Chapter 3

This time when the motorcar pulled up outside the house there was only Mariella, the housekeeper and the butler to greet Sir Richard Moresby. It was still a little awkward for him, but for the first time since his return from war, his wife saw him walk without the aid of crutches.

"Oh, that's wonderful, Darling!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, I've been working really hard in London, and the wound still gives me pain sometimes, but it makes such a difference! I can even manage stairs! I'm so confident that I've even let Mrs Chambers go: we just have to pack her things up and send them down to London on the train! So how have you been, My Darling?"

Sir Richard and Lady Moresby slowly climbed the stairs, followed by his valet, who had been with him in London. The prosthetic limb was quite a cumbersome affair, with the calf and foot sections made out of hardwood, and the upper section into which his remaining upper leg fitted, being made of thick leather. Due to the construction materials, it was probably heavier than a flesh and blood limb would be, but Sir Richard was quickly learning to compensate for this.

"You know, Mariella, I think we might even be able to think about a family now!" It was probably a good thing that his loss of sight prevented him seeing the look on her face when she heard this.

Mariella had never been upset by the sight of her husband's injuries, and although still a relatively young woman, from the day that he had first arrived home she had wanted to see and to get used to the extensive scarring on his leg. She quietly pitied him, of course; but she never pitied herself!

And unlike some of his ancestors who slept apart from their wives; except when it was time to carry out their marital duties, they had always shared a bed. He had two good arms and one good leg and he had no trouble getting comfortable, and Mariella slept in his arms: it was only when it came to 'doing his duty', so to speak, that they had anything other than a normal relationship. They knew from his first night home from being away at war that he still functioned as a man should; it was just in the execution of certain intimacies that he had lacked confidence, and with his leg injures then still relatively fresh, neither of them was overly concerned ... it was just 'a matter of time'.

Mariella's problem now, was that she already had what she considered to be the perfect lover. Even when she was first married, during those two weeks spent with her new husband before he left, she had never risen to the heights that she had reached with Jack Campbell! But here she now was, facing what she thought might be a huge disappointment after her sublime experiences with the handsome gamekeeper.

But there was another good reason for encouraging her husband's ardour: she need not fear becoming pregnant by her lover, so their lovemaking could become even more intense as he could stay inside her for the whole time! And whether she ultimately conceived a child by Richard or Jack, her husband would get his wish for an heir: and even if the baby's looks favoured Jack Campbell, her husband could never tell!

As they lay in bed that first night after his arrival home from London, Sir Richard was obviously eager to return to full marital life with his beautiful wife: her soft flesh yielded to his touch, and he soon felt himself ready for the consummation.

"I'm afraid that this might be a little awkward, My Darling," he confided, "I have never tried since..."

" ... Then may I make a suggestion, Darling," she replied, "Let me do that which you would do! I assure you that you will be no less of a man; we will both have our pleasure; and we can be sure that your seed reaches it's objective!"

"And can you do that, My Love! How do you know about such things!"

"Darling Richard! During those many lonely nights when we've been apart ... a loyal wife has only her imagination for company! I believe it is something worth pursuing!" She smiled, too, as she knew from experience that it was not only possible, but also highly enjoyable!

"Very well, My Dear! I have long awaited this moment, and I am sure that the wait will have been worthwhile!"

The first thing that Richard felt while lying on his back, was the small hand that held his male member, slowly urging it to grow. What he couldn't see, of course, was Mariella's other hand moving between her own thighs.

"Are you ready, Darling!" she said, when she'd bought him to full hardness and he literally ached for her! "Yes, I'm ready!" he replied.

Mariella straddled his recumbent body, holding herself above the eager erection. Then, taking him in hand again, she lowered herself as she guided him into her. Very slowly she sank further down, engulfing him completely.

"My word!" he exclaimed, "I'd quite forgotten how splendid that feels!"

Then sitting upright astride him, she begin to slowly rock her pelvis. For not only did she and Jack make love, they talked candidly about it. They tried to describe to each other what it felt like to be coupled. They had even talked about how Richard might react in just such a way as he had! Jack told her not to expect Richard to last for long when they started making love again: that delaying the moment was probably the hardest thing that a man had to do; and that she might not get all the pleasure from her husband that she deserved. And so it was. After only a few short minutes, he said, wistfully:

" ... I'm sorry, Darling!" Mariella kept the rocking movement going until it became physically impossible to continue. She raised herself off of him, using her hand to stop the precious fluid inside her leaking out, and then collapsing onto his shoulder.

Over the next few weeks Mariella and Richard continued to make love. He could even last longer and they tried different positions so that he wasn't always the passive party: but she still never experienced the same sense of fulfilment that she did with Jack Campbell. She even managed to grab a few illicit hours with her lover, when, as she had anticipated, their sexual relationship was even better than it had been!

However, as the seasons changed and winter approached, it became more difficult for Mariella to get out to meet Jack. But a few weeks before Christmas, although it was now not possible for her husband to go with her, Mariella went out riding alone. She visited all the places that she knew Jack might be, and then as she'd hoped, she found him alone. They were even able to kiss.

"Jack, Darling! It's not been announced officially yet: but I'm going to have a baby! I don't know whether you or Richard is the father, but he's obviously delighted! Are you pleased for me, Jack!"

"Of course, My Lady!" Even though they were so close, he always called her that. " ... And for Sir Richard! You must go careful, now: there's no way of knowing how confinement takes a woman! My sister has five children, and every one of them has been different for her!"

"I will, Jack! I never even knew you had a sister: there's still so much that we don't know about each other!"

"And I doubt that we'll get to see much of each other once the child comes, My Lady: even with a nursemaid and a nanny, you won't be getting out so much in future!"

"You might be right, Jack ... but I'm still going to try, and I'm still going to love you!"

Every year the Moresby family celebrated Christmas with their house and estate workers. The Earl and Duchess would greet their guests personally: to thank them for their contribution throughout the year; and then the Senior House Staff would serve the food at the sit-down meal, before having their own. As it was supposed to be a joyous occasion, normal table etiquette was suspended for the evening, and then after eating there would be dancing!

By now the Duchess knew all of her guests by sight, and most by name, and the Butler was there to tell her those that she didn't, by the time that they arrived in front of her and her husband. Sir Richard knew all of them; even if he could no longer see them; and he usually greeted them and could add a personal detail about their lives, which endeared him to the recipient. And despite his lack of vision: that was still no more than blurred shapes; they continued to touch foreheads or curtsied, depending on their gender.