London—Two days later

Marcus strolled through his Mayfair mansion searching for his mother, who was supposedly at home to guests. He was unable to find her in any of the sitting rooms or even the enormous library situated at the back of the house. He climbed the massive staircase to the family rooms. It was there, in her private sitting room, that he found his erstwhile mother. It was obvious that she wasn’t expecting him. The hilt of the knife she’d hidden under her foot and out of the sight of those who weren’t keen observers, was a testament to the fact that he was not expected to make an appearance.

“Darling, I wasn’t expecting you. Where’s your dear wife?” his mother asked from her seat.

“She is at the country house with her sister and Jacob. We have heard the news of an accident in Scotland. Aaron is on his way there as we speak. We fear that whoever attacked our contact in Scotland is after you since you are the only surviving member of the Rakes. You need to join us at the Abbey.”

“Darling, why do you think I am armed? I have been warned that someone was after me, and I will not make it worse for you by joining you and your wife at the Abbey. It is too dangerous. I am safe here with the servants. They have been through this before. Trust me in this…please.”

Marcus heard the tension in his mother’s speech. He knew better than to argue with the woman. He knew when it was time to concede. He had lived with her most of his life.

“Very well, then, Mother. I will grant you this, for now. But, if there is something you cannot handle, please send a messenger for me right away,” Marcus replied.

“Son, we have this handled. I will explain once this is all over and our lives go back to normal,” Bethany said as her son made to depart.

“You have some explaining to do, but I will let this go for the time being. I need to go back to the Abbey and check on Juliana, Minerva, and Jacob. Write and let me know what is going on in town. That would relieve most of my anxiety about not bringing you with me,” Marcus said from the doorway.

“Marcus, dear, come and give your mama a kiss before you leave,” Bethany said as Marcus was preparing to walk out of the room.

Marcus sauntered over to his mother and planted a chaste kiss on her cheek. His mother grabbed his head and brought him closer to her.

“Don’t look now but someone is watching us from across the park. I am surprised you did not notice. If I leave the house, the man will tail me. I’m safer here, inside the house, than I would be traveling with you. I will not have your death on my conscience. Or that of your beautiful bride. Get back to them. I will write to you every day if need be,” she whispered to Marcus.

Marcus nodded, strode through the door, and stomped down the stairs. He did not know what was going on with his mother and hoped she would explain in one of her letters. The need to return to Juliana stopped him once again from climbing the stairs and talking with his mother about his questions.

* * *

Juliana looked forward to the return of her husband. Strange things had been happening at the Grange since he left for London. Her sister had disappeared, and search parties had come back with nothing. Jacob was going insane without news of her sister. Repeated break-ins had happened inside the house. Each one was in the study or the library. No one knew how the thief got in and out of the house without alerting the household. Nothing was ever deemed missing. Everything had been cataloged and mapped to make sure that all were accounted for. Juliana and Jacob knew that what the thief was after was not at the Abbey. Everyone, including the servants, knew that the Duke’s personal papers were not housed at the Abbey. No one, except for Jacob, knew where the Duke kept his personal documents. The fact that Juliana was not yet privy to the location of the documents meant that she was of no use to whoever had been sneaking in and out of the house.

With all the unrest in the house, it was hard for Juliana not to feel anxious about the return of her husband. The knot in her stomach was her constant friend. The sickness that came upon her during the day didn’t worry her, and she attributed it to worrying about everything going on around her.

The knock on her bedchamber door pulled her out of her daydreams.

“Come in…” she returned.

Maddy eased her way into the room. She could not miss her friend’s gaunt look. It wasn’t like Juliana to look sickly. She had noticed some small changes in the last sennight. The Duchess had been sick morning, noon, and night. Her waist was expanding and yet she was surely losing weight. Maddy was very sure that her friend was with child.

“Your Grace, I know you’ve been sick as of late. Do you think you might be enceinte? All the signs are there. You’ve been sick. You haven’t had your courses in quite some time. And your clothes are not fitting you correctly.”

“I have not considered it, Maddy. Perhaps I should call for the doctor to make sure I am well enough to carry a baby. Can you send word to the Duke’s man to fetch the doctor from town?”

“I surely can, Your Grace. First, let’s get you ready for the day.” Maddy left to search for an appropriate gown for Juliana to wear for the day.

Juliana sat up on her bed, waiting for Maddy to help dress her. Thoughts of having Marcus’s child skipped through her mind. Pictures of holding the little one flashed before her eyes. She touched her stomach where a baby might be growing inside of her.

Though Juliana was deep in thought, she noticed Maddy approaching her bed. As always, the lady’s maid helped her dress, and then Juliana shooed Maddy out the door to look for Smith.

* * *

It had not taken Maddy long to find the duke’s valet. He was in his room as she had assumed, polishing the duke’s shoes and boots. She couldn’t help but admire the man in front of her, but she really needed to stop staring—she had a job to do.

“Smith, just the man I was looking for…” Maddy said.

“What can I do for you, Maddy?” Smith replied.

“Her Grace needs a physician. Would you be so kind as to procure her one?”

“Is something wrong with her?”

“Juliana may be with child. I didn’t have permission until recently to ask that a doctor be summoned. I worry about her health. She hasn’t been able to keep any food down and has lost much weight.”

“Very well, I will summon the physician myself to stop any rumor from getting started.” Smith dropped the boot he was working on and strode out of the room.

* * *

The physician was examining Juliana when Marcus arrived at the Grange. Smith, standing outside the Duchess’ room, told Marcus that Doctor MacKenzie had been summoned. MacKenzie was the best doctor in the area, and perhaps in the whole of England, Scotland, and Wales. The reason he had been summoned, Smith told him, was some sickness that had laid low his wife. Smith then relayed to him that it might be beneficial to him if he let the doctor do his examination and then explain what was going on. Marcus wasn’t keen on letting a doctor examine his wife without him present, but he decided to take his man’s advice.

It wasn’t long before MacKenzie showed his face in Marcus’s office.

“Well, Mac, what is wrong with Juliana? I need to know,” Marcus asked, a grimace crossing his handsome face.

“Juliana is fine, my friend. The wee bairn she is carrying is causing a lot of grief.”

“What was that, Mac? A baby?” Marcus gasped.

“Your wife is healthy, and the baby is doing well, also. Juliana needs to change her diet. I already had Smith tell the cook about the changes, I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course I don’t mind. I’m in shock. When? How?”

“I am assuming that you know the how and the when, Marcus. But, I am sure there will be a happy event in the next seven months.”

Marcus counted back and realized that it had been at least two months since they first had sexual congress. It was in the middle of this realization that Mac tapped him on his shoulder.

“You do have a wife upstairs who is in great need to tell you the news herself. I have advised her to stay in bed for the rest of the night. I will stop by in a week to follow up with Her Grace. Until then, please refrain from overtaxing her. She is in a very delicate state.”

Marcus nodded and ran up the stairs to visit his wife. Smith was no longer guarding her door. He heard faint whispers as he opened the door to Juliana’s bedchamber. He was surprised by how sickly she looked. He hadn’t seen her in two weeks. It took only two weeks for Juliana to transform into a fraction of herself. This worried him greatly. Juliana was slight to begin with, and her petite frame spoke of how she had missed too many meals. Her protruding ribs and belly made Marcus wince.

“Marcus! I did not know you were back,” Juliana exclaimed.

“I am here, darling. Mother is alive and well in London. I arrived just as the doctor was examining you. I hope you are all right?” he asked worriedly.

“Oh, darling! I have some good news. You are going to be a father!” Juliana shouted with joy.

Marcus looked her in the eyes in wonder. He had heard about her condition from the doctor, but there was something special about hearing his beloved wife say the words. He knelt by her bed, took her hand in his, lifted it to lips, and kissed it.

“Juliana, I will keep you and the baby safe…I promise,” Marcus said with urgency.

“I know you will, love. Now, come up here and love me,” Juliana replied huskily.