Oof I did not see this chapter coming, but boy did I enjoy the writing of it. Hope you like it too.
Walking up the lane after her visit Rachel's mind was awhirl. She'd gone to nut out one mystery and found instead her world view tilted. The thought that Marilla had broken all sorts of rules and had still found happiness and perhaps even ecstasy was well to be frank, somewhat disturbing. Rachel had always prided herself on toeing the line, without until the moment being aware that there was a line.
She should have been appalled and she was of course, but what she kept coming back to was Marilla's comment about how wonderful it was. Was it? Did she absolutely love it? Well truth be told in her heart of hearts no she didn't. Thomas did, she watched the interplay of ecstasy on his face but to her it was a necessary chore before sleep; hardly wonderful. And though it was never discussed she had an inkling based on her neighbour's comments that they felt the same. It was a duty, but she'd never refer to it as wonderful. So, what did Marilla mean? She was hardly the sort of woman to throw expressive words about unnecessarily.
And if Marilla slept well, the same could not be said of Rachel. Marilla's story weighed heavily upon her mind. Her tossing and turning woke Thomas up and grumpily he asked her what the matter was.
"Marilla."
"You're friends again then?"
Rachel sighed, "yes."
"Good." Rachel was silent. "Isn't it? I'd have thought…"
"She's done something; it wasn't like her."
"Even Marilla is allowed to break character occasionally, Rachel. She's a grown woman, after all," Thomas punched his pillow and turned over, "go back to sleep. You'll be exhausted in the morning."
Into the silence Rachel told him. "She's been with child before. She lay with Mr Hoffer before they were married, but she lost it."
Thomas turned, "that must have been devastating."
"Thomas! That's not the point. They shouldn't have been together in the first place."
"I suppose not, but I can't say I blame her, after all that time."
Most annoyed with herself and with Thomas, Rachel lay beside him as he slumbered. Why was he so exasperating? He knew as well as she how Marilla and Gideon had sinned and yet he was making light of it. She was annoyed with herself as well for saying more than she meant to and she was annoyed with Marilla for putting her into this situation in the first place. The main issue though, was what to do with the information. If she told a soul, it would ruin Marilla's standing in the community, but it was so juicy, so delicious. Keeping quiet would drive her mad, she knew. And she felt Marilla knew and was teasing her. So how on earth was a woman to sleep with all that rattling around in her mind?
In bed the next night Thomas watched Rachel undress and then as she always did, braid her hair deftly over the round of her back. "Come," he gently invited her over. When she was conveniently situated, he assumed his usual position straddling her stomach. "Is this it?" Rachel asked quietly looking up at his bare chest. "Is this always what it has to be?"
"Er?" Thomas was confused. "Is what, what it has to be?"
"This!" Said Rachel sounding more annoyed than anything.
"Well, it's worked fine so far. You've never complained."
"So, I'm never allowed to…?"
"It's not like that." His ardour waning Thomas was frustrated. "Can we discuss this afterwards?"
"Fat chance," muttered Rachel. "You'll fall fast asleep."
"What was that last night?" Thomas asked when he watched her ready for bed the next evening.
"What?"
"All that complaining. It's fine isn't it. Always has been."
"Better for some than others, that's what."
"Oh, for goodness' sake." Thomas cocked his head at the bed to display his intentions. Rachel didn't move. "Come on," he urged.
"Not tonight, dear." She'd never refused him. Not once. Not even after giving birth.
"Don't be silly."
"No, I don't think so." Rachel was astounded by her newfound power. She'd never questioned him. Had always played the dutiful wife, at least in matters of the bed chamber.
"What's gotten into you?"
"Nothing."
"It has. Have you been talking to someone?"
"Well of course I have, I talk to people all the time."
"Not about this though, I wager." In truth Thomas had no idea what women gossiped about, but he was pretty sure they didn't talk about such things. At least he hoped not, God he hoped not. "Now I'm serious."
"As am I."
"Rachel!" he said putting some steel into his voice.
"Hm."
"Come on."
"You know," Rachel replied in that easy conversational tone that he knew from experience was the hardest to shift, "I was talking to Marilla." Aha, here we go, though he'd never known Marilla to say anything too controversial. "She was telling me about Mr Hoffer."
"Oh?"
"Yes, and it appears he is a very attentive partner."
"Attentive, what do you mean?"
"Sounds like she actually enjoys it. He brings her pleasure."
"What do you mean?"
"She gets lost in the moment. I've never gotten lost, Thomas. You've never taken me there."
"First, I've heard of women enjoying it," he muttered.
"Well Thomas, it might not be the last, that's all I'm saying." Thomas swore inwardly, that damn foreigner was ruining things for the rest of them. He'd been too generous to the man.
"Hear about the Cuthbert baby? Fancy after all these years." Sam Pye said to a group of men huddled around the fire pit outside the mercantile.
"Hoffer you mean."
"Ah yeah, Hoffer not Cuthbert. You knew what I meant."
"I heard tell that Matthew Cuthbert delivered it," Kyle Boulter commented rubbing his hands over the flames. A couple of men whistled, one in appreciation of his bravery, one in amazement.
"Closest he's ever been to it," said another wickedly causing some to initially snicker and then for a few of them to reflect upon the tragedy of Matthew's shyness.
Thomas shifted his feet uneasily. He liked Matthew and wasn't comfortable with his being the object of such mean-spirited gossip. To change the subject he said, "how about that rain, eh? Nearly thought the barn would blow down in the wind."
"Your father built it sturdy though."
"Yep."
There was a pause. Thomas was keen to know if any of his neighbours had women trouble, but he had to time it right.
He scuffed the gravel with his shoe and said, casual like, "can I ask you chaps a question?"
Collectively they looked up at his tone and cautiously nodded. Thomas cleared his throat and turned to spit out the dregs of his tobacco juice. "I, um, I." He cleared his throat again. "That is to say." He sighed. This was difficult. Finally in a rush, mindful of his waiting audience he said, "your wives, do they enjoy congress?"
The group blinked and one or two took a step back. Of all the things they expected Thomas to ask, this was not even in their top ten. There was a collective muttering and shaking of heads. "Women ain't s'posed to enjoy it," Mr Bell eventually replied on behalf of the group. "That's the man's prerogative. They receive our bounty and are pleased to give us pleasure, that's all there is to it. Ain't it?" he asked looking around. The group nodded their assent, pleased someone had given the definitive answer.
Thomas visibly relaxed. "Thank you. That's what I thought."
"Um, why'd ya ask?" Mr Bell enquired.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just a throwaway comment by Mrs Lynde," Thomas explained. "She, ah, she seems to have acquired some fool notion that women should find the act pleasurable." The group scoffed and a couple groaned.
"Shit, give them that and they'll want the world."
"Preposterous!" said another.
At the Ladies Aid the conversation took a similar turn. Marilla was not in attendance; she was still too preoccupied with the baby who was in any case too young to go out in polite society. Over her sewing Rachel posed the question.
"I visited Mrs Hoffer, Marilla Cuthbert that was," she started.
"Of course, how is she?"
"Must be such a shock for her."
"Yes, don't you remember? Those first few weeks with your first are such an adjustment."
There were many nods and murmurs of assent.
"Yes, yes of course," Rachel replied, eager to get to the heart of the matter. It was not Marilla's new status that she wished to discuss. "Ahem ladies I wonder if I might pose a question. It is, how should I say of an indecorous nature."
That got their attention, she watched them pause in their embroidery or rest teacups in laps. "Yes, that is to say. I wonder how many of you actually enjoy intimate relations with your husbands?" It was as if she had lobbed a stone into a pond. The ripples of her question caused a universal reaction as the women leaned back in their seats, each mouth a perfect O. This was a taboo subject, but one it turned out they all had an opinion on.
"He just clambers atop and afterwards goes to sleep."
"I meant it's not the worst but it's a bit boring."
"I find myself planning tomorrow's chores."
"It stings but I've gotten used to it."
"He certainly seems to enjoy it, but honestly I wish I could get a week off now and then."
The women looked around after everyone had had their say and nervously giggled. It felt so good to finally get their frustrations out in the open. "This is not good enough, ladies," Rachel responded. "Why aren't we allowed to enjoy ourselves too?" She glanced around, holding each woman in her gaze for a second or so. "Marilla tells me her Mr Hoffer takes great care of her. I think our husbands should be encouraged to do likewise."
Suffice it to say that evening in Avonlea was not terribly comfortable for the menfolk.
Oblivious to the matter of conversation overtaking her neighbours, Marilla had a visitor. "Tea?" she asked Fiona McDougal who had dropped by to pay a call, thankfully bearing cake as Marilla had not had time to bake.
"Aye, thank you. And how have ye both been faring?"
"We've been getting acquainted," replied Marilla over her steaming cup; it was somewhat unsettling to see the baby with someone else. Fiona had reached out for the baby as soon as she arrived and had her comfortably nestled in her arms. Marilla felt the loss of her between her breasts and realised suddenly that one day Josephine would be too big for the space.
"Tis a lovely time. I recall it myself. Especially with the first one. Later you're just trying to keep up, but right now you have all the time in the world."
"Is it so different with the next ones?"
"Aye, well the baby is a toddler by then and getting into everything, so you don't get the chance to take your time with new bairns."
"So, the baby misses out?" Marilla felt almost sorry for it despite not even having thought about another one.
"Och, no. Younger bairns get their amusement from the antics of older ones. Tis quite amusing."
Marilla took her time over her tea as she took in this new information. To be honest she hadn't thought about how her neighbours coped with their multitudes.
"An' recall, your second has no idea what they're missing out on, so no one's upset about the situation."
"Oh," Marilla was pleased about that. "That's a relief."
"Aye. Now tell me have you been sleeping at all?"
"I've been following your instructions. We've been sleeping together. That's why," Marilla glanced around the unkempt kitchen.
"Aye, grand. That's exactly the right thing to do. Make the most of it, Marilla, and don't worry about the cleaning. There are more important things to take care of. Like you, little one, aye," she smiled up at Marilla.
"Yes, well I still think I ought…" but her next word was stifled by a massive yawn.
"See. How about after your tea you take a wee nap and let me take care of a few chores."
"You're too good. I can't allow…"
"Wheest now, I recall Mother came by when my eldest was born and I so appreciated the help."
"But that was your mother, we're not related."
"Shh, I'm offering. You'll help me later when I need it." Marilla could see the validity of her statement and in any case was too tired to argue. "Good, you take yourselves up the stairs, Marilla and leave me to it. I'll bid you good afternoon now and we'll see each other again soon."
Marilla smiled at her gratefully, and when she had put the baby and herself to bed wondered how she had managed to be so lucky to find such a good friend.
Much as she loved sleeping with the baby, she was looking forward to reestablishing intimate relations with Gideon. She missed him.