In the following months the household at Delaford was happy to see their master stop working crazy hours in his study in the middle of the night and spend the night time in the bedroom with his wife as they had done when they first got married. The couple would lean close to each other and steal little touches and looks from each other and the maids giggled in the laundry room when they changed the couple's bed and emptied the waste bucket in the bedchamber – marital life really was back to normal by all standards. When then one day their master sent for the doctor the staff did not seem at all surprised. They had seen the signs of morning sickness at least on three mornings now.

"Now, in view of what happened last time, I don't want to alarm you but perhaps it would not hurt if you took it easy for at least the first three months now. Just to see that Mrs Brandon feels well and all goes as it should, yes?" the doctor suggested to Brandon as Brandon was walking him out back to his carriage. Brandon did not need to be told – the shock of last time had been such that he had sworn to himself to do nothing that could possibly bring harm to his wife or to his baby.

"She will be wrapped in silk and wool," Brandon replied. The doctor let out a little laugh.

"She's still not made of china. I'm simply saying that for the early part you may want to keep to lighter acts of closeness instead of full…well you know. Maybe not carry on with things like horseback riding and suchlike either. Later, after about three months if she feels well life can be quite normal. Pregnancy is only natural, after all, but with her history we'll just take it easy first to give her body time to come to terms with it all. Goodbye!" The doctor explained and drove off.

Brandon wasted no time getting back to their bedchamber where he'd left Marianne. He found her dressed and sitting on the bed, her face bright and excited. Looking at her joy he could not hold back his own smile either and he dashed over to the bed, pushing his wife onto it, gently pinning her down to kiss her.

"Christopher, I can't quite believe it," she then said.

"I know, dearest. I have to admit, I'm filled with such joy and excitement, but also fear."

They looked at each other in the eyes for a while. This matter had to be addressed and discussed as well.

"Let's take things one day at a time, what do you say?" Marianne suggested, and continued:

"This isn't entirely in our hands and it may be that all we can do is pray. But we've lived through the worse outcome and we can be stronger this time. We've also seen how things can go perfectly well, yes? Elinor and Edward and their beautiful baby girl are doing so well."

Christopher nodded in agreement: all they could do was to take things as they came and hope for the best.

And this time nature seemed to have a better grip on things. Marianne's morning sickness continued for some weeks, but apart from that she felt fine. Christopher made sure Marianne never felt unwanted and she was certainly never left unsatisfied. After a few early protests from her for Christopher not taking things all the way, he explained to her he was not prepared to chance things and this is what he had discussed with the doctor. To Christopher's delight he found that Marianne was equally imaginative in the joys of intimacy with him. One could even say that the couple learned a whole new range of ways of pleasuring each other that when one day they'd feel they could act fully on each other, they would probably reach new heights together.

Christopher also found that every change the pregnancy brought to Marianne's body made him love her more and want her more. It had now been nearly five months. The doctor seemed to be very happy with the way everything was progressing and explained that as all seemed to be well now, there was really no reason to expect anything to go wrong from here either provided that Marianne did not take up mountaineering or steeple chasing. He also explained to Brandon how many women became a little, should he say, restless, by this point and as her husband Brandon should simply accept he had certain duties.

Brandon had noticed this. Their mutual explorations in the privacy of their bedchambers had started to become a little racier and the levels to which he could excite Marianne by the simplest of touches were becoming higher and higher. Not that he minded. Marianne was equally demonstrative to him and some of the things he felt he had never even been able to imagine before. Throughout this pregnancy Brandon had tried to stay at Delaford with Marianne as much as possible, but there were still some occasions he had to go to town in business. Today had been one of those times and he had been to town nearly a week. He missed Marianne and Delaford so much he had taken off from town as soon as he finished his business, even though it meant arriving at home very late in the night. Marianne would be in bed by now, as would all of the household, but all the same, he wanted to get home to her as soon as he could.

As quietly as possible, Brandon climbed upstairs to their bedchambers and still as quietly as possible undressed himself, keeping his gaze on the sleeping form of his beautiful wife. Even through the covers he could see her pregnant form and his heart was filled with such pride and, what, desire? Yes, desire. She looked glorious and inside her was new life that came from the two of them and was a complete miracle to him. He quietly tiptoed to his side of the bed, lifted the covers and slipped under, not having bothered with a night shirt. He needed to feel her against him after all these days apart. To his surprise, he found her without a night gown as well. This made Brandon smile: Marianne had been expecting him home, clearly. He gently sneaked one arm under her head and around her so that he could cup her breast while the other arm went around her hips and waist and cradled he belly gently. God she was beautiful and he could not stop his own body from reacting to it.

At the same time Marianne began to stir from her sleep. She turned herself towards Christopher her eyes still closed but a warm smile spreading on her face.

"Darling, you're back!"

Christopher smiled at her warm joy, but also gasped in excitement as her movement rubbed her backside against his growing excitement.

"Mmm…I see you were expecting me?" he whispered softly into her ear, then immediately let his lips carry on nuzzling and kissing her earlobe and down the side of her neck. Marianne's pregnancy hormones made their desires known and she was ready to go. Grabbing his wrist she guided his hand below her protruding belly and yonder. Christopher's breathing started to take on a heavier weight by this point as he felt where his fingertips were being guided. She then reached behind her and stroked her husband for further encouragement. Christopher was not in any position to deny his wife, and bringing her to her climax by strokes of his hand from the front and by entering her sweet heat from behind as gently as he could, her climax pulled him into his and it felt like the most natural act in the universe.

"We've been invited to a wedding," he then eventually told her when they had taken their time coming down from their beautiful high.

"Oh?" she asked.

"Someone from my old regiment, I can't really refuse. But no one will think ill of you if you decide not to come," he explained. Marianne laughed. Christopher was not keen on such social occasions, but understood his social responsibilities.

"Darling, would you feel better there if I came with you?"

"Well, I would be guaranteed amicable company that way, but like I said, I don't want to make you come. I expect you might know a few people there at least."

"Then I'll come. It's not like we have to stay terribly long, do you think?"

"No. We'll make our acquaintances and wish the newlyweds all the happiness in the world and I'm sure we can head home soon after."

Soon after agreeing on going to the wedding the couple snuggle even closer together and finally allowed sleep to claim them. Before he fell asleep Christopher Brandon made a point of reminding himself not to leave his wife from now on for as long as he had done now. His place was here with her.