Lilias's mind was plaqued with whether to tell Archie of her encounter with Neville. Perhaps, it should be kept secret. She managed the situation. She ordered Neville to leave, and he obeyed her. Surely, that must mean something. Perhaps, Neville's lascivious and devious attempts at making her his are now over. Perhaps, he would now leave her and Archie in peace. Her mind needed to rest from those worries.

Home to Misselthwaite-thank God for that.

"Oh, Archie. If we never left the grounds of Misselthwaite again, I should be perfectly content!"

"Truly, my love?" Archie smiled at her sweetly.

Bobbing about in the carriage all the way from London to Yorkshire made them both queasy. Archie and Lilias were overwhelmed with the need for sleep and rest.

Lilias took her husband traveller's frock coat off without realising her own actions-as if it were habit. Archie glanced at her with a sweet, questioning look as if to ask without words the reason for her actions knowing it wasn't her job. Medlock quickly took the coat from her arms.

"Mr. Leclair was to do that, Mistress."

"Oh, I beg your pardon, Medlock. My mind must be someplace else."

Archie adorably responded, "Here," his voice was quiet. He then removed his wife's coat from her shoulders as if to compensate for her actions.

Medlock was confused.

Archie and Lilias grinned after noticing Medlock's expression. Any breach of proper etiquette sent Medlock into a tizzy.

Archie was so exhausted he seemed to throw himself upon the bed. Lilias couldn't help but giggle as she stood watching him.

He shut his eyes to try to sleep.

Lilias removed her jacket, blouse, skirt, and also managed to remove her corset herself. She climbed into the bed in her camisole and underskirt. She curled up against her husband.

They slept for a few hours. Lilias awoke first. She rang for a housemaid to pour her steam bath. Aisling was in her last month of pregnancy and would not be back to work at the manor until her child was a few months old.

She slightly lingered over Archie unbuttoning his shirt very tenderly. He chuckled.

"My sweet Lilias," He spoke only to acknowledge her not to prevent her from continuing to undress him. When she began to kiss him down the front of his body where she had exposed the bare skin of his chest, he continued to quietly laugh.

Then, he posed a seriouser question.

"Why do you worship me so as I worship you-you, who are deserving of such adoration?"

"How can you think you are not so deserving of equal tenderness and pure affection, my dear, wonderful, loving Archie?"

Her touches and her kisses were filled with sweetness and gentle romantic passion.

She knew she must briefly stop these acts of tenderness. The maid would soon appear. When the maid had indeed poured Lilias's bath and left, Lilias took her husband's hand. She wanted him to share her bath.

Earlier upon their arrival, Lilias had mentioned to Mrs. Medlock that she had a headache resulting from the journey. Medlock had forgotten. She gasped when she realised she had forgotten the Mistress's request and barked at another maid to bring up the aspirin powder to Mrs. Craven.

The new maid was Annie- a temporary replacement for Aisling. Having never fully explored Mrs. Craven's quarters before being sent on this errand. She nervously forgot the protocol and entered. Looking for Mrs. Craven, she wandered the quarters confusing the bath's door for another sort of space's barrier. She gently opened it and saw the Master and Mistress lying in the tub together. Lord Craven was sweetly bathing his wife's neck and back.

The maid escaped unseen and hurriedly rushed downstairs.

"Annie, what's wrong, girl? Your cheeks are crimson. You look flushed, my dear."

It was the cook who questioned her.

"My God... I've done something quite daft, but it was an accident."

"What was an accident?" Another housemaid walked in and asked.

"I've seen the Master and Mistress..."

"And?" Cook mocked.

"Together...in the bath..." Annie covered her face embarrassed by her own intrusion upon them.

"What in God's name were ya thinkin of walkin in there?" Cook and the housemaids covered their faces with their hands as if they were the ones most aggrieved by the situation.

"I didn't know that door was to the bath."

"Did they see you?" a housemaid asked.

"No, I got away unseen. Either way, I wasn't expecting them to be sharing a bath...bathing together."

"It's not our business. Their personal intimate and romantic moments should be kept private. Speak of this to no one else. If Mrs. Medlock finds out what you did, you can hire yourself home."

...

Mr. And Mrs. Craven donned their robes after bathing, but kissing ensued again preventing them from continuing to dress.

You angelic creature," he whispered, "let me worship you."

"As you wish," she answered grinning and Archie smiled knowing his habitual words were turned upon him this time.

Lilias lay back upon the bed.

Archie sweetly knelt upon the bed and then stretched over closely to her side.

Lilias smiled as if this were a game. He kissed her neck longingly. Shemoaned slightly. His lips felt so good upon her skin. His lips travelled from her lips, to her jaw, then throat, then collarbone.

Lilias ached for Archie. She didn't give him time to remove her robe again slipping it back herself revealing her bare upper body to her husband. It seemed an involuntary action. His lips traveled down the front of her chest, brushing his lips tenderly upon her gentle curves and her body respectfully. He lay his head at her belly so gently.

"Lilias, I love you so much." He said when he lifted his head to look upon her again. His words were hushed with arousal. She clasped her hands with his sweetly as they kissed each other tenderly upon the lips. His hands wrapped round the sides of her shoulders and arms. Her arms enveloped him. He moved his cool, large hands inwardly gently brushing and then molding to the sides of her breasts. Though Lilias knew he gained much more confidence in himself than their beautiful first night together abed, to her mind, there always seemed to exist an underlying fear in Archie-a fear of making her uncomfortable physically or offending her. She had to quell this. She moved his hands to cover her breasts more completely as her heart beat-believing that was what he truly wanted to do. He never pawed at her or fondled her-only always a gentle reverence in his touch. It seemed odd, because his hands were completely upon her breasts, but he touched her with such reverence and grace. His reverent touch each time they made love is what always caused Lilias to be overwhelmed with love and desire for Archie-her husband. She experienced a sensory overload-so blissful in her romance. She felt completely uninhibited and comfortable with Archie always.

She also loved holding him in her arms in the beautiful afterglow.