Changing Lodgings

Day 4 of Captain and Mrs. Peacock's honeymoon. After a rather awkward and rocky start, they settled into the Honeymoon Suite and decided to take their meals in the room, utilizing the dumb waiter instead of going down to the kitchen. The morning was sunny and warm and birds twittered in the tree outside their window.

Captain Peacock and Mrs. Peacock sat on the settee, his long legs stretched out. She rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Betty pressed her lips into the fabric of his silk pajamas. She was lost in his embrace and he kissed the top of her hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. His eyes flickered shut and his breathing deepened.

"Stephen?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm ready," she sighed.

"Ready for what?" he asked dreamily.

"Ready!" she said insistently.

She turned her face up to gaze at him. He was taken aback and his face lit up and he kissed her heatedly. She cupped his cheek in her hand and ran her fingers through the curly hair of his sideburns.

"Do you think I should have gotten some protection when we went into town the other day?"

"Protection from what?" she shot him a quizzical look.

"Oh, how silly of me!" he chuckled nervously, "It's been so long, I was worried about you getting pregnant!"

He laughed heartily, wide-mouthed, and she saw something in his face she had never seen before.

His eyes are beautiful! she thought. And I've never seen him smile like that- he has dimples!

She blushed. He cupped her face in his warm hands and pressed his lips to hers as she ran her hands up his chest. She reveled in his embrace, inhaled the scent of his after shave, her mouth curling into a contented smile. When their lips parted, she gazed into his dark, grey eyes. He smiled at her lovingly, pursed his lips and covered her lips with his.

He is sexy! she marveled.

"I love you, Stephen."

He tightened his arms around her.

"I've waited so long to hear you say that," he cried.

"We've only been married four days!" she exclaimed.

"That's a long time!"

He gently caressed her back and shoulders, playfully kissing her neck and nibbling her earlobe. He looked at her from beneath his brows, his gaze intense and smoldering.

"That day at Grace Brothers, when we attended the reading of Mr. Grace's will, when I helped you out of the lift and you fell into my arms…my heart fluttered."

She blushed again, "Mine too."

"I love you, Betty," he breathed.

"I love you, too."

"The other day, when I was dressing to go talk to Mr. Moulterd, I saw you in the mirror looking at my bum!" he blushed.

"You have a very nice bum, Stephen!" she admitted.

He slid his hands down to her hips and softly gave her bum a gentle squeeze, "You have a rather nice bum yourself, Mrs. Peacock!"

He rather liked calling her Mrs. Peacock.

He stood up and proffered his hand to her, leading her to their bed.

"You'll be gentle, Stephen?" she asked, her eyes wide and pleading.

He nodded, smiling warmly, "Of course. We'll take it nice and slow. We've got all day…and tomorrow…and the next day."

He placed two fingers under her chin and lifted her lips to his.

Betty moved her things into Stephen's room, which was more than adequate for the two of them. He had a double bed and extra space in his dressers and clothes cupboard. And there was that bathtub he bragged about. "A big one!" to use his exact words. Betty settled into her new quarters.

"Blimey! It's like livin' next door to the cast of Cocoon!" Miss Brahms complained to Mr. Humphries, Mavis and Mr. Rumbold over breakfast.

"Again?" Mr. Humphries raised his eyebrows, his voice shrill.

"Twice last night!" Miss Brahms articulated, holding up two fingers, "It's bad enough I've had to listen to his snoring, but this is really more than I can endure. I mean, I know old people have it off, but I don't want to know old people have it off!"

"Mrs. Peacock is a spry woman; we've all seen her on the cricket field! And Captain Peacock is in very good physical condition as well, so it's not unusual for them to be amorous at their ages. Obviously, he gets her motor revving, so to speak. He really turns her crank!" Mr. Rumbold stated matter-of-factly between bites of toast.

"It sounded more like she was turnin' his!" Miss Brahms quipped.

They all gaped then fell into tittering.

"Well someone should tell them about their vocal…activities," Mr. Rumbold suggested.

They all stared at him expectantly.

"Who? Me?" he interjected, "Why me?"

"You're the senior," Mavis pointed out.

"I can't just tell them that their lovemaking is too loud!" he blushed.

"OK," Mr. Humphries started, "How 'bout you suggest they move into that empty room up over the larder, you know, the one that had the mummified moggy in the wall?"

They heard Stephen and Betty descending the stairs to the kitchen. Their voices were jovial and playful as they talked, walking hand in hand.

"Shh-shh-shh…here they come!" Mr. Humphries warned.

They all sat stone-faced, coffee cups in hand, as if nothing was amiss. Stephen and Betty entered the kitchen and took their seats at the table. Stephen held the chair for Betty and pushed it in for her as she sat.

They sensed something was being discussed before their entrance and looked around at their friends uneasily.

Stephen cleared his throat.

"Would you like some coffee, Dear?" Betty offered.

"Yes, please," he smiled and followed her with his eyes as she retrieved two cups and poured coffee for them.

Betty sat down next to her husband and he laced his fingers with hers, lightly stroking her palm with his thumb. No one spoke and Betty, not able to endure the awkward silence any more, chimed in.

"OK, you lot! Out with it. What's up?" she said pointedly.

Mr. Rumbold winced, trying to choose his words carefully, "Well, Miss Brahms here was just telling us about some very unusual noises she's been hearing at night."

"Yes! That's it!" Mr. Humphries added, nodding.

Betty and Stephen blushed.

"We weren't aware that we were making that much noise! I apologize, Miss Brahms," Betty gasped, mortified.

"Yes. I'm sorry, Miss Brahms," Stephen looked down at his coffee, flushed with embarrassment.

"I understand, you two are newlyweds, Captain Peacock. But…" Miss Brahms scolded.

"Oh, yes, absolutely, Miss Brahms. We'll curtail our…enthusiasm!" Stephen promised.

"I'd appreciate it," she conceded.

"Might I make a suggestion, Captain Peacock?" Mr. Rumbold offered.

"Go on," Stephen said dryly, not sure what was going to come out of Mr. Rumbold's mouth.

"The room over the larder is empty. You and Mrs. Peacock could move in there and be as loud as you please..."

Betty and Stephen looked at each other, grinning like the cat that had swallowed the canary.

"The room is bigger than the one we have now…" Stephen pondered, "But it does need to be freshened up and the hole in the wall needs patched."

"Oh, Dad can do that fer ya!" Mavis proposed, "He can paint the room and fix that 'ole!"

"Then it's settled!" Mr. Rumbold clapped his hands together and tucked into his soft-boiled eggs and toast.

"What would you like for breakfast, Captain Peacock? Mrs. Peacock?" Mavis asked, wiping her brow with the back of her hand.

"Just one fried egg and toast, please, Mavis," Captain Peacock requested.

"I'll have a boiled egg; make it a nice hard one," Betty stated.

"I think you've had enough!" Miss Brahms quipped. They all sputtered and tittered. Captain Peacock's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Don't be cheeky, Miss Brahms!" Betty glared.

"Would you like some bacon? It'd be no trouble at all to fix it," Mavis offered.

"No, just one egg and toast will be fine, thank you, Dear!" Betty nodded, "How 'bout you, Dear?"

"I'm fine with one egg and toast. Thank you, Mavis."

"Very well," she chirped, then turning to them and leaning in, "Don't pay them no mind. I think it's cute that you two are in love."

Stephen and Betty looked sheepishly at her.

Mavis went over to the stove and began fixing their breakfasts. The toaster popped up and Mavis quickly slathered the bread with fresh butter.

They gazed lovingly into each other's eyes, fingers entwined. Betty leaned over and gently kissed her husband's arm.

"Ahem!" Mavis cleared her throat, "Your breakfast is ready, you two lovebirds!"

"How long did you say it was going to take your father to get that room ready?" Mr. Humphries inquired jokingly, licking his lips.

"Now, Mr. Humphries, you stop! That's very naughty!" Mavis admonished.