When Delaney woke up, she was at first confused, not understanding where she was. When she felt something warm under her cheek, she lifted her head a little and looked down. Under her was a tanned, muscular arm.

Rolling to her back then, Delaney realized she\'d moved around in her sleep and had had her back pressed to his warm body and her head on his arm.

For a moment she blushed and felt embarrassed for doing it. But then she remembered he was her husband after all. There was nothing wrong with her sleeping next to him.

Her husband. It seemed strange to think she had spent the night in bed with her husband. Maybe they hadn\'t spent the night together like married couples traditionally would but it felt important to her.

Delaney rolled over to face Vincent now and looked at him sleeping. He seemed peaceful there and his scars had lightened until they looked almost like a normal scar. She looked at his lean chest and what she could see of his abdomen and the scars that ran over them.

She wondered what they felt like to touch.

With her hand hovering just above his skin, Delaney moved slowly over his chest toward the place under his collarbone where a dragon fang had pierced him, and the scars spread from it like spider webs.

Just before she touched it, a hand grabbed her wrist.

Looking up, she saw green eyes open now and watching her closely.

Apologizing quickly, she pulled her wrist free and he let it go easily. She sat up and scooted a bit away from him across the bed, clutching the sheets over herself for more coverage. She looked away from him and felt her cheeks warm in embarrassment.

"I\'m sorry," he ran his hands over his face then, "I just... I just can\'t I..."

"It\'s alright," Delaney said quickly, "I understand. I shouldn\'t have done that."

"No, Delaney," he shook his head, "You\'re my wife. You have the right to... to touch me."

He ran his hands over his face again and through his hair. Delaney was surprised to see the tension and stress in him now over the subject. Not knowing what else to do, she pulled his hand from his hair and into her lap.

"Vincent," she gave him an encouraging smile, "It\'s alright. I promise. I understand."

He looked at her with sad eyes, unconvinced.

Delaney squeezed his hand, "Really Vincent. I promise. Now, I\'m going to get us something to eat. I\'m famished."

He nodded then and Delaney got up from the bed. Vincent moved to sit up and groaned. The sound caught her attention making her come to his side of the bed.

"I\'m alright. I\'m just sore."

Not believing it, Delaney pulled back the covers to inspect his bandages. She gasped when she saw the blood had soaked through.

"Stop trying to hide it from me when something is wrong with you," she commanded sternly, "I want to know. You don\'t have to take care of everything yourself."

Vincent swallowed, "Alright. I\'ll try."

Delaney felt a bit better with that. She took his robe from where it was hanging and put it on. She pulled the bell cord that would bring his valet to his room before slipping into the hall and quickly to her own room.

Once safe from prying eyes, she pulled her own bell cord to summon Ivy. The girl was quick to arrive but still looked leery from the night before.

"Are you... are you alright this morning my lady?"

"Yes thank you," Delaney answered simply, "Can you help me dress for the day?"

"We heard Lord Adair shouting at you last night," she said quietly, moving slowly for the dress, "We know you tried to escape but he caught you and brought you back here."

"Ivy," Delaney looked at her in shock, "That is none of your concern."

"We saw all those wolves he killed. If he could do that on his own it would be simple enough for him to hurt you. Then he forced you to stay in his room afterward like a prisoner..."

"Ivy!" Delaney shouted her name loud enough the woman jumped. When she turned to look at her mistress Delaney\'s words came out like venom.

"You are a servant here. You are not my friend. You do not speak to me or anyone else about my husband in such a manner again or I will see you thrown out of this house. Do you understand me?"

"But my Lady he\'s..."

"Do you understand me, Ivy?"

The maid only nodded then, tears in her eyes and red from embarrassment she hurried to help her mistress dress in silence. She did Delaney\'s hair quickly before asking if there was anything else.

"Yes," Delaney\'s voice was cold, "You will bring a tray of food and tea to Lord Adair\'s bedroom. I will be there so be sure there is enough for both of us."

"Yes my Lady," the girl curtsied.

"And Ivy," Delaney called after her causing the girl to pause in the doorway, "Let Mrs. Crouch know I would like to speak to her later."

The girl\'s face went pale but she nodded and left the room.

Delaney turned to look at herself in the mirror and had to work to calm her anger. Mrs. Crouch had said her maid had good references. Obviously, the girl hadn\'t learned her place and how to behave in it.

She had been concerned for Delaney but it was not the place of a maid to ever bring up things she had overheard or voice a bad opinion of someone above her. Especially not the Duke of Edgewood himself.

When Vincent\'s valet answered the door to his room, he smiled kindly at Delaney and stepped aside to let her come in. He was a sweet-looking man who appeared to be the same age as Vincent.

Delaney smiled when she saw Vincent sitting up in bed dressed nicely now. He smiled nervously upon seeing her, looking down at his lap.

"You can thank Harris," he spoke bashfully, "He changed the bandages and cleaned the wounds."

"Thank you," Delaney nodded at the valet who was grinning at his master, "He looks much better."

"I\'m just glad I get a chance to use my knowledge of fashion at last," he chuckled, "Now that he has someone he cares to impress."

Vincent reddened, "Don\'t you have work to do elsewhere?"

Harris chuckled and excused himself from the room. Delaney blushed and looked towards the ground before sitting lightly at the foot of the bed.

"I\'m sorry about him," Vincent rubbed the back of his neck, "He\'s lived at Edgewood his whole life too. When we were children he was as close to a brother to me as could be without sharing blood."

"He seems very nice."

"Yes well since he started working we\'ve always kept the rule of, in here we\'re friends and out there he\'s the valet again."

Delaney thought about her encounter with Ivy. She didn\'t think she would be able to trust her maid the way Vincent trusted his valet. It was better their relationship was professional at all times.

At that moment, there was another knock on the door and Vincent called for the person to come in. The subject of Delaney\'s thoughts entered carrying a tray with tea and all the things you could want to mix into it. Behind her came a tall man that normally served their meals, carrying a tray full of foods for them.

Everything was set up at a table near the windows. Delaney dismissed the servants, watching as Ivy eyed Vincent but also tried to stay as far from him as possible.

Pouring two cups of tea, Delaney heard Vincent groan behind her. Turning she saw he\'d pulled himself up to standing and was slowly making his way to her, jaw clenched against his pain.

"What are you doing? Go back to bed and I\'ll bring it to you."

"I won\'t eat in bed like an invalid," he managed, "I had to do enough of that in the hospital."

"But you need to rest and heal and get your strength back," Delaney argued.

He managed a small smile as he made it to the table and eased himself into a chair. His breathing was coming quicker but otherwise, he didn\'t seem too bad.

"The only reason I won\'t insist is because I know I would probably do the same," she smirked at him.

The pair sat at the little table eating and sipping tea. When they had finished, Vincent leaned back in his chair and smiled at her. Delaney then gave him a wicked grin and requested he tell her stories of the trouble he, Miles, and Harris had gotten in as boys.

Vincent had laughed but agreed to appease her. As he talked Delaney couldn\'t help but notice how much he looked like his old self. When he was smiling and talking so animatedly about his youth it was like he was that boy again.

He was just starting to get tired when they heard a noise outside. Vincent sat up and looked out the window. He swore and got to his feet. Delaney looked at him with worry.

"You shouldn\'t be up," she said, looking outside to see a carriage approaching, "Who is that?"

Vincent stopped and turned around to look at her with a serious frown.

"My mother."