willing partner, and by the morning, she wasn’t even shy with him. He was her husband, and she said she wanted to be a good wife. He could tell that she wasn’t sacrificing herself, she genuinely enjoyed their lovemaking, even though she had been a virgin when she came to him the night before. She had no hesitation about giving herself to him, which made her all the more appealing. He could hardly keep his hands off her, as they hurried to leave the hotel and catch the train to New York, which was to leave at ten. They were following the same route to New York she had taken with her mother in April to go to Paris for her wedding dress.
Only this time they would be sailing on the RMS Aquitania, disembarking in Cherbourg, and then on to Rome by train to begin their honeymoon. She was a British ship, made a stop in Southampton, and carried mail as well, and was the fastest ship afloat. She was called the “Millionaires’ Ship,” had served in the Great War, and had been refitted for military service three months after she was launched, and had been used as a hospital ship. And for the past ten years had returned to service as a luxury liner with three classes. She was the last of the four funnelled ships, with glass enclosed promenade decks and magnificent public rooms and staterooms, a gym, and theater. A thousand crew members served the nearly three thousand passengers with impeccable service.
After Rome, they were going to Florence and Venice, with a few days at Lake Como at the end. They planned to stay in Italy for almost four weeks, and then sail back to New York, and return to San Francisco in early November. Eleanor couldn’t wait for the trip to begin, and she looked like an excited child as they boarded the train. Alex smiled at her.
“You have made me the happiest man in the world, my wonderful wife.” And she had been the most extraordinarily beautiful bride he had ever seen.
They settled into their compartment, read, played cards, talked, and made love. They ate in the dining car, and lay in each other’s arms at night. They passed the time at ease with each other, changed trains in Chicago after the three-day trip, arrived in New York the next morning, and checked into the Plaza hotel.
The Aquitania was sailing the next day. She was excited to be sailing with him. They had wanted to sail on the SS Paris but she had been severely damaged in a fire in August in Le Havre, and was not back in service yet in October, after the smoke and water damage. It was fun exploring the Aquitania with Alex when they boarded. They had a huge luxurious cabin, with enough room for Eleanor’s trunks, with her trousseau for the trip. She had been buying clothes for months to wear on their honeymoon. And when they wore evening clothes at night, she wore the diamond necklace Alex had given her as a wedding present. He was pleased that she liked it so much. It dazzled everyone who saw it.
They played shuffleboard on deck, and lay in the sun in deck chairs, reading, then went to the swimming bath or the gym, and afterward went to their cabin discreetly, several times a day to make love. They chatted with other couples and dined at the captain’s table, and danced and drank champagne. They were in high spirits when they docked at Cherbourg in France. They’d already been traveling for ten days together by then, and Eleanor was totally at ease with Alex, as though they had always been married. She wasn’t shy with him at all, and was excited to board the train to Rome.
They stayed at the Excelsior hotel on the Via Veneto in Rome, in an elegant suite, and took a horse drawn carriage around the city, looking at the monuments. Eleanor was enchanted with it, and Alex was enamored with her, more so every day. She couldn’t help wondering if a baby would result from their honeymoon. They made love constantly, several times a day. She initiated it as often as he did, which pleased him no end.
They ate at elegant restaurants recommended by the hotel and particularly loved the Al Moro restaurant, which had just opened behind the Trevi Fountain. They went for long walks, bought pretty things. He got her an