A/N: Sorry for the teaser title it's not what you think. I am not sure I am ready to go THAT far with my writing yet. I am starting to run out of ideas though so if anyone has any suggestions please pass them along. I do enjoy a challenge. Thanks for reading and please comment/review.
Margaret was exhausted. She was six months pregnant and still working at the mill school (she had yet to find a replacement teacher). Add to that her regular duties as mistress of Marlborough House and mother of three (soon to be four) and anyone would understand why she was so fatigued.
John certainly understood. In the dim light of the fire she took a drink from Bessy's cup and climbed into bed. She snuggled up to John with her back to him and he lovingly rubbed her shoulders and back to help relax her taut muscles. Margaret sighed with appreciation. John snaked his arm around her growing belly just in time to feel the babe give him a good kick.
"Whoa, tiger!" John quietly rumbled as he rubbed the spot on Margaret's belly, "Calm down. Your mother needs some rest."
"I don't mind when the children interrupt me, they are all so precious and I love them so," Margaret states placidly.
However it seems that John's deep loving voice had a calming effect on the child, as well as Margaret. She grabs John's hand from her belly and brings it to her lips for a kiss. Then she snuggles in closer and quickly falls asleep.
A few hours later two year old Ricky Thornton comes into his parent's room asking for his mama. Margaret reaches her hand out for him and asks, "What is it Ricky dear?"
But John stills her from rising. He places a kiss on her temple and says, "I'll take care of him, love." John climbs out of bed and dons his dressing gown and Margaret goes back to sleep. Coming around the bed to Ricky, John says gently, "What is it, son?"
"I need a drink," is the boy's plaintive reply.
Glancing around in the dim light John spies Bessy's cup on Margaret's bedside table. He grabs it and pours the boy some water from the ewer and hands it to him, kneeling down to help him drink. He ruffles Ricky's hair (as if it wasn't ruffled enough from his bed already) and asks the boy, "Ready to go back to bed?"
Ricky hands back the cup and nods.
John stands up and taking the boy by the hand he walks him back to the nursery. He tucks Ricky into bed placing a kiss on his forehead. He checks on Hannah and Jack and then tiptoes out and quietly shuts the door.
Back in his room, John slips off his dressing gown and climbs back into bed with Margaret. "Mmmmm," She moans sleepily, "Is everything alright?"
"He just needed a drink. Everything is fine," was his reply. Then he adds, "The children are such a blessing."
"Yes they are worth any interruption, aren't they?"
John thinks for moment then with a mischievous twinkle in his eye he says, "Well…"