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elder 441 [chapter 16]: ;)

Guest (1) [chapter 16]: ;) Maybe! Haha.

Guest (2) [chapter 16]: Thanks so much! Here it is :)

Guest (3) [chapter 16]: I'm here! :)

"I'm scared," Mary told Francis.

His eyes twinkled when he reached out to take James from her. He then crossed his arms when she refused to give her baby to his father.

"The sooner we get him used to it, he will be a natural!" Francis told her, thrusting his arms out again. "His sisters are now experts."

Mary's eyes drifted to where Anne and Rose were playing with John and Robin in the lake with Bash supervising all four children.

"He's not ready," she argued much to Francis's and Kenna's amusement.

"There's no harm in letting him play in the lake for a little bit," Kenna told her, fanning herself. "The weather's great and he looks like he wants to enjoy it as well."

Mary looked down to see her son reaching out in the direction of his sisters, babbling excitedly when Anne sprayed Rose with water.

"Oh alright," Mary relented, handing James to Francis. "Be careful with him. He's my-"

"Little baby, we know," Francis said, laughing as he got into the lake. "Just spend time with Kenna. You were complaining about how much you missed her."

Mary blushed, giving her husband a playful glare before she laid down on her stomach and took a peek at what Kenna was reading.

"What is that?" She asked.

Kenna blushed furiously. "Oh, a book I found years ago..." She trailed off teasingly, handing the book to Mary.

Scanning the page, Mary gasped, quickly turning to their husbands and then Kenna again.

"This is-"

"Smut, I know," Kenna said, giggling. "Oh, don't worry. I never read it when Bash or Robin are near. I found it whilst I was cleaning out our bedchamber."

Mary swallowed deeply, reading on. "H-Have you...?"

"Mary, I will not tell you about my sex life with my husband!"

"You used to tell us all about it with his father," Mary retorted with a grin.

Kenna paused. "Fine," she said. "Yes, Bash and I have tried a few things. He doesn't know I have it, he thought it was a nature book."

"Of some kind!" Mary cried out, gaining both men's attention. "We are trying to find a particular bird. Carry on!" She called out to them.

Kenna laughed. "When did you become such a good liar?"

"How can you tell if someone is lying or not?"

"My husband," Kenna said, sighing wistfully. "I've stopped asking questions about his duties and everything that happens outside of our estate."

"What do you mean?"

Kenna gave her a small smile, shaking her head. "Bash spends more time away than at home, with us. Francis has him taking on more duties now that Robin is older."

"I... I didn't know," Mary said sadly.

"It's alright," Kenna quickly told her. "We've been distant lately, but this is helping. Being away from France, his duties and our bad memories..."

Mary sighed. "And how are you feeling?"

"Better than I have been feeling in a long time," Kenna replied. "Childbirth is daunting, isn't it?"

"Well, I hope that I am with child very soon," Mary said. "I find it exhilarating."

"Do not test your mortality," Kenna warned her. "Also, the more you're with child, the less you can focus on your duties to Scotland."

Mary nodded. "That is true, but Francis and I work together for the better of both France and Scotland."

"Mama!" Anne called out to her. "Come and join us!"

Mary sat up, kissing Kenna's cheek before taking her dress and corset off to leave her in her undergarments.

With Francis's help, she waded into the lake and joined them in a game of 'Duck, Duck and Goose'.

"Kenna!" She called her friend. "Do you remember playing this as girls?"

"I do!" Kenna replied, a faint blush on her cheeks as her eyes continued to read the book.

Mary smiled a little, an idea forming in her mind. If she could get that book...

"Goose!" Rose cried out, tapping her mother's back.

Mary gasped and swam to chase after Rose. The little girl was too quick for her and soon, Mary had chosen Francis as 'goose', willingly letting herself be caught by her husband.

Their lips met in a long kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck and his own found her waist.

"Mama, Papa!" Anne whined, covering her eyes.

"Do you both mind?" Bash's teasing voice asked them, covering the boys' eyes. "Young eyes are aware."

The couple pulled apart, laughing at their reactions.

"I'll have you know, you need to treat your own wife with more affection," Mary replied, pinching his shoulder.

Bash jumped from the unexpected pain and gave her a glare to which Francis laughed at him.

"I'll have you know, that she receives more affection than any other lady in Scotland and France," he replied, getting out of the lake to walk over to Kenna.

Mary watched on, intrigued. She saw him whisper something into Kenna's ear which seemed to surprise her.

Kenna then stood up, shedding her dress and corset before following him into the lake.

"If you don't mind looking after the children?" Kenna said quickly before they swam towards the waterfall.

Mary gaped as Francis burst into laughter.

"What just happened?" She asked her husband, turning to him. "Did they just go to...?"

"Are we any better? Kissing like school children in front of actual children?" Francis retorted, kissing her lips. "We need to save James from Anne - she's starting to lose grip."

Mary swam towards her son and eldest daughter, collecting her son and kissing his head.

"Do you think James likes water?" She asked Anne.

"Yes, Mama! He's almost as good as me!" Anne replied.

Mary grinned, she knew it was very unlikely. James was a baby after all, but she allowed the children to have some imagination.

That was why Mary loved their trips to the lake. She ought to have some sort of pool constructed back in France and hire a swimming teacher.

She shook her head. Why was she thinking about France when she was living in the present in Scotland?

Scotland, her home and sanctuary.

"The first one to annoy the Duke and Duchess of Avon," Francis began, her eyes turning to him warningly. "Gets two slices of cake!"

"Francis!" She breathed out, watching the children start swimming towards the waterfall.

Francis turned to his wife, laughing. "Don't think I don't know what book you both were reading. Bash told me all about it and pretends he doesn't know about it."

Mary gasped. "F-Francis-"

"It's kind of funny. The kind of things you ladies get up to at Court," he said, chuckling. "Do you really think none of the men knew about that book? It's been around for God knows how many years."

"I just found out about it today," Mary defended herself. "I do not need an image of your brother's sex life with my cousin and best friend."

"Neither do I," Francis said, hearing a frustrated cry come from the waterfall. "I think Anne has earned her two slices."

Mary hit his chest. "You better offer to take their children off their hands so they can spend proper time together. We have every day, they barely get an hour."

"I know. There is a lot at stake in France and I need my most trusted by my side," Francis told her. "That includes Bash."

"Of course," she replied. "But not at the expense of his marriage. Now, I am suddenly craving some cake..."