Belfort, France — Saturday 16 October 1915

David had caught his eight thirty train from the St Pancras Station to Folkestone, then the ferry to Boulogne and the train into Paris. It was nearly eight thirty when he stepped down from the carriage in Belfort. One more lonely sleep. No trains across the border at night.

The sounds of loud shouting farther along the platform shook him from his thoughts, and he turned his head to see soldiers streaming from the rail carriages and being formed into platoons. Their uniforms are all bright and new. Fresh from training to the trenches. I guess we also did that.

He walked into the station and through it, pausing outside the front doors to look for his hotel. Well-organized travel clerk. He smiled as he spotted Hôtel de la Poste directly across the street. The dull thud of artillery sounded in the distance as he stepped onto the sidewalk. A constant reminder for them here. And a constant threat. At least Britain doesn't have the war on her doorstep.

The hotel dining room was crowded as he walked past its entrance toward the reception desk. While checking in, he had the desk clerk reserve a table for him, and as he climbed the stairs to his room, he thought, Dinner at twenty-one fifteen. In Oxford, all the kitchens had long since closed by then. Here, they seem to be just starting.

He took off his shoes and lay on the bed relaxing for half an hour, then he refreshed and descended to the dining room. The waitress explained the selections on his demi-pension menu. "Épaule du Ballon is the local speciality. Dried blueberries rolled in a boned loin of lamb and baked."

"Sounds delicious. I'll have that. And the name ballon, what's that from?"

"It's the name of the mountain a short distance north. It's where Alsace, Lorraine, Franche-Comté and Territoire de Belfort all meet."

After a delicious three-course dinner, David went out into the street for a walk, and he heard the thud of artillery again. He looked at his watch, then at the moon overhead. First quarter. Good illumination for night operations. He sighed. First quarter's also Maria's ovulation. My God! How I've missed her. Another sixteen and a half hours.

Bern, Switzerland — Sunday 17 October 1915

David spotted Maria on the platform as his train pulled slowly into the station in Bern. He leaned out his opened window and called to her as he neared, and she walked along beside his carriage until it stopped, then they held hands and stared silently at each other, tears running down their cheeks. "I should disembark before the train continues."

He set his luggage on the platform, and they merged in a hug. Maria's body shook with her sobs. "It seemed forever. I never want us to be apart that long again." She stroked his beard and buried her face into his neck. "Your aroma. Your wonderful aroma. God, how I've missed it. Are you up?"

"Been up since I spotted you on the platform." He mashed himself into her belly. "We should go." He kissed her forehead, she lifted to her toes and their lips merged. They both shuddered.

She gave him a tighter squeeze, then pulled her lips away. "Jacques is waiting at the car. We shouldn't keep him." Releasing her hug, she pointed toward the exit.

David picked up his luggage and Maria linked an arm through his as they walked along the platform. "Nice new bag."

"Bought it in Oxford. I love how its leather matches that of the satchel you bought for me."

Jacques opened the passenger door for them as they approached. "Set your bags down, Sir. I'll put them in the boot."

Maria and David stared at each other in silence and caressed as they rode toward the Ambassador's residence. After a long spell, David said. "I have so much to tell you, to share with you, I don't know where to begin."

"I'm thinking the same thing." She leaned and laid her head on his chest. "Let's just enjoy being together again. Talk will come." She laughed. "God! We've never been short of words."

Ambassador Evelyn Grant Duff and his wife, Edith greeted them when they arrived. They talked for a short while, then Edith said, "David must need to refresh from his travels. Take him up to your rooms, Maria. We'll see you in the withdrawing room for tea, and we can catch up on each other's four months."

David looked around for his bags. Must have been taken up. The luggage was at the door as they arrived, and once they were inside the suite, they stood in a tight embrace. "Yesterday was my hottest," Maria said. "Anticipation for your arrival, but I think the arrival of my egg added to it. We should wait a day, two to be safer. What's another two after a hundred and eighteen."

"You've also been counting." He chuckled. "I thought I was the only one who did such things. Hands and mouths work fine." He began undoing the buttons down the back of her dress.

"Haven't had any practice with my mouth." She giggled. "But I sure kept my hands busy."

"I managed to also keep my mouth in practice." He undid the buttons on her shoulders and let the dress top fall to bare her breasts.

"Your mouth? How do you mean?"

"I'd not previously thought of doing it." He chuckled. "But one night while I was doing stretching and flexing exercises in quarters, it occurred to me that if dogs and cats can do it, then maybe..."

"Can you?" She smiled and slowly nodded. "Show me."

"I'd rather use my mouth on you." He took a breast nubbin gently between his teeth and flicked his tongue over it, feeling her whole body tremble.

"Oh, God! I've missed this." She wriggled the rest of the way out of her dress, then slid the suspenders off his shoulders, unbuttoned his trousers and let them fall. She wrapped both hands around his erection and slowly stroked. "Show me how you lick yourself."

"Don't you want me to bring you off first?"

"We can do that later. My curiosity... You know my curiosity can't wait."

He pulled his fingers from between her folds, stepped out of the rumpled pile of trousers and removed his shirt. "It's easiest if I do a shoulder stand then lower my feet to the floor." He chuckled. "The aim is perfect." He bared his head, then moved up into a shoulder stand.

She watched as he performed his gymnastics, then she crouched to add her tongue and hands to his mouthing. He erupted in a long series of quakes, then collapsed to the floor, panting.

"Kiss me with that. I've missed your flavour."

They writhed on the rug in a deep kiss for a long time, then David broke and let out a deep sigh. "Sex for two is much better than for one. Let me do you now."

"You should wash out your mouth first. Your little beasties are surely strong swimmers." She rolled onto her back and rose to a shoulder stand, then dropped her feet to the floor. "Nope, not even close." She giggled. "I get a better view of it, but I'm missing the extension." She came down and rolled to hug him again. "So hot watching you do that."

"Really?"

"So hot." She trembled. "Go wash out your mouth, then do me."