[i]“I think I will be content with ten. Five boys, five girls. The eldest being a boy. No, the first five children should all be boys. That way, they can look after their little sisters and scare away any unworthy suitor.” [/i]

“Ten children! My lands, Nick, you have thought about this!” she gasped, a wide grin beneath blushing cheeks. It was her turn to be embarrassed. “I do hope some of them are twins, or I may be pregnant my whole life,” Claire joked with a giggle. “Sounds like we better start soon if that is your plan.” Perhaps as time went on the little devils would make him want less and less. But the idea of her and Nick having such a big family…it was beyond her imagination. With him working, would he even ever see them?

[i]“Claire,”[/i] he added, which got her attention. Claire loved when he said her name, it always sounded romantic. [i]“I was just teasing you. Of course I will not be flirting with other women at your party. I hardly know my wife, why should I go running off chasing skirts of mysterious women when there is one here I haven’t figured out? I may not look like it, Claire, but I am a faithful man. I promised, with London as the witness, to be only yours. I intent to keep that promise… Promise.”[/i]

She did not believe him. Nicholas Rochford seemed a decent man, better than most, but she knew better. He had no desire to “figure” her out in any way, and eventually someone would catch his eye. Even if not, even if he remained faithful as he promised, wandering eyes was not a sin. Her stomach sank as a part of her actually hoped he had a night with another. Perhaps then she wouldn’t feel like was such a burden- the adulteress he was attached to, forever diving into his work to forget the home life he was stuck with. How embarrassing, though, if London found out. Claire Rochford, stuck at home with ten children with their father has his fun. She deserves it, for what she did before marriage they would say.

Claire blinked, realizing time had gone by while she had completely made up an entire scenario of their lives before any of it had happened. What a bad habit. Still…Claire did not believe he intended on chasing her anytime soon. And that was fine by her.

[i]“Let’s wager then, to test my luck.”[/i] She shifted a bit as he sat up, putting the grapes to the side. [i]“I bet you will not be able to make a flat stone bounce on the river. Name your price if I am wrong.”[/i]

What a bet! His wife’s eyes immediately lit up and she quickly looked out to the water, eyes searching it for the perfect thing to ask of him. The world around them was quiet, as if time stood still as she decided. Finally Claire held out her hand so he could help her up, and as gracefully as possible went to the bank to find the perfect rock. “Soon you will be well enough to return to your work. I know I cannot keep you away forever, and our time together hasn’t been perfect, but I would like to request one thing,” she asked, picking up a flat stone and looking back at him with a playful glint in those emerald eyes. “One day a week, you are mine. When I wake in the morning, you are still at my side. We can order breakfast in bed, and plan out our day together as we eat. After I steal a few kisses from you,” she added with a smile, “we shall get up and do whatever it is that pleases us. Of course in a few years it may be multiple children jumping on the bed to get us up,” Claire said, painting a lovely picture of their lives together. “We could go shopping together, or travel to Brighton and leave the next morning,” she offered. “Or perhaps all we want is to stay in that warm, cozy bed beneath the covers all morning.” Claire walked toward him, putting her arms around his shoulders with a sigh. “All I ask is for one day a week. I do not even have to see you the rest, if that is what you wish. One day, Nicholas.”

With a kiss to his cheek she went back to the water, praying this would work. She’d done this before as a child, but it was possible she didn’t throw properly. The stone would simply sink to the river, along with her hopes of ever getting to know her husband. With a deep, steading breath Claire flicked her wrist and tossed the stone. What luck! The rock bounced along the top of the water, defying gravity for a total of not just one, but two jumps! The young woman laughed happily, twisting to quickly look back at him. “Do you believe that?” she grinned, putting a hand to her still slightly red cheek. The heat in her multiple layers was giving her a permanent blush. “You didn’t think I could do it, did you?”

Claire watched him carefully, curious if the idea of taking a day a week off work was too much. “I’d like to make a bet with you, now,” she said, her smile fading a bit. “If yours can go further than mine, more than two skips, you can take back what I just won.” She was quite confident he could do it. “You can work as much as you like, no promises made.”