Twenty One Part One

Violet moved about the galley and set a cup of tea to steep. He then leaned forward, arms crossed atop the counter, to watch the play going on at the serving tables.

Closest to him, at the end of one of the long tables, Paulie and Jonah were seated next to one another, a crock on the table in front of them, dough in their hands. They were making shapes and critters, laughing and encouraging one another, enjoying the simple playtime together.

Pete and Sam, Michaels, Luke, Bart and Brutus had joined the boys, playing rummy. They sat in three groups, each group consisting of four players. They had clustered at the far ends of the tables, their cider and sweets were within reach.

Pete, Tim, Jesse and Bart were playing one game, Sam, Phillip, Michaels and Davey played another. Brutus, Luke, Elias and Zack made up the third grouping.

The evening almost had a holiday feel about it. Violet was amused, observing his family in front of him, laughing, joking, calling each other out in fun. The tempting sweets and the smell of the spiced apples in the air, made Violet smile in contentment, as he enjoyed seeing them all so happy and relaxed.

Violet just stood, enjoying watching them for a few moments. Timothy seemed to have relaxed a bit as the weather put off the meeting with his grandfather for a little while. Violet could understand Tim's fears of the unknown, of having to tell a man he had never met, that their father was gone. The fear Tim carried of not knowing if his grandfather was a kind man, or not, or whether the man even still lived, was also a concern. It was a lot for a child to have to worry about. Then add in Tim's concerns for Jonah, whether he would thrive and be happy there, if the man did still live and wanted them to stay with him.

Violet wished there were more he could do to ease Timothy's mind, but this present camaraderie he was watching between the men and boys, was helping for now. Katherine would get ahold of him before too long, she usually had the perfect touch with these things.

Violet grinned as Pete got caught cheating and the boys piled atop him looking for more hidden cards. Pete laughed as he fished a card from Jesse's shirtsleeve.

"I thought we was just all cheatin'!" Pete laughed, as the boys then turned on Jesse, searching for other hidden cards.

Pete settled them back down quickly suggesting they start the game over. Violet noticed the other boys paying close attention to those two, for any more slight of hands.

Vi chuckled, and picked up Betsy's tea, "Play nice, boys." Violet advised, as he set the cup on a tray, then came around to pilfer some sweets to take back to his cabin.

He left the men and boys to their play and made his way down the hall to where his wife awaited him. Holding the tray atop his palm, he opened the door then shouldered it closed behind him.

He set the tray upon the table as Betsy came out from their inner cabin to join him.

He turned towards her as she came right into his arms. He held her and rocked her slowly, side to side, as she let her hands slide around his middle and up his back.

Eyes closed, they both absorbed one another's presence, their bodies warming where they touched, pressed against one another. Violet rubbed his hands up and down his wife's back slowly, then lifted one hand to sweep it from the back of her head, down her back, atop her silky tresses. He let his fingers sift through the soft mass, as he pulled her in, holding her as close as he could.

Betsy sighed with pleasure, being wrapped in his arms was so comforting and warm, she felt she could be happy to reside there the rest of her days.

Violet moved back to release her arms from around him, then scooped her up. She wound her arms around his neck and they kissed, and they kissed, and then they kissed some more.

Both of them were perfectly content to simply explore one another in comfortable passion, no hurry was felt or needed, they simply enjoyed the blossoming feeling of intimacy that bloomed between them, as fragile as a rose opening it's petals, as lovely as a heady nectar, tasted and appreciated for it's sweetness.

Violet felt the love he had for his wife cause a slight searing pain deep in his heart. He was overwhelmed by just how very much he had come to care for her. She had not only become the most important thing in his life, she had become the very air he breathed. He would move heaven and earth to keep her beside him for the rest of their days.

Betsy was amazed with the way her body still shot through as if with lightning, her head buzzed softly when he kissed her. She felt an overwhelming feeling, as if a tidal wave rushed and moved through her, taking away every thought, save for how wonderful it felt to be in exactly the place where she now was. She never wanted to ever have to let him go.

Violet kissed her softly thrice, then spoke against her cheek, she could feel his warm breath whispering past her ear, it caused goosebumps to rise on her arms and a shiver to run through her body.

"I love you, Elizabeth, more than I can even put into words. It consumes me and takes me over until I feel nothing except a searing pain at the thought of ever losing you." His arms tightened around her, holding her beyond closely. "I have come to need you so, I had no idea how much I could be affected by another person until you, Kitten." Violet kissed her cheek softly, then moved away a fraction of an inch, to try to look into her eyes.

Betsy felt the joyous tears forming and tightened her hold on him, keeping him where he was, as she closed her eyes tightly and held onto him.

He rubbed a hand up and down her back, as she absorbed his words and knew she felt the same. Now that he was hers, she would move heaven and earth to keep him also.

Betsy whispered back to him after a moment of tightly holding one another, "I have something I would like to give you."

He let her slide down in his arms until she stood on her toes in front of him, her hands still upon his shoulders.

He smiled down at her, as her face was lit up with loving him, and with being so very loved in return.

She lifted her hand to his cheek and rested her palm against it, as his hand came up to cover hers. He turned his head and kissed her palm, then turned his beautiful, smiling, violet eyes to search the depths of her own.

Betsy slid her hands down his chest, to then softly twist her mother's wedding ring from her right hand finger, setting it in her palm. She looked down upon it, and thanked God for her parents, so that she may be alive to live this moment in time.

Smiling softly, she raised her eyes to Violet's, his own slightly questioning, as she prepared to answer him.

"This was my mother's. I do not remember her or my father, but I am eternally grateful to them, for creating me, so I could be with you."

Violet cupped his hands under her own and squeezed softly. His eyes now held compassion and complete agreement.

Betsy continued, "I would have you keep it, my love, as you kept this one I have now worn since our vows. Will you wear this next to your heart for me, so that when I see it upon you I will be reminded of them?" She looked up into his face hopefully, he had never replaced the chain he had worn around his neck after taking her wedding ring from the one he had broken when they wed.

Violet nodded, but found he could not speak, for if he did, the dam would break. The single bittersweet tear that traced it's way down his face would be only the beginning.

Violet forgot sometimes that his little beauty had never known her own parents, that she had never known a mother's love. She had never known a hero worship for, or been a daddy's little girl. Praise God she had been raised by her Papa, but Violet would have so much more for her if he could. He had thought it was bad he had no memories of his father, but at least he did have a mother who loved him more than her own life itself, and he wished his Kitten could have had that from her own parents.

She smoothed the lone tear from his cheek with her thumb, cradling his cheek in her hand again. He held her other hand that held the ring, tightly, looking into her eyes deeply, conveying his love through the intensity with which he looked upon her.

He took her back into his arms, held her tightly, then whispered forcefully in an attempt to keep his emotions in check, "I would be honoured, my sweet, as you could never know,....... deeply, deeply honoured."

They held each other tightly another moment, she smiled against his chest, before he turned to go to their sleeping quarters, then came back so she could thread the ring onto a slim chain he returned with.

"This was in with your things?" He asked, as he bent forward so she could loop it over his head and then settle it inside his shirt, close to his heart.

She looked up at him and nodded, smiling at her treasure, as this man had become everything to her. She stood up on her toes and kissed his cheek softly, "It was, I had forgotten Papa saved it for me."

Violet put his hand atop his shirt, feeling the ring through the linen. He rubbed it between his fingers and smiled back upon her. "Thank you for asking me to hold it safe for you." He placed a soft, sweet kiss upon her lips, then remembered her tea.

"Oh no, I shall return forthwith. Your tea is surely bound to be chilled by now. Let me go heat it quickly for you." Violet lifted her cup and a cookie from the tray as he turned to go to the door.

"Should I shuffle the cards, my love?" Betsy asked seductively, as she already imagined him without half of his clothing in her mind. She warmed considerably, though she did not blush any longer. She mentally rubbed her hands together at the thought.

"By all means, my dear, by all means." Violet grinned wickedly as he entered the hallway, Oh, what a joy this woman was! He thought, as he hurried on his way to serve his wife.

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Sorry guys it's been a while, and so short, I am with the daughter and grandson visiting 3 states away from home :) but we are collaborating if that helps any :D

Blessings my friends!