“It’s all clear, sir.” Owen smiled. “The lady of the house is upstairs preparing for the party.”
Justin grinned, stepped through the door the butler pulled open for him and swung the large package he was hiding behind himself around to the front. He grasped it firmly in both hands, headed for the staircase and took the steps two at a time. The upstairs hall was empty. He hurried to the bridal chamber, pressed his ear against the door and listened.
Silence.
Justin smiled and quietly opened the door far enough to peek in. There was no one in sight. He pushed the door wide, stepped into their bedroom and nodded with satisfaction at the muted voices that came from Elizabeth’s dressing room. Judging from the chatter they would be busy for quite a while. He closed the door, tiptoed to the fireplace, leaned the package against the wall and reached up to remove the picture that hung above the mantel.
“Is the pwesent for me, Papa?”
Justin almost dropped the picture he held in his hands. He spun about and immediately spotted Sarah sitting on the floor beside their bed. Elizabeth’s open jewelry box was on her lap and she was looking up at him with an expectant smile on her face. Mr. Buffy sat beside her, as always. His great size dwarfed the child. He cocked his head to one side and looked at Justin.
Justin grinned and laid his finger across his lips cautioning Sarah to silence. He walked quietly across the room, propped the picture he held against the bed and squatted down in front of her. “The present is a surprise for Mama.”
Sarah giggled at his exaggerated whisper.
Justin winked and reached into his pocket. “I brought this for you.” He pulled out a licorice whip.
The toddler smiled. “Thank you, Papa.” She bit off an end and held it out to Mr. Buffy who sniffed it, licked it, then lay down and crossed one huge paw over the other to make a resting place for his muzzle. Sarah popped the piece of licorice into her mouth.
Justin’s dark-brown eyebrows lifted in surprise. Elizabeth must not know that was going on. He looked down at his small daughter and chuckled inwardly. She was absolutely dripping with jewelry! He reached out and touched the strand of pearls that dangled down from the pink bow on top of her head over one bright, shining brown eye. “You look very elegant, Miss Sarah. But I’m a little surprised to see you in such finery. What are you doing?”
The little girl pulled the licorice stick from her mouth leaving a dark circle around her lips. “I’m dwessing for Mama’s party.”
“Ah! I see. And does Mama know about this?”
Sarah shook her head. The chewed licorice made a black mark on her soft, rosy cheek as she placed a tiny finger against her lips. “It’s a secret.”
“Hmm. Well, this is a problem.” Justin frowned and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I didn’t know you would be attending our party tonight. I planned a surprise party for you and Mister Buffy upstairs, with cookies and cake—and a bone.” He sighed and watched Sarah out of the corner of his eye as he rose to his feet. “I’ll have to tell Cook not to bother. That you will be joining us for dinner and Mr. Buffy will eat in the kitchen as usual.”
Sarah popped the last of the licorice into her mouth and scrambled to her feet. Jewelry dropped everywhere. She grabbed hold of Justin’s long fingers with her sticky little hand and tugged. “I’ll go to my party wiff Mithter Buffy, Papa.”
Justin grinned. He removed two necklaces from around the little girl’s neck and dropped them into the jewelry box. “I thought you might, Sarah.” He laughed and scooped his daughter up into his arms. She placed one little hand on either side of his face and leaned back to look at him.
“Can I have bwown cake, Papa?”
“Indeed you may.”
“Oh, goody! I like bwown cake.” Sarah threw her arms around Justin’s neck and planted a sticky kiss on his cheek.
Justin returned the favor. He rained kisses upon Sarah’s face and neck while she giggled and ducked her head trying to protect her ticklish spots from the sudden attack. Spurred on by her laughter, Justin made a growling sound deep in his throat and burrowed his chin into her shoulder. Sarah giggled and squealed and kicked her dangling legs trying to wriggle free of the exquisite torture. The dog barked sharply and began to run in circles around Justin’s legs.
“So this is where you’ve gotten to!”
Anna Hammerfield burst through the door from Elizabeth’s dressing room and stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted Justin. Her rosy cheeks turned a bright scarlet. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t know you were—” She stopped and stared in amusement as Justin and Sarah, in perfect imitation of her father, lifted their fingers to their lips and hissed, “Shhh!”
She nodded and pulled the door behind her closed. Her eyes widened in dismay when she turned back and spotted the jewelry on the floor. She scowled in mock severity and advanced into the room shaking her pudgy finger at the big, black dog that now sat at Justin’s feet watching her. “I told you to watch Miss Sarah, Mister Buffy! And look at what she’s been up to!”
Mr. Buffy pricked his ears, cocked his head to one side and thumped his long, thick tail against the floor.
“Don’t you go wagging your tail at me, you big, black brute! I’m immune to your charms.” Anna Hammerfield laughed, patted the dog on the shoulder and held out her plump arms for her charge. “I’m sorry, sir. I brought Miss Sarah down to watch her mama get ready for tonight’s festivities and she slipped away from me in the hubbub.”
“No harm done.” Justin smiled down at the short, matronly woman and transferred his daughter to her arms. “Though this one needs a good wash.”
The nurse glanced at Sarah’s face.
“Licorice again, sir?”
Justin grinned. “Don’t tell her mother.”
“Not a word, sir.” The nurse chuckled and looked down at the child in her arms. “And what do you mean by slipping away from me and coming in here to play with your mama’s jewelry, Miss Sarah?”
“I was dwessing for Mama’s party.”
“Dressing for—oh. Oh!” The nurse’s gaze shot to Justin.
“She’s decided she would rather have her own party upstairs with Mr. Buffy in attendance.” Justin’s voice was solemn, but he closed one eye in a conspiratorial wink.
Sarah gave a vigorous nod and clasped her nurse’s face in her small hands. “I get bwown cake, Nanny! And cookies!”
“Oh you do, do you?” The nurse laughed at the child’s excitement. “Well, in that case, we had better go and get you cleaned up, miss.” She set her charge down on the floor and took her by the hand. “You can’t go to a party with licorice smeared on your face, you know. It’s simply not the thing.” She looked up at Justin, and shook her head in mock disapproval. “Brown cake and cookies, indeed! It’s out-and-out bribery. That’s what it is. Bribery!”
Justin grinned, shrugged his broad shoulders and spread his hands wide in silent admission of the crime.
Anna Hammerfield laughed and walked to the door with Sarah skipping along happily at her side. “There’ll be no cake for you after this episode, Mr. Buffy.” She held the door open for Sarah and the big black dog who padded softly after his small mistress. “You get a dry, old bone.”
Mr. Buffy wagged his tail and exited the room.
Justin grinned and knelt to pick up the jewelry on the floor as the door closed behind the small entourage. What a change in Sarah. In all of them. They were a real family now. He lifted his gaze to the package he had left leaning against the fireplace, dropped the jewelry he held into the box and walked across the room. His strong, nimble fingers made short work of the knotted string and crisp brown paper that covered it.
“Oh, you do look lovely, mum!”
“Thank you, Trudy.”
Elizabeth smiled and turned slowly in front of the mirror admiring her new gown of watered silk taffeta. “I do believe Madame Duval has outdone herself this time. I’m sure Justin will be pleased.” She lifted her hand and gently touched the blossoms Trudy had placed in her hair. How frightened she had been that first time when she discovered Trudy had filched the flowers from the table arrangement! She laughed softly and dismissed her maid. She wanted a few moments alone to savor her happiness. She did another pirouette out of pure joy, then, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, suddenly turned and walked to the connecting bedroom door. There was one thing more she needed. Tonight, of all nights, she must wear her grandmother’s brooch.
Elizabeth opened the door and stepped into the bedroom. Her heart gave a little skip of excitement at the sight of her tall, handsome husband standing in the center of the room. A warm rush of love brought tears to her eyes. She lifted the skirt of her new gown in her, suddenly, trembling hands and hurried toward him. She couldn’t wait another minute!
Justin pivoted with a guilty start and hurried toward her.
“I didn’t know you had returned, Justin.” Elizabeth smiled up at him. “You should have sent word. Was your errand successful?”
“Very.” He opened his arms. Elizabeth stepped inside their welcoming circle, sighed softly and laid her head against her husband’s chest listening contentedly to the beat of the heart that loved her. It was all still a wonder to her. She smiled when his hand gently touched her chin, and eagerly lifted her mouth to meet his. Justin’s arms slid around her waist and drew her closer. Elizabeth clung to him. Tears of thankfulness dampened her lashes.
“I love you, Elizabeth.” Justin’s voice was husky. The scent of his cologne mingled with the fragrance of the flowers that were crushed beneath his cheek as he laid his head against her hair.
“I love you, Justin.” Elizabeth hid her face against his broad chest, as always, a little shy at the depth of their response to each other. They stood that way for a moment, each savoring the feel of the other in their arms, and then Elizabeth lifted her head. She smiled and touched his cheek. “Happy Anniversary, darling. Do you like your gift?”
“My gift?” Justin frowned and looked down into her beautiful dark-blue eyes. “What gift?”
Elizabeth smiled, a smile Justin had never seen before.
“The one you’re holding in your hands.”
He looked down to his hands that circled her tiny waist, then shot his gaze back up to Elizabeth’s face. “A baby?”
She nodded and laughed at the stunned look on his face.
“Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
She gasped and clutched at Justin’s shoulders as he let out a whoop of joy and lifted her into the air. “A baby!” He whirled her around and around, laughing with delight. “We’re going to have a baby, Elizabeth!” Suddenly, he crushed her to him, then just as quickly relaxed his grip. “Did I hurt you?”
“No.” She laughed down at him. “I’m fine.”
Justin lowered her gently to the floor, drew her into his arms and held her close. He was trembling.
“Justin?” His name was a soft whisper against the fabric of his shirt.
“Yes?”
“I’m glad you’re pleased.”
He tightened his arms around her. “I could ask for nothing more, Elizabeth—save that you be all right.”
It was the first time Elizabeth had ever heard Justin sound afraid. She leaned her head back and looked up at him. “I’ve told you, sir, I am neither weak nor sickly.” She curved her lips in a saucy smile. “But this time—I am with child.”
It had the desired result. Justin threw his head back and laughed until tears filled his eyes. He looked down and their gazes met. “Oh, Elizabeth—” their warm breath mingled as he brushed his lips ever so lightly against hers “—what a long way we have come.”
She parted her lips and answered his hunger.
When Justin finally lifted his head they were both trembling. “If this continues, madam, we will be very late meeting our guests.”
Elizabeth’s cheeks flamed.
Justin laughed. “You’re a delectable wench, Elizabeth. And your blushes delight me still.” He kissed the top of her golden curls and smiled down at her. “Though it cannot compare to yours…would you like to see your gift?”
“Now? Before the party?”
He nodded.
“Yes!” Elizabeth laughed and patted his waistcoat pocket. “Where is it?”
Justin grinned, lifted his hands to her shoulders and gently turned her around.
“There.”
Elizabeth’s gaze followed the direction of his pointing finger and her laughter died. “Oh, Justin…” She stepped out from beneath her husband’s hands and moved to stand looking up at the new painting that hung above the mantel. Her eyes misted as she gazed up at the shaft of sunlight that slanted down through the trees of a forest to highlight two beautiful red roses growing out of a pile of ashes and charred ruins in the foreground of the painting. Tears slid down her cheeks. She lifted her hand and gently touched the roses. “You painted this for me?”
Justin stepped forward, wrapped his arms around his wife and lowered his head to rest his cheek against her soft, golden curls. “I wanted to give you something that would tell you how much I love you—how thankful I am for you.” He pulled her closer into his embrace and smiled when she rested her head back against him. “I wanted to give you something that would remind us both, every day for the rest of our lives, that miracles do happen. That God loves us. And that He truly does give beauty for ashes.”