Chapter 50 Lisbon
Lucas woke to the sun on his face; it shined through a spot where the curtain on their compartment window wasn't quite closed. He moved his head, now sharing Elizabeth's pillow, in order to avoid the annoying light. He listened to the sound of the train tracks and felt the rocking of the compartment, hoping to let it lull him back to sleep. But alas, he was awake now as his thoughts drifted to his sleeping wife. She was curled up against him as they shared a bunk together. She had offered to climb up on the top bunk; but he wouldn't have it. He would rather have her next to him and have to curl up his legs, than gain more space for himself. He thought about the time that would come when she would be heavy with child, and they definitely wouldn't have fit. It made him smile to think of her with her belly round with their baby. He knew she was going to be singularly beautiful.
As if on cue, Elizabeth woke. She could feel his warm breath against her neck and turned her head to look at him but couldn't as she was pinned on her side. "Good morning my love," he told her. "Here let me help you." With a bit of effort, together they managed to get her facing him.
"Good morning." she said, looking at the beautiful face of his, his hair tumbling over one eye. She reached up and ran her fingers through the wayward curls, blending them into the rest of his disheveled mane. "That's better,", she said.
He kissed her cheek, "I love you Mrs. Bouchard," he told her affectionately. Not only were they lovers, but they were the very best of friends and took great pleasure in each other's company.
"Well, that's a relief," she said teasing him. He swatted her bottom affectionately. It was something he did on occasion, his version of her little pokes to his side or chest. "So, what is on the agenda for today, Monsieur tour guide?"
"Are you seeking another smack on your lovely bottom?"
"Well, I might, but it could lead to other things which I don't think we could accomplish in this bunk."
He laughed; she was sassy in the best possible way.
"Well, if you must know, Lisbon is full of wonderful sites. I will give you all a run-down at breakfast," he told her.
"Do you know what time it is now?" she asked.
"Not really, I tried to reach my watch but couldn't manage it. Something was in my way," he teased.
"Somebody you mean…. Help me turn around again and I will get it." They reversed her direction, and she sat up and reached for his jacket and pulled out the watch to check it; she then returned it to the pocket. "It is 7:45," she said.
"We should go to breakfast at around 9:00," he said. "We arrive to the city at about 11:00 But I will get up now and go down to the dining car to have them prepare you that lovely tea we bought in Sevilla. And I believe they had some palmiers (dry pastry) if you want to eat a little now," Lucas told her. Since the morning of their departure from Granada when she had first developed some slight morning sickness, Lucas had made it a habit of trying to preempt it. She still had small bouts of nausea or light headedness, but she was certain that his efforts were not wasted. So far, she felt well most of the time. He was also sure that she got enough rest, if she had spent a lot of time on her feet, and he treated her to foot massages as well. He drew her a bath in the morning and evening. Ensured that they had something for her to nibble on if she needed to help settle her stomach and had been careful to order meals that catered to her adjusting appetite.
He was always an attentive gentleman, but now he had doubled his efforts in that regard. She was certain that Laura was getting suspicious of this sudden overabundance of attention. She had thought about telling her but wanted to hang onto their secret a little while longer. But she would tell her soon, long before they told Jack anyway. That they would leave until she was beginning to show.
"The city of Lisbon is built on seven hills," Lucas told them as they ate their breakfast. He was happy to see that Elizabeth seemed spry this morning. She glowed, her cheeks rosy and her eyes sparkling. She looked at him with so much love he wanted to burst. He settled for a squeeze to her hand. "There are many beautiful views of the city from the hills, "miradouros" they call them. And we will get a chance to go to a couple of them while we are here. He continued to tell them about the sites they would visit and about the day they would spend in a town on the beach called Nazaré; it was famous for its colorful wooden fishing boats. That seemed to interest Jack who began asking about what the fish looked like. Are they orange? Are they big?
As was his usual plan after a long train ride, Lucas took them first to one of the many beautiful parks in Lisbon. This gave everyone, especially Jack, a chance to relax and stretch after being cooped up. "Jardim da Estrela" had a large lake and quite a few varieties of ducks. Jack was thrilled and followed the ducks around imitating their quacking. Elizabeth sat on a bench and sketched the lake, Jack, and the ducks, while Lucas sat next to her watching her drawing come to life. Meanwhile Laura kept track of Jack making sure he didn't get too close to the water. After a couple of hours, Lucas went to the little café in the park to get them all some lunch before they set out for their next destination.
"What a beautiful view," Laura said as the driver left them at "Miradouro das Portas do Sol" (Door of the Sun Vista). They could see the neighborhoods below, white houses with the traditional red clay roofs spread for miles around them. The blue sky and green hills made the perfect backdrop for the vista. Lucas and Elizabeth held hands as they admired the scene before them.
"How are you feeling," Lucas asked her.
"I feel great; being off the train and out in the fresh air feels marvelous."
"Good but let me know if you get tired and we can return to our hotel," Lucas told her. "Do you feel up to walking a bit down the hill? I can look for a car for hire if you don't," Lucas told her.
"Lucas, you don't have to worry so much. I promise I will tell you if I feel tired or lightheaded," Elizabeth reassured him.
"Thank you, I can't help it. I just want to take care of you."
"And you are doing an excellent job my darling, but we have many months to go, so you need to relax," she said. He knew she was right. He promised himself he would at least try.
They headed down the hill back toward their hotel, stopping along the way in some of the shops to browse the artisan crafts. Lucas purchased Elizabeth a silver hair ornament with red gemstones that she had admired in one of the shops. He kept it to give her later as a little "I love you" treat. It wasn't so extravagant that she would put up a fuss and it would be a beautiful memento of Portugal for her to wear back home.
Jack found his memento right away in one of the shops; a colorfully decorated ceramic rooster that they had been seeing frequently. It would look very nice on his shelf in Lucas's office. They stopped for some cold drinks and Lucas began the story of how the rooster became the symbol of Portugal. Lucas told Jack a tamed down version of the following tale, that is a bit gruesome for a little one.
"During the Middle Ages, a robbery was committed in the town of Barcelos in northern Portugal. There were no suspects to the crime.
Around the same time, a pilgrim from Spain was traveling through the area. The townspeople suspected him of committing the crime despite the pilgrim's pleas of innocence. He was arrested, brought before the judge, and convicted.
When the pilgrim was about to be hanged, he was granted a last wish. The pilgrim begged to be brought before the judge. His wish was granted and he was brought to the judge's house where he was having a banquet.
The pilgrim again pled his innocence and pointed to the roasted rooster laying on the banquet table. He claimed that to prove his innocence, the rooster would come back to life and crow. The judge and his guests laughed and mocked the pilgrim as he was immediately swept off to the gallows.
No longer hungry, the judge had the rooster removed from the table. To everyone's surprise, the rooster rose and began to crow. Immediately, the judge rushed to the gallows to stop the hanging, finally believing the pilgrim was innocent. He arrived just as the man was hanged. However, the knot in the noose had not been properly tied and the pilgrim fell to the ground, alive. He was set free." (story from /barcelos-rooster/)
Lucas, of course had left out the part about the gallows but the man gets set free from prison. Jack clapped at the end, happy that the rooster had saved the man. Elizabeth smiled at Lucas's effort to keep the story a bit lighter. She had read the very tale that Lucas had in one of the traveling books he had been reading along their voyage.
Laura had asked Lucas if he might advance her some of her pay in order to buy Elizabeth a gift that she had seen in one of the shops. He was happy to do so, he had given her some money in case of an emergency and to buy some gifts for her family, but he knew the gift that she wanted to buy and readily advanced her some money. Laura excused herself from the café table and said she would be right back; the shop she was entering was within Lucas's line of sight, so he watched to be sure she got there safely and waited for her return. She soon came out with her parcel.
"What do you have there, Laura?" Elizabeth asked her.
"A surprise and I won't tell you until it's time," Laura replied.
"Time?" Elizabeth asked her.
Lucas interjected," you will see soon enough. Let Laura have her fun," he told her.
"Hmph," she said, folding her arms across her chest in a pout. Lucas laughed at his wife, just a little anyway as he didn't want to get poked. She couldn't help but smile, it was cute that Laura and Lucas were in cahoots over something that had to do with her.
"Well, my hot, tired companions… what say I get us a car from here? I will inquire in the shop as to the best way to hire one."
The next morning, they were to get up early so they could head to "The Tower of Belen" which was to be the highlight of their trip to Lisbon. At around 7:30, he woke to a knock on the door from one of the bell hops; he had requested a "wake up" from the concierge the night before. He got out of bed to answer the door and thanked the young man. He then went to take a quick bath and then drew one for Elizabeth. "Darling," he said as he kissed her cheek, "it is time to wake up and get ready for the day."
Elizabeth groaned but didn't protest much. He helped her into her robe and then led her to the bath he had prepared with lots of the lavender scented bubbles she liked. He held her robe open, keeping her from view as she slid into the warm water. He wished that the bath had been like the one in Granada, built for more than one, but alas, that had been a very unusual luxury. "Shall I wash your hair for you?" he asked her.
"Mmmm, that sounds lovely," she answered. He brought a stool over to the head of the tub so he could attend to her. She used a cloth he handed her to bathe, while he poured warm water over her hair and began to shampoo it, giving her a scalp massage in the process. He then rinsed her hair and gathered it up in a towel, forming a turban on her head. She handed him the cloth so he could wash her back. When he was finished, he couldn't help but kiss her on the shoulders and run his tongue along her neck and give each ear a nibble. She shuddered, and brought his head down to her; he quickly obliged with a tender kiss to her lips. She then deepened it, and the moans he stifled told him that she was wanting him to indulge her with more than just a kiss. He didn't hesitate to grab one of the large bath towels, wrap her in it and carry her back to their room.
Later, as they lay snuggled from their morning interlude, Elizabeth giggled, "now that was the best wake up call," she said.
"Mmmmm, much better than the knock on the door that woke me," he laughed. "Mrs. Bouchard, as much as I would love to lay in bed and request an encore, it is time for me to make sure Laura and Jack are awake. And you my dear, are covered in lavender soap that you may want to rinse off before you dress," Lucas told her.
"I know you are right about getting up, but I will take a rain check on the encore if you please," she teased. He smiled at her baseball reference to a "rain check". He slipped on his robe and came around to hand her hers before he headed to the closet to get his clothes for the day. Elizabeth headed into the bathroom to rinse herself off, something they hadn't done earlier, in their haste.
The Tower of Belen was built on the mouth of the Tagrus River in the early 1500s, during the Age of Discovery, as part of the protection plan for the city. The fortress was built after the expulsion of the Moors but borrowed elements from their architecture. Beautiful archways and ornate window decorations are found throughout the building also known as the Tower of St. Vincent after the patron saint of Lisbon.
They viewed the merging point of the Tagrus River with the Atlantic Ocean through the battlements along the bastion. Lucas held Jack up so he could see through the openings that were used by soldiers to shoot their arrows. He was fascinated by all that Lucas had to tell him. During their tour of the tower itself, they entered an arched chamber whose perimeter was lined with cannons. It was a beautiful room even with its austere significance. The most impressive parts of the tower were the long balconies with arched openings and intricate railing design. The views through these were breathtaking. They also visited the chapel and the chambers for royalty in temporary residence.
They walked to the nearby "Belen Botanical Gardens" that was laid out in 1873 and opened in 1906. It featured tropical plants from countries around the world that had at some point been colonized by the Portuguese. It was a beautiful setting to have their lunch; the hotel had packed them an assortment of finger foods topped off with "Pastéis de Nata" (custard tarts) that they had been looking forward to trying… it was one of the items they had seen in several bakeries the previous day. After lunch, Lucas took Jack on a promenade around the gardens, leaving the women to write in their journals which they did while laying in the shade of a palm tree. They encountered an area growing Australian Cycads which were characterized by their gnarly trunks. One had been designated for children to climb on and Lucas and Jack found a half dozen children playing there. Jack soon joined in, and Lucas sat on a nearby bench with a man that was watching two grandchildren. He learned that the man was visiting from the United States and had lived in Spain as a young man as part of the diplomatic mission. The man told him that he and his wife were having dinner down at the harbor with their grandchildren and invited Lucas and Elizabeth and Jack to join them. They didn't have any plans, but Lucas knew that Elizabeth would be happy to have Jack be able to be with some children, so he went ahead and accepted. He got the man's hotel information and told him that he would rent a carriage and pick them up on the way to the restaurant.
They returned to their hotel three hours before they would be picked up for dinner. He had told Elizabeth about their encounter with the children and their grandfather. "I hope you don't mind Elizabeth, that I went ahead and accepted a dinner invitation for us without consulting you."
"It's fine Lucas, you knew that I would want Jack to have an opportunity to see the children again. I am a little tired though. I will need to lay down for a while; but I will be fine, really," she insisted. She had secretly hoped to retire early, even skipping a large meal altogether, as she had to admit to being a bit more tired than usual. She couldn't remember if this was true when she had carried Jack because at the time, she was so overcome with grief from her loss that it overshadowed all else. Even the joy over having a life growing inside her had to live in parallel with that grief.
Lucas watched his wife remove her outer garments and climb onto the bed for a rest. He could see that their days were tiring her more than they had earlier that summer. He knew this was natural, but wanted to be sure that she didn't overdo. He would see that they left their dinner engagement at a reasonable hour, after all they would be traveling tomorrow, and Mr. and Mrs. Edmonds would surely understand. He drew Elizabeth a bath and then encouraged her to soak a while before returning to bed for a short nap.
Their evening with the Edmonds had turned out to be very pleasant. Elizabeth had been revived by her bath and rest and also had a healthy appetite. They had dined on grilled sardines, a specialty in Portugal, and Lucas had been wary that Elizabeth might feel queasy as the smell of sardines grilling was quite pungent… more than any other fish. But she had weathered it fine and had declared them delicious.
Jack and the boys had played on the sand in front of the restaurant; their table was outdoors on the patio, so they were able to keep track of them, while getting to know one another after they ate. The couple had been to Nazaré and recommended a small café for tea as well as a restaurant for dinner.
After dinner, they returned the Edmonds to their hotel and then had the carriage driver take them on a bit of a longer route back to the hotel. Lucas told Elizabeth that he would tuck Jack into bed and join her shortly. By the time he read Jack a story and kissed him good night he found his wife already asleep. She had removed her shoes but still had her dress on. He debated about waking her so she could change but she seemed so peaceful, so he decided to just undress and curl next to her covering them both with an extra coverlet he found in the clothes closet.
At dawn he awoke to find the spot next to him empty. He sat up in bed and then saw her standing on the small balcony watching the sun rise. She had undressed and was wearing one of her white cotton nightgowns that he loved so much. He did love her in lingerie, he was a man after all, but there was also something so naturally beautiful about her in the old fashion Victorian night dress. He had thought so that first morning on their honeymoon in Union City when she had worn one after her bath.
He got out of bed and went up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned back against him as they stood there, content to watch the morning unfold before them. When the sun had fully come up over the horizon, she turned into his arms, stepped up on her tiptoes and offered her mouth for a sweet good morning kiss. He had planned to keep it light, but she wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, pressing her body up against him. His hands which had been around her waist he lowered to pull her in tight. He released her mouth and gathered her up into his arms and carried her back to bed.
"Good morning my love," he told her realizing that they had not actually spoken to one another yet. He held her with one arm around her, using the other to stroke her back as she looked up into his eyes.
"Good morning my darling," she said. "What a lovely way to start the day. Watching the sunrise with the one you love and then making slow sweet love afterwards." They had indeed watched a beautiful sunrise, so he then proceeded to grant the second half of her wish.
The trip to Nazaré was a little under two hours; the countryside along the coastal route was beautiful. The weather was perfect for their visit. Lucas had hired a man from Nazaré that lived in Lisbon to drive them up. Armando took to Jack immediately as he had a son just a few years older. His English was accented but very good. He could see Jack in the mirror and told him stories about the places they would visit in Nazaré. The city was famous for its fishing district and also the giant waves that could form along that part of the coast. They had been known to reach 100 feet high, so large that he had a hard time giving Jack the scope. He told him he could explain better when they were at the lighthouse.
"What is the lighthouse?" Jack asked the man.
"Well, it is a very ancient building like a small castle and on top of it is a light that guides the fisherman back to shore."
"Papa, we are going to see a lighthouse! Maybe we can find a small one to buy for my shelf!" The boy was very excited. Lucas was sitting in the front with the driver; he turned in his seat to answer him.
"Yes, I imagine we can find one to buy. I have never been to this city, but I have seen pictures of the colorful fishing boats. I think I will look for one to put on my shelf," Lucas told him. Reminding him that they were buddies through and through.
"Well, that is all well and good, but what will Laura and I find?"
Their guide answered, "we make the loveliest lace for décor and for wearing; you might be interested. Ladies that visit often select the white stockings that are customary for our folk attire. Lucas glanced in the mirror, catching Laura's eye. That sounded perfect to pair with Laura's surprise for Elizabeth.
"We will be sure to check out the shops, perhaps you can bring us to them after we visit the beach and the lighthouse," Elizabeth told him.
"Definitely, and it is a good area to have lunch or afternoon tea as well. My brother owns a small café there. He also speaks English, so his café is very popular with our visitors from the United Kingdom and North America. Word of mouth amongst our visitors has been a boon to his business," he told them.
Lucas interjected," we had dinner with a couple last night and their grandchildren. They mentioned a café that we should check out. Let me see, I know he wrote it on a card for me. Lucas withdrew it from his jacket where he had put it when he dressed, 'Café Costa da Prata'", Lucas read.
"Ah, that's it, my brother's place. It means, Silver Coast, which is the name of the Atlantic coast of Portugal. You will like it very much. They make the finest biscuits and other treats for tea. But they also serve light lunch food as well. We can have lunch there if it pleases you," he said to Lucas.
"What do you think Elizabeth, rather than going to a restaurant?" Lucas asked.
"Well, you know me, being a schoolteacher, I have a preference for a light portable lunch so that sounds wonderful to me," she replied.
"Yes, then, we would love to have lunch at your brother's café," Lucas told him.
"Well, that is good. I have two nephews that are close to Jack's age. One just turned six and the other is almost four. I am sure that they will be happy to have a visitor to play with!" he said smiling at Jack in the mirror. Elizabeth squeezed Jack's hand. It would be a bit sad to go back to where he didn't have much contact with other children. She would have to make it a point of introducing him to the youngest in her class. He would be joining them in a year, but she was determined to get him more contact with others now that he had been enjoying it so much during their travels. Perhaps she and Laura could start a reading circle at the library for children not yet old enough to attend school. Laura could take in a group in the afternoon, and she could join after school, perhaps even bring a few of her youngest students with her. Laura brought Jack into town a couple of afternoons a week anyway; Lucas dined with them at the café or saloon on those evenings. She would have to discuss it with Laura before they returned to Hope Valley.
They arrived in the late morning at the lighthouse. They decided to do that first since one could drive right to the front. Jack was so excited; he took his Papa's hand on one side and Armando's on the other as they walked out to tour the site. Laura and Elizabeth were more interested in taking in the beautiful coastal landscape, but they did stroll down to stand on the roof of the main structure to peer out at the ocean beyond. The waters were relatively calm today, but one could imagine the giant waves that Armando spoke of; what a spectacular sight that must be to behold. A bit terrifying really.
"The lighthouse structure was added in 1903 to the top of the Fortress of San Miguel that was built in 1577. The lighthouse's height is 26 feet." Armando explained that the waves could be three to four times the size of the lighthouse structure which of course sounded gigantic to the little boy whose height was a sixth of that of the lighthouse.
"WOW" Jack responded. "Sooo big!"
"They are much smaller in the summer months when the weather is more pleasant. Today for example, the sea is mostly calm, and the waves are only a few feet high around the rocks here," their guide told them.
It took a while to convince Jack to leave the sight. Armando promised to drive them by on their way home so they could see what the surf looked like then. Perhaps the wind would pick up and give them a few waves bigger than Jack anyway.
They next went down to the beach where the fishing boats were located. Armando had brought a blanket in his car so they could spread it on the beach. He, Jack and Lucas went to examine the boats up close while Elizabeth and Laura lay on the blanket enjoying the light breeze that was blowing. They both put on their straw hats to keep from getting burnt. Elizabeth decided to talk to Laura about the idea she had had for a library circle for younger children. "So, what do you think?" she asked her.
"That really sounds like a great idea. I bring Jack to the library a couple of times a week so we could just set two regular days on a schedule that mothers could count on for their children to be engaged. I think it would be great for the children as well as their mothers, who would catch a breather from their little ones. Perhaps we could talk to some of the older children about coming after each session to walk the young ones home. That way their mothers don't have to come back to retrieve them. Oh, Elizabeth, this is so exciting, and Jack will be so happy; now that he has experience the comradeship of others his age, he would indeed miss it."
"I am so glad you like the idea. We would have to count on you until I was free after school hours. Perhaps we could work out a rotation with the mothers to have one stay each session to help you. It might be a bit much for you to keep track of them all if we are successful," Elizabeth told her. She nodded her agreement.
Lucas left Jack with Armando who was explaining how the fishing nets and shellfish pots worked and returned to where the ladies were lounging. He sat next to Elizabeth on the blanket, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead before settling in. "What are you two up to, I saw some excited chatter going on here."
Laura replied, "Elizabeth has had the most fantastic idea; Elizabeth, tell him," she said.
"No, you go ahead; you tell him. I am going to lay here on my back and enjoy…" So, Laura explained the idea to Lucas, giving him the full picture of what they had discussed.
"That sounds wonderful, for Jack and for other young ones in the community and the mothers too," he told her.
"We would do it for two to three hours so the children could get in a nap beforehand if they needed to, I really think that the idea will find merit with the mothers in Hope Valley," she said.
Finally, Jack and Armando joined them. It was time for lunch at the Costa da Prata next as Jack declared himself "sooo hungry."
They thoroughly enjoyed their lunch at Armando bother's café. When it was time to go shopping, Lucas stayed behind to mind Jack while he played with the owners' children in back with a game of kickball that seemed to have very adaptive rules. Meanwhile Armando brought Laura and Elizabeth to a shop that was open even during "siesta" hours when most shops closed for naptime. The shop was packed with gift items. She found an apron with the Portuguese Rooster that would be perfect for Minnie, and she bought herself a pair of "tamancos" which were wooden clogs she thought she might wear outside around the garden back at their knew home. While she was at it, she added a couple of pairs of the lace stockings that were worn by women in their traditional dress. She also found Jack's Tower of San Miguel Lighthouse, and a beautiful wooden boat replica like those they had admired in the morning on the beach; Lucas had mentioned he would like to have one his shelf. And then she spotted something very special as a personal gift for Lucas; when she saw it, she knew that it was his. Hanging in the back of the shop was the most beautifully knit fisherman's sweater of natural wool. The cable was not knit quite as tightly as an Irish one she had seen once, but very similar. He would look so handsome in it. Well, the man looked handsome in anything, but this heavy cardigan would be quite special. She told Armando that she wanted to buy one for Lucas but wasn't sure if the woman would have one that would fit properly because of his height. The man spoke to the woman who headed through a door to a storage room and brough out a sweater with an even more beautiful pattern than the first. The woman handed it to her, and she held it up. Elizabeth smiled, "perfect" she said to Armando. The woman understood smiles, if not the words and nodded up and down delighted that she had pleased her customer. She new Armando since he was a toddler so she spoke to him rapidly in Portuguese and he assured her that the gift would fit Lucas perfectly. She had in fact custom made it for a woman to give to her husband at Christmas. She was to ship it to NYC where they lived. But she told Armando that she could make and ship another in plenty of time.
Elizabeth thanked her with the little Portuguese she had learned and paid for all their wares. She then noticed Laura was admiring a stunning openwork tablecloth. Elizabeth walked over to her.
"This would look beautiful on your new dining table," Laura told her.
"Oh my, it is splendid, but we bought one in Belgium," she told her.
"I know and that one is special for Christmas or Easter or other such occasions, but I think this one would be wonderful for dinner parties in your new home. I am sure that Lucas would buy it for you if he were here," Laura told her.
"But I don't have enough money left," she said settling the matter… she thought.
"But I do," Laura withdrew a number of bills from her pocket. "Lucas gave this to me as I was getting in the car behind you. Just in case, he said; I know this is exactly what he meant. Something very special."
Elizabeth looked at Laura hesitantly but then said, "what the heck" and took the money from her to pay the shopkeeper. But before she did, she selected a dozen matching napkins to go with it and a smaller round tablecloth that she intended as a gift for Laura. "I think we just made my husband a lot poorer," Elizabeth said giggling.
"Fortunately, I don't think you need to worry about that. He is a generous man and has worked hard in business to be able to afford nice things for his family. And not only that, he provides employment for many, including myself," Laura told her. Elizabeth knew she meant it. While some might be envious of what they could afford, Laura was nothing like that. She appreciated all that they were doing for her and wanted only the best for her and Lucas.
Elizabeth handed one of her packages to Laura, "this is for you, as a memento from our trip that is soon coming to an end. I hope someday soon you will be treating Benjamin to tea….. " she trailed off as Laura opened the package, tears welling in her eyes.
"Oh Elizabeth, this is much too generous, but I will accept it happily. And I do think that one day not to distant in the future, Benjamin will visit, and I will serve us tea on this beautiful gift." She leaned in to hug Elizabeth.
Armando drove them to the church of Our Lady; Jack hopped up and down the steps while Laura held his hand. They admired the building inside and out and then headed back toward Lisbon. As promised, on the way they stopped back at the lighthouse and Armando and Lucas took Jack on a quick jaunt back to the tower. The surf had indeed picked up as the wind had. The waves that were rolling in were perhaps eight feet or so in height. Jack jumped and clapped excitedly as they rolled in and crashed with a big break against the rocks. Lucas finally convinced the little boy that they needed to go. Armando's children were waiting for him at home. Lucas told him that when they returned to the car, Elizabeth would share with them the lighthouse statue and boat that she had purchased while shopping. That got Jack picking up the pace back to the car.
"Elizabeth, would you mind giving the present to Jack, he has been such a good boy today and I think he deserves a treat for the ride back to the hotel," Lucas told her. Elizabeth searched in the big bag she had and finally retrieved the two items. "Did you buy one of everything in the shop," he teased.
She reached around his seat and swatted his arm," not quite but I did manage to spend all the money I was carrying plus what you gave to Laura.
"Ah, my love; see, I anticipate your every need," Lucas told her, earning another loving slap on his arm.
They had stopped along the roadside just before arriving back in Lisbon, to sit under an olive tree and eat the dinner that the cafe had packed for them. They men enjoyed some red wine, and the rest a bottle of grape juice. There were plenty of biscuits and other treats for dessert along with some fresh figs that the children had picked from the tree behind the café. Just as the sun was beginning to set, they gathered the remains from their picnic dinner and headed back to the city.
The next day, they slept in a bit late and then prepared themselves for a visit to the Jerónimos Monestary. It is the most impressive symbol of Portuguese power and wealth during the 'Age of Discovery.' The Monastery was built to celebrate and commemorate the successful voyage of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama to India. In 1502, King Manuel I ordered the construction which took 100 years. The lovely courtyard was perfect for Jack to run around in. Armando had offered to drive them this morning and had brought his son and daughter with him much to Jack's delight. They played together in the garden while Armando watched them, leaving Lucas, Elizabeth and Laura to tour the monastery. The Gothic style, with a special ornate flair, is known as Manuelin. Beautifully ornate porticos and windows as we saw with the Moorish architecture but with different styling and in this case, nautical themes that celebrate the Age of Discovery. They slowly made their way, admiring their stunning surroundings. Finally, they made their way back to the courtyard.
"Oh, Armando, we are so sorry to be away so long, but we were simply transfixed by the styling of this incredible place."
"Elizabeth don't worry yourself, we were just fine. And in fact," what would you say if I took Jack back to my home with me? I understand from Lucas that you will be going to the festival in town this evening. My wife and I had already decided to skip it this year, so we would be happy to have him. Laura is welcome to join us as well. Laura, my wife would be happy to meet you, and she also speaks some English. I am to shop on my way home for some ingredients for some baking she will be doing, so perhaps you might learn some of our Portuguese recipes?" he asked her.
"Well, it is up to Lucas and Elizabeth, of course, but for myself, I would be delighted to accept your invitation if you are sure it won't inconvenience your wife," Laura said smiling at him.
"Absolutely not. She will be very happy to have our children distracted with a new guest. They sometimes get bored and then bother her when she is cooking." He looked toward Elizabeth.
"Well, if you are sure that it is no bother then we accept your invitation. Jack has learned to be quite independent from us and besides, Laura will be there too," Elizabeth told him. Lucas smiled at her, knowing that she sometimes felt unneeded, as Jack was growing up so fast. But she was still his lighthouse to come home too. And a mother was always a little boy's first love; she was still so necessary to his life. And soon she would be more than needed again, as their new baby joined them.
Armando dropped them at the hotel and headed home with Laura and the children in tow. Elizabeth and Lucas returned to their room to dress. The concierge had had instructions to lay out Laura's gift to Elizabeth before they were scheduled to return. Lucas opened the door and held her hand leading her into their bedroom.
"Oh, my goodness", Elizabeth exclaimed, "it is so beautiful, when did you buy this?"
"It wasn't me, do you remember when Laura returned to the shop a couple of days ago where we were having our refreshments?" She nodded, "she wanted this for you, so she asked me for some cash from her earnings," Lucas explained.
"I can't accept this, it is much too extravagant of a gift," Elizabeth told him.
"Yes, but she really wants this for you to have this for tonight and for when we return to Hope Valley. I am sure we will find an occasion for you to wear it. A community dance, for example," Lucas told her.
"Don't worry about the cost, I was planning on giving her extra beyond what we agreed anyway. She has been much more helpful than I ever expected and so thoughtful to ensure that the two of us could take advantage of honeymoon time," Lucas told her.
"Well, she deserves our deepest gratitude and now I have another reason to thank her. I am going to save my bath for later tonight, but I am going to go and use the basin to wash off and refresh myself before dressing. You could use Jack and Laura's bathroom unless you want to wait for me to finish," Elizabeth told Lucas.
"I think I will draw a bath over in their room, I will make it quick; see you back here soon."
Heads turned to watch the handsome couple as they traversed the lobby on the way to their carriage. Elizabeth looked radiant in her traditional Portuguese folk costume and Lucas dashing in his black suit. Elizabeth had decided to wear her new stockings and decorated clogs to round out the outfit. They arrived to the neighborhood as people began gathering for the evening festivities. There had been some earlier activities that had been designed to include the children; this included some folk dancing. But tonight, was mostly for couples, dancing both folk and more modern dances in one of the wider streets of the neighborhood and small town square. They dined in the square securing a table outside of one of the small restaurants. There were also stands set up outside serving grilled meats and seafood for those who sat on the park benches or ate while standing at narrow bar-height side tables. There were musicians in the square playing music while the attendees dined. The "mayor" of the sector they were in inaugurated the festival at the bandstand and declared that the dancing should begin. The musicians played some of the traditional folk dances and many couples joined in the group dances. They alternative a few of such dances with more modern dances including the waltz and a new dance the fox trot" that had been recently introduced. Lucas and Elizabeth joined in these; many joined the waltz, but fewer were familiar with the fox-trot. Some watched for a bit and then joined in caring more about fun than competency. Following their lead, Lucas and Elizabeth decided to try the next folk dance. They managed through it as it was one of the more popular ones that they had watched several times. They danced a few more, ending with a waltz and then went back to their carriage with instructions for the driver to take a route that would have them picking up Laura and Jack on the way.
Jack was tucked in, got a story from Elizabeth this time and kisses from both parents. They said good night to Laura.
"Lucas, what time do we need to be ready to go to the ship?" she asked.
"We will have a wake-up visit from one of the staff at 8:30. Our trunks will be taken at 10:00 to be loaded in the baggage hold and our suitcases will be picked up with us at 11:00; we need to be on the ship by noon. Let's plan to go down to breakfast at 9:30.
"Okay, I will have Jack ready to go so don't worry about him. We have one trunk for pickup. I believe it is all packed, but I will make sure. I have enough clothes for the two of us for a couple of days in our suitcases," she told them.
"Excellent, we will see you by 9:30," Lucas told her, "Good night, Laura, thanks again for helping take care of Jack tonight so we could attend the dance; we had a marvelous time."
Elizabeth hugged her, "I can't thank you enough for this beautiful gift. We had a lovely evening, and I will be sure to find a community event to wear it to and show it off."
"You are very welcome, there is no way I can thank you both enough, but I wanted you to have this to remember me and our trip together," she said. Elizabeth gave her a squeeze and then left holding Lucas's hand.
He drew her bath immediately and then removed her socks and shoes and gave her feet a massage to ease the ache from dancing away the evening. He then helped her out of her dress and jewelry, she had dispensed of her headscarf during one of the waltzes and he had that in his jacket pocket. She now just wore her camisole and pantaloons as she went to the bath. He made sure that she had a robe and towels before giving her a kiss on her forehead and preparing to leave her.
"Are you sure you are feeling okay, I will leave the door open so you can call me if you need me and of course I will be checking on you if I don't hear you for a while," Lucas told her.
"I feel wonderful, but I think I may ache tomorrow. I haven't felt queezy since morning and I am right as rain," she assured him.
He went to the living area and put on some music on the Victrola. He could hear her sing to the music which warmed his heart. She had such a clear beautiful voice and he never tired of hearing it; she didn't sing often except he used to hear her singing lullaby's to Jack when he was younger and occasionally she might sing if he played music for them. He left their door open as he crossed the hall to freshen up using their basin. He had had a bath before they left for the evening. He put on the robe he had brought with him and carried his clothes back to their room. He could hear her still singing when he returned so he decided to finish packing while he waited for her. They had completed most of it earlier and their traveling outfits for tomorrow were hanging all ready when it was time to leave for breakfast.
He heard silence in the bathroom so he went to check on her. She was still in her bubble bath, her wet head leaning on the back of the tub, her eyes closed.
"Will you rinse my hair for me darling," she asked.
"Of course, I will." He retrieved the pitcher and filled it and the basin with warm water. This was a task he had done many, many, times now, but he would never forget the first time when he had done it on their brief honeymoon in UC. He wound a towel around her hair and then went to refill the pitcher and basin with water so she could rinse herself. He turned his back to her and selected a long towel to hold up to shield his view and fold her in when she was done. Elizabeth finished and stepped out of the bath and into the towel he held. He wrapped her in it and led her to the bedroom carrying her robe with him.
He laid the robe on the chair next to her side of the bed and helped her scoot herself up on the bed. "What can I get you, my love? There is some water and lemon that was just delivered to our room. Would you like a glass?"
"That sounds wonderful, I am quite thirsty in this heat. He lay next to her on his side, handing her a glass and getting the one he had placed on the nightstand for himself. He clinked her glass, "cheers," he said. "To the most wonderful trip with the most wonderful woman in the world."
"And to the most dashing and loving man in the world", she returned.
"To us," they both said together. They drank their fill and he set the glasses on the nightstand.
"Are you terribly tired my love?" he asked her.
"I feel refreshed by the bath, and soon we will be on the ship with little to do so I will have plenty of time to rest all I need to," she assured him.
"Did you have something in particular in mind?", she said with a slightly seductive tease.
He answered with a wiggle of his eyebrows, "let me demonstrate," he told her. Taking her face in his hands he met her lips with his. He stroked along her jaw with his thumb as he cradled her head in the other hand. And thus, he began a leisurely journey with one goal in mind, to make her feel his love.
She woke as the sun rose, casting an amber glow in the room. She thought back to the night before. Lucas had shown her his most tender side. He had taken his time to worship her; she was at a loss for any other word. It was as if he didn't want the night to end; perhaps he felt the inevitable that they would be leaving today. Their honeymoon had been filled with love, sometimes desperate passion, sometimes sweet and tender but nothing quite like last night. In the end, their connection was so perfect that tears had rolled down her face. Lucas's didn't even question if something was wrong, his own were glassy as they gazed at one another until sleep overcame them.
She looked at him now, so angelic in his sleep; she had thought she would get used to these moments, that they would become ordinary, but alas his beauty never failed to warm her heart. She would have loved him if he wasn't so handsome, but she was a very lucky woman. And being loved by him made her feel beautiful too.
Lucas smiled; his eyes still closed as he sensed her watching him.
"Good morning my darling," she said as she kissed him on the nose. It was a sign of affection that he often used but she rarely returned, for practical reasons really; he was much too tall to reach. But here, laying next to him she could give him a peck.
He opened one eye, "is it really already time to rise?"
"The sun is now up and so must we be soon if we are to be on schedule; the schedule you set, darling."
He rolled to his side, both eyes open with a loving look. "I am going to miss this trip so very much. But I am also very excited about moving into our new home and starting our business. But most of all, I am anxious to get you home soon; you and the baby." He scooted down and kissed her still flat tummy. "I love you," he said softly. "And I love you," he told her giving her a sweet kiss on her cheek. "I hope the trip won't be too hard on you."
"I am just fine. The nausea and light-headedness are only occasional and bearable. I know you are worried about me being at sea and how that might contribute, but I don't think it will. I have never had any predisposition to motion illness," she told him. "And there really is nothing to do but relax, so I will get plenty of rest. And I am sure you will be ensuring I eat all the proper foods."
'The baby will be over two months when we arrive in Hope Valley. A fourth of the way to meeting us," Lucas smiled like a child in a candy store.
"I am thinking of telling Laura the news before we return, what do you think?"
"Would it be inappropriate to tell her together? She is like family now," Lucas told her.
"Well, traditionally these matters were women talk, but times are changing, and I like your idea. I thought we would wait to tell Jack until we return to Hope Valley and I begin to show," she told him.
"I agree. Our time in France on the farm has prepared him a little for the discussion, but it will be better to wait until you begin showing and he can see tangible evidence of the child you carry. He is going to be the best big brother. I can't wait to see you round with our baby; you are going to be even more beautiful than you are already."
"Oh yes, waddling like a duck is very attractive," she grinned.
"Well, you will be my duck and you are going to waddle beautifully," he teased her. And with that she poked him in the ribs.
She smiled to herself; she would be his duck. It meant everything to be able to share this with him. For him to be there to feel the baby kick, and to hold her hand while she brought their baby into the world. And most of all she yearned to see her husband's face when their child was placed in his arms.