The War at Home

[John MacMillan]

John's hand tightened affectionately around Helena's and after a moment of hesitation she raised it silently to his lips. He had been sure they were broken and quite beyond repair but now he felt a shock of shame for having almost given up on them so easily. After all their years of marriage, and all their years of love, surely there was nothing û no quarrel, no strain û they could not mend and he was determined to be a better husband to Helena in the future, and a better father to his sons, whether they believed they needed him or not. After all, settling Charles would be an uphill struggle and though Edward was a dutiful man he too would need time to adjust to marriage, no matter how amenable Miss Pendergast might be. Elmer, on the other hand, would be a mystery no longer.

"No my love," he smiled, allowing his lips to caress her fingers as they might have done years ago, "I don't believe that we do."

  

[Helena MacMillan]

It felt to Helena for a tiny moment as though nothing terrible had ever happened to them. The press of his lips was as welcome as it had ever been and he looked at her with all the affection that a man would gaze upon the mother of his children. The fate of two of those children was almost forgotten and she smiled back at him gently, as she had when they were young and she'd first presented him with Edward.

From her sitting position reaching him was awkward but Helena found herself oddly possessed for a moment and realised she was on her feet a moment before she remembered that she really ought to do something rather than just stand here like a fool. Still holding John's hand and using her free one to brace herself on the back of his chair she leant in and pressed her lips against his in a short, rather more affecting kiss than she had intended, conveying her need for him and immediately panicking that she had given too much away.

"I should see to dinner," she blurted, quite suddenly and slid her hand free of his after a final squeeze. Getting to her feet she walked towards the door, glancing back over her shoulder to smile at him apologetically.

She wanted him as she ever had and the thought of that was rather startling after so many years. Once out of the room she rushed towards the servant's staircase and slipped into the empty hallway to catch her breath, her body feeling more alert than it had in years.