‘Don’t worry, you are not going to be called Ancaster,’ Max told his newly born son nine and a half months later.
Georgia watched him hold the newest Master Chilton so gently that he looked as if he thought the little mite would break if he wasn’t very careful with him and she knew babies were really quite tough. ‘Or Lochinvar,’ she added ruefully.
‘Or Charlemagne or Hereward.’
‘What are we going to call him, then, Max?’
‘I don’t know, I had only thought of girls’ names before he was born and I really don’t think any of them are going to suit him.’
‘I wonder about your father’s name and my father’s for his second name. Papa has never liked it, but it is his name and I want him to be part of his grandson’s life.’
‘Alexander Horace it is, then. How does that feel, my little man?’
Alexander Horace Chilton burped and looked so surprised at the noise he had made that Georgia chuckled, then wished she hadn’t because Alexander Horace was quite a big baby.
‘Let’s have a girl next time, Max,’ she said sleepily, ‘they are usually smaller.’
‘I hate to think what girls’ names his sisters have stored up for future use.’
‘Clarabelle-Brilliana was one of the ones they had ready.’
‘Best get them another pony, then, they don’t know when they’re being laughed at.’
‘I think Clarabelle-Brilliana Odd-Socks might.’
‘Don’t make me laugh, I’ll wake him up.’
‘You really don’t know much about babies yet, do you, my love?’
‘Well, he’s one and Phoebe has only just finished being one, so I should do by now.’
‘He’s been fed, changed and he’s even burped for his papa so of course he’s asleep. What else was there left for him to do at his age?’
‘Cynic, he was looking at you, probably thinking what a beautiful mother he has.’
‘You’ll learn, Papa.’
‘Oh, I will, my Georgia, and I can’t wait,’ he said and she believed him and even after giving birth so recently she would not swap a moment of their hectic lives for a quieter one.
‘I’m so in love with you, Max.’
‘That’s not what I heard you yelling a couple of hours ago.’
‘I may not always say it, but I always feel it, even at a time like that.’
‘You are a paragon among wives, but you talk too much,’ he told her with a wicked grin and a kiss full on her mouth to silence her. ‘Now go to sleep and dream of me as your wild lover again since that’s all we will be able to do for several weeks, if not months.’
‘I should never have told you about wanton Georgia and her disgraceful dreams,’ she murmured and got ready to do as she was told just this once.
‘And if you are very lucky, Alexander Horace Chilton, one day you will find a woman who is half as lovely as your mama and almost as much worth dreaming about,’ she heard her husband whisper to his new son as he tiptoed out of the room with him.
‘And, if she is very lucky indeed, you will love her nearly as much as your father loves me,’ she murmured, and fell into an exhausted sleep at last to dream of her wild young lover.
What else was a respectable married woman supposed to do when that was all they could do for the next few weeks? Max was so worth dreaming about she might as well get on and enjoy another one while she had the chance.