Montgomery Family 01 - Lost Pleasures Found (18 page)

Mrs. Worth had supper on the table in the little dining room and told them she would be back in the morning and left. They were alone, and Melody was suddenly nervous. She found it difficult to swallow her food and just pushed it around on her plate. Brandon was eating with gusto, and he was soon finished.

Brandon leaned back in his chair and said, “Well, that was a delicious meal. You didn’t eat very much. Are you feeling well?”

As Melody stood up, she said, “I’m fine, just a little nervous. I think I’ll go on up to bed. It’s been a long tiring day.”

“Yes, go on up to bed. I think I’ll sit in the parlor and read my newspaper before I join you,” he said, then seeing her face he added, “Don’t worry, Melody, we’re both tired from the journey, so all we’ll do is sleep. I promised to give you time, and I meant it. You’ll decide when you’re ready to consummate this marriage. There is no hurry. We have the rest of our lives to be with each other, so relax, no need to be nervous, all right?”

“Thank you, Brandon. I’m tired, but I appreciate your kindness, and I promise I’ll be ready to consummate our marriage soon. I just need a little more time to adjust. I’ll see you in the morning.” When Melody went to her room, Millie helped her get ready for bed, and then she left her alone. Melody looked around the room and saw the bed, which had a pretty blue counterpane with white ruffles and she appreciated the effort Brandon had made to make her feel at home. She hurried and got into bed, and since she was so tired, she fell asleep right away. She never heard Brandon come to bed. When she woke up the next morning, he was already gone, but he left her a note. He had gone to work and would be home around five o’clock. When she went downstairs, she found Mrs. Worth fixing breakfast in the kitchen.

Melody smiled as she said, “Hello, Mrs. Worth. When did you get here this morning? My husband didn’t tell me your schedule.”

Mrs. Worth curtsied and said, “I get here at seven o’clock in the morning. I stay until supper is finished and the kitchen is cleaned up. Is that acceptable to you?”

“That sounds fine to me. Oh, I hear my daughter, Mary Elizabeth, so I’ll go up and get her. She likes oatmeal for breakfast. I usually put plenty of milk in it, to thin it down. Can you have that ready when I come back down with her?” she asked.

“Don’t you worry about a thing. I know exactly how you want it fixed. I used to feed my little ones the same thing. Go on with yourself and get that precious little girl.” Melody smiled pleasantly at Mrs. Worth, and then she left the kitchen to go get Mary Elizabeth.

Mary Elizabeth was standing up in her crib with a big smile on her face, and it almost brought her to her knees, because she looked so much like Henry. She could not get over how big she was getting. She quickly changed Mary Elizabeth and carried her back to the kitchen. Mrs. Worth had Mary Elizabeth’s breakfast waiting for her. After she ate, Melody took her outside, as it was a nice day. They sat on a blanket and played for hours until she got sleepy.

She spent the rest of the afternoon helping Mrs. Worth tidy up the cottage. The unpacking was quickly finished. Thank goodness, Millie was so efficient and willing to help her. Melody really appreciated her dedication. It helped having Millie with her, because she had been with her through it all. The day passed fairly quickly, and before she realized it, it was nearly five o’clock. So Melody went upstairs to freshen up before Brandon got home.

He arrived home in an excellent mood, and he had a big smile on his face as he greeted her. “Hello, how did your day go? I had an excellent first day at work. My students seem very bright, and I look forward to teaching them. How was Mary Elizabeth today? Have you both settled in yet?”

“We’re all settled in, and we had a splendid day. Mary Elizabeth enjoyed being outside. Since it was such a nice day, we played for hours, and then I helped Mrs. Worth tidy up the house. I’m pleased your day went well. How many students are in your class? And what ages are they?” she asked as she smiled at Brandon.

Brandon replied, “As you know, it’s a boarding school for boys. I have fifteen students, and they’re all eleven years of age. Most of the boys come from merchant families, and they’re all very well behaved. I’m sure they’ll respond well to my teaching. I think I’ll go into the parlor now to read my newspaper. I’ll see you at dinner.”

“I’m going to get Mary Elizabeth up from her nap and go ahead and feed her. Then after we play a bit, I’ll put her back to bed. She usually goes to sleep each night at seven o’clock, so we can have supper after that. See you in a bit. Enjoy reading your paper,” Melody said as she left to go upstairs and get her daughter.

Melody fed Mary Elizabeth. They went back outside and played for a while. After that, she put her down to bed, and Mary Elizabeth was soon fast asleep. She went back to the parlor and told him that supper was ready. They ate a delicious stew with lots of fresh vegetables in it, and Melody was very hungry, so she ate more than she had the night before. Brandon had a hearty appetite so he again ate with gusto. They went back to the parlor, and he read while Melody did some sewing. At ten o’clock, she decided to go to bed.

Melody turned to Brandon and said, “Brandon I’m going upstairs now. I’ll be ready for you to join me in thirty minutes. I’ve decided that I want to consummate our marriage. Waiting will only delay getting on with our lives. I appreciate your kindness, but I’m ready now. Will you join me?” she asked.

Brandon looked directly into Melody’s eyes and said, “Whatever you want, Melody. I’ll be happy to join you, so I’ll come up in thirty minutes. See you then.”

Millie helped Melody prepare for bed, and after she was in her night rail, she sent Millie away. Melody sat at her dressing table, brushed her hair, and then braided it. She was nervous about what was to come, but she trusted Brandon and knew he would be a gentle lover. Soon the door opened, and Brandon came into the room.

As Brandon entered the room, he asked, “Melody, are you sure about this? You know that I’m more than willing to give you more time, if you feel you need it.”

She looked at him and stood up. She walked over to him and said, “You’re my husband now, and I want to fully be your wife. I trust you. There is no reason to wait.”

Brandon put his arms around her and gently kissed her lips. Melody found his kiss enjoyable and kissed him back. He deepened the kiss and started rubbing her back. He untied the sash of her dressing gown and slid it off her shoulders. Melody put her arms around his neck, and he pulled her closer. He picked her up, carried her to their bed, and gently laid her down. The night lamp was on the bedside table, so he turned it down, quickly removed his clothes, and got into bed. He pulled Melody into his arms and kissed her. He nibbled kisses down her neck, placed his hand on her breast, and he gently squeezed her nipple. She knew Brandon was trying very hard to control his passions, and Melody began to feel relaxed and kissed him back. He raised her gown to the waist and touched her core. It surprised Melody, but she began to feel pleasure, nothing as intense as she had felt before, but nonetheless, it was pleasure. It continued to build as Brandon gently parted her thighs and settled between them. He rubbed his shaft over her cleft and slowly entered her body. Melody felt his fullness as he began to move. She put her arms around him and started to move with him. Soon, he began to move faster, and she knew he was near his release. She closed her eyes as he spent himself inside her. It was a pleasant feeling, but nothing compared to what she had felt with Henry. She did not want to compare, but found that it was impossible not to. Brandon rolled over, pulled Melody into his arms, and fell asleep. She lay there, tried to stop the memories from coming, but she could not. Brandon had been as gentle and tender as a man could be, but he just was not Henry. Melody knew she would never feel the same level of passion with Brandon that she had felt with Henry. She was actually glad about this, because she did not want to have those feelings with someone else. She would welcome Brandon into her body, whenever he wanted, but she would probably never give him her passion. That she would keep in her heart for Henry. After a time, Melody rolled over and went to sleep.

Brussels, Belgium

Fall 1816

One day, while Henry was helping the monks clear their garden patch, he suddenly realized that his name was Henry. Nothing else came forth, but his name. He went to Father Francis and said, “Father, I’ve remembered my name! It’s Henry. Don’t you think that’s a good sign?”

Father Francis smiled pleasantly as he replied, “It is a good sign, and it could mean that your memory is coming back to you. Do not try to force it. The memories will come back in bits and pieces. This could take several weeks or even months, but I do feel that your memory will be restored to you.”

Henry ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, but he knew Father Francis was right, because every time he tried too hard to remember, he would get excruciating headaches. One thing he had learned about while living in the monastery was patience, so he just needed to apply some with this.

That night, Henry woke up fully aroused. He had been dreaming about a woman with long honey blonde hair, but he could not see her face. This woman was obviously important to him.
Why
could
he
not
see
her
face?
Eventually, he fell back to sleep. Next thing he knew, he was waking up with his heart pounding to the sound of cannon fire, and there were men dead and dying all around him. There was a horse, screaming from pain, and then his mind went blank again.
God,
this
was
so
frustrating.
He
would
go
out
of
his
mind
if
he
did
not
start
putting
all
these
pieces
together.
He guessed that he was remembering part of the battle he must have been in. Maybe this meant that his memory was coming back. Father Francis did say that it would come back a little at a time. Tomorrow he would talk to him about these dreams. After a time, he slipped back to sleep.

Doncaster, Yorkshire

December 1816

The days became shorter as Christmas drew near. Melody enjoyed decorating the cottage with plenty of holly and evergreens. Mary Elizabeth had started walking, and it was such a pleasure to watch her grow. It was heartbreaking to know that Henry would never know this precious child. She was an adorable little girl, and Melody thanked God everyday for giving her this precious gift. She knew Henry would live on through his daughter. Melody suspected she was with child again. This time, she knew what signs to look for and they were all there. She decided she would tell Brandon after Christmas. They had grown closer, and she truly cared deeply for him. She was even able to enjoy the marriage bed. It was so different from what she had had with Henry, but enjoyable nonetheless. With Brandon, making love was like a warm bath: very relaxing and peaceful. Brandon was a good father to Mary Elizabeth, and he spent time each evening playing with her. She was glad that Mary Elizabeth would grow up with a father’s love. She knew that was important, because her father had been wonderful, and she wanted that same kind of relationship for Mary Elizabeth. When the new child arrived, she hoped Brandon would still pay attention to Mary Elizabeth. It was so hard to believe that Henry had been gone for eighteen months. She just wished Henry had known about his daughter.

Christmas came and went, and Melody told Brandon about the baby. He was ecstatic and assured her that even though he would have a child of his own, he would always look on Mary Elizabeth as his daughter. Mary Elizabeth celebrated her first birthday, and she was already starting to run. She was a very active child and extremely bright. She already called Melody, Mama, and Brandon, Papa, and was adding new words to her vocabulary everyday. Life was good, and Melody had no regrets about marrying Brandon.

Melody received a letter from Susan, and she had married Arthur Taylor, who was now Viscount Hastings. His father had passed away six months ago, so he had inherited the title, and they were now living in Kent. She seemed to be very much in love with Arthur, and they were expecting their first child in November. Susan had written that Nelson was doing better and that he had a daughter now. Helen would be having her second season. They had missed last year because of mourning Henry’s death. Melody wished she could communicate with them, but she knew it was not a good idea. She had already made that decision, and she would not change her mind, but she was always glad to hear of them from her friend Susan. Susan had become fast friends with Helen, because they both still volunteered at the orphanage along with Nelson’s wife, Mary.

Spring came quickly that year. It went from deep snows to beautiful spring flowers in a matter of weeks. Her pregnancy was coming along nicely, and she was getting huge. She had experienced little difficulty and expected another easy delivery in July when the baby was due. Brandon really wanted a son, and Melody hoped for his sake that it was a boy. She would like a boy also, since she already had her daughter. Mary Elizabeth was getting so big, and it was hard to imagine that she was going to be eighteen months old when the new baby would be born. On the anniversary of Henry’s death, Melody became very morose, but she tried not to show it. It had been two years since his death. She still could see his precious face in her mind as if he had just walked out of the room. She hoped that his memory would never fade, and she felt it would not.

The Monastery

Brussels, Belgium

Spring 1817

The weather was glorious in Brussels that spring. Henry enjoyed helping the monks put in their garden. He found that he liked the physical activity and suspected that he had been a very active man. He now remembered he could fence. The memory was just there one day when he was in town and saw someone with a sword. This memory had a man in it, and he was fencing with him, but he did not know who the man was—a name was not part of the memory. These pieces, that would suddenly come, would exasperate him, because he could not remember anyone’s name. He continued to dream about the woman with the long honey blonde hair, and sometimes he would get a brief glimpse of her face, but nothing clear. He always woke up in an aroused state every time he dreamed of her, so Henry now believed that the woman was his wife.
God,
he
wished
he
could
get
his
memory
back.
Father Francis just kept telling him to be patient, but it was extremely difficult. He found that he did better when he did hard physical labor. He was still experiencing headaches if he tried to dwell on these memories too intensely. The days with the monks were very peaceful, but sometimes he yearned for more activity.
Oh
well,
enough
daydreaming!
Time
to
get
back
to
the
garden!

Doncaster, Yorkshire

Summer 1817

July was very hot and dry, and Melody was miserable from her pregnancy. The baby was due any day now, and she just wished he would hurry up and come. She thought of the baby as a boy and felt very strongly that it would be. Brandon seemed quite nervous over the upcoming birth of the baby, but that was understandable, since he had lost Lily from childbirth. Brandon was such a thoughtful and caring husband, and she was so blessed to have him. When she thought about what her life would have been like, if she had not married him, she shuddered. On July 10, Melody went into labor. Brandon was at work, so Mrs. Worth sent a message to him, telling him that Melody was in labor. He went to the midwife’s house and picked her up, then hurried home. The midwife examined Melody and said that everything was proceeding nicely. It would probably be another easy delivery for her.

Brandon was frantic when her labor went on into the night, and after twelve hours, she delivered a big boy. He had golden blond hair and hazel eyes. It had been a harder delivery than what she had experienced with Mary Elizabeth, and Melody was exhausted. The midwife cleaned her up, and Millie helped her put on a fresh gown, and then the midwife went to tell Brandon that he had a son.

Brandon glowed as he smiled lovingly at Melody and said, “Melody, he is so beautiful. He has your golden hair and your eyes. I’m so relieved that you and the baby are fine. I didn’t want you to know, but I was so worried that something would go wrong. I didn’t want to lose you like … I lost Lily. I … have fallen in love with you … I couldn’t imagine my life without you. Don’t worry. I know you don’t return my love, and I’m fine with that. I just needed to tell you how I feel.”

“You know I care deeply for you, and I’m happy that you love me. You’re a wonderful husband, and while a part of my heart will always belong to Henry, I do love you. I’m very happy that we married. My love for you is peaceful and serene, and you make me feel very safe. I’m so grateful we married and that we have this beautiful child. He looks like me, doesn’t he? Now what do you want to name our son?” she asked.

Brandon grinned at her as he said, “If it’s all right with you, I would like to name him after me. All the firstborn sons in my family have been named Brandon Alton Foster.”

Melody serenely smiled and said, “I have always loved your name, so please let’s name him after you and your father. I think that it’s a fine name.”

Brandon picked up his son and cradled him in his arms. He looked at Melody and gave her a big grin. She smiled back at Brandon and then went to sleep.

The Monastery

Brussels, Belgium

Fall 1817

They were riding horses by a lake, and when they got off the horses, he pulled her into his arms and said, “Oh, Melody, I love you so much. Come, my darling, let’s walk around the lake
.
” Henry woke up and just realized that the woman in his dreams was named Melody.
What
a
pretty
name!
Why
could
he
not
remember
more?
Just
these
bits
and
pieces,
it
was
driving
him
mad.
The other night he dreamed about a time when he was a child. He was playing in a tree by a lake, and he fell in, an older boy got him out of the water, because he could not swim.
Oh
god,
why
could
he
not
put
these
pieces
together.
The dreams about the battle were the worst, because there were men dying all around him, and he could not do anything about it. A horse was screaming in pain, and he felt so helpless.
When
would
his
memory
come
back?
Father Francis kept assuring him that it would, and he felt that it would happen soon. He was trying to be patient, but it was very difficult.

As the fall passed, he continued to have more dreams, but nothing in them told him what he needed to know about who he really was. His heart yearned for this woman called Melody. Surely, his memory would come back, and soon, because the dreams were becoming more detailed. Father Francis was very optimistic, which helped Henry feel more hopeful.
Soon,
he
thought,
soon!

Doncaster

Winter 1818

Little Brandon was a big baby and very strong. By Christmas, he was crawling. Mary Elizabeth loved her little brother and tried to help Melody take care of him. If she were really good, Melody would let her hold him, as long as Melody was right there with her. Over all, Melody was happy and content with her life. She still missed Henry everyday, but she knew she had made the right decision by marrying Brandon. It was a different kind of love, but, nonetheless, very fulfilling. The holidays went by quickly, and soon it was Mary Elizabeth’s second birthday. Brandon held true to his word, and he showed just as much love to Mary Elizabeth as he did to Little Brandon. She was truly blessed in her marriage. As the days went by, she felt her love blossom for him, and she was at peace with this. She knew in her heart that Henry would have wanted her to be happy.