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RECEPTION

The albino froze up when he felt her soft fingers using a napkin to clean his lips, he noticed the color of her lipstick in the previous pure white napkin and was now aware that she was cleaning the mark of lipstick from his lips but it didn't helped to hold at bay the dark shade of red that colored his face. He cleaned his throat and watched for a while as their families and the guests sat down to have lunch. He whispered softly at her now that the dark red on his face managed to tone down to a pink "I know. Sometimes and eventually we'll need to display affection in front of our family and even in front of friends. I guess... I'm just trying to tell you that I don't expect such actions when we're all alone. Like tonight." he gave her a small tensed up smile and looked down at his dish as he waited for lunch to be served, he hoped that this time she understood what he was trying to imply. He was concerned out of his mind about the nuptial night, he was concerned about their future, he knew that they will eventually be pressured to have children and all those pressures made him uncomfortable. How could he feel comfortable with the idea of sleeping with a woman he just met, a woman that probably spent all her childhood dreaming of a perfect wedding being forced to throw all those dreams away because of an agreement. He decided that the best to do for now was to solve one thing at a time, the wedding was over and they are now officially husband and wife or Mister and Mistress Gilbert Beilschmidt. He decided they will focus on figuring tonight when tonight arrives, for now he will enjoy the dish of duck the butler settled in front of him.

Gilbert felt like the reception passed through quickly, as a flash of light. Tons of people congratulating them, some even handing them envelopes with an amount of money as a wedding gift. Soon enough the guests parted and the newly wed were expected to leave for their honeymoon. A carriage was settled for them, with their luggages placed and ready, he had switched from the clothes he was wearing from the ceremony into something more appropriate. He settled the top hat on his head and was standing on the front door for Alexandria so they could leave to the train station. He was gently tapping his feet on the marble floor of the entrance way while he awaited for Alexandria to come meet with him after getting changed from her wedding dress.



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The weight of the day was wearing her down and by the time the reception was over, she was completely exhausted. As a new wife, she knew that she had duties that needed tending to but she hoped that tonight, she would not have to worry about those. Alexandria changed out of her wedding dress and placed it on the bed so it could be boxed and saved for her when she settled into her new home. She put on a loose flowing burgundy gown that would be comfortable to relax in and after it was put together, she grabbed her shawl before draping it across her shoulders. Grabbing her carry on bag and made her way out of the room, down the hall.

"Be safe," Her father kissed her on the cheek once she made it to the door and smiled warmly at her, embracing her gently. "Write me soon to let me know how things are." He ran his finger across her cheek before reaching over, opening the door for her. "Be sure to invite us for tea when you get settled in!"

"I will." Alexandria chuckled and stepped away from her father, walking towards her new husband. "Shall we go?" It was a cool evening which would make traveling even more relaxing. She wasn't sure how long their journey would be but she brought plenty of reading material that would keep her busy. "We should get some sleep during our travels so we are not completely exhausted when we arrive at our new home."
 
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TRAVELLING

Gilbert smiled when he saw his wife, she looked pretty and vibrant with a smile on her face, he extended one of his hands for her to take and helped her into the carriage while their luggages were finished to be settled atop and on the back of the cart. The albino stepped into the carriage after her and spoke as he settled his cane aside "I know that the carriage travel will be short, we're heading to the train station. My father arranged a honeymoon trip for us while they prepare our house for when we're back. He hasn't told me our destination, denying me to even having the boarding tickets for the train in my possession. He handled them to the coachman, father said it would make the travel more special." he decided to let out of their conversation the part where his father mentioned that it would allow them to have less worries and allow them to simply enjoy the nuptial night.

The carriage started to move as the sun was now setting in the horizon, the main train stations in London would not take more than an hour of travel so soon they would be boarding into their honeymoon trip. Gilbert took a deep breath and looked at her from the corner of his eyes "Where do you think our families are sending us off to?" he asked, decided to make a bit of talk in an attempt to make the travel more enjoyable and hopefully shorter. He imagined how different such trip would be if they were actually a couple in love, they would probably be smiling ear to ear inside the carriage and giggling while they sneaked pecks from one another. Their trip was nothing like that so far and he was sure that it won't be anything close to a romantic trip all over, to make matters worst things will probably just get even more complicated when they return to their home. Living together in a new house even thought they would probably try to just keep at their own business, far from one another and only together when needed to show to society that they are indeed a couple. He disliked the sound of it, he disliked everything about it. He wished they could have a life as normal as possible and being, if never lovers, at least good friends that enjoy spending time together.



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Alexandria got into the carriage and settled down near the window, looking out into the misty street. His question brought her attention back to him and she hummed in a thoughtful manner. She wasn't entirely sure what to say because she didn't even know. "I would hope Edinburgh in Scotland." Leaning back into her seat, her eyes drifted towards her new husband as she sat there. "What about yourself? Where would you like to go?" Barely knowing a thing about him, she wanted to learn more by asking simple questions. "I am perfectly fine with wherever. I would like to see the sea once again."

The carriage stopped a short time after that and she looked as the door opened. Her husband stepped out and she was right behind him, looking around. "Do you know what kind of cabin we were given?" Alexandria gripped onto her carry on bag and followed him onto the train. "I do hope that tea will be available." Regardless, she wasn't going to be too picky. There was no reason to be. "Do you know how long our trip will be?" She glanced around the train as she followed him to their cabin and she noticed that weren't too many people aboard. It surprised her. This was the perfect time of year to go on holiday. However, she knew not to dwell on it. She wanted to focus on the task at hand and that was to spend time with her husband.
 
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NUPTIAL NIGHT

He shrugged softly, not familiar with traveling places since he rarely did so due to his skin complexion. "I've never saw the sea so I can't comment on where would be a nice place to visit." the carriage then came to a stop and he helped her out of it "I wasn't informed of anything but I believe they would get us good accomodations at the train." the men were now moving their luggage into the train and the coachman approached the albino "Here's were I'll need to hand these to you, sir." and with that Gilbert was handed two train tickets from London to Dover through the night and a ticket to a ship from Dover to the so called French Riviera. "French Riviera?" the young man asked the coachman but the male simply shrugged and walked back to the carriage. The albino took a deep breath and looked down at his wife "Seems the surprise is over now." he stretched a hand for her to take and walked with her to the train.

Moments later they were settled in their cabin, a luxurious one with a spacious bed, a small joined toilet cupboard and an area that was a mix of living and wash room. Their luggages were already settled in there and as soon as the staff has received a gratification for leading the way, the newly wed couple was all alone for the first time. He took a deep breath and scanned around the room: there were a box of exotic teas, a bottle of fancy wine with two glasses nearby and a bowl of fresh fruits all settled on top of a dresser; a large box of extravagant chocolates settled in the bed and flowers everywhere around the room. It was obvious that the room was arranged for a couple in love, the room screamed in their faces the purpose it was settled for but it was more than obvious that the room was going to be disappointed since its purpose wasn't going to be fulfilled. Gilbert pushed all those tiny details aside on his mind and removed his coat as if he was getting suffocated, resting it in a lounge chair in a disordered manner "I'll sleep in here and you can take the bed. We can even close the curtains dividing those ambiances so you can have privacy during the night." he then picked his luggage and settled it on the coffee table so he could open it to gather his sleeping wear. It was awkward and he didn't knew what to say or to do, all he knew is that he wanted her to feel comfortable and safe. He stared at the insides of his luggage as if he was seeking for answers on what to do on that night when he realised something "Oh! I'm sorry... you need to use that area of the cabin to get freshened up and changed... I... I guess I could move into the bedroom area or... perhaps just head out for a while so you can make yourself comfortable..." he let out a loud sigh, not used on sharing a room and even less used to share a train cabin since it was his first time traveling in such.



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Alexandria wasn't sure what to think when they reached the cabin and the sight that awaited them caused her to look at the room with annoyance. Their parents's wishes weren't about to come true as the two barely knew each other. They both knew what their duty is but first, they needed to get comfortable with one another. The young woman reached up and unbuttoned her cloak, taking it off and walking over to gently set it on the bed. She felt awkward and she knew that was evident in the way she was standing with her shoulders tense. Her exhaustion was still there but she didn't feel like she could sleep if she laid down. Gilbert's voice brought her out of her thoughts and she looked towards him.

"Darling," Alexandria chuckled ever so slightly and made her way around the bed to where her luggage was. "I do not mind sharing the bed. After all, it is something we must get used to." In fact, she quite enjoyed sleeping next to someone. It helped her to feel safe and secure. "I can change behind the screen over there." Her eyes drifted towards the dressing screen before turning back to Gilbert. "If you would like, I can leave while you change into your nightly clothes. I do not mind." She turned back to her luggage and grabbed one of the trunks, taking it over to the bed to set it down. "Regardless, this is all something we must get used to and I know it will take us quite a while to adjust."
 
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NUPTIAL NIGHT II

The albino shook his head and passed his fingers through his hair before a sigh left his lips "No, that's fine. I don't mind us sleeping in the same bed or getting changed in the same room, we can close the curtains for privacy-" he gestured to those with his chin and continued talking "You're absolutely right, we better get used to this. After all, now we're a married couple and as such, we'll be expected to sleep in the same room and the same bed when we head back home." he gave her a bit of an awkward smile and closed the curtains so they both could change into their sleepwear. He picked his nightgown and settled it on the coffee table before starting to get undressed. Once he was changed into the nightgown that looked a lot like a very oversized white dress-shirt, he folded his clothes and packed everything back into his luggage. Gilbert took a deep breath and neared the curtains "Are you ready? ... I mean, are you finished getting changed? Shall I open the curtains?" the fingertips of his left hand gently rubbed against the soft fabric of the fancy cloth. He was going to see her in her sleepwear for the first time very soon and that thought made his heart pump faster, he thought that even if later on they end falling in love, this moment was always going to be the first moment in which they saw each other in more comfortable clothing. He wasn't sure why but it seemed like an important moment in their life as a married couple.



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Sadly enough, it was going to take more time for her to get changed than it would him. Alexandria reached back and started to undo the laces to her dress enough that she could slip out of it before putting it back into her luggage bag. Then came the corset and her under clothes. Why women needed so many layers were a mystery to her and it was rather uncomfortable. She placed all the clothes she had on previously into her luggage and grabbed her silk periwinkle nightgown, bunching it up at the end up to the top before sliding it over her head.

"One moment please," Alexandria wasn't quite done yet. She pulled the pins out from her hair and set them down on the table in front of her. Picking up her brush, she carefully ran it through her long chocolate colored hair and glanced towards the curtain. "You may open it. I will be joining you in the bed in just a moment." She wanted to make sure that her hair had no tangles or knots in. Despite how thin it was, she wasn't abnormal for her to have knots or tangles in it. They were more common in the mornings. Now once her nightly routine was finished and she put away everything, she turned around to face the bed.

Her heart was pounding in her chest and she was nervous. Sleep wasn't going to come easy but alas, she was going to try to get some shut eye before the end of the train ride. Alexandria had never shared a bed with someone so this was going to be an experience for the both of them. Luckily, she kept a neutral expression on her face as she pulled the comforters back and got into the bed, pulling the duvet over her body and closing her eyes as her head rested on the pillows.
 
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NOT QUITE A DREAM

He promptly reached for the curtain when she outed the permission to open it but instead of simply flung it open in one swift moment, Gilbert slowly moved it aside since he knew he would be seeing her in her sleepwear for the first time. It seemed silly since they weren't married by love but he also knew that such moments doesn't happen twice in the life of a married couple so he had decided to try to remember it, even if they never end having a loving marriage. He gulped as his reddish orbs scanned her figure and soon his cheeks obtained a similar reddish color. "Take your time. I'll settle meinself in bed." The German slipping through his tongue as his heart beats faster with nervousness. "Is there a side you prefer to sleep on?" he was uncertain about everything, he didn't knew for sure what to say or to do. He was scared of offending her, he was tired and eager to just sleep after such long and exhausting day and he couldn't seem to be able to properly think since he saw her in that damned and delightful silk periwinkle nightgown.

The albino was stiff as a rock as he faced the bed and made sure to have his back to her while she brushed her chocolate hair that now cascaded down her shoulders, he waited for her to decide which side was more comfortable for her as a child waits for Christmas morning. In those seconds that seemed like an eternity to him, Gilbert contemplated if life was always going to be like that between them; if things were always going to be awkward, if she would always have that effect on him whenever she wears a nightgown, if he would perhaps learn to loosen up around her enough that it won't feel like he was binding himself in fear of hurting her emotionally. He was only certain of one thing, that if they had married by love everything would be different and life would had been simpler.



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"No, I am fine right here." She was content there, snuggled into the duvet as she closed her eyes. "If you would like for me to move, I will. I can always sleep on the other side if you prefer." Alexandria wanted to make sure that both parties were going to be happy that night. "Or, if you really wanted, I could sleep on the couch. I understand if you are uncomfortable with the idea of sleeping next to me." She knew that in the back of her mind, she wasn't going to be sleeping much herself. Her nerves were tense but she tried to calm herself down by taking deep breaths. "It is up to you regardless." The young woman could only hope that married life wasn't going to be this nerve wracking for the rest of her days.
 
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NOT QUITE A DREAM II

He simply nodded in knowledge of her comment about feeling fine and then laid down, covering himself with the thick duvet of the bed before looking back at her once she continued to talk "Nein!" the German word came out loud and exasperated in a loud protest of what she was saying. He cleaned his throat to try to sound more tranquil and continued "No. That's fine, I like that side of the bed und... if anyone were to sleep in the couch it should be me. A lady must have a well rested night of sleep in a comfortable bed." The albino gave her a small smile and then looked away, feeling the flush color his cheeks since they were laying very close to each other. "A-Anyways-" his voice broke slightly as he could feel her body heat so close to his own frame. "-have a good night, fraulein." he then turned his back to her, laying on his side to try to avoid any awkwardness and also to turn off the lamp on the bedside table. The room went dark but Gilbert's eyes were still wide open, all he could hear is his heart beating fast and the far sound of the engine moving the train to their destination. And of course the sound of her breath. Why does she affect him so easily? Surely she's an attractive woman and undoubtedly they were too close for comfort but he still thought those were very weak reasons for his mind to wander into dangerous and dirty territory. Just go to sleep.... Go to sleep... Sleep. He kept repeating in his mind as he tried to drift into slumber.



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His outburst startled her and she opened her eyes, glancing up towards him. Her heart warmed up at his words and she smiled softly, showing him her appreciation. "Thank you, my dear." She reached forward and gently placed her hand on his cheek before pulling it away. Closing her eyes, she willed her heart to slow down enough for her to relax and fall into a light sleep.

The next morning, Alexandria was the first one awake and was greeted by a butler that was bringing breakfast around the train. "Thank you, sir." She whispered to him so her husband can continue to sleep and closed the door behind her, walking over to the small table in the room and setting the tray down. Before she could even think of enjoying breakfast, she needed to change into her day gown. She walked towards her luggage and started to rummage around in it, looking for a simple dress to wear. Humming a small tune under her breath lightly, she pulled out a pastel green dress that had a floral lace pattern all over it, long sleeves and a high neck on it. She walked towards the couch and gently laid her dress down before reaching around and pulling the curtain closed.

Alexandria started to undress herself and paused after she had her underclothes on, looking at the corset in front of her. She wasn't able to put it on herself and the train didn't have maids. "Damn." Muttering under her breath, she wasn't sure what to do. She could wake her husband up and ask for his help but that would be embarrassing or she could go without one for the day. Biting her bottom lip, she had to make do with what was around her so she grabbed a long piece of silk and started wrapping it around her breasts as a makeshift corset. She secured it with a tight knot and proceeded to put on the dress, trying to be as quiet as she possibly could be.

It felt odd to be without her corset but at the same time, it was more comfortable this way. The corset was binding and caused a lack of air to enter her. Her eyes drifted over and she looked herself in the mirror. The dress hung on her body loosely, the lack of her corset present, and yet it looked more fitting on her than before. It wasn't clinging to her skin. A soft smile came across her lips as she admired her appearance and she pulled herself out of her thoughts, walking over to her luggage once against to grab her jewelry. She had put on an emerald choker and pulled her hair up into a tight bun on the back of her head, decorating her lips with a light red lipstick she had packed with her.

Their breakfast was going to be cold if she didn't hurry up. Alexandria walked over to the edge of the bed where her husband laid and sat there, gently touching his shoulder. "Morning is here and so is breakfast. You should start to wake up before your tea gets cold." Her voice was soft as she gently tried to ease him out of sleep so he could join her for their first meal of the day.
 
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MORNING AFTER

The albino shifted around as he heard small noises here and there, slowly being pulled out of his slumber. The final drop of sleep left him when he was called by his wife, his eyes opened to see her staring down at him; the vision made him blush and advert his gaze from her as he spoke with a sleepy horsy voice as well as shyly "M-Morning." he then sat up and rubbed his left hand over his eyes to try to properly wake up. "I'll have breakfast first, then I'll get changed. Wouldn't want to make either the tea or you wait for me." Gilbert pointed out as a smile adorned his handsome features.

Once she gave him space to move and get up, Gilbert slipped into his slippers and walked to the lounging are of their accommodations. He sat down on the couch and opened the silver tray that she had neatly placed on the coffee table to reveal their breakfast. It consisted of a selection of varied fruits, two tea cups that were empty, a tea pot that had steam and aroma leaving through its nozzle - obviously it smelled like Earl Grey; to finish the tea set there was also a sugar bowl and a creamer for the milk. Two dishes also were inside the vastly large silver tray, both filled with traditional English Breakfast - which consisted of two fried eggs, a couple of toasts cut in half, baked beans, an assortment of sausage and bacon, a couple slices of black pudding and a mix of mushrooms and tomatoes. "Now that's a proper breakfast." Gilbert said in awe as his eyes wandered through the meal prepared for them, in all honesty he wasn't expecting much of a meal inside a train but he guessed that since they were settled in a luxurious cabin the food would need to match such.



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Alexandria smiled at him as she sat across from him and picked up her cup with her tea in it, taking a small sip of it. She set her small cup back down and grabbed her fork and knife, starting to dig in to her breakfast. "What do you suppose we should do this lovely day? I doubt we will reach our destination by tonight." If they did, she'd be very surprised. For all she knew, they could be taking a boat next. She wasn't too fond of boats as they made her rather nervous. They also made her extremely sick to her stomach. "Do you have paperwork or anything you need to work on today?" Her eyes drifted up to him and she seemed curious about what he was going to say.
 
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BREAKFAST

He poured himself some of the eat and took a sip of it to clean his throat since his voice was still a bit horsy from his sleep, he looked at her as he set his cup down and furrowed his eyebrows slightly as he tried to remember what the male that drove them to the train station informed him "Uh... I remember that we'll need to take a ship to cross to France for our honeymoon but I wasn't informed of how long the train trip would take. I believe that we're heading from London to a more costal town where we can get to a port and leave to France. So I would say the travel must take a couple of day... tonight or tomorrow morning seems about right as the time of arrival."

Gilbert then took a deep breath and started to eat his meal, dipping a bit of toast in his fried egg before settling it in his mouth with his fork. He eats elegantly, showing that he was properly raised and was a well-mannered man. He looked at her when she asked about work and shook his head "Oh... no. I had informed you about that before... when we met before the wedding. I'm not the one involved with the family business, my brother is." he thought about adding the fact that his father never had intended to set Gilbert in a marriage but the settlement was too good to pass, after all, his family had money but no name in the high society while Alexandria's family was growing poor but had a very respected name in society. But he stopped himself from adding such detail as he thought that it would only set her in a fowl mood to be reminded that they were married only for mere convenience of their families. "I'll do anything you would like, although I'm not sure how much entertainment one can find in a train. But I guess it wouldn't hurt for us to take a walk around to explore the train together." he then gave her a sweet smile and then continued to eat his food, finding himself quite hungry since they haven't really ate much after yesterday's lunch. They were too preoccupied about their first night confined together in a room as a married couple, he thinks the initial shock is over but he's still trying his best to make her feel comfortable in such an uncomfortable situation. "Did you sleep well?" he asked her in an attempt to make friendly conversation, he hopes she wasn't so weirded out on sharing a bed with a strange male. Nothing happened between the two of them and he will never force her into something but they had to keep appearances when they're in public so being friendly to one another might help with the act.



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"Right." Alexandria nodded as she reached forward. grabbing her teacup. "I apologize. My mind is a bit scattered." She took a small sip of her tea before placing the cup back down on the saucer. The last 24 hours have her mind all over the place, along with her emotions. She found it rather difficult to sleep last night as it was her first time ever sharing a bed with someone. Knowing this other person was her husband didn't help matters either.

Picking up a piece of toast, she took a bite of it and glanced towards Gilbert as he asked her how she slept. She knew it was unladylike to shrug but she did so anyway. "It could have been worse," Alexandria admitted with a sheepish smile as she picked up her napkin off of her lap and dabbed off the crumbs from her lips. "How did you sleep? Did you have any good dreams that you wish to share?" The idle conversation was good in her opinion. It was one way to get to know her new husband and she was curious about him but she didn't want to seem too nosy. "I'm honestly surprised you do not snore." Her expression was amused as she turned her full attention to him. "My elder brother does and you can hear him from in the kitchen of my home." She grinned brightly as she spoke about him. "I do not think he knows how to be quiet in any way."
 
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TEA SET

"That's understandable." he pointed out as he sipped from his own up of tea, yesterday had been a very eventful day so he completely understood what she meant, he was as well feeling like his thoughts were scattered everywhere. Gilbert nodded when she said that the night could have been worst, he knew that it was hard for her to share a bad with a complete stranger that she now has to call as husband. And they were expected to do all those things that couples were meant to do but it all felt so sudden and, in a level, wrong.

The albino stopped his train of thoughts and looked at her when she inquired about his sleep. "Oh!" he then thought for a while, trying to recall what he had dreamed about, he then furrowed his eyebrows and said "I slept as fine as possible since we're in a train but... I can't remember what I dreamed about." he let out a chuckle when she spoke up about snores and shrugged slightly "Guess that's one plus, then. At least you won't need to share a bed with someone that snores." he raised an eyebrow in curiosity and repeated the words with a bit of caution "In any way?" he inquired softly, wondering how many ways one can be loud.



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She could feel her cheeks heating up from his question and she cleared her throat, turning her eyes towards her barely touched plate. "He tends to bring a lot of female friends home when he drinks far too much ale which is often." Alexandria felt awkward with discussing this and shifted slightly in her seat. "They can get quite... Ah, loud." There had been more than enough times that her mother has forbidden him from bringing home women but with being in the army, he felt a bit... Deprived of female attention.

No longer interested in breakfast, she placed her silverware to the side and leaned back in her seat. "If you do not mind, I think that I will walk around the train this afternoon." Alexandria looked towards her husband once again and gave a small smile. "You are more than welcome to join me." She wasn't sure if he had a busy afternoon or not but she wanted to extend the offer regardless. "I was thinking of taking my afternoon tea in the main cab with the other women if you do not mind."
 
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INCONVENIENCES

Gilbert coughed in his tea when she mentioned her brother's antics. The albino settled down the cup and cleaned his lips with the napkin, he looked up at her with a blush on his cheeks since he knew they were expected to venture in such sort of endeavors. "I'm sorry. Didn't knew it was that sort of loud. My apologies for putting you in such a discomfortable spot."

He suddenly felt a lost of appetite, his stomach was churning as the thoughts of him needing to fulfill his duty as a husband filled his head. He passed a hand through his hair, and then nodded once she made a change of topic, glad that they weren't talking about intimate issues anymore. "I'd love to take a walk around the train with you. I just need to get changed from my pajamas into something a bit more appropriate." he let out a small chuckle and got on his feet before nodding at her "Sure, go spend time with other women. It must be a bore for you to be around me all the time, you should have conversations about... uh... female stuff." he then walked to the portion of their cabin where the bed was and closed the curtains behind him so he could get changed into day clothes. Once he was properly dressed, he opened the curtains and adjusted the satin ascot around his neck.



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"I do not find you boring," Alexandria spoke up after she placed her napkin on the table and glanced towards her husband. In fact, he was rather interesting to her but she didn't want him to feel embarrassed or anything of the sort. "How about we go on that walk about the train after lunch?" She suggested as she got up from her seat and walked over to where her luggage was, shifting around for one of her books she had brought with her. "We could get more acquainted then." Pulling out one of her many Jane Austen books, she turned towards him and smiled softly. "If not then, after supper." Nodding towards him, she made her way towards the door of the cabin. "Please enjoy your morning and I will join you for lunch in a little while."
 
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