the difference

Chapter Thirty

Evelyn relished in the fact that her husband would be coming home alive in the next week or so. His letters had been the source of comfort throughout the last five months. It had been almost half a year since she'd last saw her husband. She had heard of the recent victory at Camden, she was proud in that moment. Theodore had even started walking, he had already fallen out of his cot. Evelyn's bump had grown as she was now around six months gone. January...the child would be born then.

Evelyn sat in the drawing room, chatting to her grandmother while she was she was tending to Theodore "He looks like his father, you're a fine mother"

"He's not mine..."

"He's as good as" A familiar voice spoke causing her to look up in surprise "anyway, he's definitely grown" William smiled his usual smile and Evelyn jumped up in surprise.

"William!" She beamed and rushed up to him, only then noticing she had Theo in her arms "You are never going back! Oh I missed you Muffin!"

"Shh, I'm here darling" He mumbled and tilted her chin up so he could kiss her "I've missed you more than you could imagine" Serena smiled to herself before exiting room to leave the couple alone "And you've grown!" William gleamed and lifted his son up onto his arms.

Evelyn let out a soft laugh and kissed his cheek "he can walk now and even clap"

"My boy I'm so proud!" William beamed and threw him up in the air before catching him "You are definitely a Tavington" he glanced over at Evelyn before smirking "and you are most definitely my wife"

"who is very heavily pregnant, hold your horses, speaking of, you smell"

"damn, a hero's welcome indeed"

Evelyn smiled slightly before hugging him "You are my hero"

Theodore giggled slightly before babbling "dada!" He smiled at his parents reaction.

"Did he just..." William lifted his son up and kissed his forehead "I'm so proud of you!" the babe looked up at him confused for a moment before tilting his head to the side.

"Bless him, he's clueless" Evelyn smiled before gently stroking Theo's cheek.

~~~

William was sat in the chest on the edge of the bed, only in his cotton drawers as Evelyn got undressed with the assistance of one of the maids. They brushed her hair until it shone and even added a few drops of frankincense to her neck and wrists.

"I'm sure my wife can undress herself from now on" the maid took the que to leave and left the couple in the room.

Evelyn smiled and looked down at her belly "They said if you weren't rigorous, you won't hurt the babe"

"You told them?" William asked, astonished that his wife had discussed this with the maids.

"well we won't be twiddling our thumbs, will we?"

"Hmm, how have you been fairing?"

"Oh I've taken a lover, didn't I tell you" She joked as he walked over to her "He isn't available at the moment though, you'll have to do"

"Hilarious" He growled playfully and claimed her lips in a passionate kiss.

Evelyn pulled away and looked up into his eyes "Oh and er...they said to also try another...position, its better for the baby apparently-"

William cut her off with a peck on the lips "I'll be as gentle as you wish, tonight is for you, tomorrow is still a mystery"

~~~

Evelyn huddled to William's side as she pressed featherlight kisses across his chest. He smiled slightly and brushed his fingers through her hair "you're never going back" she mumbled and kissed up his neck.

"am I not?" he mumbled and brushed through her hair "what are your strategies?"

"I shall shackle you to the bed in irons of needs be"

"will I be naked?"

"Muffin!" She squeaked before turning bright red.

"what? Am I to have any fun at all?"

"When are you going back?"

"until you give birth"

"Really?!" She beamed and gently kissed him "That's almost three months! I get to spend it with you?!"

"I love you, who better to spend it with that you? And our son" William gently brushed over her cheek before smiling "my one..." he lowered his face to her neck once again.

"I don't think so mister! You've already let a dozen love nips!" She giggled and tilted his chin up "your eyes are beautiful"

William nuzzled into her hand and kissed her wrist "I love you, my precious Eila"

"My toasty muffin" She smiled and gently kissed his forehead. William smiled to himself before resting his head against her belly "what are you doing?"

"my grandma used to say if you listened carefully enough, you could hear the heartbeat" he rested a hand on her stomach and felt a soft kick "Incredible, that's ours...our baby"

"We'll be a real family soon, it's almost December...Christmas and then it'll be 1781, this war is not in favour of both sides, someone needs to win"

William nodded and closed his eyes "it won't be the English"

"why do you say that?"

"It takes around two to three months to get more soldiers, the loyalist militia don't listen and now the dragoon commander Colonel William Tavington has fallen in love with a firey spirit colonial"

Evelyn felt a soft kick in her lower abdomen "That's them saying hello" William smiled before resting his hand over where the kick was "But this baby doesn't mean that we can disregard Theo, he's still our son"

William nodded before kissing her belly "three months and we'll see our baby...I wonder if they'll look like you"

"I was thinking Katherine if it were a girl and Andrew for a boy"

"My grandfather's was Andrew, I like that, he taught me to shoot when I was twelve" William smiled at the memory before glancing up at her "Yes, if it's a boy we'll call him Andrew"

"And maybe one day, we'll have bigger family?"

"Yes, a family. Me, you, theo and little Andrew or Katherine"