She’d seen him on a few occasions last spring and considered him something of a lofty character, but they had never been introduced. Upon close inspection, he was even more daunting.
And yet… he was not looking down his nose at her.
The duchess hadn’t so much as sniffed at Naomi’s disheveled appearance. And the twins, Luke’s sisters… were absolutely adorable.
They followed Naomi to the kitchen and then, before she could check the water on the stove, the duchess’s hands landed on the back of her dress and tugged the fabric closed.
“One would think that those who design ladies’ gowns would make them so the lady herself could don them without assistance.”
One of the twins had gone right to the basin of water on the counter and used the damp rag she’d found there to smooth Naomi’s gown while the duke’s new wife fastened her up from behind.
“That way,” the duchess continued, “a lady wouldn’t find herself in such a predicament when her maid is suddenly called away.”
Although initially taken aback, Naomi already was feeling more put together. The duchess set herself to arranging the dishes on the tray Naomi had removed earlier and was efficiently pouring water into the porcelain pot. “Do you have any napkins, Mrs. Gilcrest?” she asked Naomi, for all the world as though she, a duchess, and the duke’s sisters hadn’t just arrived to find her in a somewhat scandalous situation.
Naomi’s heart skipped a beat. She was a widow—and she’d taken a lover.
It had been going on for almost a week now.
Luke had made love to her the night before. And then she, in turn, had made love to him. And if she was correct in her assumption, they’d been on the verge of making love again before his brother had begun pounding on the door.
A duke. She covered her cheeks with her hands for a moment, only to drop them immediately.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Mrs. Gilcrest.” The twin who’d been dampening the wrinkles out of her skirt rose, looking quite solemn. “Especially with your babe on the way. When is it coming, do you know?”
“It’s not polite to comment on a proper lady’s confinement, Lucinda,” the other twin—Lady Lydia—admonished her sister.
Only, Naomi didn’t imagine herself a very proper lady at the moment.A proper woman, perhaps,a highly satisfied voice piped up in her thoughts.
“I’m not offended.” She gave Lady Lucinda a reassuring nod and reached for some napkins in a nearby cupboard. “The baby should be due sometime after the holidays.” That was what the midwife who’d visited her in August had told her. Arthur had insisted the midwife visit just before he’d taken his leave. He’d told her it would provide him with peace of mind until he could return.
The memory brought her up short. It would be easier to hate him if he had been all bad. He’d been irresponsible. He’d lied to her and he’d cheated. And despite his last ghastly blunder, she could not deny that in the time they’d been together, he’d treated her with affection.
And he had asked Luke to look after her. Luke, the man who had since stolen her heart and brought it back to life—a heart she’d considered beyond repair.
“I imagine you wish for a boy?” Lady Lucinda moved around to assist with a second tray. “To carry on Captain Gilcrest’s name.”
“It’s doesn’t matter, really, Luce, since Gil wasn’t the heir,” her sister inserted.
“I suppose. But the earl shows no sign of marrying, and if he doesn’t, Gil’s child would stand to inherit the title.”
Lydia shook her head adamantly. “Lord Tempest will marry.” Was she blushing?
“You can’t know that,” Lucinda argued.
And Lucinda made a good point. Why hadn’t she considered that her child, Arthur’s child, could inherit an earldom? Her chest tightened as she considered the possibility.
She’d not met Gil’s older brother as he’d not been in London last spring, and Gil hadn’t been eager to talk about his family with her.
“That’s probably why they’re coming here.” The two girls had been moving around the kitchen as they talked, and since they were wearing identical gowns, Naomi lost track of which one was which.
But… Her heart stopped. “They are coming here?”
“It’s why we came so quickly,” the duchess explained.
“That and because Luke’s new orders had come. Black only brought us because we begged. Blasted brother of ours thinking he could get away without coming home while on leave.”
Naomi hardly noticed when the girls shared a significant glance, looking more than a little dismayed that such a complaint had been uttered aloud.
