It was only now as she sat alone at her dressing table absently brushing her hair before bed that Charlotte started to feel exhaustion wash over her. As she continued the repetitive strokes of the brush she stared in unseeingly into the mirror and her mind cast back to the earlier scene with Henry.

You are not plain, you are beautiful. And I didn't ask your father if I could marry you out of duty; I did it because I loved you. I've always loved you. I'm your husband.

How stupid we both were Charlotte thought and smiling to herself she put down the brush and gently held her stomach marvelling at the life growing within her. How silly your father and I are little one she said in her head as she gazed down to where she was gently rubbing her slightly swollen stomach. Loving each other and thinking the other did not care a jot for them. So much time wasted she sighed.

She was still lost in her imaginary conversation that she was not aware of anyone coming into the room until two large, warm, comforting hands came down on her shoulders and soothing massaged out the tension that had built up over the last two weeks.

"Lottie, my dear I'm worried about you. You seemed to have been drained in the last few weeks and I worry you are ruining your health with too much work. "

Charlotte heard the unfamiliar almost pleading concern in her husband's voice. She had not realised that Henry had noticed her tiredness for usually he was scarcely able to draw away his attention from his machines to even eat let alone notice her. Her heart ached and she tossed her head back to look up adoringly at her husband.

"It is nothing Henry, I am quite well I assure you….or at least I will be in a few months" she reassured him.

Henry however did not seem to be comforted at all. He paused in his gentle ministrations, much to Charlotte's disappointment, and dropped down on his knees next to her to stare directly into her eyes. He grasped one of her hands in both of his, his face etched in worry.

"Lottie, you are far too precious to me. You cannot dismiss your health so casually, tomorrow morning you will summon Brother Enoch so he might fully examine you. Agreed?"

Charlotte could do nothing but smile into her husband's handsome and earnest face. She should tell him now but the novelty of him taking command out of concern for her welfare stopped her. She cupped his face and gently stroked his cheek with her thumb.

"Yes, my love. First thing tomorrow."

"Good. Now come on time for bed, Lottie" he said soothingly as he gently picked her up off her stool and carried her gracefully over to the bed.

Charlotte bringing her arms around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder and sighed contentedly.

"I love it when you call me Lottie" she breathed as he laid her down on the bed.

"Then I will always call you such" he said excitedly his whole face light up as he smiled in delight. "I'd do absolutely anything to please you, just name it" he added as he kissed on the check and stood up gazing down at her adoringly.

She stared up at Henry as he said this and a brilliant white hot wave of pure happiness radiated through her washing away any lingering traces of exhaustion she may have felt only moments ago. She got up to kneel on the bed and loop her arms around Henry's neck drawing him in. Charlotte had never felt so alive as she did at this moment. She had everything she could possibly want, had ever dared to hope for. In her happiness she grew gradually bolder as she slowly thought of the only thing remaining that would cement her happiness. But dare she do it? She the small, practical, plain Charlotte Branwell seduce her husband? Oh yes, she dared.

"Well, you could kiss me" she said in a heavy voice she did not recognise.

Henry's eyes lit up with fire and he smiled as he bent down to kiss her. His lips sought out hers with a desperation and urgency that thrilled her. His arms snaked around her waist greedily drawing her up against his body as he deepened the kiss. Charlotte reached her hands up into Henry's unruly hair and tugged on it and he gave a small gasp against her mouth. She was smiling against his lips as they break off in several snatching kisses. She loved his unkempt red hair it was so much like himself distracted and chaotic. His lips moved with a frenetic energy as he moved to kiss her everywhere it seemed at the same time. Her eyes, her nose, her neck every inch of her skin.

Charlotte revelled in the attention fisting her hands in his hair to stop him from moving away. However, unbidden the image of a puppy excited licking their owner's face came into Charlotte's head especially when she remembered all the puppy like characteristics of Henry when she had first seen him. She had loved him almost from the first moment but he was no puppy now and she did not desire him as such. She desired the man he had become and she needed to know, to assure herself, he desired her just as much. She gently but firmly disentangled herself from Henry and scooted back slightly from the bed just out of his reach. Henry who had been too consumed in kissing her had not noticed her moving away and flopped ungracefully face first onto the bed when she disappeared. He soon righted himself and stood once again next to the bed looking at Charlotte in bewilderment. Charlotte's heart fluttered and she almost melted. Her Henry, he looked so adorable with a bemused look on his face. There was one final moment of doubt before she decided to act before she lost her nerve.

"I just wanted to know" she began and then in one fluid motion she lifted her night rail up, over her head and tossed it forcibly to the ground, "whether I pleased you?"

Charlotte was now completely naked and with the candles still blazing she was completely exposed to her husband's gaze. But after a moment's unease she relaxed and the look on her husband's face filled her with such joy and power that at that moment she felt as beautiful and enchanting as Cleopatra and like the Egyptian Queen she felt the force of her attraction to draw in her Mark Anthony.

Henry stared at his wife in open mouthed astonishment. His gaze travelled languidly over her drinking in every inch of her. He felt his desire for her building up inside to an almost uncontrollable level. She was more than he ever dreamed of and here she was this beautiful angel offering herself up to him the most undeserving of wretches. He made a strangled choking noise to hold back a horrible moan of joy. Charlotte giggled as she casually flicked back a lock of her long chocolate hair behind her shoulder and thereby affording him and unobstructed view of one of perfect breasts.

"I take it that I please you" she teased a soft seductive voice.

"Oh Lottie, you have no idea how much you please me" he whimpered.

"Well, you can't come to bed with your clothes still on can you" she said as moved to lie down seductively on her stomach and her arms propped up to cradle her face as she smiled up at him and watched expectantly.

Henry was momentarily transfixed by the site of Charlotte's smooth back and round peach like buttocks and then was frantically setting about casting off his clothes as fast as he could. Charlotte had to hold back her laughter as she watched her husband attack undressing himself in the same bumbling and haphazard way he did everything and comically hoping around their room trying desperately to get one leg out of his trousers. Soon however he was as naked as she and awkwardness came over him as he came over to the bed and nervously climbed onto it and sat on his haunches next to her. Charlotte taking pity on him knew she would have to take the lead and pushed herself up off the bed and in a flash of moment born from her Shadowhunter blood gracefully straddled her husband and wrapped her arms around him so they were sitting up and facing each other. She brushed her lips tentatively over his and gently teased him into returning the kiss.

All awkwardness was now banished between them. Their words to each other earlier had set them free and now they were able to explore each other the way they had wanted. Charlotte, who had always been a practical one even when she was a girl, had often been at a loss when other girls her age would proudly show her the elegant love letters they had received from their suitors. She had dutifully read the epitaphs of undying love and had found them hollow. The poets of their age that Will was always so fond off had never done anything for her, they were all just empty meaningless words. Promises with no substance. It was probably why she loved Henry so much. He too was a practical soul who found no time for music or art or poetry and was never very good with words. But as Henry drew her to him so their skin touched in a delicious way and his lips moved round so that he could nibble on her ear she finally felt sure of his love in a way no poet could ever convince her. Every reverential caress, every gentle moan of desire revealed to her all she needed to know about Henry's love for her. Those other women could keep their sonnets, she had a much greater prize and she fully intended to claim it tonight.