"Is she-?"
"Fast asleep; we could bang pots over her bed and she wouldn't hear a thing."
"I dare say we'd be best not to try that theory out, though."
"Probably!"
With a smile, Emily wandered into the living room, having changed into her night gown. Edmund, despite his absence when engrossed in work, cared greatly for little Mathilda and when he'd heard the baby had a bit of a cough, he was greatly concerned with her comfort. Knowing that as fussy a baby as Mathilda could still fall asleep meant the cough probably wasn't that bad and she would recover soon enough.
Emily was tired, though she would not betray that information out loud. She eased herself into a chair beside her husband, who took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"If she wakes in the night, let me attend to her."
"You've been up for nights, though."
"And sleeping during the day. My mind works better in the dark now, and you need sleep just as much."
"Thank you, my love." She gave him that soft smile that always left a little flutter in his stomach, her lips framing white teeth with a natural, beautiful pink.
They sat in quiet for a while, both just enjoying the calm and peace. The crackle of the fire before them, and the warm smell it let out was enough to send them both to sleep, but it was far too early in the evening if they were to wake at sensible hours tomorrow.
"Do you remember the first time your sister looked after her? When we went away to the coast?" Reid said aloud, soft enough that if his wife had fallen asleep she wouldn't be awoken.
"That was the first holiday we'd had in years." Came her quiet reply, a chuckle following. She toyed with her hair, which was let down and shining in the firelight. Edmund had always loved how thick and dark it was – like running his hands through strands of silk. It always smelled of lavender because of the essential oils she used on her roots.
"And how she assured you she knew how to take care of children, how she'd dealt with the twins on her own with ease and how everything would be fine? Then of course when we returned home-"
"I've never seen her more dishevelled! She said Mathilda cried at all hours, poor girl. I felt so guilty for leaving her behind with someone for a week." Emily's eyes fell to the floor, her smile fading just a little.
"But she was silent when you held her again. She may have missed her mother but the joy of being with you again would have been worth it.
"I do hope so. She was too young to remember it anyway." Emily smiled again, rolling her lips which had just recently been cleaned of lipstick.
"Emily, I was thinking perhaps we have dinner some time, with friends. It's been a while since we were out, and neither of us should be kept from society for too long."
"I could offer it up at Mrs. Dawson's lunch party this weekend; I wasn't sure if I should go or not though."
"You should. Mrs. Dawson is good to us, it will be nice for you to see her again. But you look tired, Emily." Reid couldn't ignore it anymore, and even though it was barely seven pm he felt a suggestion unavoidable. "You should go to bed. I will clean up in here."
"Perhaps I should." She sighed, playing with a curl of her hair again. Her slender little eyes left the fire and fixed instead on him, silently bidding him goodnight as she rose.
Edmund remained in his seat for a while longer as the fire slowly burned down, and then carried the tea tray they'd been nursing into the kitchen where he soaked the cups to be washed in the morning. Extinguishing the fire completely, he crept quietly upstairs so as not to wake Mathilda. There was no resisting a quick check on her though, and Edmund found his daughter, as always, curled up in bed under her pale pink blankets, several stuffed toys surrounding her like her own personal night watch, warding off anything and everything that a toddler might fear. Her hair was plaited to the scalp by Emily, so she'd be running around with waves in her locks over breakfast.
Tiredness drawing him to his own bed, Edmund entered his and his wife's room, finding her laid down in bed with a few lights and candles still lit. As quietly as possible, he changed into his night clothes, and heard Emily roll over under the sheets. She muttered his name and Edmund sat on the edge of the bed, her knees touching his back. Gently he brushed some of that lovely thick hair from her face and leaned in to kiss her forehead, at which point Emily woke.
"I thought I heard Mathilda crying." She whispered, to which her husband shook his head.
"Only a dream, Emily. She is sleeping soundly; as we should be too." He stood and walked to the other side of the bed, slipping in under the covers and finding both the mattress and his wife's arms enveloping him.
"I love you, Edmund." Her voice was a soft, grainy whisper in his ear and it gave him a shiver before he spoke the same in return, kissing her cheek. Once settled on his back, Emily edged closer and rested her head on his chest. It had been a while since they could sleep like this, without fear of him being called out. She wanted to enjoy every moment of it.
In fact, Emily lay awake for another half hour, feeling her husband's chest rise and fall with every slow, shallow breath. He was fast asleep and she did not want to disturb him, so planted a kiss on his worn hand before settling in properly and closing her own eyes. The warmth of his breath on her forehead was so calming, and made all these nights alone waiting for him worth it. Perhaps that's what he meant about Mathilda appreciating her mother's company after nights without her.
With that revelation, Emily dozed off. She was sure to wake warm and happy and she, Edmund and Mathilda would share breakfast downstairs together. She'd kiss him goodbye as he headed off to work and listen to her daughter chime 'daddy daddy daddy!' at the sound of him unlocking the door in the evening. That could be the same routine for the next thirty years and Emily would be satisfied, she thought.