Page 115 of The Wedding-Crashing Duchess

“That decision has proved remarkably successful despite its unusual beginnings,” Ronan replied, his composure remaining annoyingly intact.

Augusta felt her smile fade into something gentler.

That was the sort of thing Ronan did now. He allowed her to tease him until she expected another clever answer, and then he said something so simple and sincere that she suddenly forgot whatever she intended to say next.

Ronan stepped closer and rested both hands lightly upon her shoulders.

“I would choose every difficult day with you again willingly,” Ronan said, his thumbs moving gently against the fabric of her gown.

Augusta reached for his hand and pressed her fingers between his.

“You have become dangerously accomplished at saying lovely things lately,” Augusta said, looking up at him with open affection.

They had come so far.

“I had an extremely demanding teacher living inside my house,” Ronan replied, lifting her hand toward his lips.

Augusta smiled as he kissed her knuckles. She remembered the man who once struggled to tell Sarah that he wanted her company. Now Ronan reached for affection without appearing surprised by himself afterward.

That change seemed greater to Augusta than anything else their marriage had given them.

“Did you ever imagine this when we first married?” Augusta asked, looking briefly toward her still barely changed stomach.

Ronan followed her gaze before meeting her eyes again.

“I imagined considerably less happiness than I have received,” Ronan said, his hand moving gently over hers.

She felt something warm settle inside her chest.

“I was frightened to ask whether you wanted children,” Augusta admitted, remembering the night before Sarah disappeared.

“I wish you had known you could ask me anything,” Ronan said, his voice becoming gentler than before.

“I know that now, which seems far more important,” Augusta said, squeezing his hand reassuringly between both of hers.

Ronan nodded, although Augusta suspected some part of him would always regret the things he had once failed to say.

She understood that tendency better than anyone.

He had spent much of his life believing silence prevented complications. She had spent much of hers believing perfect manners prevented mistakes.

“Have you thought about what we shall name the baby?” Augusta asked, deciding she preferred something happier now.

“I assumed you already possessed an entire secret list somewhere,” Ronan said, looking immediately suspicious of her intentions.

“I possess several possibilities, although none require your alarm yet,” Augusta replied, unable to keep herself from smiling.

“That wording suggests I should become alarmed immediately instead,” Ronan said, narrowing his eyes with exaggerated concern.

Augusta stood and crossed toward him until very little space remained between them.

“You will dislike half my choices before hearing them properly,” Augusta said, resting both hands against the front of his coat.

“I remain the duke, which must provide some authority somewhere,” Ronan replied, although his smile ruined the seriousness completely.

Augusta laughed and rested her forehead briefly against his chest. The room had grown quiet around them, and the whole house seemed finally exhausted after the noise of the afternoon.

Sarah would already be asleep by now, unless she had persuaded somebody into another story.