“Peter, I wanted you to be proud of me.”
Peter sat on the sofa next to his wife and sleeping child. “My darling, I’m always proud of you. You’re the most important person in the world to me, and now you’ve given me a son. I shall cherish both of you always.” He kissed her forehead before doing the same to Stephen.
Cecily smiled at her husband. “Thank you, my darling. Bett and I were just talking, and she agrees with you that perhaps it’stime to hire a wet nurse for Stephen. Do you think that would be best now?”
Peter turned toward Bett. “Thank you, Bett, for convincing my wife a wet nurse would be beneficial for both her and the child.”
“You are welcome. Cecily needs her rest, and little Stephen is a hungry little boy, wanting to eat every two or three hours. Shall I contact the midwife for suggestions?”
“Yes. That would be most helpful,” Peter said. “The last thing I want is for my wife to be fatigued and fall ill.”
“Of course. I shall attend to it now,” Bett said, leaving the happy family to bask in the joy of holding their child.
As she walked to her bedchamber, she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d ever have such a happy scene in her future, and it made her wonder how Noah was faring. It had been weeks since Mr. Walker told her of his family’s tragedy.
Was she destined to be alone for the rest of her life?
If you’d asked her that question after the Fleming house party, her answer would have been different than it was now. Her heart ached for Noah, and she wanted nothing more than to comfort him in his grief, but she was powerless to do anything until she heard from him. She could only hope a note would be arriving soon.
Before Bett reached her room, she saw Cecily’s lady’s maid. “Fitzwilliam, a word, please,” she called out.
The maid turned and walked to her. “My lady, may I help you?”
“Yes, but it’s not I who needs help. Lady Williams would like to hire a wet nurse for baby Stephen.”
“Mrs. Wrentham will certainly know of suitable candidates. She lives on the outskirts of Albury. Thomas knows where she lives and can take a note to her.”
“Thank you, Fitzwilliam. I will write to Mrs. Wrentham now.”
“My lady?” the maid said, hesitating.
“Yes? Is something amiss?”
Fitzwilliam shook her head. “No, it’s merely that I wish to thank you for convincing my mistress she needs help with the child. I’ve seen her health deteriorate greatly since the babe was born.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Bett said, continuing on to her room. Once inside, she pulled out a sheet of paper and wrote a quick note to the midwife. She hoped Mrs. Wrentham would be able to suggest a suitable candidate quickly because she feared Cecily’s health would continue to decline if she didn’t get relief from nursing Stephen soon.
After handing off the note to Thomas to deliver to the midwife, Bett made her way to the garden. Puffy white clouds dotted the blue sky, and there was a gentle breeze blowing. It was a perfect October day. Well, almost perfect. Without Noah by her side, her outlook on her life had dimmed, and she didn’t know if she’d ever be able to move on without him.
How could she ever entertain having another man court her when her heart cried out for Noah?
Peter watched Bett inthe garden from his study window after he’d escorted his wife upstairs for a much-deserved nap while the baby slept. He would be forever grateful for Bett’s assistance with Cecily, so much so that he wanted to do everything within his power to keep her living at Crenshaw Manor for the foreseeable future. She was such a calming influence on his wife, and he didn’t know how Cecily would react if Bett were to marry and move away.
He couldn’t let that happen.
There was a knock on the door, and Adams entered his study. “My lord, these letters just arrived. Shall I deliver it to the dowager directly?”
Peter took the letters. “No. I shall give them to her. She’s out in the garden at the moment.”
“Very good, sir,” Adams said, exiting the study.
Peter studied the first letter. It was definitely a woman’s handwriting, but he didn’t recognize it. He had no qualms about breaking the seal and reading the contents.
Dearest Bett,
We have just learned the tragic news and are heading to Oxfordshire. While Robertson helps Lord Harrison, I would very much like a chance to visit with you. It’s been too long since we’ve seen each other.
I will send a note when we arrive at Harrison Manor.
