Partnership Books

“Nora was sitting up in bed, surrounded by lace pillows, sipping tea. Hugh perched on the edge of the bed and said: "You were wonderful last night."

r school based

"I showed them all," she said, looking pleased with herself. "I danced with the Prince of Wales."

"He couldn't stop looking at your bosom," Hugh said. He reached over and caressed her breasts through the silk of her high-buttoned nightdress.

content areas

She pushed his hand aside irritably. "Hugh! Not now."

He felt hurt. "Why not now?"

"It's the second time this week."

"When we were first married we used to do it constantly."

"Exactly when we were first married. A girl doesn't expect to have to do it every day forever."

Hugh frowned. He would have been perfectly happy to do it every day forever-wasn't that what marriage was all about? But he did not know what was normal. Perhaps he was overactive. "How often do you think we should do it, then?" he said uncertainly.

She looked pleased to have been asked, as if she had been waiting for an opportunity to clear this up. "Not more than once a week," she said firmly.

"Really?" His feeling of exultation went away and he suddenly felt very cast down. A week seemed an awfully long time. He stroked her thigh through the sheets. "Perhaps a little more than that."

"No!" she said, moving her leg.

Hugh was upset. Once upon a time she had seemed enthusiastic about lovemaking. It had been something they enjoyed together. How had it become a chore she performed for his benefit? Had she never really liked it, but just pretended?
There was something dreadfully depressing about that idea.”
― Ken Follett, A Dangerous Fortune