OMG, yes! Yes! This is what I love! A prolonged love/hate relationship!

How awesome. If you have 50,000 words you should release more today. PLEASE!

I can't wait to read more.

So much tension! I love it!

I am so excited to see where this goes!

Excellent stuff! :-)

Er yes, 11,000 word chapter please...! Please tell me you will post the next part post haste?

Oh, gaaaaaaaah! This is just what I've come to expect of you both together and individually, a flawless capture of the characters and their shared dynamic. I love their arguing, and you do it so so well. I am beyond over excited about this fic, I do not know how you manage it with all your other projects but you do and do it splendidly. I am beginning to think you are superior robots with an impossible ability to take hold of the human psyche and turn it into words.

As for the fact that there is clearly going to be upcoming smut... Well, I am going to need more than a cup of tea to cope with that. Please for the love of God do not keep me waiting more than a day (an hour) for the next installment!

EPIC FLAIL

Ok, so I saw this alert this morning and it gave me a lot of feelings but my immediate thought was 'how quickly can I do the school run so I can get home to read this?' What ensued was an undignified flying around, minimal make up application and pulling a muscle in my leg in my haste to get out the door. I think the other mothers thought, ah bless her, late for work again, actually, no, ladies I have a day off but I am late for a very vital fanfic appointment and I'd thank you not to delay me with your talk of the weather.

Do you realise you are going to be seriously affecting the quality of my real life actions by writing this?

Oh I am so excited... Onto the first chapter, I am bracing myself...

Ahh, this takes me back. :D LOVE the Prologue - the multiple uses of "steamed" sets the scene perfectly... But the atmosphere of this was always so perfect - I can *feel* the oppressive heat driving them both outside. And of course, the characterization is fantastic - that wonderfully tense banter so indicative of their S1 relationship. :D I love how Mary just wants Matthew to be rude to her, that he isn't until he's pushed and that she throws the cottages in his face. You can just sense them about to snap - from heat or...something else. ;p Seriously, the tension is DELICIOUS and you both do an amazing job conveying it. :) Wonderfully written, as always - cannot wait for more! :D

I'm really happy you guys are posting this, not to sound weird but I have been wanting to see what this was since "Bubbling Over" (me and antagonistic smut and forced marriages are very close). This looks to be really good, I love how you show both of their tension so well through the second chapter. And how you portray Mary's feelings of being trapped.