My Once Handsome Husband

When the carriage arrived back at her Aunt and Uncle's home it stopped in front of the door to let Delaney out. A footman helped her down since Ian had ridden his horse straight back to the stables. She felt anxious as she walked up the steps and into the house. She hadn't been gone that long but she knew it was very unlikely her husband would have slept that late into the day.

She waved hello to her Aunt as she passed the sitting room but didn't stop, wanting to get to her bedroom and find her husband. She wasn't eager to tell him this new information she had gotten from a doctor but she did want to know if he was still angry with her.

Delaney stopped in front of her bedroom door with her hand against the smooth wood. She took a deep breath, steadying herself before entering in case Vincent was inside. It reminded her of when they had first been married and the knowledge made her sad.

Stepping into the room, she found it was empty and was disappointed. Even if her husband was upset with her she still felt better when they were together.

Walking to her freshly made bed, she sat lightly on the end and dropped her hands in her lap. She twisted her ring around on her finger, thinking about what she had discovered and what it meant.

The doctor hadn't done extensive tests but seemed confident that there was nothing stopping Delaney from getting pregnant and she just needed to give it more time. She knew her husband though. Finding out there was nothing wrong with her would only cement his belief that there was something wrong with him. Ian was right as well though and she couldn't lie to him.

The door opened suddenly and Delaney jumped to her feet. Her heart fluttered madly as it always did when she saw her husband. Even when there was a look of displeasure in his eyes as there was now.

"Where were you?" he questioned, "I just met Ian in the stables and he said you'd gone into town to see to something."

"Oh yes," she answered hesitantly, "My Aunt and Uncle were supposed to tell you. Did they not?"

"They did... but no one seems to be able to tell me the reason you went into town in the first place."

Delaney looked away from him, twisting her ring.

"I... I went to see the doctor in the village."

A slight frown creased his brow, "Why?"

She bit her lip for a moment, "Because my Aunt told me Selina is pregnant... and I... well I wanted to know if there was something wrong with me."

Now it was Vincent that turned away, "You know there isn't anything wrong with you."

"No," she shook her head, turning back to him, "No after my parents and my aunt and uncle as well, I didn't know that there was nothing wrong with me. I've been worried that maybe there is. Maybe I have inherited something from them."

He nodded but didn't meet her gaze, "And what have you learned then?"

Delaney sighed, "Well very little actually... The doctor said we haven't been married long enough for him to be concerned so he didn't really look into it much. He said we are young and we haven't even been married a year. That's what everyone says."

"And did you tell him about me? About everything that's wrong with me?"

She swallowed, "No... I didn't talk about you."

Vincent nodded, walking past her to go to the windows and look out. He rested his hands on the window ledge and dropped his gaze to them, hunching over.

"Well, you shouldn't have gone to the trouble. We know whose fault it will be if we aren't able to have children. But I suppose if it makes you feel more at ease to have confirmation that you wouldn't be to blame..."

"That wasn't what it was about," Delaney interrupted, going to him, "It wasn't about blame Vincent. I just wanted to know that nothing was wrong with me but the doctor didn't see any reason to look into it yet."

"Of course not. There would be no reason for anyone to think you couldn't have a child, Delaney. If we had both gone together I have no doubt he would have been able to pick out the culprit without needing any tests."

"You don't know that there's anything wrong with you either."

He laughed coldly and turn to look at her, gesturing to himself.

"Except for all the painfully obvious things you mean?"

Delaney bit her lip and shook her head, "Vincent..."

"It's fine," he cut her off, running his hands over his face and up through his hair, "It's fine. The doctor just confirmed you were well which is a good thing. We don't need to discuss it further."

"But..."

"Delaney please," he looked at her with desperation, "Please... The knowledge of my limitations hurts me enough as it is without me having to argue to prove them to you. Please can we just leave it be?"

Delaney looked at his face with its angry red scars and nodded, dropping her gaze from it as it made her heart ache for him.

"I won't agree that you have limitations but I will agree that we don't have to discuss it."

He gave an exasperated sigh but shrugged, "Alright then."

He stepped to her and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. When he took a step back he looked down at her, studying her face. She saw his gaze soften. He gently brushed a lock of hair from her face and ran the back of a finger down her cheek.

"Would you tell me next time?" he murmured to her, "Tell me before you leave to go anywhere?"

Delaney nodded and a smile tugged at the corner of his lip.

"Even with Ian, I worry when you're away from me. I think it might get better once we've gotten home though."

"I feel safer at Edgewood than anywhere else. I've never had somewhere feel so much like a home."

Vincent's smile grew and he slid his arms around her waist, pulling her forward until he could kiss her. His lips met hers and his kiss was slow and soft and sweet. Delaney felt relief start to seep into her heart. This kiss felt more like her husband who loved her and less like a man worrying he was losing her. She wrapped her arms around him, comforted by his strength and warmth.

"Can I take you home now?" he asked quietly against her lips.

A little laugh bubbled inside of her, "Please do."

-

They waved goodbye to her Aunt and Uncle only a short time later. Delaney made an excuse that she was tired from their travel and longing for her own bed. The truth was she was actually just longing for time alone with her husband again.

The ride was long and Vincent locked his jaw and closed his eyes against the pain as it began to grow. Delaney ached as she watched him suffer and knew she would be happy when they arrived back at Edgewood. He could recover from so much time in the carriage and not worry about any more.

The sun was just setting when they arrived at Edgewood Manor and it reminded Delaney of the first time she'd arrived here after they were married. The sky was many shades of oranges and purples like it was now and the forests were growing dark all around them. Different from the day of their wedding, the leaves in the trees were all turning reds, yellows, and oranges now. They littered the ground too like a lovely but tattered quilt.

There Edgewood stood on its rise with its torches burning bright to welcome them home. Delaney felt her heart leap and she couldn't keep the smile off her face. She had missed their home more than she had realized and now she couldn't wait to go inside and visit all her favorite rooms and see all her favorite paintings and tapestries.

Turning to study her husband she knew much of her reacquainting herself with their home would have to wait until tomorrow. His breathing was sharp and he was gripping the seat until his knuckles were white. He had opened his eyes for only a moment, long enough to see the manor in the distance, but had since closed them again.

The carriage came to a stop and the door was opened but Delaney didn't move. She watched Vincent work to slow his breathing and then to just relax his body from the rigid position he'd locked himself into as they had hit bumps.

She looked outside and saw Ian waiting for them with his hands clasped behind his back, eyes cast to the ground. He glanced up and met her eyes, looking past her to Vincent, his expression changed to one of concern before he looked back to her again. Delaney could do nothing but lightly shake her head. There was nothing they could do to help him and he was too proud to accept their help anyway.

At last, he opened his eyes and took a deep breath, a groan escaping him as he pushed himself to his feet and climbed from the carriage. Air hissed through his teeth when his feet planted firmly on the ground. He looked back at her and held his hand out to help her down as well. She took it but made sure not to put much of her weight on him. She wasn't sure he would be able to support it if she did.

Delaney stood on the gravel drive looking up at their castle-like home as the torches lit it, making it look all the more powerful. She looked at her husband next to her as he studied the scene as well. He was so handsome and strong. Edge wood was only powerful because of its powerful master.

Yes, they were safe now that they were home once again.

Vincent would make sure of it.