Lady Susanne had been quiet at first. She’d eyed her former governess’s blossoming stomach, draped in the finest satin gown. Eventually, over the pudding course, she said, “When I saw you two kissing, it was not really improper, for you were destined to be married.”
Awkward silence had reigned for a very long moment, and then the two younger girls giggled.
Finally, Alice had said, “That’s exactly correct.” No one made mention of the impropriety again.
In any case, Lady Beasley had offered assistance when the time came for his wife’s labor. As promised, her ladyship had come as soon as Adam sent word, despite it being the middle of the night. But he hadn’t expected the support of Lord Beasley.
“No reason you should punish yourself and sit in a hallway,” his lordship said. Then he tapped his glass to Adam’s, and they drank down a long sip of brandy. “By the way, it becomes easier with each birth.”
“I believe my mother said that.” At least, Adam thought she had. His brain felt a little like warm mush.
Lord Beasley laughed. “I meant foryou. I don’t know anything about how —”
Alice cried out again, and Adam was glad he was seated. But then he heard the unmistakable squall of a baby. Jumping to his feet and spilling his brandy for the second time that night, he set his glass down and raced out to the closed door of his bedroom.
Pounding on it, he couldn’t help shouting, “Alice, are you well? The babe is it healthy?”
The door opened, and Lady Susanne blocked his view. Her hair was unusually mussed and her cheeks pale. Apparently, she’d received an education of sorts from his wife after all. It had been a long night and an even longer day.
“Both are fine, my lord,” Lady Susanne promised. “The midwife is just ...uh... cleaning everyone up.”
She looked over her shoulder, and Adam peered past, seeing a scene of tangled sheets and Alice leaning back on many pillows — perhaps all the pillows they owned in the entire house — to keep her sitting up.
Their eyes locked.
“Let him in, Susanne,” Alice ordered, her voice strong but hoarse.
In three steps, he was beside her, ignoring the mess at the foot of the bed, for his baby was cradled in his wife’s arms.
“You are marvelous,” he said, meaning Alice but equally referring to the infant. Reaching out to touch its head, he stopped just short of the tuft of black fluffy hair. “May I?”
“I think so,” Alice said. She looked spent, her face as pale as Lady Susanne’s but with a bruised look around her eyes. “He’s a boy,” she added, looking down at the bundle in her arms, her face breaking out in a tired smile.
“A boy,” Adam repeated. Finally, he let the tips of his fingers touch his son, stroking his hair, then his cheek. The babe’s eyes were closed, his face red, and he appeared already to be sleeping.
“Peaceful chap,” Adam said.
Alice’s gaze shot to his, her silver-green eyes looking in disbelief. “After what he’s just put me through,” she quipped, “peaceful is the last thing I think of him.”
Then she chuckled. “He does look like a little lamb though, doesn’t he?”
“Indeed.”
Lady Beasley rose from the chair on the other side of the bed. He hadn’t even noticed her for the past few minutes, nor the midwife.
“Congratulations,” her ladyship said. “Your wife handled her first labor superbly,” she said to Adam. “See that she gets some broth or whatever her stomach yearns to eat, but make sure she drinks plenty. It helps with the milk production,” she added when he knew he looked baffled.
“Yes, of course,” he said. “Thank you.”
“Susanne and I will leave you two alone now, but I will return later to make sure you have everything you need.” She nodded to Alice and went to the door. “Do feel at liberty to name the baby after my husband, my lord, since he kept you company. I think it’s a tradition. I’ll collect him on my way out.” With that, she disappeared with Lady Susanne following.
Adam turned to Alice, whose eyes had grown round as saucers.
“Dear God, do we have to?” he asked her. “Just because they were here? Is that a custom?”
Alice shrugged. “I cannot even recall Lord Beasley’s given name.”
However, the midwife was chuckling as she gathered up her things. “Her ladyship is only teasing you, I’m sure,” the woman said. “There’s no such custom to naming that I’ve ever heard.”
