“Like this.” Louisa crossed her arms, raising her brow and keeping her mouth a flat line. But even as she tried, she felt the corner of her mouth twitch.
“See?” Robert pointed at the smile she was desperately trying to fight. “You cannot keep a straight face either.”
“At least I waited until William could no longer see.” Louisa looked back to see him kneeling in the grass, watching as his frog hopped away. She turned back to Robert and found him watching William as well.
Robert narrowed his eyes. “One shilling says that that frog will be in William’s bed tonight.”
“Or Liza’s,” Louisa mumbled.
“Or Benjamin’s.” Robert shook his head, smiling and walking over to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing the top of her head before stepping back and cradling her ample belly. “And what about you, Little One?” He looked down. “Shall you get into as much mischief as all of your siblings? Or will you be like your Uncle Henry and be the epitome of restraint?” Robert’s eyes flicked to Louisa. “One can always hope.”
A laugh bubbled out of her. “At this point I would not count on it. Even Henry’s sons are not like Henry.”
He shrugged. “Perhaps Edwin. He is the most reserved of them all.”
“I fear it is too soon to tell. He is only four.” Louisa stretched her back, then turned toward the house. “We had better get going. William has assured me he will be watching the clock for our timely arrival.”
“Ah, now that sounds like me.” Robert stepped beside her, offering his arm.
She gratefully took it, hefting more weight upon it than usual, walking as fast as her advanced state would allow.
“Goodness, my feet are sore.” Louisa stopped, wiggling her toes in her slipper. “I cannot wait any longer. The doctor keeps making promises, yet here we are. I only wish to be able to see my shoes when I look at my feet. Is that so much to ask?” She glanced up at Robert and found him biting his lip, attempting to hide a smile.
“I’m sure it will be any day now.”
“I have heard that before,” Louisa said with a huff. “You are only attempting to placate me.”
Robert led them forward again. “Nonsense. Logic stands that one day it will happen. And with every day that passes, the odds are that much more in your favor.” He looked down and gave her a wide grin.
Louisa gave a final huff, shaking her head. “Now,” she began, switching to the issue more immediately at hand, “you cannot laugh when we get inside. You must be the stoic duke I know you can be.”
“Yes, but that’s with strangers. These are our children.” A ghost of a smile remained on his lips as he looked toward their destination.
A chuckle slipped out as she said, “Goodness, we are hopeless.”
“Yes.” Robert brought his free hand over, covering her fingers that clung to his arm. “Hopelessly happy.”
Louisa felt her throat swell again and her vision went blurry, and she was thankful for Robert’s steadying arm.
The day went by in a flurry of frogs, ribbons and braids, aching feet, and most importantly, laughter.
Robert and Louisa went to each child’s room, kissing their brow, saying prayers and listening to them go on about their adventures during the day. Robert managed to spy a lump in William’s mattress and removed the frog before they left.
“I told him not to bring that into bed,” Benjamin said from across the room, tucked in tightly.
“Of course you did,” Louisa said, a smile in her voice. Her legs were spent and she was more than ready to climb into bed herself for the evening.
She and Robert slipped through the boy’s bedroom door, leaving it open a small crack. “I am so tired,” Louisa said, leaning her back against the doorframe.
“You go on to bed.” Robert pressed a quick kiss to her brow, then looked down at his hand with a grimace. “And I shall put this poor creature back outside.”
“Poor creature?” Louisa laughed. “He has been treated like a prince today.”
The creases on Robert’s brow only deepened as he scowled at the amphibian, turning and heading toward the stairs.
“You know we have servants for that,” Louisa called after him.
“I fear they have endured enough today. I shall take care of this.” And then he disappeared down the stairs.
