Pauline had elected to keep her and Halt's child a secret for as long as possible. She was 5 months now and her dress barely managed to hide the growing bump at her stomach. She had told the Baron that she was going to visit her aunt who was quite ill and would be gone for a few months before anyone got suspicious. She went to the cabin in the trees and settled in comfortably there she had written Halt and told him of the situation and he had quite gladly told her she was welcome to stay with him, he would be home by weeks end by pure luck. She had cleaned the cabin and prepared it quite well by the time he returned and welcomed him happily. He had come home in the late evening and she had prepared him dinner a thick vegetable stew, Halt was the hunter so vegetables would have to do for now. She smiled when he kissed her warmly his arms going around her waist lovingly. He was still a bit tentative but she couldn't fault him for that. After he had greeted her properly she rested his hand on her stomach lightly he smiled when he felt how much their child had grown. "I missed you" he admitted "I missed this" he added nuzzling her gently. She caressed his rough cheek "I missed you too... And you won't have to miss this anymore. You are stuck with us till this little one is ready to vacate the premises" she said caressing their child. He smiled softly but the back of his mind caught on the word until "fair enough" he said deciding now was not the time.
Their supper together was quiet but comfortable afterwards they cleaned up. Halt yawned softly it had been a long hard trip he was tired and sore. Pauline came up to him and rubbed his shoulders lightly "go lay down love I'll be in in just a moment I'm going to pour myself some tea and I'll be all done." Halt went to argue but she gave him a soft look that said please and he nodded slowly turning for the bedroom. Pauline watched him walked to the room she could tell he had been riding for quite a while in effort to get home he was more stiff than usual and limps slightly from sore muscles. She caressed their child lightly and smiled their relationship wasn't exactly proper or perfect but she did love him and she could see how much he loved her every time he looked at her and could feel it in every kiss he gave her. She poured herself her tea and slipped into the bedroom she saw halts clothes laying on the chair and could see him in the faint firelight laying in bed he was in his beeches with the covers half turned down she could see he had tried to wait for her but judging by the soft rise and fall of his chest and gentle breathing he had fallen asleep in the process. She smiled and shook her head she stood up a boot that had absently fallen over and folded his clothes just because and slipped out of her own. She crawled under the covers and snuggled close to him even in his sleep he turned slightly to accommodate her body against his and draped his arm around her. She smiled and kissed his cheek softly and he nuzzled in against her. He wasn't perfect but he was hers and she was his mind body and soul she would never love another. Moonlight streams in though the window gently kissing the couple Pauline let her body relax twined in her lovers arms she let herself slip off into a comfortable deep sleep that she only enjoyed when in his arms.