Francis sets down the last tray of food on the low table by the fire, hoping it'll keep warm. He asked the servants to bring their dinner to their chambers tonight, and now he stands up to asses his handiwork. He moved a low table in front of the fireplace, some cushions scattered around it, and now the mouth-watering smell of the food fills the air. It's not much, but he wanted to do something special for Mary, something different, and with her going to shop for the day it was the perfect occasion to do so. She was supposed to be back earlier, but with the weather he advised the carriage driver to take the journey back as slow as he needed to make it safe; besides, it was the first time she could truly buy things to her content. And with the help of the duchess, the wife of their host, who according to her husband loves using his money more than she ever loved him, he isn't worried about the slight delay.
Mary and him had both agreed to spend the day apart the night before; he, gambling with the duke and his friends, and she shopping (he'd told her in jest that he didn't quite care for her trying on dresses, he'd much rather take them off, which earned him a slap on the chest.) But even so it was almost laughable how much they delayed getting out of bed that morning. In fact, a servant came to inform them that the carriage was waiting for Mary and she hadn't even called for a maid to help her get dressed. At the end, he did it himself, tying up her corset strings and her skirt, clasping her necklace for her, and the intimacy they shared in something as simple as getting ready was something he loved. Finally, he let her go, her excitement almost palpable, and told her to try not to miss him too much.
He's a bit hungry now, but he decided he'd much rather eat with his wife, as simple as that was, and so with the food ready and the room set up, he has nothing to do but wait for her. He sits down on an arm chair to do just that.
.:.
"Francis?" She calls out, untying her cape. "You should see how many people there were! I found gifts for Greer, Kenna and Lola, and some wonderful marzipan from this bakery. Oh, and I bought a box of sweets I think your brothers will appreciate …Francis?"
She finds him asleep on a chair, the fire dying out next to him. And several covered trays of what she can assume its dinner set on a table in front of the dim flames. The sight warms her heart, and she walks closer, taking her cloak of her shoulders along the way. She sits down on his lap gently, and he starts to wake.
"Hey." She scratches his beard softly, like he's a cat rousing from sleep.
"Hello." He tells her, his voice sleepy. "How was your day?"
"Wonderful." She beams at him, wanting to tell him already about all the things she bought and saw, but her eyes drift to the untouched trays near the fireplace. "I told you not to wait for me to have your dinner. It's quite late."
"I don't mind." He shakes his head. "I'll rekindle the fire and ask for some wine while you get changed."
She nods, pretty famished from the day, and attempts to stand up from his lap but he pulls her back down before she can manage to move away.
"First things first though." He says, before leaning forwards and capturing her lips with his own. It's a tender kiss, his lips pulling at hers until she leans over him, pushing him back into the chair, no hurry at all. It says I missed you, no matter how minuscule the separation was. His tongue traces her lower lip softly, and she almost wines as he pulls away from her before it can become more, an almost drunk smile on his face. "Now, how about dinner?"