Aria's POV
As my eyes flutter open, the details of last night slowly come flooding back into my brain. I tried to invite Ezra to my bed, and then I refused him. As always, Ezra spent the night on the couch. Surely, Spencer was wrong. Ezra could not possibly care about me. I am probably the worst wife in the entire Union!
My eyes dart over to the couch, where Ezra is sleeping soundly. My lips curl into a smile when I hear him laughing softly. He does this quite often. Before Ezra, I had never heard anyone laugh in their sleep. It is rather strange.
I slide out of bed, before walking over to Ezra, and planting a soft kiss on his forehead. I will be kind to him today. He deserves it. Especially after what happened last night. Ezra's blue eyes begin to open, and he smiles at me softly. Sometimes, I think Ezra is the most handsome man in the history of the world. He makes me blush, and I cannot stand it.
"Good morning, my darling. Did you sleep well last night? The rain didn't keep you up, did it?" Ezra questions.
"No, Ezra. I slept like like a baby. I am sorry about what happened last night..." I start to ramble.
"Hush. Today is a new day. Let's not talk about last night." Ezra suggests, before grabbing my hand, and kissing it tenderly.
"As you wish, honey. Won't you lay in bed with me for a short while? I'm afraid I'm still rather tired this morning." I say, as I avoid looking into my husband's eyes.
"Yes. It would be my pleasure." Ezra says, before grabbing my hand, and leading me to the bed in the center of the room.
We lay down, and get underneath the cozy blankets. Ezra wraps an arm around me, and I forget to flinch. For a minute, I feel comfortable. As comfortable as I did when I used to lay with my momma. But Ezra is not Momma. Ezra is a man.
All the sudden, I start to wonder about Ezra. How is possible to feel so comfortable around someone I don't really know? It's rather foolish of me. I'm sure if I dug deeper into Ezra's past, I'd learn that he's even worse than Daddy. I don't want to worry about Ezra's past right now though. All I want to do is enjoy the morning.
"I will miss you a great deal today, Aria. I haven't left you side in nearly two weeks. Surely, spending an entire day without you will feel strange and unfamiliar." Ezra says, with a frown.
Ezra is leaving? Why? Last I checked, there weren't anymore wars to fight. For some reason, I feel disappointed. I am being foolish. Ezra is a man. He has things to do, and loose women to chase after...
"Where are you going?" I ask, trying to mask the sadness that I'm feeling.
"To work. I'm teaching a class at The New Military Academy. Today is my first day." Ezra informs me.
I don't say anything. Instead, I just nod, and try to keep the tears from falling. What am I supposed to do while Ezra works all day? I hardly know anyone in New York, and it's not like I can volunteer at the hospital now that the war is over.
"Aria, don't fret. I'll be back before supper." Ezra says, obviously sensing my uneasiness.
"Ezra, New York isn't my home. I don't know any of the ladies in town, and I don't have any friends to have tea with. What am I going to do all afternoon while you're gone?" I ask, unable to hold the tears back any longer. I begin to sob. I know I'm being foolish, but I cannot help it. I have nowhere to go, and no one to see. I don't even have a purpose in this world...
"Don't cry! Please, don't cry! There will be plenty for you to do while I'm gone. You can take the carriage wherever you'd like. Why don't you go to the Cavanaugh's estate for tea? Spencer would love to have you, and I'm sure she'd be honored to introduce you to her companions." Ezra says, trying to calm me down.
For the first time, I realize how lonely I'll feel without Ezra hanging around. I've gotten used to having him with me for every second of everyday. Oh well. I suppose I'll have to find a way to cope with my husband's absence.
"Yes. Perhaps I will go to the Cavanaugh's estate. I would like to see Spencer again." I say, as I force a smile.
Ezra responds by pulling me even closer to him, and planting a soft kiss on my forehead. I close my eyes, and silently wish that I could stay in his arms for the rest of the day. Wait.. No I do not. I need my space. I am happy that Ezra is leaving. This will be a good thing. I'm sure of it.
Line Break
The morning has gone by rather slowly. After Ezra left, I went to Charlotte's room to play cards, and after I got tired of that I went for a long walk around the estate. The Fitzgeralds do have a lovely estate. I presume they have as much money as Daddy, if not more. At least I married well. I take comfort in the fact that my sons will be provided with the best education and opportunities possible. Unlike me, they'll be able to do anything they wish to do in this world.
It's half past noon. I suppose this would be the ideal time to take the carriage over to Spencer's. I am about to walk out the front door when someone taps my shoulder gently. I am so startled, that I let out a terrified shriek. Oh my. It is Dianne Fitzgerald. My mother-in-law.
"Pardon me, Aria. I did not mean to frighten you." Dianne tells me apologetically.
"No, pardon me. I should not have screamed. I'm afraid I've been feeling a bit jumpy lately. Probably because I am still becoming accustomed with the new estate." I tell the older woman.
Dianne doesn't say anything. Instead, she lets her eyes roam my body. A blush begins to form on my cheeks. Dianne makes me rather nervous. Ezra cares for his mother a great deal, and if she dislikes me, so will he. If Ezra dislikes me, I could end up with a knife through my heart, just like Momma did.
"Where are you heading off to this afternoon?" Dianne asks, finally breaking the prolonged silence.
"I was going to take the carriage over to the Cavanaugh estate. Is that okay with you?" I ask her politely.
"I suppose. I was hoping to have tea with you though." Dianne says, as she shoots me a disapproving look.
Oh goodness. I have been looking forward to having tea with Spencer all day, but I do not want to disrespect my mother-in-law. Oh well. I suppose I'll have to make a sacrifice this afternoon. Having tea with Dianne is the correct thing to do.
"I would love to have tea with you." I say, as I force a smile.
"Are you sure? I do not want to interfere with your plans..." Dianne starts to ramble.
"Nonsense! You are not interfering in the slightest. I can have tea with Spencer tomorrow." I assure the older woman.
"Very well. Come. We shall eat in the dining hall." Dianne says, not making the slightest attempt to protest.
I follow my mother-in-law through the windy hallways of the estate, until we arrive in the dining hall. I take a seat across from the older woman, and one of the servants begins to take her tea order.
"Milk or sugar, Ma'am?" The servant asks Dianne.
"Neither. I am trying to keep my figure slim." Dianne tells the servant.
"Very well. How would you like your tea, Mrs. Fitzgerald?" The servant asks as she turns to face me.
For a second, I forget that I am Mrs. Fitzgerald. I'm used to servants addressing me by the title Mrs. Aria, or Mrs. Montgomery. Mrs. Fitzgerald has a nice ring to it I suppose...
"Mrs. Fitzgerald?" The servant asks, addressing me for the second time.
"Pardon me. I will have mine with milk and sugar." I tell the woman.
"Milk and sugar? I hope you have a fast metabolism, Aria. Our friends, Pam and Wayne Fields, are having a barbecue at their estate on Sunday. Every well respected family in the state of New York will be there. We wouldn't want your dress to look tight on you." Dianne says, as she gives me a disapproving look.
"You are right. Water will do." I say, feeling absolutely mortified. What in the world was I thinking? Charlotte told me to eat like a bird in front of Dianne...
"Shall I send someone in to fan you ladies?" The servant asks, obviously feeling as embarrassed as I do.
"No thank you. I would like to dine with Mrs. Aria alone this afternoon." Dianne tells the servant cooly.
The woman nods her head, before hurrying out of the room to prepare our tea. Now I'm alone with Dianne. I can feel myself becoming more and more anxious by the moment. I've already humiliated myself once. I silently pray that I'll be able to win back her approval before it's too late.
"What do you think of the estate, Aria? Does it meet your standards? Are the servants taking care of your needs?" Dianne asks me curiously.
"Absolutely, Dianne. The estate is one of the finest I've ever encountered. The servants are wonderful. You do an job of running the place." I say, as I force a smile.
"Yes, I've been told so many times. I suggest that you keep a close eye on how I handle things around here. Within a few short months, you and Ezra will have an estate of your own. It is important that you run it perfectly. Ezra is used to perfection. After everything he's been through, my son deserves perfection." Dianne says, as she glares at me.
I cough awkwardly, and avoid looking into my mother-in-law's eyes. What does she mean, after everything he's been through? How is growing up in one of the finest estates in New York and being educated at West Point trying for a man like Ezra? He's probably had the most ideal upbringing that anyone could ever ask for.
"What do you think of Ezra? Has he been kind? I presume he is taking good care of you?" Dianne questions.
I immediately remember what Charlotte told me. I am too speak well of Ezra, especially in front of his parents.
"Ezra is nothing short of a gentleman. He's incredibly attentive to my needs, and I always enjoy his company. Today has been rather difficult for me though. I miss Ezra a great deal, and I cannot wait to see him this evening. I'm certain I married the right man." I say, as I force a smile.
"Yes. We pride ourselves on raising gentlemen in this family. I am sure you'll get your chance to carry on the tradition soon. Could you be pregnant, Aria? Have you noticed any of the signs?" Dianne asks, perking up a bit.
I couldn't possibly be with child. Ezra hasn't planted a single seed in me. I wonder what Dianne would say if she knew the truth. She would probably resent me. The Fitzgeralds obviously need an heir, and I'm in charge of keeping the family name alive. I have not done my duty to her or to Ezra. I am a disgrace.
"I'm afraid I haven't. I do not think I'm expecting yet. I started my cycle this morning." I mutter, as I try to conceal the guilt that I'm feeling.
Before Dianne can respond, the servant hurries back into the dining hall with our tea. She hands us our warm beverages, before scurrying out of the room, and leaving me alone with Ezra's mother. Wonderful.
"That is strange. You are so young, and surely so fertile... Is Ezra having problems?" Dianne asks, as her cheeks turn as pink as mine are.
"N-No. Ezra is fine." I mutter, before taking a long sip of my tea.
"Do you lay down for a while after he finishes? If you sit up too quickly, his seeds might spill out of you. You don't want to waste any of Ezra's seeds. If you do, you might never get pregnant." Dianne says, as her tone turns serious.
"I suppose I sit up too quickly afterwards. Surely this is the problem." I say, trying to keep Dianne from becoming suspicious.
"Goodness, Aria. No wonder you're not with child! Why did your mother not tell you-" Dianne says, stoping mid-sentence.
Obviously she realizes her mistake. My mother didn't tell me because my mother died before I got engaged. I wish Momma were here now. She would have never let Daddy marry me off to a man with such a wicked mother.
"I am sorry, dear. I forgot that your mother has...Passed. If you have any questions about um, intercourse, feel free to ask me." Dianne says, though I can detect her insincerity.
"Thank you." I tell her softly.
"You're welcome. You're my daughter-in-law now, and it's very important that you give Ezra plenty of children. Why don't you go upstairs for your afternoon nap? Your body needs lots of rest." Dianne says to me.
I nod before springing to my feet, and walking towards the door. I am so happy that we're finally done with tea! I cannot wait to get away from that woman!
"Aria... Wait. There is one thing I forgot to mention." Dianne says, before I can leave the dining hall.
"Yes?" I ask, as I turn to face her.
"I know Ezra very well, and I can tell that he is extremely fond of you. I might not have known you for very long, but I know girls like you, Aria. If you play with Ezra's heart... If you do anything to hurt him, there will be consequences. You are to treat my son with the utmost amount of respect and kindness, is that clear?" Dianne asks, as she begins to raise her voice.
Her words surprise me so much, that my jaw nearly drops to the floor. What does she mean she knows girls like me? I would never intentionally hurt Ezra. Honestly, I am just praying that he doesn't hurt me first.
"H-Have I done something to offend Ezra?" I ask, still trying to comprehend the situation.
"No. Not yet. Sometimes, it's what you don't do that makes all the difference. Go upstairs and think about what we talked about this afternoon." Dianne commands.
She does not have to ask me twice. I hurry to my bedchamber, before closing the door, and jumping onto the bed that I'm supposed to be sharing with Ezra. Within seconds, I'm in tears. What have I done? Surely, I've dug my own grave.
Ezra's POV
After I finish working for the day, I tell my driver to take me back to the estate. I thought having a wife to come home to would make the day seem shorter, but I couldn't have been more wrong. The day was excruciatingly long, and all I could think about was getting home to my beautiful Aria. I wonder if she enjoyed her time with Spencer. I wonder if she missed me half as much as I missed her. Probably not.
"Ezra!" I hear a familiar voice say.
I look up, and gasp when I see Caleb Rivers standing behind the carriage. Caleb is a friend of my family's, and I haven't seen him since my wedding. I wonder what he is doing here. Maybe he is teaching too. No West Point Graduate knows what to do now that the war is over.
"Caleb! How are you, my friend? What brings you here on this fine evening?" I ask him politely.
"I've been teaching. Toby told me that you started today. I was hoping to catch you. Could I trouble you for a ride back to my estate? I have some gentleman's business I'd like to discuss with you." Caleb says, as his tone turns serious.
"Yes, of course. Sir, we'll be making a stop at the River's Estate!" I call out to the driver,
The driver nods, as Caleb climbs into the carriage. I wonder what he needs to discuss. I know his wife, Hanna, gave birth to a little girl a few weeks ago. I wonder if something is wrong with her...
"Is everything okay, Caleb? How is Hanna doing? What about Rosamond?" I ask, trying to remain calm for my friend's stake.
"My girls are doing just fine, Ezra. Hanna is still recovering from the strains of childbirth, but she is feeling much better. Rosamond is perfect. She's so beautiful... Looks just like her Momma." Caleb says, with a proud smile.
I'm ashamed to admit that for a moment, I feel jealous of Caleb. I wish I had a daughter who looked just like Aria. I'd like a piece of my wife to love and protect, since she does not let me do those things to her.
No. I am not being fair. Caleb had to wait quite a while for a baby. He married Hanna weeks before the war started, and they were apart for four years. Times were trying for the couple. It wasn't easy for them at all.
"So what is the matter?" I ask Caleb curiously.
"I am having a great deal of trouble supporting my family. You know how it is, Ezra. Income is so low during wartime. I haven't made a dime in the last four years, and suddenly I'm responsibly for supporting Hanna and our baby girl." Caleb says, with an exasperated sigh.
"Have you spoken with your father about this?" I ask Caleb.
"Ezra... My dad is having a hard time. The war was hard on him and my mother. I'm ashamed to say that he gambled half of my inheritance away. It's unfortunate, because I need to borrow some money to pay off my mortgage." Caleb says, as he avoids looking into my eyes.
Caleb's family is one of the wealthiest in Rosewood, but Mr. Rivers is known for being a serious gambler. It looks like his terrible habits finally caught up to him. The timing is rather unfortunate though. Caleb and Hanna are just starting their family, and now they have this burden to carry over their shoulders.
"I am sorry to hear that. I'm sure your father will be able to figure something out. Have you spoken to Hanna's father? I'm sure he'd be more than happy to help you. I doubt he'd want to see Hanna struggle. Especially with the baby." I say, trying to comfort Caleb.
"I cannot ask my father-in-law for help, Ezra. He only gave me Hanna because she was so in love with me, and because I was a West Point student. Tom Marin has never liked me, and if I tell him that I cannot support his daughter, he'll like me even less." Caleb grumbles.
"I do not know what to say. I wish there was something I could do to help..." I start to ramble.
"There is. I need you to loan me enough money to pay off my mortgage. I know it's a lot, but I will pay you back eventually. Once I get the money, I'll even give you ten percent interest of what you lent me..." Caleb starts to ramble.
"Caleb, I'd love to help you. Honestly, I would. Any other time I'd agree to loan you money in a heartbeat, but I have Aria to worry about now. We're still living at my father's estate, and I finally have enough money to build us a place of our own." I say, as I avoid looking into Caleb's eyes.
"Say no more. I completely understand. I'll figure something else out." Caleb says, with a long sigh.
I look up at Caleb, and gasp when I realize that tears are pouring out of his eyes. This must worse than I thought. I cannot imagine the stress he must be feeling. Being in debt when you're trying to support a wife and daughter is the worst thing that could happen to a man. If I were in his shoes, I could only hope that my friends would help me. Maybe I should rethink this...
"Caleb, Aria and I will be comfortable in my father's estate for a short while longer. I'll loan you the money." I say, as I rest a hand on my friend's shoulder.
"N-No. I couldn't possibly ask you to do that. Aria deserves a place of her own." Caleb says, as he begins to shake his head vigorously.
"She does, but I'll start building eventually. You have a wife and a little girl to provide for. You need the money more than I do, Caleb." I tell the man.
"A-Are you sure?" Caleb asks with a sniffle.
"Of course I'm sure. Aria and I will be fine." I say, trying to convince him and myself.
AN: What did you think of this chapter? Did Aria's talk with Dianne surprise you? How will that conversation effect Aria and Ezra's relationship? It looks like the couple is going to stay in the estate for a while longer! Will Dianne chill-out, or get worse? Please review and tell me what you thought! Thanks for reading :)