Adrian stood at a distance from the door watching Eva restfully sleep. It was a long hair raising journey back but after she insisted that she wanted to go home, he could not deny her.

"Please Adrian! I want to return home," she pleaded.

He took in the sad gaze.

"I know you do love, but what of the baby? What of the danger?"

"I feel fine. The baby is not due until another couple of weeks," she insisted.

With a physician in tow they boarded ship and sailed home.

Relief gripped her after that long journey they made it safe and she finally rested.

Rosie was surprised and elated to see her return. Penniford became her staunchest servant in anything she needed. Caroline kept her company while Adrian attended to the estate and the family business. Tonk and his father visited often which made her extremly happy.

After a while Montgomery began to visit. And it was then that Eva learned of her fathers demise and that it wasn't because of his gambling that he disappeared, it was because he had died. It was no news that although she felt upset that his gambling ruined her life she did feel very sad.

But, the immense love Adrian has for her, he comforted her as she lay on his arms that night crying. For the loss of her mother, her father the melancholic feeling of leaving her uncle and her cousin. Although they promised to visit when the baby was born, she still wept.

He caressed her and kissed away her tears.

The very next day she sat up beaming with a gorgeous smile staring up at Adrian.

"I know what I want to do with my home in Dower," she caressed his cheek.

"What?" he mumbled nuzzling his nose to her cheek then her neck.

"I want to turn it into a foundling home," she whispered.

He slowly leaned up and stared down into her eyes. The love he had for her was evident in his gaze.

"I think that my peach is a marvellous idea," he lowered his lips and kissed her.

As she settled into his side he listened with rapt attention about what she wanted. His eyes mesmerized by her beauty absorbed the sudden radiance she had making his heart swell.

********
As the days went by they fell into normal routine as usual preparing for the babies arrival. Her room would be the nursery. The task to fix it up was a debate between Arlington, Caroline, Tonk, Brendan and Adrian. They laughed as Penniford stepped forward and insisted he help as well.

Among the array of things needed to finish the room. Evangeline took her time getting aquainted with the colors of paint they were going to use.

Impatient as she was she put on a smock and slowly began to paint. Enjoying the solitude and her work she never saw the loving grey eyes that observed her from the door.

"I thought you were strictly forbidden to get out of bed," his voice broke her from her musing as she glided the paint brush up and down.

Slowly she turned and looked at Adrian leaning against the door.
A determined gaze mirrored her own.
"I could not lay in bed all day," she gave small pouty look before lowering her gaze.

Slowly he pushed away and walked towards her closing the distance and stood before her. Long black lashes lowered and took in her paint streaked smock, then the light yellowish smudge of paint on her nose. A deft finger raised up and cleared a few tendrils of hair from her face.

"You must be resting," he said.

"Im perfectly fine, Adrian," her eyes sparkled with a convincing smile.

He smirked.

"I must...," he begun. But she quickly wiped her finger with paint down his nose.

Her mischievous gaze lifted to his as they went from astonished to a devilish grin.

"I do believe I have quite an eager painter," he stepped closer.

She giggled.

He reached down and took the brush from her hand.

"But I believe I would so much enjoy painting you more," he whispered pulling her close.

Oh really!" she giggled.

"Most definetly," he answered.

He looked down at her. Anticipation and amazement evident in her stare.
"This body is my canvas," he lowered his lips to her neck before gliding a small smudge of paint there.

"On it I am able to convey my inner most desire with a simple stroke of a brush or..my finger," his lips lowered to her collarbone then he trailed a long wet streak along it.

He felt her slightly shiver.

There eyes met once more. His gaze lowered to her lips with hunger.

"A canvas of beauty I can paint with kisses," he tilted her chin up then lowered his lips there as well. "Lick with swirls of color," she whimpered as he glided his tongue along her jaw towards her ear giving it a spine tingling flick.

"Admire it with caresses," the velvety rumble of his voice etched with lust made her gasp and slowly shut her eyes feeling his wet finger trail a wet path over her erratic pulse.

"And when im done," he looked down into her beautiful sparkling passioned filled eyes. Yellow smudges of paint all over her from his touch, he groaned. "Then I appreciate and devour my masterpiece." he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her with ravenous need.

Softly pressing her back to the wet wall, the sticking coolness was barely noted. A moan escaped them both. He wrapped his hand around her waist sustaining the other for support on the wall while he kissed her with a tender violence that had them moaning and panting.

He gently removed the smock and lowered her dress down off her shoulder with a trail of hot kisses exposing her breast causing her to shiver as her nipples hardened against the coolness of the air. Thick lashes hooded over blazing steel looked at her with so much love before cupping the full round inviting breast in his palm caressing it and worring the nipple with his thumb. With a gentleness that drove her over the edge, he lowered his head and swirled his tongue around the hardened nipple.

She whimpered and gasped as his teeth tugged it then drew it into his mouth with a tender suck.

Like an erotic artist engrossed in his painting,his paint stained hands slid over her skin, smearing it in paths of heat and color of yellow and pastel green.

Her response had him loosing what little control he possessed to not make love to her on the very floor they stood on.

He pulled her even closer. A warm heat bathed over her, deeply aroused with his hard body against hers, her sex tightening with every one of his caresses. Her breathing labored and erratic as she whispered near his lips to make love to her.

With groan he caressed her more until she drew in a sharp breath and stiffened against him. The bundle between them made its presense known...and he felt it as well.

The sharp kick jolted her and he stepped back concerned placing his fingers gently on the spot where he felt it. Eyes filled with love and adoration met hers that dazzled with awe.

"Are you ok?" he panicked.

The soft bubble of a giggle calmed him as looked deep into her worry free gaze.

"I guess he did not like being smothered." she grinned.

He smirked. Taking in the smudged yellow - green hue over her skin then himself.

"We need a bath so you can get back to bed and rest." he gave a stern look.

"Now m'lady does any of this wash off or will we have to figure out how to explain this?" with a giddy mischievous smile she regarded his paint smeared shirt and fingers.

"It seems the painter and his muse may need to explain quickly before it dries," the eeriely calm voice of Caroline floated across the room.

They stood still. His wry smile looking down at the glittering eyes of his muse before the sound of giggles and chuckles escaped them.

Caroline stood impatiently with arms crossed waiting for them to finish.

A slight surprised gasp escaped her as they turned to face her.

"For shame the both of you should know better," she regarded them both with horror.
"Brother, why is she out of bed?" she chastised him.

He raised his hand in defeat before shaking his head. "I am but a victim here," he chuckled as Eva shoved him.

"The both of you go now and clean up before Rosie has your head for having Evangeline out of bed."

She shook her head as she watched her brother wiggle his brow at his wife.

"Come peach or shall I say muse and lets get cleaned up it seems the fun is over." he bent and picked her up in his arms.

He grinned with her contagious giggles as he walked around Caroline and retired to their room.

Before a burning fire of the hearth, they undressed and together submerged their paint smudged bodies in a warm inviting bath. The sweet scent of Vanilla and Lavendar wafted the air and calmed them. Strong soapy fingers delicately glided over her skin and erased all traces of paint.

She rested snug against his chest enjoying the warm water, his caresses and the slight movements of their child.

"Adrian?" she said his name.

"Hmm," he answered.

"Do you think I would be able to go check on my home in Dower? I am anxious to see it. I want to begin the preparations to fix it up," she said.

Anxiously she waited for his answer.

"I don't see why not. Just as long as you are fully rested and Caroline accompanies you then it will be fine." he responded slowly caressing her arms.

Content with his response she settled against with a smile.

*********

A week had gone by and she rode with Caroline to Dower. Adrian had agreed to meet with them within the hour of their arrival.

She felt right as rain, excited and restless to get there. Her mind wandered with all that had to be done soon. But for now they would do a little dusting and sort through her belongings.

When they finally arrived, Caroline along with their driver helped Eva out.
Slowly the two walked up the grass riddled cobble stone walkway up to the house. It was a shell of what it use to be when she lived here.

Sadly she walked up to the entrance door into the large foyer. No maid or butler to greet her. The soft warm hands of Caroline rubbed her warmly with a smile. Hand in hand she walked with Caroline and slowly a smile formed on her face as she pulled her around and showed Caroline what use to be her home. They started off from the library, the drawing room, her mothers sewing room and then her father's study. So many memories.

They met in the foyer and slowly walked up the steps and talked with brief airy laughs. She pointed down the hall motioning all the way around the total of 6 bed rooms and 3 servants quarters below.

They began to enter different rooms seperately and speak loudly of different things. Eva walked in one and slowly opened the drapes peering down the window into the garden below.

"Caroline mayhap when Adrian arrives we can take some sun in the garden." she called out.

She waited for a response. But heard nothing.

"Caroline did you hear me?" she spoke louder walking out of the room to the hallway.

"Caroline?"

An eerie sensation crept up her back raising the hairs on her neck as she slowly tiptoed down the hall. Fear began to churn in her stomach.

She passed the first four rooms with no sign of her. Then she called her name again. Until she arrived at the room towards the end.

She peered in and her heart froze.
"Caroline!" she yelled running to Carolines limp body passed out on the floor. She knelt beside her and held up her head and gently pat her cheek.

Frantically she called out her name and squeezed her fingers.

Then suddenly she frowned pulling her hands free from behind Caroline's head and looked at the crimson warm liquid that stained her fingers. Tears formed at her eyes she did not understand.

The harsh slam of the bedroom door made her jump and scramble slowly to her feet. Murderous ice blue eyes fell over her, filled with hate and savage fury.

With a ragged breath, not able to scream Eva stumbled back in shock at the view of the person before her.

"Alicia?"

**********

Here we go my beauties
Hope you enjoy it.