Page 109 of The Quiet Wife
“Very happy,” she murmured, her chin quirking again as she did so.
He held her for the longest time. Eventually, he rolled to the side, but kept her close. They lay together like that for a long time. Frances loved every silent moment.
Jemie was the first to speak. He looked at her, face oddly serous. “I should have taken precautions to prevent a child.”
Frances blinked. She supposed he should have but they had both been lost in the moment.
“If there are consequences…”
Frances placed a gentle hand on his face. “If there are consequences, we will manage things. All will be well.” She couldn’t think of anything she’d love more than to carry Jemie’s child, but she had to face facts. “I had a terrible delivery with Elinor, and I think something may have been damaged because I’ve never caught again.”
“I’m sorry,” he murmured.
“I would love to have your child, but I don’t think I can.”
He captured her hand and pressed his lips to her palm. “Let’s just be happy with what we have. It’s more than I ever thought I could.”
She stared into his eyes and smiled. “Me either. I never understood why anyone would want to take a lover, because it didn’t seem the most pleasant of tasks.”
“And now?”
Her smile widened. “It certainly has some advantages.”
He chuckled and threw back the covers, padding to the washstand. He surprised her by bringing her a cloth and a towel. It made her blush.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
He turned back to the washstand and attended to himself, and she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the sight of his clenched buttocks and muscular back.
He turned back to her, utterly unabashed by his nudity.
“Would you like me to go?” he asked.
She shook her head, so he climbed back into bed, settled beside her, offering out an arm. She shuffled closer and lay her head on his chest with him enveloping her. They lay quietly, Frances’ fingers trailing through the hair on his chest, until Jemie yawned deeply.
“Will you sleep here?” she asked. She’d not slept in the same bed as a man since Frederick first bought a large enough house for separate bedrooms years ago, so early in his success.
“If you would like me to. Should I turn out the light?”
“Leave it on. I’d like to be able to see you if I wake up in the night.”
His answering smile was downright wicked. “My love, I can assure you we will be waking up in the night.”
“Really?” She giggled at the thought.
“Really.”
CHAPTER 35
London – Kensington
Frances felt exceptionally proud of herself when she ate breakfast the next morning as though nothing had happened and last night hadn’t been an absolute revelation.
She smiled calmly and passed the milk to Lizzie, who was chatting away to Jemie, planning the day as though she experienced this kind of attention, devotion, and quite simply, joy every day of her life.
She glanced at Jemie, and he caught her gaze for the merest fraction of a second, but it made her entire body tingle. It also made her wonder how quickly they might contrive to be alone together again without arousing suspicion.
It was startling. Her mind circled over and over, recollecting the previous night, replaying every word, every touch, which brought a rosy colour to her cheeks.
