--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nora was sitting up in bed, surrounded by…" description: "\"“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 ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/ken-follett-941_change_nora-was-sitting-up-in-bed-surrounded-by_1248230.jpg" --- # Nora was sitting up in bed, surrounded by lace pillows… ![“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…” quote by Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/ken-follett-941_change_nora-was-sitting-up-in-bed-surrounded-by_1248230.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/ken-follett-941_change_nora-was-sitting-up-in-bed-surrounded-by_1248230.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/ken-follett-941_change_nora-was-sitting-up-in-bed-surrounded-by_1248230.jpg) > ““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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A married couple confronts mismatched sexual expectations, revealing communication gaps and evolving intimacy needs. **In simple terms:** Couple struggles with differing desires and expectations. Key Takeaway Communicate openly about intimacy needs. Themes marriage intimacy communication Mood thoughtful empathetic Type advice relationship When to use this quote - marriage counseling - relationship building - personal boundaries Key Concepts sexual expectations relationship dynamics emotional labor Questions to Reflect On - How can partners negotiate intimacy frequency? - What signs indicate deeper relational issues? A Different Perspective May simplify complex emotional nuances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bed Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bed-said-327716/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Gaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaze/) [Intimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimacy/) [Last night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-night/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Lovemaking Enjoyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lovemaking-enjoyed-3923520/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Marriage Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage-did-990265/) [Married](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/married/) [Partnership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partnership/) [Wasn Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasn-marriage-1660410/) ## Related quotes > [“Sometimes you can't stand the sound of her voice and other times you wonder how you'd even breathe if she wasn't there. 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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.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ken Follett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/nora-was-sitting-up-in-bed-surrounded-by-lace-pillows-sipping-tea/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/nora-was-sitting-up-in-bed-surrounded-by-lace-pillows-sipping-tea/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/ken-follett-941_change_nora-was-sitting-up-in-bed-surrounded-by_1248230.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/ken-follett-941_change_nora-was-sitting-up-in-bed-surrounded-by_1248230.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/ken-follett-941_change_nora-was-sitting-up-in-bed-surrounded-by_1248230.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nora was sitting up in bed, surrounded by lace pillows, sipping tea. 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