Page 79 of Stolen and Seduced By the Duke

Hugh recognized her immediately and gave a delighted little squeal, reaching towards her.

Margaret took him carefully and kissed his cheek. "Look at you. You have visitors today."

Iris immediately leaned over to admire him. "Oh, Margaret, he is adorable."

Camelia touched one of his tiny hands and laughed when he curled his fingers around hers. "Look at those lovely eyes."

Pamela gazed at him with open delight. "He is beautiful."

Margaret looked down at Hugh and felt an absurd rush of pride. He was no longer merely Pierce's son in her mind. He had somehow become hers too.

The women spent several minutes fussing over him, with Pamela declaring that his little waistcoat was the finest thing she had ever seen and Camelia insisting that his cheeks were positively irresistible.

Margaret laughed as Hugh attempted to grab Iris's necklace. "He is becoming rather mischievous," she said, rescuing the chain from his determined fingers.

Iris smiled. "He has clearly inherited that from you." Margaret gave her a scandalized look. "I have no idea what you mean."

"Neither does anyone else," Camelia replied, laughing.

Eventually the nanny reclaimed Hugh and carried him back towards the nursery, leaving Margaret watching until he disappeared from sight.

The moment the door closed, Iris clasped her hands together. "Excellent. Now that we have completed our inspection and see that you are quite settled, we are stealing you for the day."

Margaret blinked. "Stealing me?"

"Precisely," Camelia said, leaning back with a satisfied smile. "We have arranged an outing, and you are coming with us."

Margaret hesitated. "I ought to tell my husband first."

The room became strangely quiet. Iris and Camelia exchanged a look, while Pamela's eyebrows rose with such obvious interest that Margaret immediately regretted speaking.

Camelia tilted her head. "It has not been very long since the wedding, and you are already careful not to displease your husband?"

Margaret felt heat rise into her cheeks. "That is not what I said."

Iris leaned forward, studying her suspiciously. "Is this truly our Margaret?" she asked, pressing a hand dramatically to her heart. "The same Margaret who once climbed out of a drawing-room window because Father told her she was forbidden to attend a picnic?"

"I was seventeen," Margaret protested. "And the window was perfectly safe."

"You landed in the hydrangeas," Iris reminded her.

"A minor detail," Margaret replied.

Pamela had been watching the exchange with growing amusement, and now she folded her hands neatly in her lap. "I believe there are only two possible explanations," she announced.

Margaret looked at her warily. "That sounds ominous."

Pamela smiled. "Either the Duke is terribly cruel and strict, and you are frightened to do anything without his permission…" She paused deliberately, glancing between Margaret's sisters. "Or you actually like one another, and you care what he thinks of you."

Margaret's stomach fluttered. "That is ridiculous."

Unfortunately, her blush betrayed her before she could produce anything more convincing.

Iris's mouth fell open. Camelia stared at her for one astonished second before grabbing Iris's hand. "Did you see that?" she whispered, though there was no need to whisper. "She blushed!"

Iris looked ready to leap from her chair. "She likes him!"

"I do not!" Margaret insisted, though her voice had risen several notes. "He is insufferable."