Sophia relaxed. Beneath her hand, Dev’s arm felt solid and warm. She leaned into him, and he kissed the top of her head. It was as though she had come home from a long and lonely journey.
What an unusual day this had become.
Locating a granite bench in the sunlight, Dev steered her toward it and pulled her to sit down. Turning, he searched her eyes meaningfully.
“How are you feeling today? Are you faint? Do you still feel ill in the mornings?”
These were the things she would share with him daily if their fates had not become so twisted. But here, now, she was alone with him for once.
She nodded slowly and allowed a secret smile to curve her lips. She was finally convinced that she was indeed, increasing. But she had wanted to tell Dev first. She’d not wanted all the world to know before him. “I’m a little queasy every morning, but other than that, I have more energy today.”
He stilled at her expression, as much as at her words. And in case he was left with any doubt on the matter, she shrugged a little sheepishly. “The world has turned upside down, and it would seem as though we’ve made one mistake after another. But in my heart, I cannot regret any of it.” Her words were truer than she could have thought. “I’m going to have your baby, Dev.” And she could not regret it now. Out of the uncontrollable passion they’d experienced together, they’d created a life. And appropriately, the child would be born in the springtime.
Was it possible they could have just a few minutes together to celebrate, even though uncertainty abounded everywhere?
Dev’s features softened, and then he jumped up restlessly. He paced back and forth several times before finally returning to sit down beside her. A new vitality seemed to come over him.
“Do you think, Sophia,” he said, “that the two of us will ever carry on a normal conversation?” He smiled as he spoke the words, teasing her.
She could not resist his mood. “You mean about the weather? Or about bonnets? Or about whether our child ought to have a governess or go away to school?”
He nodded. “Instead of who died, when, and how we are going to bring people back from the grave?”
And then she felt serious again, just as quickly. “I wish, oh, how I wish that by some miracle, all of this could work out. I want for Harold to return. It seems only right that he should return. And yet, if he does…”
Dev took her hands and raised them to his lips. “I feel the same, Sophia. All we can do is wait.”
She relaxed into him and sighed. “It all seemed so harmless, when you first told me about it. About Harold going away to live his life the way he wanted. No one was supposed to be hurt. I’d imagined St. John proposing to Rhoda, you and I finding our way together, and everyone living out their lives peacefully. Everything has turned to ashes! Who would have thought it could ever come to all of this?”
Dev let out a dry chuckle. After so much death and sadness the past month, a little laughter, a little sunshine, was exactly what they needed.
“We will give Harold until after the holidays. If he has not sent word by then, then you and I will marry in the New Year. My child will have my name, regardless of who everyone else believes the father to be.”
At his words, Sophia remembered the night he’d first made love to her, when he’d recited the wedding vows to her by candlelight.
“So, we wait until the New Year.”
Dev pulled her to her feet. “Just after the holidays.”
That seemed a lifetime away. So much could happen between then and now.
But suddenly, hope was alive again.
He Was Unhappy Here
Sophia waited one more week before informing the duchess that she had sent for the local midwife. She told her that, although she’d gone several weeks before without having her courses, she’d never gone this long. In addition, she said she was experiencing a few pronounced symptoms consistent with what would be expected of a lady in an interesting condition.
The duchess was overjoyed, of course.
“But not the midwife, dear. We will have a physician from London attend to you. I shall keep him here on retainer so that you receive the best of care around the clock.” The duchess stood and clasped her hands in front of her. “Oh, I knew it, Sophia! I am so happy! You are giving me the greatest gift any daughter-in-law could ever give. You are giving me back a part of my son!”
Sophia would have grimaced at this but kept a placid expression on her face. Before imparting this news to the duchess, Sophia had considered her position within the household carefully and was determined to affect some changes.
“That is not going to be necessary, your grace,” Sophia said softly, but firmly. “I have already sent for the midwife and would find myself quite… uncomfortable having a physician here.” She paused.
The duchess raised her brows nearly into her hairline at Sophia’s disagreeable statement.
“I have also hired a new lady’s maid. I appreciate Penny’s efficiency and dedication, but I find she and I are not… completely sympathetic to each other.” No, Penny’s loyalty had always, and would always be, to the duchess first. Which, as the duchess’ employee, was perfectly acceptable, but Sophia decided she needed to put an end to the constant monitoring on her grace’s part.
