Dedicated to a lovely writer with only kind words who should have more self-confidence in their own ability @MEBrook

Cecilia:

The wedding had been an absolute success, Mrs Stone had looked gorgeous in her simple but beautiful ivory dress and Ellis had also looked quite the part in his best suit. The happy couple did not leave one another's side after the service whilst the wedding luncheon was served before dancing and music. They were a picture of happiness.

I climbed the stairs to our bedchamber somewhat nervously that night. Tonight was the night. I opened the door to what had become our bedroom ever since our confessions of love and walked towards the bed where Rory was already sitting with a book in his hands. He was wearing a loose shirt and pair of brown slacks as he turned the pages of his novel.

His eyes flickered up to me when I entered and a smile crossed his face. "Hello my darling, I was wondering when you'd come up."

"I was just seeing to some things below stairs." I returned his smile before placing a lingering kiss on his lips.

I strolled across the room towards the screen where my night clothes were. This time though, instead of changing into my nightdress behind the stand as I usually did, I began to slowly slip my dress from my shoulders and push it down the length of my body in full view of the bed.

I heard Rory put his book down on the stand next to him and I smiled smugly to myself. Maybe I had been wrong, maybe he had just been waiting for me to give him some sort of sign to show that I wanted to.

Once I was just in my chemise and corset I turned back around to the bed and walked slowly to Rory's side, swaying my hips slightly more than usual as I walked. I noticed with a satisfied smile that Rory's eyes were glued to me as I approached him.

"Would you help me out of my corset darling," I whispered in his ear when I had reached him. He nodded his head eagerly like a a little boy being asked if he wanted a sherbet drop. I twisted my body so that my back was facing him and I felt his fingers hastily fumble with the strings of the contraption.

I felt him undo the final strings and I eased the corset from my body, tossing it unceremoniously to the floor. Dressed only now in my flimsy chemise I swivelled to face Rory once more. I watched his tongue slip out and wet his lips so quickly I almost missed it.

I leant down and placed a light kiss on the edge of his mouth whilst letting my hand slip beneath his shirt. I felt his body tense beneath my hand as I ran it over his sculpted chest and I felt his heart beat speed up. A sense of Power ran through me at being able to effect Rory just as much as he effected me.

I moved to place a kiss on the edge of the other side of his mouth, but Rory, evidently having enough of my teasing, grabbed my face between his long fingers and pulled me down to meet his lips full on.

It was a kiss full of longing and passion that sent ripples of excitement pulsing through my veins. I shifted my body so that I was lying on top of Rory, my body moulding to his perfectly. I felt his feather light fingertips brush up the length of my legs beneath my chemise and another wave of anticipation coursed through me.

I tugged slightly on the bottom of his shirt, hinting that it was not needed and could be removed. Suddenly Rory's hands stopped their tracing of my legs and he broke away from my lips. "I love you Cecilia," he spoke sincerely, "Are you sure?"

"I love you too, Rory," I breathed before returning my lips to his as way of an answer.

**********

It was almost four months since the consummation of our marriage and, after a visit to the doctors clinic, that I was pronounced to be with child. When the doctor confirmed that my symptoms were indeed those of pregnancy I felt as if I might cry with happiness. I had a loving husband who I in return loved with all my heart and now I had been blessed with a child.

I had so far kept the baby a secret from Rory, I had been meaning to tell him but the right time had never arisen as of yet. I knew he would welcome and love the baby just as I would but I was still nervous to tell him.

I was sitting in my room with my ladies' maid Edna. We had become firm friends over the time we had spent together at Clampton and she had become my confidante. I had immediately told her of the news although she had already suspected that I was with child.

I trusted Edna not to tell the other members of staff, they would be informed after I had told Rory and we had agreed how to tell the servants. "Edna?" I turned my attention from the bonnet in my hands to my companion.

"Yes, Cecilia?" It had taken a while, but I had finally managed to make Edna call me by my christian name rather than addressing me by my title. 'Your grace' seemed unfitting and old-fashioned to me.

However, before I was able to ask Edna my question the door to the bedroom burst open and a nervous but excited looking Rory bounded in. He immediately rushed to my side, placing a quick kiss on my lips as Edna turned her head.

"My darling, we are going out," He smiled down at me fondly, "I have asked for Arrow to be saddled already, do you need my assistance to dress?" He threw me a wink to accompany the cheeky grin on his face. I couldn't help but blush at his words even though he had seen me undressed many a time before.

It was no secret to the staff at Clampton that Rory and I were head over heels for each other and we enjoyed the intimacies of marriage, however his words were so bold that the blood flamed in my cheeks all the same.

"I think I will manage, but where on earth are we going at this hour?" I laughed as he stuck out his lip like a sad child before he too laughed.

"I shall await you in the hall and it is a surprise my darling," he grinned devilishly before disappearing from the room until only his shoes on the stairs could be heard echoing against the panelled walls.

I changed quickly, eager to see just what my handsome husband had planned. The snow was still falling outside and covered the land in an ethereal layer of pure white. Beautiful as it was, it meant that the air was rather cold so I donned my thickest navy riding habit with a beautiful fox fur trim.

"So," I said as I jumped down the last few steps and made my way towards the waiting Rory, "Will you tell me what this surprise is now?"

"You shall have to wait and see my darling," he smiled at me, flashing his dimples as he sent me another infuriating wink. I withheld an unladylike growl, God I wanted to strangle the man sometimes.

Rory excitedly grabbed my gloved hand in his and practically dragged me out into the cold winter air towards the stables. I greeted Arrow affectionately having taken quite a liking to Rory's magnificent stallion.

"Just the one?" I raised my eyebrows at Rory as he stroked Arrow's neck.

"Just the one." He repeated before seizing my waist and lifting me up into the front of the saddle. Once I was seated atop the stallion he too pulled himself up into the saddle, taking the reins from the stablehand.

One of Rory's arms wound around my front, holding me tightly against him whilst the other held his reins as we cantered away from Clampton house. It was probably better for me to ride with Rory than alone though in my condition so I did not complain.

We rode the familiar path towards Stillers hill and I leant back into Rory's warm chest enjoying the familiarity of being in his arms. He felt like home, he was my new home and I knew unlike my last one, I would always be safe and happy with him.

We eventually reached the top of the hill and dismounted Arrow, opting to walk instead of ride along the snowy summit. The sky was an inky blue by now and the only light came from the round silvery moon.

We walked in the direction of the large oak tree and had almost reached it when I felt Rory tug on my hand as if asking me to stop. I turned around to question his want to stop in the chilly evening air but my mouth immediately shut when I took in the scene before me.

Rory had positioned himself in the snow so that he was kneeling down and he was looking up at me eagerly and happily. To an onlooker it would surely look like he were proposing, but we were already married so what in God's name was he doing soaking his trousers in the melting snow?

"Cecilia," Rory began, his eyes not once leaving mine. "I know what you're thinking, 'what could have possibly possessed my lunatic of a husband to kneel down before me in eight inches of snow?' Am I right?" I laughed at his accurate assumption of my thoughts.

"You are remarkably correct." I smiled, still confused.

"Well my darling wife, the answer to your question is simple. I am proposing." A childish grin stretched across his face as his copper eyes twinkled in the moonlight.

"Proposing? But we have been married nigh on a year?" I frowned in confusion at him.

"You are right, we have, and what a brilliant year it's been, well, mostly." His eyebrows knitted together before he continued his speech.

"But I was thinking and I realised, I never proposed to you like most courting couples. Hell I practically ignored you on our wedding day."

I grimaced slightly at the memory, it certainly hadn't been the wedding of my dreams, but we were here now so did it really hold much importance? Rory's eyes remained on mine as he cleared his throat before continuing .

"Mrs Cecilia Huntington, Duchess of Wortley, I did not always love you as I do now but you are the first and only woman I will ever love. I could spend days listing all your perfections, for there are many I assure you, unfortunately though it is still winter and not the most pleasant weather so I fear that would do neither of us any favours."

I laughed before opening my mouth to remind him of my many flaws as well but he held up a hand, silencing me.

"Wait," he said, giving me a pointed look as if he were reading my mind.

"I am aware my darling that you also have a few imperfections but I love them just as much as I love your perfections for they all are a part of who you are and in my eyes they make you even more perfect, they make you human." He cleared his throat again.

"I know I have not always, but I promise to protect and love you for the rest of my life, even if you don't want me to," he winked at me again and the smile on my face broadened.

"You are the love of my life and I never want to be parted from you ever again. Cecilia," he paused dramatically. "Will you remain my dearly beloved wife?" I laughed at the pleading look on his face.

"Well..." I tapped my chin as if pretending to think about the question and Rory in turn feigned worry. "I couldn't think of anything I'd like better."

I beamed at him as he stood up from the snowy ground and wrapped his arms around me lifting me off the ground slightly before placing a lingering kiss on my cold lips.

I pulled back from Rory, the time was just right and Rory deserved to know. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you and our child." I placed my hand lightly on my still flat stomach and I noticed Rory's wide eyes follow my movement.

"You are with child?" He asked with a note of hope and incredulity in his voice as he pulled back to survey me better.

"I am." I replied simply.

"Oh Cecilia," he smiled dazzlingly down at me and placed his hands over mine. "You have made me the happiest man in the world."

"And I the happiest woman."

Hey guys!

Ahh final chapter!! (There will be an epilogue to follow that is set roughly eight years later) I really hope you have enjoyed this story and I am hoping to write a sequel (hoping being the key word). Have an amazing day and thank you all so much for the lovely comments and votes (cannot believe this story has 20K oh my gawwwd!!!)

Much love

xxx