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If he and his wife had a normal relationship, he would have taken her to see his family from the first week of their marriage. They would have spent a significant amount of time there. In their letter, his parents expressed their concern for him and a desire to speak with him about makinghis marriage work. He wanted to show to them that he was already on the right track. He had woken before Caroline and gotten ready. When she awoke from her slumber, he was already dressed.
"Good morning, beautiful. Did you sleep well?" He grinned, caressing her cheek and moving her hair from her face.
"I did, good morning," Caroline said and took in his attire. "Are you going somewhere?"
"Yes, I am going to my parent’s home. Do you wish to come with me?" he asked, hesitantly. He could always tell his parents that things were better, but he wasn't sure they were good enough for him to ask her to accompany him. He looked and saw that she had a conflicted look on her face. He knew that she would feel awkward. After all, she had not exactly had a relationship with her mother-in-law before they married. He suddenly felt guilty for not trying to foster a relationship between them, but he cast it aside just as quickly as it came. Until recently, he had not been able to foster his own relationship with her.
Still, Alexander understood that she might not feel comfortable with the idea yet. Maybe he would ease them into it, instead of just dropping her in their middle out of the blue. He could invite his mother for tea with his wife and have his father over to discuss certain matters on the chance that he would meet her and they could strike off a conversation from there.
"It is alright, you do not have to accompany me. I apologize for the blunt delivery," he said, smiling apologetically.
"No, I want to come with you. Truly. I merely do not know how they will react to my being there, considering everything. I do wish to get acquainted with them," Caroline said finally, sending a nervous smile his way.
"Thank you," Alexander said. The tightness from the disappointment he refused to acknowledge earlier suddenly lifted off his chest. "I have a few things I need to do before we leave, so I will wait for you in my study." He kissed her on the lips and left her to prepare.
Alexander did not have to wait long before she walked into the study, ready to go. The yellow gown she wore suited her blonde hair perfectly and cast an angelic glow about her that made it difficult for him to look away. The blush on her cheek increased rapidly the longer he stared at her, unable to say a word. That was what finally brought him back to reality. She had a peculiar shade of red that fit perfectly with her skin tone, and now that he had seen her naked, he knew how deep the blush traveled.
"You look beautiful as always, my Lady, and that dress looks fetching on you. Is it new? I do not believe I have seen it before," he asked, holding his hand out to her.
"Thank you, my Lord. I am glad you like it. I had not had the opportunity to wear it but I am glad to finally have one," she said, walking over to take the offered hand.
Alexander vowed to himself that he would take his wife to different places so people could see her for the beauty that she was. It saddened him that they had been so out of touch with each other that they had not even had an outing together.Well, that will change from now onward.
"Let us be on our way then. My parents will be delighted to see you." he smiled and they made their way over to the carriage waiting for them at the entrance.
As the carriage rolled along, Alexander noticed Caroline nervously twisting her fingers. Wanting to comfort her, he reached out and laced his fingers through hers, holding her hand in her lap. Surprised, she looked up at him.
“I would like to hold your hand,” he said. “Do you mind?” Caroline blushed again and he smiled to himself. She seemed to like it when he was direct with her. She nodded and held his hand back.
“Are you nervous?” he asked, although it was obvious that she was. He just wanted to make conversation to take her mind off it. He also wanted to hear her talk, instead of spending the carriage ride in silence.
As he spent more time with her, he realized just how much he loved to listen to her talk. She had so many refreshing thoughts and beautiful ideas, or lovely memories from the past to share. Things that made her unequivocally her and the more she shared, the more a hunger grew in Alexander to know his wife.
His mother would love her, he knew that. It had not been something he dwelled on much before they left, but it was a certainty now, his mother would fall in love with his wife, just as he was beginning to.
“Nervous? Yes, I am! Your parents do not know me at all. What if they dislike me?” She was so sweet in her nervousness, he found it endearing.
"You know, my parents invited me to their house to talk about our marriage." He noticed her stiffen as she stared at him, waiting for him to elaborate with bated breath and a worried expression. "They could tell we were experiencing problems.Given how close I am to my parents, they knew that if I was in a happy marriage, I would have brought you to the house already. They were concerned and wanted to advise me so that I could strengthen my relationship with you."
Caroline blinked, digesting his words. “Oh, so you don’t think that they dislike me?” she asked, her hopeful voice sounding adorable to him somehow.
He chuckled and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Indeed, I think they have a good enough impression of you, at least.” He was pleased when she did not shy away from his sudden touch but let him arrange her hair as though they did this often.
Caroline cocked her head to the side as though in thought. “Do they not hold any suspicions that I, or rather, my family, trapped you in this marriage? I do not see how your mother would be happy about that.”
“My mother liked you already because, apparently you had been rejecting suitors, claiming you want only true love. I think it more likely that she feels sorry for you since you had to marry me to avoid scandal,” Alexander said with a chuckle.
Caroline’s face reddened at once and she raised her hands to cover her face, forsaking their handholding in shame. “Oh my, I had forgotten all about that. I can't believe my pickiness caused such a stir that your mother heard of me. I feel embarrassed!”
Alexander stared at his empty hand in her lap and found that he did not like it at all. He wanted to continue holding her hand. So he reached out to take her wrists and remove her hands from her face.
“I wish to kiss you now. May I?” he asked. It had not been his intention, but his eyes had fallen on her lips as he went to take her hands and now the urge to kiss her filled him. Caroline’s eyes went wide at his directness once again as he continued to hold her wrists up.
“Goodness, your candor is disarming,” she spluttered.
“So, is that a no?”
Caroline looked away shyly. “Of course not. You may... and should never ask me. You can merely… act.”
