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December 15, 1812
Clevenger House
London, England
Hope paused at the door to her husband’s study, and with an index finger pressed to her upper lip, she paused and waited until the urge to cast up her accounts passed. Just like the last time she was increasing, the sickness came in the evening instead of the morning.
“Dearest, if I could have a moment of your time?”
The duke glanced up from the two ledgers he had open on his desktop. As soon as his gaze alighted on her, it softened, and he grinned. In the candlelight, the delicate skin at the corners of his eyes crinkled. “Of course.” He scrambled to his feet and then ushered her to one of the low, leather sofas on the other side of the study. “Are you well? Is something wrong with John?”
The mention of their son’s name made her smile. He had turned a year-old last month, and never had she been prouder of an accomplishment. “Calm yourself, Brook.” She had never taken to calling him by his title. He would forever be Brook to her after the events at The Brown Hare Inn that had brought them together two years ago this month. When he seated himself beside her, she took his hand. “All is well, or it will be soon enough. For the moment, I am merely exhausted.”
“Meaning what?” Concern creased his brow and shadowed his eyes.
“Patience.” She patted his cheek. “Have you ever regretted the day you married me?” So much had happened since they’d met during that freak snowstorm, she could scarcely keep it all straight.
“Absolutely not. It was the best decision of my life.” As he turned toward her, his knee brushed hers and tendrils of heat curled through her belly. “I have never loved you more.”
“And you are pleased with our son?” Perhaps she needed the reassurance, but she did adore when he doted on her and their life together.
“He is a wonderful child who I suspect will be a brilliant wordsmith like his mother.” The grin he gave her provoked one of her own. “Each time I see your first book sitting in a place of pride in our library, it immediately takes me back to that inn, when you found me and gave me back the sunshine.”
Oh, he was such a romantic. Perhaps she shouldn’t tease him overly much with this news. “Do you remember how we discovered I was carrying John?”
“Of course.” He slowly nodded. “We attended a dinner party where Prinny was to make an appearance, and shortly before the fourth course arrived, you quietly vomited into a potted fern because you couldn’t reach a ladies’ retiring room soon enough.” Then his eyes widened, and shock lined his face. “Are you...?”
“I think so. This feeling has all the same hallmarks.” She twined their fingers together. “To be certain, I had the midwife in this afternoon. From what I can gather, and she confirms it, I am perhaps two and a half months along. The same sort of nausea is assailing me I struggled with when I was pregnant with John.”
“You are increasing again.” Wonder wove through the words. “A second child.”
She nodded as tears filled her eyes. “Are you pleased?”
“Darling, I’m beside myself with happiness.” The duke released her hand only long enough to hold her head between his palms and stare into her eyes. “Another baby. Never would I have thought I would have any of this...” His voice broke and he looked away. “You never fail to amaze me.”
“Well, I didn’t do this alone.” In fact, ever since their marriage at that inn nearly two years ago, she hardly spent a day alone, and she couldn’t have been more pleased with that fact. Her husband was an attentive and inventive lover, and they’d both decided to buck societal traditions by sleeping in the same bed. The only time she’d been apart from him in the duchess suite was shortly after she’d birthed their son.
“No, I don’t suppose you did.” The dreamy expression quickly turned into something more wicked. “Regardless, this is fantastic news. I cannot wait to meet this child.”
“You will be a wonderful father to this babe just as you are to John.” When a tear fell to her cheek, she wiped it away with a laugh. “If it is a girl, would you consider our family complete?” Their son resembled Brook, and secretly she wanted a girl that looked like her.
“I will be happy with whatever fate decides to give us.” With a quick glance to the door, he slipped to his knees in front of her. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to her belly through the fabric of her gown. “Hullo, little one. I am your papa.”
Hope’s heart trembled. “I am so glad I married you.”
“So am I. You, my dear, are the reason for the wonderful life we both enjoy.” Familiar need lined his face, and it awakened her own. “I shall wax poetic about that later. For right now, though, I’m going to show you how much I adore you, since you apparently don’t believe me whenever I tell you.”
“Brook!” Her squeal of mock-outrage only made him chuckle. “The butler will call us to dinner in half an hour.”
Already, her husband had the silken skirts of her navy gown shoved up her legs so that it bunched at her waist. “Then he can wait.” Gently but with firm insistence, he spread her thighs, opening her to his darkening gaze.
“You intend to leave the door ajar?” Though the staff was well-acquainted with their penchant for indulging in some sort of carnal play whenever the mood took them, Hope was always embarrassed those rare times they were caught in the act.
“Yes.” He winked. “It adds a bit of heightened sensation, don’t you think?” Then he buried his head between her legs, and as soon as he touched his lips to her sensitive flesh, she was lost.
Long ago, Hope stopped trying to bring a proper order to their lives. Each time she’d tried to talk to Brook about it, he said he’d had proper in his first marriage and that hadn’t lasted. Now he wanted spontaneity and fun in the hopes it would give him a better outcome with fate. She couldn’t fault him for his superstitions—and she did adore this wicked side of him—but she would teach their children to take that advice with a grain of salt.
Though life was fraught with obstacles and peppered with sadness at times, that didn’t mean one needed to completely give up living altogether. The key to living a happy existence was remembering the past with a healthy dose of wisdom, enjoying the present by making good choices, and looking forward to the future knowing that fate might have other plans.
Having the person you loved beside you made the passing of the days more bearable—good or bad. And no matter what, never forget there was always hope.
The End
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