“There is one thing more,” she said before his mouth fitted to hers. “Mrs. Georgie would like one of those hand-cranked, dish-washing machines.”
They started to make love even as Alice could feel her husband’s body shaking with laughter.
Bath, Late Summer 1852
The Royal Crescenttownhouse rang out with his wife’s cries, and Adam poured himself a glass of brandy. Since none of his family were nearby, Alice was being attended by Lady Beasley and Lady Susanne, along with the best midwife in Bath.
“All shall be fine, my lord,” Lady Beasley had assured him, looking cool as ever despite the heat. Then she had shut his bedroom door in his face. He thought she’d appeared satisfied to do so.
Still, the birthing room was no place for a man. He would only get in the way, show worry on his face, perhaps even faint if things got dodgy. He couldn’t even bear to think of Alice in pain. And it was all his fault.
But his father had been through this five times successfully. He wished the earl was there instead of in London, at least to drink brandy with him, slap him on the back, and —for God’s sake— tell him everything was going to be fine.
In any case, word had been sent to Piccadilly of the impending babe, and some or all of his family would arrive as soon as they could get themselves loaded into a train carriage.
A sudden rapping at the front door caused him to jump up from the chair he’d dragged into the hallway outside the bedroom door. Although spilling his drink down his shirt, he managed to set the glass down rather than dropping it to shatter.
Of all the emotions he was expecting when this moment came, he hadn’t thought he would be as nervous as a cat in a rocking chair emporium.
Not bothering to put on his jacket, Adam dashed downstairs to answer the knock himself since he was entirely useless to do anything helpful for Alice. Besides, Mr. Lewis was back in London, and their skeleton staff in Bath were not as quick.
“Lord Beasley!” Adam exclaimed, seeing the man on the doorstep. Then he reached out, took hold of his arm, and yanked him inside.
“My, my,” Lord Beasley said. But instead of freeing his arm, he patted Adam’s shoulder. “I thought I might be needed, what with you being a first-time father.”
“Indeed, my lord. I am exceedingly grateful for company. I thought I might go mad left to my own counsel. Would you care for some brandy? I know I would. In fact, I was just drinking some and then spilled it.”
Looking down at his shirtfront, he could see the damage and gave it a futile wipe.
“I have a decanter upstairs,” Adam added. “Please, come this way.”
The Beasleys had become their friends after he and Alice returned to Bath upon finishing their first round of refurbishing Stonely Grange. Privately, Adam still thought his wife would want to add a few more oddments and trinkets to clutter theplace up a bit in the current fashion, especially when they went back there with the baby.
Ever since they’d arrived in Bath, she had been feathering their nest with more stuff in the nursery than it seemed they’d put in all of the Grange.
“Does the wee one really need —?” Adam would begin to ask when she arrived home with another blanket, a painted miniature chair, or even a whip-and-top toy.But Alice, it’s a baby!
A jump rope appeared in the nursery recently, along with a hoop that could be sent flying along the street with the right stick, a miniature sailboat, and a doll. She was ready for any eventuality of sex or interest.
Whatever he asked about, Alice held up her hand, and he let it go with a smile. After all, since they planned for a large family, it was money well spent. Even if the first child barely used the new rocking horse, the next one surely would.
“Thank you for coming,” Adam said once they were seated in the upstairs salon beside the room where Alice labored. Adam kept the door open so he could still hear what was going on and poured Lord Beasley a drink.
Alice had sent over a calling card to The Paragon residence as soon as they’d returned to the spa city, determined to make amends. Invited to dinner forthwith, Adam had been relieved when his mother’s friend forgave them before the first glass of wine.
“While we haven’t found a governess nearly as good as you,” Lady Beasley had said, “I am pleased you found your happiness, and to think I had something to do with bringing my good friend’s son together with the perfect wife.”
Losing her best governess, with a lack of notice given before departure, and Alice marrying Susanne’s suitor — it was allwater under the bridge once the Beasleys learned her true identity.
“Two years in hiding!” Lord Beasley had said in wonder over the roast chicken. “I vow you could have confided in us, Lady Diamond, and we would have done our utmost to assist.”
“We would have,” Lady Beasley confirmed his words, “although I would have been loath for our girls to miss out on your excellent tutelage.”
Adam and Alice exchanged more than one glance that night. Lady Beasley hadn’t quite understood the severity of the situation.
At the beef and vegetables course, Adam had mused, “My parents looked kindly upon your assistance in allowing us to keep company when you could have easily not allowed it, given the circumstances.”
Lady Beasley appreciated such a statement.
