The most vicious gossip about Susan had begun to die down and much of that was due to Jean's open generosity. If she saw Susan in town she would offer her a lift, or suggest they had a cup of tea in a nearby cafe. Susan started to confide in Jean about her marriage, and how she wished she had not married Patrick but had gone against her parent's wishes and married a man who actually cared for her, and not her family's money. She refused to name the man, suffice to say he was not local.

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Jack became a frequent visitor. On Monday he delivered what fruit he had available for the orphanage and would stay for a cup of tea. It was on one of these visits that they started to talk about his childhood. He sat at the table and took something out of his pocket. It was a little wooden cow, from a toy farm he'd had as a child.

'Where on earth did you find that?' Jean sat down opposite and held out her hand.

'I had to take up some floorboards in mine and Christopher's old room. They've gone rotten and need replacing.' He said, sipping his tea. 'That was underneath.'

'I remember buying that farm for you, piece by piece as I could afford it.' She smiled, it had been tough times then, presents for the children were often homemade but this was one thing she bought them. 'It was your Christmas present that year, remember?'

'I do.' He grinned, remembering he and his brother ripping the paper off it yelling with joy. They'd nagged their parents when they had seen it in the toyshop.

'You played with it endlessly.' She turned the tiny toy round in her fingers, the paint worn off over the years, one of the horns missing.

'Dad didn't want you to buy it, though did he?' Jack's face was solemn as he remembered being told it was a waste of money.

'He didn't know until that Christmas morning I had.' Jean admitted. 'We could rarely afford such luxuries, but for once I wanted you to have a toy you could truly enjoy.'

She sighed, it had been just another row in what she remembered as a never ending series of rows between her and her first husband. Things for the boys. Christopher senior kept saying they had the trees in the orchard, the space to run around in, what did they need silly little models for?

'Sorry mum,' Jack stretched across the table and squeezed her hand, 'didn't mean to bring up sad memories.'

'Life wasn't what I hoped for, Jack, what I imagined a marriage would be, but I had to get on with it, 'for better or worse,' were my vows and I had to stick to them.' She smiled back at him.

'You're happy now though, aren't you?' Jack was sure she was but part of him wanted her to tell him so.

'Oh Jack,' She smiled, broadly this time, 'I am blissfully happy.'

'Good,' Jack said decisively, 'because I'd hate for you to have the same rows again.' There, he'd said it, admitted he knew about the fights.

'You knew!' She was horrified, she had no idea her child had heard them.

'I've never slept as deeply as Christopher,' he replied, 'I used to sit outside the room wherever you were rowing, wondering if you were going to split up.'

'Oh Jack,' Jean's eyes filled with tears, 'I'm so sorry, sweetheart, if I'd known...'

'Where could you go and row,' he sighed, 'it's not that big a house.'

'True, and rows can be spontaneous things.' She agreed, 'but all the same I'm so sorry you heard them. I hope you can't remember what I called him, or he me, come to that.'

'One or two things, probably because it was unlike you to say certain things,' Jack could remember very well what was said, he hadn't understood the words at the time, but he hoped she wouldn't ask.

'Yes I remember us both being rather uncomplimentary to each other.' She muttered.

'Any way,' she stood up and started to clear away the tea cups, 'that's all in the past and I have no need to use such remarks anymore.'

'Good,' Jack went over to her at the sink, 'I'm glad to hear it. I can see he makes you very happy, he loves you very much, that is obvious.' He kissed her cheek and said he'd better be going.

'Come over later in the week,' she returned the kiss, 'have dinner with us.'

'Mum, I am capable of feeding myself.' He turned back to her, 'but if you insist.'

'I do.' She let him see himself out, and finished the dishes.

She stared at the wall and leant on the sink as unbidden tears fell down her cheeks. How much had she and Christopher damaged their youngest son? Perhaps hearing the rows had been why he had been so affectionate towards her as a child. If she remembered rightly he always seemed to give her an extra hard good morning hug the morning after a row.

'Jean?' Lucien's voice was quiet and had a note of concern in it. He had crept up behind her to give her a hug and a kiss. He'd met Jack on the drive and he'd been warned that memories had been brought up and he hoped he hadn't upset his mother. Now he wondered if he should be angry at Jack, he hated Jean to cry.

'Oh, Lucien.' She wiped the tears away with her hands, 'I didn't hear you come in.' She smiled a little smile and held her face up for his kiss.

'I saw Jack on the drive, he was worried he'd upset you.' Lucien put his arm round her, 'he has, hasn't he?'

'Don't blame him, Lucien.' She worried he'd be angry and ban Jack from the house. 'I have often compared my two men, you know how I can over think things.'

'Oh, dare I ask..?' He looked at her with a twinkle in his eye.

'You shouldn't really, but, just so you know, and to show how much I trust and love you, ' she tipped her face and kissed him firmly on the lips, 'there is no comparison, you are everything to me.' She coloured a little at such an open declaration of love.

'Jean...' he whispered, but finding no words to reply in kind he leant down and pulled her into a long, deep and very passionate kiss that left both of them breathless.

'Really, Dr Blake,' she teased, then kissed him lightly on the cheek. 'I have to get on and make some lunch.'

'Must you?' He sulked, linking his hands behind her back and pulling her close, indicating what he fancied for lunch!

'Lucien!' She blushed, so unlike her these days, when he was suggestive.

He nibbled her earlobe, 'No surgery, is there?'

'Uh uh, no.' she gasped, 'but Charlie...' and she was lost as he nibbled down her jaw line,

'Charlie,' kiss, 'is', nibble, 'in', nip, 'Bendigo.' his tongue began to explore her mouth. He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom as she ran her fingers into the knot of his tie.

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He couldn't work out if she was crying or not as they lay satisfied under the covers. He pulled away enough to see her face, nope, she was giggling.

'Oh, well thank you, Jean.' He huffed, 'I thought I was ok in that department.' He pretended to sulk.

'More than ok, darling.' She grinned.

'So what's so funny?' He looked at her, eyes sparkling, her face flushed.

'Given what I have been talking about with Jack,' she wondered how to phrase this, 'if I remember rightly, Christopher would rather have had a sandwich for lunch.'

'Didn't know what he was missing,' Lucien raised his eyebrows as Jean wriggled against him in that certain way.

'Show me.' She breathed as her wriggle got the result she was hoping for.

'Woman, what am I going to do with you?' He sighed.

'Well, you could...' she whispered something in his ear that made even him blush.

'Jean!' He feigned horror, 'well alright then, if we must.'

And like every good soldier, Lucien did as he was told, leaving her exhausted, breathing hard and wrapped round him.

'I love you, my darling Lucien.' She whispered, allowing her eyes to close as he pulled the covers back over them.

He smiled at her, Christopher did not know what he had in Jean, of that he was sure, and her willingness to learn in bed had shown him that he had not given his lovely young wife any of the love she so craved. In his mind he promised her he would never stop loving her, ever.

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That is the end of this story, I hope there is enough of the past to show shy Jean gives in to Lucien so readily.

I hope you have enjoyed the story and thank you all for the lovely reviews.