She’d smoothed his rough edges and he had sharpened hers. She’d shown him kindness and he had given her courage. She was humbled by the faith he’d placed in her. The trust. The love. It showed in his gaze, and she knew it was reflected in her own even though she’d not yet said the words herself.
“I love you, too.” She placed her hand in the middle of his chest where his heart thumped steady and true. “The only man I’ve ever said that to is Sir Reginald.”
The corners of Sterling’s lips gave a betraying twitch before his countenance sobered. “I am honored to be in such excellent company. Should we get dressed and return to the gala? The night is young yet, but our good prince isn’t exactly known for his fidelity and I’d hate for him to find us in his bed.”
Rosemary’s muscles whined in quiet protest when she sat up, a testament to the vigorousness of their lovemaking. After disappearing into the adjoining water closet, Sterling returned with a damp cloth which he used to tenderly clean the sore, sensitive skin between her thighs. There was a small streak of blood; a sign of another change. She was now a woman that had been loved by a man.Wasloved by him, both in bed and out of it.
“A hot bath will do wonders,” he said, kissing her navel before he rose to his feet and helped her dress.
As they left the cottage, neither Rosemary nor Sterling noticed the flowers that had been trampled outside the front window. Nor did they see the tears that had christened the dark, loamy soil beneath. Tears born of sorrow, bitterness…and pure, unadulterated rage.
Chapter Eighteen
Rosemary had hernose in a book when she heard a maid open the front door and admit someone into the house. It was nearly a week since the Royal Gala and Sterling had come to visit her every day since, but generally never this early.
With Lady Ellinwood as a watchful chaperone (much to Sterling’s grumbling displeasure), they’d taken long walks through Kensington Gardens, gone to see the white tiger at the Zoological Society, and attended a play at the Gaiety Theater. But to the best of her knowledge, they hadn’t anything planned today until later in the afternoon when he was taking her to watch a rowing race from the shores of the Serpentine. And her grandmother was out, which meantshewasn’t expecting a visitor.
Curious, Rosemary set her book aside after taking care to mark her place with a frayed hair ribbon. She made her way into the foyer where, much to her surprise and delight, she discovered Evie, newly returned from Scotland if her cranberry-colored traveling habit was any indication, and Weston, dashingly formidable in all black.
“I was hoping you’d be in!” Evie said brightly. “We just got back ourselves early this morning after traveling most of the night. Exhausting, really, but at least you can sleep on the train.”
“Have you brought more fabric samples to show me?” Rosemary asked, only partly teasing.
Evie glanced at Weston. “Actually…there won’t be any need for those.”
“You picked a color for the bridesmaid dresses?” she said with no small measure of relief. “Was it the mauve you showed us last time, or the…um…ivory?” Truth be told, Rosemary hadn’t the faintest idea how to distinguish between the seemingly endless number of samples. She could tell blue from green and red from pink, but pearl and alabaster looked the same to her. According to her cousin, however, they were as different as night and day.
“Not exactly.” Again Evie looked at her husband, who gave the tiniest of nods. She clasped her hands together under her chin. “We are already married.”
“You’re…what?” Rosemary said blankly.
“Married. We eloped. To Gretna Green. That’s where we’ve been.”
“But I thought you were traveling to Campbell Castle?”
Rosemary’s geographical knowledge of Scotland wasn’t as strong as it should have been, but even she knew that Glenavon, where Lachlan and Brynne lived, and Gretna Green, a little village right over the border, were on complete opposite ends of the country.
“We were on our way, but I became too ill to continue.” Morning sunlight stealing in between the gaps in the heavy drapes that Lady Ellinwood favored illuminated Evie’s brilliant smile as she placed her hand low on her belly. “It appears my increased appetite these past few weeks was not from nerves.”
Rosemary’s stunned gaze bounced from her cousin to the Earl of Hawkridge. Thus far, all of her interactions with Evie’s fiancé–make that husband–had given her the impression that Weston was a stern, somber individual who reserved his lighter side for those he loved the most. But at that moment, he couldn’t have looked happier or more proud.
“Do you mean to say that you’re…”
“Expecting,” Evie trilled. “I am going to be a mother, of all things.”
“And I am going to be a father.” Extending his arm, Weston wrapped it around Evie’s waist and pulled her snugly against his chest. “You should rest. You’ve been on your feet for almost an hour.”
Evie rolled her eyes at Rosemary. “He’s been like this since we returned to London. It is going to be averylong seven months. But I know what you’re thinking, and not to worry. Once the baby is here, I’ve been promised an enormous ball to celebrate our wedding.”
It wasn’t even close to what Rosemary had been thinking, but she wasn’t about to disagree with a pregnant woman or her overprotective husband. “I am so glad to hear that.”
“It actually works out splendidly, as I’ll have something to keep me busy during my lying in. Naturally, it will call for an entirely new color palette for the dresses.” She waved her hand in the air. “But I can figure all that out later. Thebestnews is–”
“Our future child wasn’t the best news?” Weston asked, lifting a brow.
“Women have babies every day. And whileourbaby will undoubtedly be the best of the bunch as long as she doesn’t inherit your stubborn nature, what’s even more exciting is that now Rosemary and Hanover can be married in our place!” She beamed from ear to ear. “Isn’t thatwonderfulnews?”
“Ah…” Rosemary didn’t know what to say. She wanted to marry Sterling. Especially after their night in the cottage. But so soon? She’d just adjusted to being a fiancée! A role that she wanted to have time to enjoy before she leapt straight into being a wife and a duchess. “That’s a lovely offer. Truly. But–”
