Page 101

“Good heavens, Alexander, whatever have you been doing? You, too, Asher? You both smell like pond scum.” The Dowager Lady Bloxley sailed onto the terrace like a regal yacht decked in blue silk, lace, and ribbons. “You know full well that Lord and Lady Langton will be here anytime. I certainly hope you do not plan to welcome them dressed like that.”

“I was intending to change into dry clothing before they arrive, Mother. Although I’d wager a bet that Jonas and young Harry would thoroughly enjoy an outing to the pond.”

His mother eyed him sternly. “The annual picnic has never, and will never, include trips to the pond.”

“Quite right,” Alexander said. “It would not do to have all your guests smelling like pond scum.”

Jane bit her lip to prevent her smile. If it were not for the fact that she was quite sure Alexander’s mother rather enjoyed his teasing, she would make him stop. As it was, their bantering kept things lively and helped diffuse the strain the Dowager Lady Bloxley had been feeling as her grand event drew nearer.

“I believe the weather will be lovely tomorrow,” Jane said. “You have a gift for choosing sunny days for your picnic, my lady.”

The Dowager Lady Bloxley smiled. “It does seem that way, doesn’t it, my dear.” She looked out at the wide lawn to the left of the gardens, where a handful of servants were erecting a marquee. “Mrs. Hunt assures me that we shall be ready when the crowds arrive in the morning.”

“I’m sure it will be marvelous,” Jane said. “It always is.”

Asher tugged on Jane’s gown. “Is Harry here yet?”

“Not yet,” she said. “But he will be soon, so we should take you upstairs to change.”

“Hurry, Father.” Asher was already running across the terrace toward the open doors that led into the house. “Harry’s almost here.”

Jane laughed. If there was one thing in Asher’s world that was more exciting than catching tadpoles, it was having the Langtons come to stay. His and Harry’s friendship was quickly coming to rival the one their fathers shared, which omened very badly for their future teachers at school.

“I wish you well with your two wet charges, Jane,” the Dowager Lady Bloxley said, a hint of humor in her voice. She, too, was heading back indoors. “Given a good scrubbing, I imagine they will both clean up reasonably well.”

Alexander grinned and moved the jar full of tadpoles to one hand before offering Jane his other arm. “Will you deign walk back into the house with this wet, malodorous fellow?”

“It would be my pleasure, my lord,” she said, taking his arm with a smile.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and she knew that he understood how much she meant by those words. Dr. Thorndike’s lifted shoes had worked their miracle. No longer did she have to rely on the arm of another to cross the terrace. Her limp was barely noticeable, her cane was lying on the floor of her wardrobe, and the severe pain in her leg came only when she was extremely tired or as a precursor to a storm.

Asher was impatiently waiting at the door and scampered ahead of them through the grand saloon, across the main hall, and up the stairs to the nursery. “We have more tadpoles, Alice!” he announced as he threw open the door.

The maid picked up a beautiful little girl with dark-brown eyes and a mass of dark curls, who was crawling through a pile of wooden blocks on the floor.

“How excitin’,” Alice said. “We shall have t’ put the jar up on the mantelpiece so yer little sister can’t reach it.”

“An excellent suggestion,” Alexander said, releasing Jane’s arm and moving across the room to set the jar on the shelf above the fireplace and below a brightly colored painting of Asher and the village green’s forsythia bush in full bloom.

The little girl in Alice’s arms spotted Jane and immediately leaned for her. “Mama.”

Jane took her willingly and kissed her daughter’s soft cheek. “Did you have a good nap, Charlotte?”

“She did, my lady,” Alice said. “She awoke not more than ten minutes ago.”

“Thank you, Alice,” Jane said. “I can take her now if you would be good enough to give Asher a quick bath. I’m afraid he went a little farther into the pond than originally anticipated.”

“But Harry—” Asher began.

“If you do exactly as Alice says, you will be washed and dressed in dry clothing before Harry can even climb out of his carriage,” Jane said.

Asher immediately grabbed the maid’s hand. “Come along, Alice.”

They disappeared into the adjoining bedchamber, and Alexander stepped closer to Jane. “As loth as I am to leave behind such lovely young ladies, I should also go and clean up.” He reached out and ran his finger beneath his daughter’s chin. She squirmed and giggled. “I am glad that Charlotte looks so much like her mother.”

Jane studied her daughter’s sweet face, a wave of gratitude washing over her for the miracle of her birth and the one that was to come. “You are kind to say so,” she said, “but with two dark-eyed children already, I am secretly hoping our next child will have his father’s coloring and hazel eyes.”

Underneath Charlotte’s chin, Alexander’s finger instantly stilled. He looked at Jane, his expression unreadable. “Jane?”