Hello readers!!! I hated writing this chapter because it's the last one & I enjoyed doing this SOOOO much, but here it is anyway. Maybe I can be convinced to continue it again with the "they shop for an engagement ring" saga... we shall see.

Not a soul can hear us, silently exchanging fantasies & feelings, endlessly exploring, learning one another til the morning finds us. You were made to love me, and I was made to love you, keep your arms around me, lose yourself completely, make it last forever.

Part 7

It was sheer force of will that made Joseph convince Clarisse they should go to bed, they'd made love there in that old chair by the fireside and she was reluctant to break the contact and alter the feel of the moment.
Yet he wrapped her in a blanket and somehow, slowly, they'd made it up the stairs. Though it amazed him how when every second step one of them would stop to kiss the other, at one point he thought they might end up making love again there and then against the wall on the stairs.

The bed was cool and fresh when he fell onto it, Clarisse's body in his arms less than second later. So this was the passion and heat she'd hidden and repressed for so many years. Part of him knew they would probably regret this at some point tomorrow, aching limbs and tired heads, but he couldn't stop, didn't want to stop – and it seemed neither did she. He had occasionally caught a glimpse of this side of her before, very rarely though. A few years ago they'd danced in the ballroom after every other guest had departed, the music had been slow, the candlelight fitting and the way her body had moved against his he'd allowed himself to dream that maybe beneath all that duty was a truly passionate woman. This week, tonight in particular, had left him with no doubts about that.

When she lay by his side, her hand tucked up beneath her cheek supporting her head he was amazed just how wide awake she seemed. He on the other hand was feeling the fatigue gradually creeping in. But there was no way on earth he was going to allow himself to fall asleep whilst she was in this mood.

"You look tired." She smiled.

"Hmm," He responded. "Maybe, just a little."

"Falling to sleep?" She teased, tickling his foot with her toes.

"Not yet." He responded rubbing his foot against hers. "Would you like some water?"

"I'm alright, do you?"

He shrugged. "I don't have the will to get out of bed."

"Perhaps we should have brought Olivia afterall."

"Could you imagine her face!" His chest shook with laughter. "The very proper, very stoic majesty..."

"Hey!"

He continued despite Clarisse's pillow hitting him squarely in the face. "Flushed and messy, and behaving badly with a lowly guy..."

"Stop it, stop it, stop it..." She moved on top of him holding the pillow on his face.

He grabbed her from behind and tickled her waist relentlessly until she collapsed on top of him dropping her pillow to the floor.

"Oh Joseph, do you think they'll know?"

"Do I think who will know what my love?"

She lifted her head from his chest to watch his face. "They might know when we get back to the palace, they'll look at me and know."

He couldn't help but laugh. "Clarisse sweetheart, I don't mean to state the obvious but we have been on our honeymoon and people do what they do on honeymoons. So if you mean do they suspect we've had relations out here I'd say yes they do."

"Oh you're no use, embarrassing me." She lifted herself from his body and climbed out of bed pulling a robe on. "Relations." She shook her head laughing as she left the room.

A minute later she returned with iced water.

"So thoughtful." He said sitting up.

"I know." She handed him the glass before moving to the window and drawing back the drapes. "A clear night."

"It is. No desires to go wading again have we?"

"Not just now." She turned and leant against the windowsill watching him. "Are you ready to go back?"

"Not really, but what can a man do, duty calls..." He stopped realising the ill choice of his words.

"A common hardship." She smiled lightly. "I don't want to go back either, perhaps we could hide out here for the rest of our lives."

"The way I see it, from now on I'm retired so I can take a trip whenever I feel the need."

"I'm not sure that same freedom applies to me." She dropped her chin and stared at her bare feet.

"Maybe not, but we will find a balance, in time."

She raised her face to him.

"We will Clarisse, I know how much Mia needs you and I don't expect for one second that you would turn away from that. But by now I think we are secure don't you."

"Yes. Very much so."

"Good, so come back to bed and stop worrying."

She did as he asked and crawled across the bed to him. "Mon amour." She said seductively.

" Merci mon cher."

She laughed. "How many languages do you know?"

"A few, relax I 'know' French, I'm not fluent in it – you have it won hands down."

"Finally, I win."

She comfortably fit by his side, resting her head against his chest and folding her hand with his. "Thank you for this week, I haven't enjoyed myself so much in..." she sighed. "Well possibly never."

"I wanted you to relax, to simply enjoy the time we had together with no worries about who was watching." He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers then her wrist.

"I've enjoyed it immensely." She smiled joyfully and twisted her body to rest on top of his. "Thank you," she kissed his mouth, "Thank you," his chest, "and thank you again."

"I should be thanking you." He held her waist and slipped her onto her side turning to face her.

"Mutual appreciation then." She whispered.

"Oh definitely." He kissed her forehead.

"What time do you think it is?"

"Late, early morning. Are you tired yet?"

"Mmm, perhaps. What time do we have to leave?"

"I think 3 at the latest, its a few hours drive."

"You know we could have used the helicopter."

"I like to drive every now and then."

"I'll remember that." She kissed him deeply as he ran his hand along her leg, gripping beneath her knee and bringing her leg up to raise over his.

With a jolt Clarisse sat up in bed her heart pounding in her chest. She took a deep breath and licked her lips, her mouth was dry, her head felt heavy.

She looked to the side and noticed Joseph was gone, the curtains had been pulled back and the windows were open. She closed her eyes again as a fresh breeze swept through the room and caressed her face, her skin felt tight, "the perils of not cleansing before bed, you should know better Clarisse." She said to herself.

Thirty minutes later she was feeling much better, a shower and some make-up did wonders for her self-esteem. She hesitated over what to wear; if it was another normal day here it would have been a summer dress, something light and floaty. She would have liked to take Joseph up on his idea to hire a boat and take a sail. Reality was she hadn't packed yet and nobody was going to do it for her, and they had to go home. She sighed deeply and opted for a knee length dark blue dress, simple and elegant. Black stockings, black shoes, a scarf and a string of pearls and she was ready to go... almost.

The lounge was empty as was the kitchen, yet a pot of coffee stood cooling on the side. She noted everything was gleaming clean and all their belongings packed and ready to go.

11:30, that late already, she'd certainly had her fair share of late mornings this week. Feeling a little annoyed she set off down to the lakeside.

As she suspected Joseph was there, he looked solitary as he stared out at the view, one hand tucked into his pocket the other cradling his mug. For a while she simply stood and watched him, not wanting to disturb his thoughts.

He swung round a few moments later and smiled raising a hand as he caught sight of her. "Morning."

"Good morning," she called back making her way across to him.

He kissed her cheek. "You slept well."

"I did."

"How are you feeling this morning?" His smile was assured.

"Fine, I'm feeling fine."

He nodded his head. "Good, good."

"Well, my body seems a little achy shall we say." She linked her arm through his. "Are you ready to go?"

"I think so, are you?"

She rested her head on his shoulder groaning. "I have to pack."

"Ha. I'll help."

"Thank you but you've done so much already."

"I don't mind. Coffee?" He offered his mug to her.

She declined smiling. "No thank you, coffee disagrees with me, you know that."

"I do, I'll make you tea when we get back and something to eat while you pack."

"That seems a fair deal." She squeezed his hand. "Oh Joseph, what's life going to be like now, when we go back?"

"I'm not really sure, interesting."

"Interesting..." She mulled it over. "Do you think we'll have time for a little fun every now and then?"

"I certainly hope so, in fact I'm counting on it. Tomorrow I'm going to start planning our Christmas break."

She laughed. "I'd like that."

"There's a fabulous little seafood restaurant not far from here, about an hour's drive or so, if you were anyone else I'd take you out for lunch."

"Perhaps I can wear sunglasses and a headscarf."

"Perhaps, though 25 years of training tells me it's too risky."

"Maybe we could have take-out."

"Seafood?"

"Ahh maybe not. I'm sorry. I guess dating royalty isn't that easy."

"I thought we'd passed the dating stage."

She lifted her head up. "We have."

He took hold of her hand. "I tell you what, tomorrow you pencil me into your diary to go shopping."

"Shopping? I never go shopping."

"And it's a shame, so you consult your diary and find three free days."

"Three? That's a lot of shopping."

"Three, and we'll jet off somewhere, New York, Paris, London, anywhere you like, and shop for an engagement ring."

She held out her hand for him and he shook it. "A deal."

When he smiled warmly and affectionately she threw her arms around his neck. "I do love you Joseph, I will make this work."

"I know, we will." He did his best to return the hug without spilling coffee down her dress then gave up and threw his mug to the floor lifting her up and spinning her round. "I'm absolutely devoted to you."

"Oh I've known that for a very, very long time."

When love like ours arrives, we guard it with our lives.