Many apologies for the long wait. Hopefully, things will improve and I will do better with this. Right now I feel as if I'm having to pull every word out of this story with about the same amount of agony as a trip to the dentist. My writing muse just seems to be in hiding. Anyway, here we go...
Anthony and Edith slept past the breakfast hour and by the time they had fully awakened and dressed, they'd nearly missed the luncheon service in the dining room downstairs. Consequently, there were not many other diners when they were seated at a table, which was fine with both of them. Anthony felt a bit sheepish from his nightmare and worried still what Edith might think of him after his revelations. In fact, he was so worried that he fidgeted with the tableware until Edith calmly put her hand over his as he fiddled with the fork. "Please darling, please don't worry so. Everything will be alright." Anthony looked up into her doe colored eyes and smiled uncomfortably. "How can you be so certain?" he asked apprehensively.
"Because I love you and I know you love me and as long as we have that, we can conquer anything together," came her reply. Anthony wasn't as confident in her reply as she was in making it, but it did serve to calm him somewhat. After a moment he asked her quietly, "and what would the lady like to do today, hmmm?"
Edith smiled broadly. "Oh, I think I'd like to have you upstairs, doing some of that begging we spoke of last night. But I suppose we ought to decide if we'll spend our honeymoon here or travel to Edinburgh and get settled there before you report to the hospital."
"Perhaps we can leave for Edinburgh tomorrow?" Anthony thought it fat too late in the day to gather themselves and make the train and one more day wouldn't delay matters so much. But Edith took his comment as agreement to her wishing to have him upstairs to herself. "Well then, a bite of luncheon and back to our room then," she said as she grinned.
"Really? I thought we might meander about the village here, get some exercise?"
"Yes, really. What I have in mind involves plenty of exercise," she retorted. Mildly surprised by her reply, Anthony sat upright and tilted his head up to look at her, his surprise showing clearly in his face. Then, with a slight bow of his head and a pleased smile of his own he murmured, "whatever my lady desires."
Edith giggled softly, her eyes sparkling. "It is settled then; you will be subjected to my torture this afternoon and then perhaps well into the evening." The waiter arrived with their meal and so Anthony's soft smile was his only reply to her tease.
Later, after their meal had been consumed and they had returned upstairs, Edith did, in fact, subject Anthony to the sweetest torture he could ever have imagined. She took complete control of the situation, teasing him and leading him into a passion filled afternoon. His intentions all along had been to take things slowly but she insisted on slowing things even more, until he thought he might actually explode from the need of her. As a result, he had no hesitation when at long last, after a long period of mutual tormenting, Edith had gasped and declared, "Oh Anthony, I need you…now." Determined to see to her needs first, it was all he could do to hold his own in check when they finally joined to become truly one. The ecstasy he felt through their union was pure bliss. And when he felt her losing herself around him, he lost his battle with control, mindless of anything save the feel of her and the euphoria that came with it.
They spent a lazy afternoon, dozing and chatting, and yes, more love making. Anthony thought he might be happy to remain in the bed, his lovely bride wrapped around him, for eternity. Their stomachs began to grumble that evening though and he conceded that after the day's activities, they might need to leave the bed to find a meal.
They arrived downstairs midway through the meal service. There seemed to be a celebration of some sort with corks being popped from bottles at every table. "Ermm… why is everyone so exuberant?" Anthony asked the waiter.
"You haven't heard? It's over… well almost over," the man answered jubilantly.
Edith shot a glance at Anthony, who wasn't entirely certain what "it" was. "What is over?" She asked.
"The war! Isn't it wonderful?"
"Really?" Edith seemed unsure.
"Yes, well… not officially, but the Austrians have capitulated and the word is that Germany will any day. We are to listen to the wireless for further news but the reports are that it will all be signed within the next few days."
"That is wonderful," Anthony replied. "Not soon enough but finally…"
"Shall I bring you some champagne?" The waiter's expectant look amused Anthony. "Of course," he replied. "A day to celebrate."
Once the waiter left to fetch the wine, Edith looked across at Anthony. "It is wonderful, isn't it? But what about Dr. Rivers? Won't he leave the hospital once the war ends?"
"I'll ring him in the morning," Anthony replied. "Or we could simply catch the train and go there to talk with him. I can't imagine that he would be expected to leave the moment peace is declared."
"Oh, yes… of course not." Edith glanced around, a thoughtful expression settling into her features. "I suppose Agatha will be pleased."
"Agatha?"
"She wanted you in Cambridge, didn't she?"
"Yes, she did. But where would you stay if I am in hospital…"
"I wouldn't want to impose on her for my stay there, Anthony. I'll want to be near wherever Dr. Rivers sets you up. I'm sure we can find some rooms nearby."
A warmth seeped through Anthony's entire being. She was willing to sacrifice so much just to be near him. "My sweet, I really don't deserve you, you know."
"Just you remember that when I've done something that displeases you," Edith teased.
"I can't imagine what that might be. However, I will keep your forbearance in mind. I really am too old for you and… well, with everything else… I simply can't believe that this is real, that you are truly here with me and…"
"And that I love you madly?"
"Yes… and that too." Anthony felt as if his face might break from all the smiling he was doing.
They boarded the train for Edinburgh early the next morning, a mixture of anticipation that was both happy and nervous for what might come next.
Anthony was not prepared for the busy streets of the Scottish city. Upon arrival, he and Edith had departed the train as travelers bustled around them. More out of a need to be free of so many people than anything else, he'd hurried through the throng and out of the station onto the street, with Edith close behind. While the street was still busy with so many people, it felt less confining to Anthony and he paused, realizing he'd nearly left his bride on her own. Turning to look for her, he smiled when he saw that she was just behind him. They each had one bag to manage, so walking along the street was not difficult. He hoped there would be a hotel nearby. Chagrin filled him as he realized he should have made inquiries at the train station about accommodations and was about to apologize to Edith for his blunder, when she smiled up at him and then looked across the way. "Look, I remember that hotel. We stayed there on our last trip to Scotland when we came to visit Papa's cousins. It was very nice."
"Yes, of course my dear," Anthony replied as he looked up at the large stone structure. Something about it seemed very solid to him, despite its relative youth when compared to many of the buildings that surrounded it. "Yes, it looks quite nice." And so a few minutes later the Strallans found themselves standing in a rather large room with a magnificent view of the castle on the hill. Edith gravitated toward the window, enchanted with the view but Anthony, suddenly very tired from managing the crowd, sat down in a chair, his legs and his emotions giving way to the stress.
As he sat, Anthony simply breathed in the quiet and the stillness of the room. Edith seemed to sense that something was not quite right and turned to look at him. Instantly, she was beside him. "Are you alright? You are suddenly so pale."
"I… yes, I think… now I am. Or I will be in a few minutes. All those people… I… don't remember ever having been around so many people at once. And … it seemed so crowded."
"It was crowded, Anthony. Especially at the train station. But we are alone here, in this room. I suppose we'll have to leave the quiet here eventually, but later. Right now, perhaps we should just rest a bit?"
"Yes, my sweet. Thank you. I… I know what to expect now; it just surprised me is all… not used to so many people."
"It was rather daunting…"
"Yes, I'm sorry; I just walked off and left you at the station. I shouldn't have done that; just needed… to get away."
Edith cupped his face with her hand and gently moved his head so that he had to look at her. "It's alright, my darling. I saw the panic in you and while you set a rapid pace, I managed to stay with you. I knew what you needed so it wasn't difficult to guess where you were headed. We're still learning, aren't we? How to understand one another, I mean."
Anthony smiled at that. "It seems you know me quite well already, my sweet."
"Well, I would like to know you even better. So why don't we get out of our travelling clothes and freshen up some. And then, perhaps we can lie down and rest awhile… or… well, perhaps not rest so much as…"
"My darling girl, if you are trying to take my mind off the train station, I must say you are succeeding. Yes, let's do just as you say."
It wasn't long until both Strallans had divested themselves of their travelling clothes and were freshening up in the rather large tub in the adjoining room, Anthony's mind completely distracted by his wife in the tub with him getting quite fresh.
