Chapter 235 - Edgewood, Home

Vincent stepped down from the carriage, wincing as he did so.  Delaney was worried for him but she was now distracted by her excitement to be home once again.  As late as it was in the night when she looked up towards the doors to the manor she was surprised to see their people flooding out, excited to see them.

"My Lord and Lady you're back!"

"We've been so worried!"

"Thank goodness you're home!"

Delaney giggled and began greeting people.  Vincent forced a smile, trying to ignore his pain, and nodded, saying hello to a few people but mostly leaving the talking to his wife.  Some of the servants were dressed but most were out wrapped in robes and slippers, even in the chilly spring night air.  They had been roused from their beds by the excitement.

"You're all going to catch colds," Delaney laughed and shooed them towards the doors, "Then this beautiful manor will fall apart without you."

The servants laughed and smiled but headed inside, warm with pride from their mistress's words.  Delaney got swept up the stairs along with them but about halfway to the top, she turned to look back for her husband.  Vincent watched her with loving eyes from his place on one of the bottom stairs, slowly making his way up thanks to the stone railings.  He nodded towards the doors, signaling for her to go ahead without him.  She hesitated but he waved her on again so at last, she went.

Stepping inside the grand entrance to her home, she turned in a circle in the center of the floor, taking in the familiar paintings, tapestries, and statues.  Fires were burning, making it even cozier.  She had to stop herself from simply sitting down right there on the floor and letting the grandeur of Edgewood sweep her away.

"Delaney?  Delaney!"

She heard a familiar voice calling her name and turned to see Cora hurrying down the stairs towards her, Miles at her side.

When Delaney took in the sight of her sister-in-law in her nightgown and robe, there was no hiding the full round curve of her belly.  Her cheeks were rosy with her excitement and her lovely golden hair hung over her shoulder in a braid.

Before she could react, the woman rushed forward and crushed her in a hug, her belly like a melon between them, making Delaney laugh.

"Oh yes this" Cora rolled her eyes in annoyance, stepping back, blushing, and pulling her robe around her as if trying to somehow hide the curve, "It's quite inconvenient already I'll have you know.  I don't know how my mother did it so many times."

"Nonsense," Delaney laughed again, "You look lovely."

"I tell her every day but she doesn't listen anymore," Miles commented, stepping up and pulling Delaney into a firm warm hug before letting her go and stepping back.

He turned towards the door then and caught sight of his older brother finally coming inside.  He shouted Vincent's name and stepped quickly to him, clapping a hand on the other man's shoulder.  A grin filled the Duke's face and he laughed at the sight of his brother.

"Look at you then Miles," he chuckled, "I knew the mothers filled out some when they were expecting a baby but I didn't know the fathers did as well."

Delaney looked and saw her sweet brother-in-law had in fact gotten a bit rounder while they were away.  She bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"Shut up you fool," Miles frowned and rolled his eyes at his brother, "You know there isn't any cooking in the land as good as Mrs. King's.  What did you expect to happen when you left me at Edgewood over the winter?"

"It doesn't help that his wife is currently hungry at practically any given time," Cora sighed, "And it's never any fun to eat alone.  If you two had left us alone here much longer we might have eaten you out of food."

They all laughed and teased back and forth.  Cora gave Vincent a hug and Delaney smiled as she saw the worry in his eyes and the gentle way he hugged her back as if afraid to break her.  She glanced at Miles and saw he was watching it too with a smirk.

"Wait," Cora looked around suddenly, "Where's Ian?"

Delaney felt a stab of sadness in her heart, dimming her happiness.  She dropped her gaze to her hand, running a finger lightly over the scar on her palm.  Vincent eased forward to her, sliding an arm around her waist.

"Ian's gone back to his ship," he informed Miles and Cora, "There's a lot that's happened in the last few days we'll need to tell you about.  It's probably best if it waits until morning though.  We're exhausted."

"Yes of course," Miles nodded, glancing between the Duke and Duchess, "To have traveled straight here all that way must have been a hard journey."

"You get some sleep," Cora added, "We don't have to hear about everything as soon as you've walked through the door."

They told each other good night and Miles took Cora on his arm, taking her back up to bed with him.  The servants had all gone for now as well, leaving Delaney and Vincent alone in the grand foyer of their home.

She turned in his arms, resting her hands against his warm chest and looking up into his lovely green eyes set into a handsome scarred face.  His fingers laced together against the small of her back, holding her there and she smiled softly.  Behind them, the fire crackled and made the stone floor glow.

"We're home," she whispered to him.

"We're home," he murmured his agreement.

"When we were at the ocean house we couldn't wait to come back here.  Then we spent those days in the city and all that time at Felicia's house.  By the time we finally got back here it seems like it was such a short time before we had to leave again."

He nodded, "And when we were here I was in pain and we were worried about something happening to us because of the heirs being murdered.  The number of days we were here and just happy again is all but zero."

"It is," Delaney agreed, "And do you remember what we talked about at the ocean?  How we just wanted to come back here and lock ourselves away for days.  Just the two of us closing out the world."

"I remember," he smiled.

"After... After Miles and Cora return to their home... Do you think we might..."

"Yes," he chuckled before she had even finished her words, "My love I have been looking forward to when we could be happy and alone here together since the last day we were.  So long ago before everyone came to stay with you while I was away working.  It seems like a lifetime ago."

"It does," she said softly.

Vincent leaned down then, giving her a long and lingering kiss that made her stomach fill with butterflies and her insides wind up like a spring.  When his lips moved away, she didn't open her eyes quickly, instead letting her mind stay in the moment of enjoying the sweet taste and feel of him.  When she did look at him again she saw only love in his eyes.

"Come, my beautiful wife," he whispered, "I've been missing our bed and holding you in my arms in it."

Together they walked slowly up the stairs and Delaney saw him lock his jaw against the pain, his scars darkening.  She thought about bringing up him taking some medicine but she knew he likely wouldn't since they were only going to bed.  He would want to save it for a more important time.

When they walked into their bedroom where a fire was burning, making it nice and warm, and a few candles were lit, Delaney could have wept tears of joy.  She had sent her maid on to bed so Vincent undid the ties on the back of her dress.  His fingers lingered and let her feel his unnatural heat through the thin fabric of her underdress.  An excited tingle ran up her spine and he chuckled.

She took out her hairpins while he undressed and when she turned from her mirror it was to find him in their enormous bed waiting for her.  Delaney blew out all the candles and in the light of the fire, climbed into her bed and under the blankets, snuggling up against her husband.  A sound like a groan came from him and he pulled her up onto his chest so he could kiss her again.

Their first night home was like a perfect dream and later on, once she and Vincent had exhausted themselves further, she lay wrapped in his strong arms as she began to nod off to sleep.  He kissed the back of her shoulder and she smiled even with her eyes closed.

She wished they could stay like this forever.