Letitia was clearly caught off guard. Her eyes darted toward Christopher, as if he might offer a cue or rescue her from the question entirely, but their father had long since checked out of the conversation.
“Oh, you know,” she said finally, “there are… possibilities. It’s early, of course. No need to speak of anything too soon.”
“What is the need for the suspense?” Rachel leaned forward. “You are amongst your sisters after all.”
“I do not wish to rush.” The smile faded from Letitia’s face. “I want to make the right match for myself.”
“Of course. That’s how I remember it—though if I recall, you were rather set on some lord for quite a while. Was it Lord Camden?”
“Lord Camden married a tradesman’s daughter,” Letitia sniffed, her cheeks coloring. “I doubt that I missed out.”
“Quite right,” Rachel said with mock solemnity. “Still, it must be difficult navigating prospects without a duchess to guide you.”
Simon coughed quietly into his hand, clearly hiding a laugh. Christopher cleared his throat, either to change the subject or to cut through the tension. Rachel wasn’t sure which, nor did she much care.
Marina looked between them with wide eyes, clearly unsure if she should intervene or pretend not to have noticed. Rachel decided to spare her.
“Before I go, there was something else that I wished to share with you.”
“What else could you have to share?” Letitia said bitterly. “You seem to have done most of the talking this evening.”
Rachel opted to simply ignore her, and instead, she wove her arm through Simon’s and turned her attention exclusively to Marina.
“Simon and I are expecting.”
“Rachel!”
Predictably, Marina was the one who was the happiest. Her face lit up at the announcement, and she went to hug her sister.
“You were keeping this news fromme?” she asked. “Oh, my. You are going to be a mother!”
“Yes. We just had it confirmed. It’s still early, but…” Her hand instinctively drifted to her abdomen. “We are excited about it.”
Simon placed a hand on his wife’s back. “We are happy to have you as an aunt,” he said. “I can tell already that you will be actively involved in this little one’s life.”
“Of course I will,” Marina said. “There is no question about it. This has made my day. Thank you for sharing.”
Letitia looked between them.
“Congratulations,” she managed to sputter out with great difficulty. “I suppose you both are very happy.”
“Can’t you tell?” Rachel smiled.
“Well, good for you,” Christopher mumbled under his breath. “At least you are carrying on my bloodline.”
Rachel winced at that. She did not wish to think of it that way—she wanted to only carry on her mother’s legacy. Christopher was only a stain in her life that she wished to forget entirely.
“A duchess and now a mother,” Letitia said, perhaps to compensate for the fact that she’d been thoroughly outdone. “You seem to be accumulating titles.”
“I suppose I am,” Rachel replied. “And remarkably, not a single one came from you or Father.”
Letitia opened her mouth—then promptly closed it again.
“This baby will be so loved,” Marina jumped back into the conversation. “We must prepare, and—oh! Have you told Aunt Jean? She will be beside herself!”
“I imagine she will start planning the christening before I’ve even begun preparing myself,” Rachel laughed softly.
Marina turned to Simon, grinning. “Congratulations to you as well, Your Grace. You must be thrilled.”
