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With all best wishes for your confinement,

Lady Regina

* * *

BEATRICE LLOYD, DUCHESS OF LENNOX,

TO LADY ELLA PEREGRINE

SENT FROM SUFFOLK

December 1, 1815

Dear Ella,

I was so happy to receive your marvelous news! Just think: our babies can play together once they are old enough.

You must come stay with us for a month or longer next summer. By then your baby will be six months old, if your midwife is right about the baby’s arrival.

I would bring Sophia to you—but I’m carrying another child! My midwife estimates mid-April, so we can put all three babies together and let them roll around or squall, as they wish.

In other news, Regina stamped out of the house in high dudgeon, saying that she can no longer live with me. She also informed Jonah that he married me just to spite her, which is characteristically absurd.

Remember the advice you gave me, about allowing myself to think unkind thoughts, but not utter them?

I have been telling Jonah everything at night, but I promise that I did manage to avoid wrangles with Regina, until she produced a medicine she bought from a newspaper.

I was supposed to gargle with it before each meal. Supposedly, it would make me so nauseated that I would be unable to eat, and I would thereby achieve a waist as slender as her own.

I couldn’t hold my tongue, Ella. A month or more of unkind thoughts just flew out of my mouth. And thus she left.

Since we won’t be in London for the Season, we have hired a chaperone for Regina: Lady Alcon! She was horrible to me during my Season, so Jonah was against the idea.

But I convinced him. The poor woman has to make a living. Moreover, she mostly bullied me about my weight, and Regina will give her no anxiety in that regard.

Sending you much love, dear friend,

Bea

* * *

MR. NOAH JARVIS

TO LORD FIENNES PEREGRINE

SENT FROM NORFOLK

December 11, 1815

My lord,

I am very happy to report that the blessed event yesterday was uneventful, and mother and son are resting comfortably. Mrs. Jarvis will write as soon as she has gathered strength, but she came through the ordeal with utmost courage.

Mrs. Jarvis insisted that the child be given my first name, Noah. Please reassure Lady Peregrine that my wife and I will do my best to raise the new Viscount St. Trevelyon in a loving manner that will lead him to honor the title he inherited.

I am not a man to wear my heart on my sleeve, but I was surprised by an overwhelming feeling of joy yesterday, so much so that I briefly lost my composure.

In that spirit, then, I will venture to put on paper an emotion that I would never express in person: Your and your lady’s kindness has meant the world to my wife and me.