Stairs

The next morning Mark woke to Edith shaking his shoulder.

"Sybil says you have to come down for breakfast. You can stay in your pajamas and robe."

"Between your sister and her husband they almost killed me yesterday," Mark grumped as he pushed his face further into the pillow. "I don't want to get up."

"Well, isn't that just too bad." He heard a voice that clearly wasn't Edith's.

The curtains snapped open and light flooded the room. A pair of folded pajamas hit the pillow beside his head.

"You have five minutes to be in the dining room," Sybil said. "If you aren't I will dress you myself and I can assure you I won't spare your modesty. Come along Edith."

He heard the door close with a decisive click. He pulled on the pajamas as fast as he could, got on his robe, ran a comb through his hair and brushed his teeth. He didn't think he had time to shave. He tightened the belt on his robe and headed out the door. He was half way down the stairs with his canes draped over his arm when Sybil opened the door on the lower landing.

"Good morning," she said sweetly. "I have a full day planned for you. Edith is busy helping my mother plan the orchard party and has some other duties to attend to. I'm afraid it will be just us today."

They entered the family dining room. Sybil moved to get herself a cup of tea and sat down.

"We serve ourselves in the mornings," she said.

Mark had a bit of a time getting a cup of tea onto the table and juggling a plate with toast and marmalade. He finally had something that looked like a reasonable breakfast at his spot.

"The sugar in the marmalade won't help your muscles," Sybil said. "I suggest you eat eggs and ham. The protein will build your strength."

Mark groaned as he got back up and got himself a plate of ham and eggs. A little spilled off the side of the plate before he made it back to the table. He finally managed to get sat down and began eating.

"I expect you to drink milk with every meal," Sybil said. "I'll let you off this morning."

"That's kind of you," he said non-committedly.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Sybil inquired.

Now that Mark actually thought about it, he realized the nagging pain in his left shoulder wasn't there.

"Some of the pain has lessened, thank you. Where's Tom today?"

"Working, the same as always. He works too much. He'll be back this afternoon. I think we have some function or other to attend this evening."

"Do you like being a political wife?" Mark inquired in an attempt to get to know Sybil a little better.

"I'm interested in the issues as well. There is always lots to discuss," she said. "It puts all my training by my governesses to use. Otherwise it would all go to waste."

"Let's go," Sybil said the minute he had finished the last bite. They went to the door of the servants' stairs. Sybil took his canes from him and put them to the side. "They can stay here for now." She opened the door and motioned for him to go up the stairs. He made it up the two flights of stairs without having to stop, when he reached for the doorknob Sybil stopped him.

"Keep going," she said.

"How far?"

"All the way to the top."

Mark looked up and swallowed.

He took hold of the railing and started up the next flight. He paused to rest at the landing. He gritted his teeth and went up the next two flights before he had to rest again. He continued until he realized he was on the last section. His eyes opened slightly. He hadn't thought he could do it. Sybil let him rest a minute before they started down. He had to stop and rest after each flight but pretty soon they were back to where they had started.

"Again," she said. "Don't worry, I'm here if you loose your balance. By Christmas you should be able to do the entire thing without any effort. You might even be able to run up."

"You're optimistic," he said.

"I prefer realistic."

By the time Mark had done the stairs again he was exhausted. Sybil collected his canes and had him go back up the stairs to his room. She put liniment on his back and left the bottle with him to put on his chest and hip before he got dressed.

"Why isn't the bed made?" she asked when she returned twenty minutes later.

"Don't the maids do it?"

"This is my room. There hasn't been a maid through that door in years. You don't have a steward now Major, I suggest you get to it."

She went to the bathroom and collected the soiled towels.

"You can take the towels down when you go for lunch. Whoever is serving will get you new ones. There are cleaning supplies in the cabinet in the washroom."

Mark was struggling his way around the bed, but finally had it made. Sybil motioned for him to take a seat across from her.

"I've made a daily schedule for the next two weeks. I'll be back up for the orchard party and I will check on your progress then. You need to record the exercises you do everyday and how many times you do them. You should try to increase the exercise repetitions at least twice a week. You should only have a massage every other day as it will allow the muscles to recover from any bruising. You can have Sunday's off. Any questions?"

Mark just shook his head. He had led men into battle but he had to admit this woman made him more than a little nervous.

"Do you know any songs?" Sybil asked.

"A few not suitable for the ears of a woman," he said. "Why?"

"It will make the stairs easier if you sing a song when you do them. It will take your mind off what your doing. Come along. We can sing the Tipperary song while you do the stairs this time. Then you can go for lunch."

By the time Sybil and Tom had left for London, Mark had managed to be able to climb the stairs between the main floor and his new sleeping quarters without having to stop. He still had to rest at least once when he climbed them all the way to the top but to his surprise he was making a slow steady improvement. The daily baths were helping the stiffness and the pain was starting to gradually lessen in a few areas. He was so tired every evening after the bath he fell into a heavy dreamless sleep almost immediately.

Edith had snuck into his room on the third night of Sybil's therapy but had been unable to wake him. After the first morning when Sybil had threatened him, he had set an alarm, made his bed and cleaned the washroom. He was ready for inspection before he made an appearance for breakfast.

The first morning Edith attempted to do the massage as Sybil had instructed her it had taken her twice as long to do the muscles of his back as it had under Sybil's guidance.

"I'm not pressing too hard am I?" Edith questioned.

"No, it feels nice," Mark said.

"This stuff smells awful," Edith said as she spread the smelly liniment on his back.

"It feels warm. I'm kind of getting used to the smell. It reminds me of sheep dip."

"I must smell hideous," Edith said.

"It does rather. Did you lock the door?"

"Yes, I don't want anyone walking in and seeing my attempts to do this," Edith said.

He rolled over. Grabbed Edith in an embrace that trapped her arms and pulled her forward.

"No, Mark!" Edith cried. Her hands were covered in the liniment and landed squarely on his naked crotch. His eyes flew open and a strangled cry erupted from his lips as he got off the bed as fast as he could and headed for the washroom with no thought of reaching for a cane. Edith followed him into the washroom to see him splashing cold water onto his private area. His face was beet red and he was repeating, "Holy Christ, Holy Christ," over and over.

"Mark, are you alright?" Edith said concern wrinkling her brow.

"Fine" he said in a high-pitched squeaky voice. "I'll be right there."

When he finally returned to the bedroom and laid down again, he said, "I won't try that again unless you've washed your hands."

Edith began working on his chest. She was trying not to laugh but the giggles kept breaking through. Finally she collapsed in a heap of laughter and had to wash her hands before she could wipe away the tears that were running down her cheeks.

"Har, Har, Very funny," he said. Which started her laughing all over again. Finally he started to laugh as well. She went around to the other side of the bed and lay down next to him. He put his arm around her and pulled her close. Her arm went around his chest.

"I'd say liniment and romantic interludes don't really mix well," Edith said in an attempt to comfort him.

"Don't tell your sister I moved that fast," he said. "She'll send instructions for me to start jogging."

They both began laughing all over again.

Two days before the orchard party Edith was heading down to check on the apple harvest just after lunch. It was a nice afternoon and Mark decided to walk down with her. Part of his therapy was to go for a daily walk on the days it wasn't raining. He was down to one cane, but still had to stop often to rest. They walked along slowly until they came to the orchard. The men had ladders erected in different areas and baskets of apples were being filled and loaded onto the back of a cart. Mark pulled an apple from a tree before he made his way to sit on an old bench.

"You wouldn't know there was a war on," he said. "Not when you look at this."

"It is lovely, isn't it?" Edith said. "I don't even notice there is anything wrong with the men anymore."

The men had worked out methods to work together and found ways around their personal issues. On closer inspection one could see the leather straps attached to the baskets so the men who were missing part of an arm or hand could lift them, but otherwise they looked like any other group of workers at harvest time.

Edith explained where the tables would be set up and the chairs. The ladders would be moved to the trees that hadn't been picked. Handbills had been circulated throughout the village and there was a great deal of chitchat around the post office of the upcoming party and apple picking. The children from the village school had prepared some skits and songs for entertainment. A rope had been hung between two poles with old sheets over for a makeshift curtain for the children.

Edith went to speak to the supervisor and then came back to take Mark's arm as they headed back to the house. She pulled his arm close to her as they walked.

"The banns only have to be read twice more," Mark commented. "I haven't received official permission to marry yet though. Did you know on the fourth reading we will be legally married, whether we have a ceremony or not?"

"I didn't know that," Edith said. "Mama and Granny can't wait to get the date. They've been making guest lists endlessly. I told them no more than a hundred guests. They're still complaining."

"How many groomsmen do I need?"

"Two, I'll only have my sisters for bridesmaids."

"Fair enough. I thought we would have more time alone with me staying in your sister's room, but it seems like we have less."

"It's not my fault you sleep like a rock," Edith said with a slight blush.

"You know this how?" he said with a grin and a raised eyebrow.

"I have my ways," Edith said.

"Ever since your sister put me on this exercise program, I fall asleep instantly. I'm too afraid of her not to do it. She informed me no maid was going to clean her room and I had better get to it."

Edith laughed at his statement. "Well, I'm not like her and the maids clean my room. It doesn't smell like liniment."

"Is that an invitation?"

"Would you like it to be?" Edith teased.

"What do you think?"

"My family is all out for the day and there is quite a nice lock on the door. Would you like to see it?"

"Love to," he said quickening his pace.

When they got to the servant's stairs they ran into Anna coming down the stairs.

"Your room is finished Lady Edith," she said. "We've left clean sheets for you Major Goward. You're looking much better, Sir."

"Thank you, Anna," Edith said. "We're just going up. Major Goward needs to rest for a bit."

"Of course, Lady Edith," Anna said with a knowing smirk as she moved to the side so Mark could pass.

"Thank you," he said.

They made it to the hall and moved down as far as Edith's room. She looked every which way to see if anyone was watching before she opened the door and pulled him in. Mark lost his balance slightly as he tumbled in the door. Edith steadied him so he wouldn't fall over and closed the door quickly. She turned the key in the lock and left it in the door. She took her hat and gloves off and threw them in the corner. He had already removed his hat and jacket and was working on his tie. Edith was watching him and at the same time shedding her cloths. When she got as far as her corset he reached over and started unhooking it for her. Her fingers went to the buttons of his shirt and then lower. He dropped his shirt on the floor and finished undressing her before he stepped back to sit on the bed and kick off the remnants of his clothing.

She moved forward to stand between his legs. He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face against her. Her arms moved around his shoulders and she laid her cheek on the top of his hair.

"I don't know how much I'll be able to manage," he said against her. "I'd like to do more but it is going to take some creativity."

"What can't you do?" Edith said into his hair.

He tilted his face up to her for a kiss. She placed her hands on either side of his face and then returned them to his shoulders when the kiss ended.

"Nothing on my knees and not too much weight on my hip region. I want our first time together to be satisfying for you, Edith, not an exercise in frustration."

"The other day was lovely," Edith said tightening her arms around him slightly. "I just want to be with you. The how isn't so important."

He had to use one hand to support himself as he moved between the sheets and lay down. He still had ahold of her one hand and guided her down beside him. He was lying on his side with his head propped on one elbow and tracing the lines of her face with his fingers.

"You're so very beautiful," he murmured before he kissed her again. They took their time kissing and touching each other. She knew his body well from helping him in and out of the tub and the massages. Now she allowed her self to explore the texture of his skin in different areas she had longed to touch and savored the feeling of his chest hair against her hands and her bare skin. He trailed kisses over her torso and abdomen. His finger made slow circles around the opening to her vagina and slipped his fingers back and forth in a maddeningly slow rhythm.

Edith's heart was pounding and she was going crazy with the sensations that were coursing through her. When she couldn't take it any longer she snuggled even closer to him. He leaned over her slightly and kissed her. His tongue in her mouth imitated of the intimate motions they both craved.

Mark pulled back and looked at her. His hands were shaking a bit.

"What's the matter," Edith whispered to him.

"I want our first time to be so perfect, everything's so close and yet so far at the same time."

"Don't worry, everything to this point has been lovely."

Edith put both her legs over his thighs and squirmed closer. With a small amount of shifting he was able to enter her. He was watching her face and saw he teeth bite her bottom lip as he moved. He used his free hand to life her legs off him and keep the weight off his injuries. He wasn't able to move at a fast pace, but he was entranced with being sheathed in her warmth. Edith's pleasure was building and she was enjoying every movement and second of their time together. She had one hand on his chest and was clutching at him as her body contracted in her release. She could feel him coming inside her as his body convulsed.

"Was that alright?" she questioned, looking into his face. "You're alright aren't you?"

"I'm better than alright," he said with a slow smile. "Thank you, that was lovely."

He kissed her softly on the lips and pulled her close. They allowed themselves to doze off only to be woken an hour later by a knocking at the door.

"Edith, are you in there?" Mary called. "Papa's looking for Mark and nobody can find him. Edith? Well, I don't know where they've gotten off to. The town car is still in the garage." They could hear through the door. "Well, of course he's not in her room Papa, the man can barely walk. I'll go down and get the key if you're so concerned. Honestly, they've most likely gone out in the gardens somewhere and he's stuck there or something. You would think everyman under this roof is up to no good to listen to…." Mary's voiced faded off down the hall.

Edith had taken a handful of the covers and pressed them against her mouth to keep from giggling. Mark was biting his lip to keep from laughing.

"What will we tell them?" Edith said her eyes suddenly going round. She sat up with a look of panic on her face.

"We'll tell them you were seeing to my therapy," he said. Edith swatted him before she headed into her washroom to take a bath. By the time she came back, Mark was gone and the bed was perfectly made as though he had never been there. She got dressed and headed out of her room to overhear Mark speaking to her father downstairs.

"I've been climbing stairs," he said, "and trying different therapies all afternoon. You know its all a matter of experimentation." He looked up from the great hall to see Edith looking down at him with a smile. He winked at her before he headed off to another part of the house.

Mary came to stand beside Edith at the railing.

"Therapy?" Mary said with one raised eyebrow.

Edith put a hand to her mouth and giggled before she turned to follow her sister down the hall.