Sleeper Awake
Day One, June, 1869
Residence, Brompton Road, London
Early Morning
The birds were singing as Josephine woke. Throwing her arms over her head and pointing her toes, she stretched and came fully awake. The maid must have crept in whilst Josephine slept to draw the heavy draperies back and the sunlight was dappled from the lace curtains. The light and the gentle habits of marriage woke Josephine first before her husband. But not too far ahead of him. The bedclothes rustled as he turned to her, his expression endearingly soft and rumpled as only a man's could be upon waking.
"Good morning, Josephine," said Ezekiel Drake.
And for an instant, just an instant, Josephine felt his tread upon her grave.
Every morning, when he woke up alongside Josephine, Ezekiel wondered how he had managed to end up where he was. He felt oddly unworthy - happy, yet somehow feeling like he didn't deserve the life he had managed to end up with. A beautiful wife, a wonderful house, and a growing business. Maybe that was just being a third son of a demanding family. Maybe he would never feel like he belonged. But that just meant he needed to appreciate what the Lord had given him.
He ran his hand across Josephine's shoulder tenderly. "Welcome to another beautiful morning. Are you ready to attack another day?"
"I am." Josephine froze just a second before stroking his face affectionately. Nothing's wrong, silly goose. You've simply overtaxed yourself of late. "And you?"
"I think so. I admit to feeling a bit odd this morning." He looked over at Josephine and could see the same thing in her eyes. Long years of being married to Josephine had allowed him to be able to read her in ways that he just didn't feel comfortable with other people. "The look on your face suggests you might feel it too."
"Ohh … ," Josephine moaned and dove face first into the pillow to hide her eyes. Her voice was muffled as she spoke through the pillow. "I don't want to get out of bed. Let's stay in." She dared peek at him through her hair. "Please?"
"Idle hands, love," he said teasingly. "You know we both have a busy day ahead of us."
"Oh, I didn't say anything about idle hands," she said and quick as a cat, she tickled him through his nightshirt.
He smiled a large smile that highlighted his cheekbones. "I'm not going to let you get out of work that easily, Josephine Drake." He lightly grabbed one of her hands, her long fingers still as beautiful as the first day they met. "Duty first before play."
She twined her fingers in his, her grip surprisingly strong. "Duty first, but I will hold you to the promise of play, Ezekiel Drake." Without warning she pulled him to her and kissed him soundly.
"That is more than fair," he admitted. "Shall we call your maid in?"
"Yes, please." Sighing, Josephine rolled off the bed, put her feet on the floor and stretched her arms over her head. "Once more into the breach. We've people to save, visits to make, letters to write …" She told herself the chill that crawled down her back was nothing more than the morning air … but deep down, she knew it wasn't.
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