may wake up Evan."
Henry gasped, and though he still looked sleepy, he jumped out of bed, staggering on his feet, and ran out of his room. With a smile on her face, Elizabeth followed him to the room next to his.
"Wake up!" she heard Henry shout, and when she entered, she saw he was already on his brother's bed, jumping until the four year old responded.
"Get off!" Evan shouted, as he tried to kick his brother's legs. "I want to sleep!"
"You must wake up!" Henry shouted in response. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"
"Mother!" Evan shouted loudly, but all Elizabeth could do, was laugh at the sight of her two sons teasing each other. It would be a worrying sight to most parents, but this was what the two boys always did – teasing each other. But at the day's end, they would hug it out and love each other like they loved their other brothers.
Suddenly Francis ran inside the room, his chest bare and his face worried. "What is happening?" he asked panicked.
"Henry is waking up Evan," Elizabeth explained, and watched Evan jump on Henry to try and shut him up.
"O," Francis said as if it explained everything. And with that unsurprised face, he turned around and walked out of the room.
Elizabeth did too, and she walked into the last room. Lewis' room, their two year old son. He did not sleep in a bed yet, but in the cradle every one of his brother had slept in when they were his age. And when he heard the door open, he immediately stood up and watched whoever had entered the room.
"Mother!" he said enthusiastically when he saw her.
"Are you awake already?" Elizabeth asked, and she picked up her youngest son.
"Yes," he answered proudly.
"Did Henry and Evan wake you?"
"No, cold. Blanket gone."
Elizabeth wiped the hair off his forehead. "I shall give you a thicker blanket tonight," she promised him.
Now that all her children were awake, she only had to wait for all of them to get dressed and come down to the breakfast table. And like always, it was very difficult to keep four boys calm while eating, but somehow, they managed to keep it decent.
And much too soon, William left for work. She was happy with the knowledge that he would return tonight, yet she preferred the knowledge that her husband was inside the house.
She wasted the time away by helping Francis with his lessons, stopping fights between Henry and Evan and watching over Lewis. There were days in which she would take a book and ask for some silence, but today, without her husband near, she wanted as much company she could get. Even the butler was a nice man to talk to.
And finally, when the sky was starting to turn red, the carriage stopped in front of the house and the front door opened. Four boys yelling "father!" was all the prove she needed to know her husband had arrived home.
After he had hugged his sons, he wrapped his arms around his wife and told her: "I am home," before he planted a kiss on her lips.
Whenever he could, he would tell her he was home – and that he would stay. He had left her when she needed him most seven years ago, and then again after he had taken her virtue. But he promised he would never do it ago, and reminded both of them of that promise by telling her he was home – and staying.
"What did Mr. Evans say?" she asked.
His face suddenly changed completely, the smile disappearing. He laid his head on her shoulder, then said: "I will tell you in my study."
Before she could comment, he let go of her and walked to the study. Elizabeth followed him with her eyes, wondering what his superior could have told him to make him this upset.
She saw Francis had stayed while his brothers had run away, and he looked at her with wondering eyes. She gave him a smile – one that was not true – and told him: "I guess I should follow him, right?"
Francis pursed his lips, then nodded. "I believe he is waiting for you." With his hands clasped behind his back, he walked away, leaving Elizabeth alone and without another options but following her husband inside the study.
She shut the door behind her and watched her husband unpack his bag. He had heard her enter, but ignored it. And she gave him time. But when he sat down behind his desk, he did not look up at her. In fact, he buried his head in his hands, making certain he could not see her.
"Darling, what did Mr. Evans say?" she asked as she stepped closer to him.
He sighed and shook his head. And finally, he looked up at her. His eyes were red, like he had just cried. Whatever Mr. Evans had said, really upset William.
"He gave me an ultimatum," he finally admitted. "And I do not want to choose."
"What ultimatum?" she asked, curious as to what troubled her husband so. But he did not respond, and after a few minutes, Elizabeth was worried about something she did not know. So she asked him: "William, what did he tell you?"
Eventually, he looked Elizabeth in the eye and told her: "either he will no longer publish my books and send them to shops, or-" He took a deep breath, then continued with the most horrifying words Elizabeth could ever hear – again. "Or I take the offer to travel around England and review plays for the newspaper."
Read the story here: https://www.wattpad.com/story/213658389-the-wonderful-bouquet