Rory:

I awoke stiff from my uncomfortable position on the sofa I had slept on. I would not leave her side until she was awake. I stretched out my aching limbs as I stood from the sofa rubbing the side of my neck.

To my dismay Cecilia remained unmoving, her breathing slow and quiet. I ordered a tray of breakfast to be brought up, I would not leave her yet. I changed into a pair of comfortable slacks and a loose shirt. I would have to forfeit my visit to the fields today, Cecilia was my priority.

A maid knocked on the door before setting down a tray for myself and one for Cecilia should she wake up and feel hungry, the doctor had not mentioned any dietary requirements so I assumed the best way to help her in her recovery would be to provide her with plenty of food.

I nibbled at my plate, my appetite had been lost from the moment I had left the house to find her and it had not yet returned. I was too busy thinking about Cecilia to take the time to contemplate eating a large breakfast.

I pulled an armchair up to the side of the bed and took one of Cecilia's small hands in my own. Her skin was paler than usual and her hand felt incredibly delicate as I clasped it between both my own. I brought her hand up to my lips and placed a lingering kiss on her knuckles.

The doctor had said she would be fine but she had been very lucky indeed that her attacker hadn't done more damage. Her attacker... He couldn't be the same person that had delivered her other scars and bruises the doctor had mentioned, could he?

I would have to wait for Cecilia to wake before I could find out any more. I sighed, I knew she wouldn't want to talk about it, least of all to me, but I needed to know, I needed to be able to protect her. I hoped she would tell me willingly, I hoped she would trust me, I didn't want to make her do anything against her will but I had to know so I could keep her safe.

Some time later I was awoken by a hand running through my hair, what the devil? I bolted upright from the bed where my head had been resting.

"I didn't mean to wake you, I'm sorry," a voice next to me said softly.

"Cecilia?" I asked, she was sitting up in bed her hand on the sheets as her face turned pink. Was it really her? Was she up and awake, or was it just another hopeful dream?

"Am I dreaming?" I pinched myself, praying it wasn't a dream. She placed her hand over mine and let out a laugh before wincing and moving her hand to her stomach.

"Yes it's me idiot," she smiled, her eyes crinkling slightly at the edges. God how I'd missed her smile, and it hadn't even been twenty four hours. Lord, I was completely and utterly besotted. I had to admit, it was indeed a strange and new feeling, but one I wouldn't trade for the world.

"How are you?" I questioned her, "Where does it hurt? What can I do? Is there anything I can fetch you? Any... Any... Just anything?" I was desperate to be of use to her, I had to prove my worth to her and show her I was changing for the better.

"I've been better," She smiled another dazzling smile and I couldn't help but laugh at her choice of words. "Do not worry yourself about me, I am just a little sore 'tis all." She squeezed my hand lightly, "Thank you though."

"Cecilia," I said, my tone more serious, "We need to talk about... About... About the scars on your body. Cecilia what happened?" She immediately snatched her hand back from mine and twisted her body to face away from mine. I felt my heart drop slightly at the action.

"Cecilia," I held her chin between my thumb and forefinger and brought her face back around until it was level with mine. The terror and pain in her eyes sliced at my heart, she looked so vulnerable, as if she could break with just one touch.

I had never seen anything but a strong woman in Cecilia, sometimes I forgot she was just as human as anyone else and held more pain and hurt than most as well.

"Cecilia, I want to protect you. I wont let any more harm come to you, I promise, you're safe now, but I need to know how those scars and bruises got there, do you understand?" I hoped she would tell me, I waited with bated breath as she said nothing before she finally nodded her head.

"Okay," she whispered as I let out a sigh of relief.

"My mother died in childbirth," she began as I watched her intently, I reclaimed her hand and gave her a encouraging squeeze to which she offered me a pained smile.

"My father had loved her very much and he could not bear to live without her. In his eyes, I had killed her, it was my fault. Everyone told me how much I looked like my mother and I knew that hurt him too. He couldn't bear to look at me."

"The first years of my childhood he was rarely present, he would go out and not come home until late or he would lock himself away in his study. I was eight the first time he... He..."

she choked up slightly as she recalled the events of her childhood. I reached across the bed and gathered her up in my arms, placing her firmly on my lap. I stroked her hair as I hugged her tightly to which she offered me a small smile.

"That was the first time he struck me." She continued.

"I had waited up for him to come home and he had returned a drunken mess, he threw me over his shoulder and carried me to the kitchen, he put me on the table and hit me with his stick countless times, that was the first time." I clenched my free hand into a fist, that monster would pay for his actions. I watched as she wiped a tear from her cheek with the back of her sleeve.

"Most nights he would come home in the same drunken stupor and would entertain himself by hurting me. There was his stick, the metal poker, the horse whip and of course his fists, all firm friends of mine." She let out a mirthless laugh and I tightened my grip on her.

"I managed to look after my wounds and Edward," I tensed at his name, "He helped me dress my cuts, he found me stealing bandages from the doctors practice in our town once and helped me after that." She looked up at me for the first time as if to see my reaction. I reached down and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I'm so sorry, I wish I'd known." She shook her head at me.

"'Twas not your fault." She replied

"All the same," I said softly, "I wish I'd known." Maybe her bastard of a father could've been stopped sooner.

"And last night," I pressed, "Was that your father too?" I already knew it was but I needed her to confirm it, I had to be sure. I felt horrid making her talk to me about it so soon after, but it was for her own protection.

"Yes," she nodded her head again, "He wanted me to steal your money and give it to him, ten thousand pounds. I refused and he tried to make me concede to his wishes his preferred way."

"You're hurt because of me." My heart sunk, her marrying me had caused her this pain. I turned my head away from her ashamedly.

I felt her small hand on the side of my face pull me to face her. Her large aquamarine eyes bore into mine with such an intensity that I didn't think I could look away even if I wanted to.

"Don't say that. It is my father who is in the wrong, not you." Her voice was hard but there was soft edge to her words.

"We could file for an annulment if you'd like." It pained me to think of annulling the marriage and her leaving Clampton, but if it would keep her safe I would do it. I felt her hand drop from my face and she tilted her head so that she was looking out of the window.

"If that is what you want," she said, her voice barely audible.

"What I want is for you to be safe," the selfish part of me hoped she would not leave but if it was for her own protection I would be able to bear it. I laughed inwardly, who was I fooling? I wouldn't be able to bear it, but it would give me some peace of mind to know she was safe.

"Am I not safe here with you?" She quipped defiantly.

"I will do everything I can to make sure you are," I replied, I was determined to keep her out of harm's way and I wanted to make her stay.

"Well then," she lifted her chin a bit higher, "I shall remain here with you."

"I am glad," I smiled at her before playfully adding, "I fear the house would be awful quiet without you." She slapped my chest lightly, a smile gracing her face once more.

"I can still rethink my decision you know," she laughed before letting out an involuntary yawn.

"You need to rest," I said softly, not wanting it to sound like an order. I knew she hated being told what to do. I shifted to move her back to the bed but, to my surprise, she snuggled closer into my chest, one of her hands clutching onto the fabric of my shirt.

I rubbed her arm soothingly and watched her closely as her breathing slowed and her eyes shut. The doctor had said she would need to rest and she most certainly did.

**********

Cecilia was on the road to recovery, it had been only a few days since the incident had occurred but with the medicines and salves Doctor Harding had prescribed her. Edna kept on top of her health, making notes and giving her the correct doses of the right medicine at the right time as well as rubbing the ointments into her bruised skin.

Under the care of myself and Edna it was only a matter of days until Cecilia was bouncing around again, the bruise almost gone from her face. Cecilia had pleaded with me to let her go back out to help in the fields but I immediately forbade such a ludicrous suggestion, the woman had just left her bed after a nasty attack for heaven's sake! Some things never would change.

I had not pushed Cecilia's monstrous father to the back of my mind, but first I needed to make sure Cecilia was well and healthy before I could track him down. I had spoken with the constable, and, as much as I had wanted to be the one to bring him to justice, we had agreed that I needed to stay and make sure Cecilia was safe.

We had learnt that her father had gone into hiding almost immediately after the incident, and hoped to soon hear of his arrest.

I was back in my own room and Cecilia had returned to hers after a couple of nights in my bed, she had insisted that I get some rest myself and I wouldn't get it with her in my bed whilst I slept on the sofa. She had been partly right but I wouldn't admit that to her, but I missed her presence even if she had been unconscious half the time.

I pulled on a light pair of slacks and clambered tiredly into my bed. I drew the duvet up to my chin and wildly kicked my legs around for a moment in an attempt to heat the cold bed. That was another thing I had noticed, the room definitely seemed colder without Cecilia in it.

I sighed, before blowing out the candle on my bedside table and finding a more comfortable position. It was not long before I had drifted into a dreamless sleep.

I jolted upright at the sound of screams coming from next door. Cecilia. I threw the duvet off of me and jumped out of the bed hurrying to the door that separated Cecilia's room from mine.

"Cecilia?" I shouted as my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room. Once my vision was clearer I could make out the distinct figure of Cecilia as she thrashed around in her bed.

"Papa stop!" Her voice sounded hoarse and broken, almost childlike as she called out in her sleep, lifting her arms above her face. Within seconds I was at her side shaking her shoulders.

"Cecilia! Cecilia, wake up!" Suddenly the screaming stopped and Cecilia jerked out of my grip returning her hands to shield her face.

"Cecilia, it's me, Rory," she slowly lowered her hands from her face as she let out a frightened sob. I sat on the edge of her bed and pulled her into my lap.

"Shh, it's okay now, you're okay, you're safe, I'm here." I rocked her gently as her sobs subsided into gentle hiccups.

"It was just a nightmare, just a bad dream, you're safe." I repeated, she nodded her head against my chest. Once she had sufficiently calmed down I shuffled her back into her bed and wrapped the duvet tightly around her.

I got up from the bed and made my way back towards my own room but was stopped as Cecilia call out to me.

"Rory," her voice sounded uncertain and nervous. I turned back around to face her as she looked down, in the dim room I couldn't exactly tell, but I thought I saw her blushing.

"Will you..." She swallowed apprehensively, "Will you sleep here tonight?" The question took me by surprise but I didn't hesitate to respond.

"Of course," I smiled at her but I wasn't sure she could see it through the darkness. I walked back to the bed and slowly climbed in next to her, I didn't know exactly what her idea of sleeping in the same bed together was but I put a respectful amount of distance between herself and I. I didn't want her thinking me presumptuous.

I was shocked when her quiet voice spoke up again, "Will you hold me Rory?" Her voice sounded so innocent and vulnerable. She had opened herself up to me and she had asked me to spend the night with her, maybe, just maybe, she felt something for me too. Or maybe she thought of our relationship as purely platonic, brother and sister per say.

I shifted myself closer to Cecilia and wrapped an arm around her waist drawing her petite frame into my chest. She lifted a hand and placed it over mine, she tilted her head to look at me, "Thank you." She whispered softly.

She was so close I would barely have to move for our lips to touch but I refrained from closing that distance. I needed to show her that I respected her, ravishing her when she'd just shown some trust in me would ruin that.

Closing my eyes and revelling in the feeling of holding Cecilia I breathed in her scent of lilies and spices and felt a wave of tiredness consume my body. Lying there in that moment with Cecilia safe and her body nestled into mine, I realised just how madly and deeply I had fallen in love with my wife.

Hey all!

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