The duke and duchess had taken the journey to Yorkshire slowly, due to the advanced nature of Gemma’s pregnancy.
“Alone?” he asked.
Artemis nodded. “Without Mother, yes.”
Blast the duchess.
“She did send a letter,” continued Artemis.
Jolly grand of her, he didn’t say. Instead, he said, “That likely took a lot.”
Artemis sighed, resigned, but showed no sign of disappointment. “She gave us her blessing.”
Bran felt his eyebrows lift to the sky. “Is that so?”
The hint of a rueful smile curved Artemis’s mouth. “She said that after much thought, she can accept our marriage because, of course, our future son will be an earl.”
Nearly robbed of speech, Bran was able to manage, “How did she arrive at that conclusion?”
“As only Mother could.” Artemis shrugged. “First, she doesn’t see how on earth Stoke will be able to secure a wife for himself, given his propensity toward dissolution.”
“Fair play.”
“But that wasn’t all.”
“It wouldn’t be.”
“She went on to say that if by some miracle Stokedidmanage to procure a wife, she doubts his fortitude orwherewithalto be able to produce an heir.”
Bran could groan.
“Her exact words were—” Artemis cleared her throat and said in perfect imitation of the duchess, “He looks the droopy sort.”
Bran did groan. “Family.”
“Yes indeed,family.”
They shared a smile.
“We’re going to enjoy this life together, aren’t we?”
Sudden tears pooled in Artemis’s eyes. “Aye, we are.”
In that moment—some would characterize as magical—the sun broke across the horizon, golden and bright, and they went silent as the sky shifted from shades of gray into golden brilliance, dancing across low layers of clouds that looked no threat to the perfection of the day.
“And how would you describe this sky in relation to all the skies you’ve ever encountered?” asked Artemis, softly, her head resting on his shoulder.
“I would have to put it at the top as the very best sky in the world.”
“What sets this sky apart, then?”
“You beneath it, my darling.”
Over these last few weeks, he’d become prone to speaking such words—romanticwords.
But they weren’t mere words.
They were his promise to himself, kept.
