Lady Rutledge may not know it, but that was the biggest compliment Josephine could have received.
She led the other lady up the staircase to the third floor, where the nursery was located. They entered to find the bright afternoon sun streaming through the open drapes, creatinggeometric shapes on the plush carpet upon which Edward sat with the nurse, playing with some building blocks.
At her entrance, the child looked up, his curls catching the afternoon sunlight and gleaming like burnished gold.
“Anjo!” he squealed as he got up, the blocks instantly forgotten as he ran toward her and crushed her skirts in an enthusiastic hug. His face tilted up on a wide smile of pure joy.
“Edward, sweetie, I’m so glad to see you as well.” Josephine smiled, crouching in a puddle of skirts to come down to Edward’s level. When he threw his arms around her neck, she kissed his cheek and lifted him up as she stood. Turning to Lady Rutledge, who observed him with rapt attention and flooded eyes.
“I have a surprise for you,” Josephine announced cheerfully, catching the child’s attention. “This is Lady Rutledge—”
“Grandmama. I’m Grandmama Mary,” Lady Rutledge interrupted, her voice tremulous with tears.
“Gramery!” Edward intoned happily, extending his arms to her, an invitation the lady couldn’t refuse. She extended her arms and Edward leaned toward her. Josephine transferred the child to Lady Rutledge, who embraced him, laughing and crying at the same time.
The scene was impossible to contemplate with dry eyes. The love and connection had been instantaneous and pure. At that moment, Lady Rutledge lifted her eyes to Josephine and mouthed a thank you, gratitude shining in her gaze. A warm glow of happiness had settled in the region of Josephine’s heart. No matter what the future brought, today she had reconnected with an old friend and Edward had found another person to love and care for him.
It was enough. It would have to be enough.
CHAPTER 24
Michaelarrivedatherhome promptly at two of the clock to collect her and Edward and escort them to the ducal residence. Instead of his curricle, he had brought the town coach, probably to be able to accommodate Edward and the nursemaid.
Edward was looking very dapper in his new clothes they had procured for him yesterday, and she was wearing one of the new gowns she had ordered that had needed only minor alterations. She was glad for her attire when Michael did a double take and his eyes flared with undisguised admiration. It was a wonderful confection of deep rose satin with gold piping that suited her complexion and made her look prettier than she had ever felt.
Ever since her release from the harem, she had been using clothing as a means of blending in and belonging, choosing the most demure of gowns. After years wearing the loose robes and pantaloons of the harem, she had to admit English clothingmade her feel a bit like a fraud. Like she was impersonating someone she was not.
Yesterday, while shopping with Michael, she had dared to choose gowns that appealed to her. Oh, they were still demure and proper, but the cuts were more flattering, the fabrics richer, and the colors complemented her better. The result was she felt more like herself. She was not deluded enough to pretend the man standing next to her had nothing to do with her choices. She wanted to look her best for him. Even if she knew it could lead to nothing, a deeply feminine part of her seemed to bloom under his gaze.
Soon they stopped in front of a palatial townhome that dominated one side of a square filled with equally magnificent houses. Michael helped them descend, and she took Edward’s hand as they approached the door of the imposing residence.
They were invited in by a solemn butler who took their outerwear and led them to a comfortable drawing room. Hannah breezed into the room like a ray of sunshine, followed behind at a more sedate pace by a handsome, dark-haired man carrying a child that was a miniature image of him, except with lighter hair. These must be her husband and son.
“Josephine, I’m so delighted you could come!” Hannah took her hand and kissed her on the cheek. “I have a delightful picnic prepared in the garden because the weather is simply too marvelous to be indoors. But first, let me perform the introductions.”
She turned to the dark-haired gentleman who was shaking Michael’s hand. Placing a hand on his arm, Hannah began the introductions.
“My dear, this is my friend, Lady Josephine, whom I told you about yesterday. Josephine, this is my husband, Gabriel, the Earl of Brentworth. And this little imp is my son, Samuel. He isthe Duke of Stanhope, but we don’t call him His Grace, lest it goes to his head. He is commanding enough as it is.”
The child was a duke but his father was an earl? Hannah had said my son, not our son. So this must be her first husband’s, the late duke’s, son. Josephine looked again between the man and the child he was carrying so lovingly in his arms.
“A pleasure to meet you, Lady Josephine.” There was a keenness and a spark of deviltry in the earl's eyes that told her he had guessed what she was thinking. She blushed, but the earl went on smoothly. “I have heard so much about you. Hannah holds you in great esteem, and anyone dear to my wife is also dear to me.”
A pretty speech. Hannah’s husband was as gracious as he was handsome. “How do you do, Lord Brentworth.” She offered her hand, dipping into a curtsy. “I gather you already know Aycliffe, so allow me to introduce my nephew. This is Edward, Lord Dunhaven.” Then she leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially, “We don’t call him my lord either.”
The entire group laughed at the lofty titles of the little ones. Lord Brentworth lowered little Samuel, who was about the same height as Edward, and the children looked at each other for a couple of seconds before Edward thrust a toy locomotive he had brought into Samuel’s face and pronounced, “Train.”
And that was all the introduction they needed before they scampered off to play.
“Well, that was fast,” Hannah marveled with a proud maternal smile.
“I guess children don’t need introductions, just an interesting object they can bond over,” Josephine added.
At that very moment, voices in the hallway heralded the arrival of more guests. Josephine tensed for a moment, still uncomfortable with meeting new people. Until she felt Michael’s hand on her back. It was a whisper of a touch, not possessive orsuggestive. Merely an offer of support. A reminder that he was here for her. Warmth spread through her, expanding from the place where he touched her to her extremities and even heating her face.
A gorgeous brunette breezed into the room, followed by a hulking blond man with long hair carrying a tiny girl dressed in delicate pink ruffles and sporting a pretty little bow in her lustrous brown curls that were a shade lighter than her mother’s. For there was no doubt the child was this woman’s daughter. The little girl looked exactly like her.
“Abigail, Colin!” Hannah exclaimed, going to greet the newcomers. “You are just in time. Josephine and Aycliffe arrived but a moment ago.”
