The Family Business
"Another typical evening with the spy family…." Lee Stetson, 1986
Chapter 1
December 17, 1862
Matthew Davis eased his big body carefully out of bed, anxious not to wake his sleeping wife. He wasn't quite successful, because Amanda stirred, reached for the spot where he'd so recently lain, and murmured, "Matthew?"
"Go back to sleep, darling."
"Darling Matthew," she muttered, but he could tell she was still more than half asleep. He paused for a few seconds, and once he was sure she was truly asleep, reached for the loose silk pants and matching jacket that Francine Desmond had sent home with Amanda the previous day, along with the green silk gown Amanda had worn at their wedding and a frivolous confection in silk and lace that she'd told Amanda was a nightgown. "They're called 'pyjamas', she'd told Amanda regarding the loose jacket and pants. "They're very popular in India, and they've made their way to Europe with Europeans who've lived there as an alternative to nightshirts."
The 'pyjamas' were like the long underwear Matthew usually wore under his wool uniforms, but they were much softer and much more comfortable. Matthew carried them into the dressing room, used the commode, and put them on before he went out into the upstairs hallway and down the stairs to the kitchen, where he found Curtis and Lucy Hollis.
"Good morning, Curtis. Good morning, Lucy. Mrs. Davis is still asleep, but I think she'll be ready for breakfast and a hot bath before long. Bring breakfast up in twenty minutes, and you can start heating the bath water now."
"Yessir. There's enough hot water now if you want to have a wash, Major, or shave."
"I'm going to grow a mustache and a beard, so I won't be doing much shaving, and I'll wait and have my bath when Mrs. Davis takes hers. Right now, I'll just have coffee; I'll have it upstairs in the bedroom."
"Yessir."
Lucy poured coffee into a china coffeepot and set it on a tray, added cups, saucers, cream and sugar, and said, "I'll take the tray up, Major."
"No, I'll do it. I'm going that way anyway," he pointed out.
He took the tray upstairs, set it down on the hall table outside their bedroom door put there just for that purpose, and opened the door. "Amanda?" he called softly.
No response. He smiled and carried the tray into the bedroom, set it on the table near the bed, and poured himself a cup of the rich black brew.
Coffee – she smelled coffee. Amanda rolled over, sat up, realized she was completely nude, and quickly pulled up the covers.
"Don't bother on my account, darling," Matthew said in amusement from across the room. "I rather liked the natural look."
He put his coffee cup down and crossed the room to kiss her good morning. "Hello, Amanda Davis," he said softly. "How are you this fine December morning?"
"Wonderful, thank you, Matthew Davis. Do I smell coffee?"
"You do. I thought that might wake you up."
"I need the necessary."
"Of course."
She climbed out of bed and slipped into the warm woolen wrapper she'd left at the foot, tied the belt, and, yawning, padded into the dressing room to the commode. When she came out, Matthew handed her a cup of coffee fixed just the way she liked it. She took a sip, smiled, and said, "Such service, Matthew!"
"Only for you, darling. Breakfast will be up in about fifteen minutes and the bath water is heating."
"When did you wake up? I don't even remember your getting out of bed."
"Well, no, you were very soundly asleep, although you did say my name a couple of times. You've adjusted very well to being married if you're talking to me in your sleep."
"I've been talking to you in my sleep for weeks, Matthew. These last few weeks I've had some very interesting dreams."
"Have you, now? And how did the reality compare to the dreams?"
"I think you know the answer to that."
He leaned over and kissed her. "I think I do. Who would have thought that my shy, very proper New England girl would turn out to be so passionate?"
"Well, Matthew, New England winters are very long, and we have to have something to do when the world is covered in ice and snow, you know. And how do you suppose all those sturdy Puritans ended up with ten or twelve children in a family, anyway?"
"Large cabbage patches?"
"Oh, undoubtedly that must be it."
"Well, if yesterday evening and last night are any harbinger of things to come, Bobby certainly won't be able to say that we aren't spending enough time in bed."
"No, he won't. What time is it, anyway?"
"Just after eight. I thought we'd have a leisurely breakfast – well, you'll eat breakfast, and I'll at least have a slice or two of toast- take our bath, and then venture out into the world around ten or so."
"Bath, singular?"
"It's a big tub, and what better way to make sure that you get your back very well washed?"
"What better way indeed?"