Chapter Twenty-seven
After a refreshing siesta, the two couples set out for the beach, which was just two blocks from Frederick's house. Margaret and John enjoyed wading in the ocean, something it was too cold to do in England. Frederick found Dolores a chair in the shade so she could relax, and when the other couple grew tired of the waves they joined them.
"I can see why you enjoy it here so much, Fred!" Margaret enthused. "What a difference from the beaches at home!" John agreed, having enjoyed playing in the water and sand as if he was a child.
"I almost forgot I was an adult!" Margaret gave him a tender smile, having enjoyed watching John play. When he was usually so serious, it was nice to see him let loose once in a while. They stayed to watch the sun set over the water, and then returned home for dinner.
Dolores retired not long after the meal was finished, and John realized he was tired, too. Margaret asked if he minded her staying up to catch up with Frederick, and he said no with a smile. Bending down to give her a kiss, he whispered in her ear.
"As long as you wake me up when you come to bed, dearest." Her eyes gleaming, she heartily promised.
Once they were alone, Margaret and Frederick just looked at each other for a while, happy to be together again, even if just for a short time, without having to worry about Frederick's safety. They talked about their lives, trying to catch up on everything they hadn't been able to talk about when he was in England.
"Now, dear sister," Frederick said at one point, "you must tell me all the details about you and John. I can see you love each other deeply, but when I was with you nothing seemed to be going on between you two. What's your story?" Margaret blushed, her eyes downcast, and then looked her brother in the eye, and told him their long tale.
"I was stupid, Fred. That's the long and the short of it. I didn't realize how I felt about him, and when he proposed to me I threw it back in his face. He thought you were a rival for my affections, and yet he still helped us when I lied about you. He loved me through it all, even though he claimed not to, and I did nothing to deserve it. When I realized that I loved him, I thought it was too late. And when he had to close his Mill, I couldn't bear the thought of not being connected to him in any way, so I went to offer him a loan to keep the Mill open. He proposed again, and this time I accepted. I thank God every day that I got a second chance."
Frederick nodded his understanding. He was glad she had someone, now that their parents were dead. He had been worried when she wrote to him about their father's passing, and Mr. Bell's departure for South America. Their Aunt Shaw and Cousin Edith were family, but he had gotten the suspicion from the letters she wrote when she was there that she would rather have been somewhere else. When she had written of her engagement, he knew why.
"He is obviously a good man, and I'm glad you have him. I was sorry I couldn't be there for you when Father died. It must have been so hard for you."
"It was, Fred. Aunt Shaw just kept talking about how she needed to get me out of that God-forsaken place and back to London. And I just wanted to run to John, but I thought he would turn me away. So I went to London until I heard that John was losing the Mill. Then I went back to Milton to make him a business proposal." He smiled at her.
"And he made a different proposal altogether." Noticing her blush, he gave her a quizzical look.
"After the first disastrous proposal, the second one did not exactly have...words," she admitted, her face red. After a moment, his face showed his understanding, and he grinned.
"So my little sister behaved in a less than proper manner?" he teased.
"I did, and I liked it. We got caught up in the moment, and before I knew it he was kissing me. That was when I knew I was not getting back on the train with Henry...I was going home with John."
"I am so happy for you, Margaret! Having found the same happiness with Dolores, I know what it's like to lose yourself in another person."
"I'm so happy for you, too, Fred!" They smiled at each other for a moment, and then Margaret yawned. They hugged and said goodnight, then went their separate ways.
Margaret opened the door to the guest bedroom and quietly entered. After closing it, she walked over to the bed and took a moment to gaze at her handsome husband. He was snoring lightly, laying on his back, and wearing nothing. Laying down next to him, she started caressing his chest and pressing soft kisses along his jaw. He sighed contendedly and brought his hands up to her back, and then opened his eyes. She chuckled.
"Yes, I need your help in getting to a state of undress similar to yours." He was only too happy to comply.
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The next morning it was John and Frederick who had some time alone as the two women slept late. Frederick regaled John with stories of Margaret as a child, which John enjoyed immensely. He wasn't surprised that she had been just as opinionated when she was four as she was now, although the specific things she was opinionated about had changed.
John thought back to Margaret's determination that he talk to his workers. She had been right, of course, he knew that now. At the time he had thought her naive, but now that he had Higgins to go between him and the workers, things ran a lot smoother. He mentioned that to Frederick, who smiled.
"That sounds like my sister, all right! She seems naive, but when it comes down to it she has some pretty good ideas." John nodded in agreement.
"I have come to learn that when she brings one of them to me, it would do me much more good to listen than to try to ignore it. She has improved my Mill immensely."
"And you would do good to remember that!" he heard Margaret as she came down the hallway, and smiled.
"Don't let it get to your head, Darling," he chuckled. She came into view, her robe on, and sat on his lap.
"Oh, don't worry, my love," she retorted. "You'll keep me in line, no doubt." He wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"That I will," he murmured in her ear, sending a thrill through her. She laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled close.
"I look forward to it," she whispered back, and he hoped she stayed where she was long enough for him to recover from the thoughts that came to his mind.
Once Dolores woke, they made their plans for the day. Frederick wanted to show them a few local sights, and then they decided to go to the beach again. Margaret and John got into a splashing contest that quickly turned into her challenging him to catch her, and him rising to the challenge admirably. He grabbed her around the waist from behind and she turned so she was facing him, both of them laughing and breathing heavily from the exertion. He bent down for a kiss, which she willingly gave.
Frederick and Dolores were amused, knowing that if she weren't so close to having her baby they would be doing that too. Frederick did lean over to give Dolores a kiss, and they smiled at each other. The siblings were similar in their love for their spouses and their unabashed delight at showing that love, even in public.
Not long after sunset the two couples went home again, had a leisurely dinner, and headed off for bed. Margaret was expecting retaliation for her impertinence that morning, but John seemed to have forgotten about it, which disappointed her a little. But she quickly forgot about it herself under his tender ministrations, after which they fell asleep.
She needn't have worried about his forgetting, however, as she discovered when she woke some time later to him nuzzling the back of her neck. One arm was holding her close while the other hand explored. She was reminded of the afternoon they got caught in the rain, on their honeymoon, when they had been in a similar position. As he teased her nipples to attention and then moved lower, she moaned softly. He found her ready for his attentions, and lavished them on her until she was squirming and pleading. She tried to turn, but he whispered softly in her ear.
"Not yet, dearest. You are in need of some instruction after your impertinence this morning." She shuddered and moaned with delight. She was close, he could tell, but he was expertly holding off, not allowing what he knew she wanted.
"Please, John," she begged, her breath coming in short gasps.
"Are you sorry for the way you spoke this morning?" he asked softly, and she nodded, unable to speak. He chuckled and urged her leg up and over his, as he eased into her. She gasped, surprised that he didn't release her to turn toward him, but quickly discovered that she liked this position too.
He kept the slow pace, his hand back up at her nipples, which added to her pleasure without bringing her to completion too fast. Her arm went behind her to rest on his back as her passion built to a tipping point. When he started kissing her neck, she lost all control and shattered, trembling in his arms. He continued thrusting, a bit faster, until he joined her. Only then did he release her, and she rolled over until her head was on his chest.
"John, you make me want to be impertinent all the time," she said softly, and he chuckled.
"I would by no means wish for you to stop your impertinence, my dear." With that, they fell back into sleep, content in the afterglow.