CHAPTER12
EPILOGUE
One year later, Engleston Park study, Kent
Oblivious to the chaos happening in the Engleston Park kitchens, David lounged on the sofa in his study, one foot on the floor covered by the sleeping sheepdog and his attention on a sheaf of papers he had received from his solicitor the day before. A quick trip to London had afforded him and Marian the opportunity to pay a call at Penhurst Place to meet her uncle’s wife of nearly a year and to introduce their son to his great uncle and to his grandmother.
Although he pretended interest in the babe, Richard had his own new addition to show off—a two-month-old baby girl. While the women exchanged talk of caring for their children and households, Richard and David retired to the earl’s study. In an effort to clear the air regarding their uncomfortable parting from the Soho Club the year before, Richard poured brandies for them both and admitted he had already decided to remarry when he had arranged for them to meet at the Soho Club.
He knew there would be trouble in his household if he didn’t find a suitable husband for Marian.
“It wouldn’t have been fair to my niece to have to give up her station as my hostess, but I knew Constance would insist on running the place,” Richard said, referring to his new countess. “I knew you needed a wife, and so I mentioned to Marian that I had found her a suitable husband. Thought the Soho Club would be a perfect location in which to begin a courtship,” he went on. “And apparently, it was.”
David furrowed his brows. “Oh, it was,” he agreed. “And I have to admit that if you had let me in on your plans, I don’t know that I would have accepted your invitation,” he added.
“I knew you wouldn’t have, which is why I didn’t tell you.” Richard angled his head to one side. “I do hope you’re not still sore at me.”
“Oh, I’m not,” the baron assured him. “I could not have chosen a better woman to be my wife if I had attended a Season of entertainments in London,” he added. “But it pains me when I think of her shock when she thought I had conspired with you in order to take her off your hands.”
Grimacing at the reminder, Richard said, “She let me know she forgives me. The mention of a larger dowry may have helped in that regard.”
“Oh, no doubt,” David replied. “Which is part of why we’re in London today. We came here directly from my solicitor’s office. He had the papers ready for both my last will and testament and for the settlement for Marian and the children.”
Impressed at hearing the news, Richard said, “Well, you’re certainly set.” He dipped his head. “I do appreciate you seeing to her future. To her present,” he remarked. “She seems very happy.”
David nodded. “I intend to keep her that way, sir.”
He and Marian had departed Penhurst Place exactly one hour after their arrival. They had stopped at his townhouse to see his mother and then taken her for an ice at Gunter’s Tea Shop.
“I was so happy to have received a slice of your wedding cake whilst I was in Brighton,” Eva told them.
“You did?” David asked in surprise. He gave Marian a quick glance.
“I might have seen to it a slice was boxed up and sent before we left the Soho Club,” Marian said. “Although I don’t know how Mrs. Skarsgard knewwhereto send it.”
“It was so good, I didn’t mind at all that I missed the nuptials,” his mother went on, lifting the baby into her arms.
Before they had departed the tea shop, the dowager baroness proudly showed off her grandson to every matron she knew in the establishment before announcing she would be spending the next Season in Bath.
Apparently she knew Marian would be more than capable of running the Engleston townhouse in her absence.
Their last stop in London had been at the Soho Club. Mrs. Skarsgard was happy to meet the babe and reminded them they could return to the club whenever they wished.
David was wondering when they might next head to London for a stay at the Soho Club—their wedding breakfast had been exceptional, and the wedding cake rather good—when he looked up to discover his wife standing on the threshold of the study. Her eyes were wide before she let out a sigh of relief.
“What is it, my sweet?” he asked in alarm, lowering the papers to reveal a lump atop his chest. He intended to stand upon seeing her, but his effort to sit up was impeded by an additional weight on his body and the slumbering dog draped over his foot.
“I thought your son had gone missing,” Marian said as she crossed her arms and angled her head.
“Oh, he’s not missing. He’s right here,” David said as he indicated the bundle on his chest. Wrapped in a blanket, the future seventh Baron Engleston was snoring softly.
“What’s he doing there?” she asked as she made her way to stand over the two men in her life.
“Well, he is keeping me warm,” David replied. “He’s like a huge lump of coal but without the soot and smoke. He did fart a couple of times, though.”
Marian tittered. “He is rather warm to hold,” she agreed, her initial concern melting away. “And growing heavier by the day.”
“Since he was merely sleeping in his bassinet, I thought he could do it on me just as well,” David explained, his appreciative gaze taking in his wife’s newest yellow gown.
