The rest of them laughed. “I believe”—Lady Merton accepted a glass of champagne from Hulatt—“that Worthington had it right when he said we get the butlers we need.”
Once they each had a glass of champagne, Hulatt bowed to her. “Thank you, my lady.”
Henrietta moved her sister to the sofa, and dark heads together, they spoke in hushed tones. Nate found Merton at his side. “I would like to ask you to stand up with me.”
He raised his glass. “I hoped you would ask.”
“You said you have news.” Nate took a sip of the wine. “I trust it is good.”
“Thea, can you come here, my love?”
“Of course.” She stood next to her husband and Henrietta stood next to him.
“It was confirmed earlier today.” Merton raised his wife’s fingers to his lips. “We are having twins.”
Nate caught Henrietta’s glass before it fell. “Is that why you are—”
“So big?” Her ladyship laughed. “It is. However, it is also the reason I have been so short-tempered and difficult. I visited Grace. She was the one who first thought of it. I saw her mid-wife today.”
“We will depart for the country a day or two after your wedding,” Merton added.
“I am so happy for you.” Henrietta hugged her sister. “Twins. I cannot believe it. I have never heard that we have twins in our family.”
“It was a shock to hear it.” Her ladyship’s eyes widened as she shook her head. “Apparently twins can happen at any time to anyone. I had no idea.”
“That is good to know.” Henrietta’s hand went to her stomach, then she quickly snatched her glass of champagne out of Nate’s hand and took a drink.
Merton coughed. “There is something to be said for short engagements, is that not right, my love?”
His wife grinned up at him. “Indeed there is.”
Henrietta glanced between the two of them and tilted her head slightly. “When will you tell the rest of the family?”
“This evening at dinner. Our grandmother requested we be there.” Lady Merton glanced at Nate. “I suppose you should call me Dotty. Everyone but by husband does.”
He inclined his head. “Thank you. Please call me Nate.” His friend looked at him in surprise and he grinned. “I have grown used to it.”
“If you have time,” Henrietta said to her sister, “I shall show you the colors I have selected for my rooms.”
“I would love to see them.”
He kissed her cheek. “We’ll come back down later.”
Linking arms, they went out of his study, chatting.
Merton raised his glass. “Welcome to the family.”
* * *
“I think we should all congratulate ourselves on a successful match.” Catherine Fotherby said as she raised a glass of champagne.
“I agree,” the duchess and Cordelia Stern said at the same time, raising their glasses as well.
“I do not mind telling you, I was a little concerned for Henrietta,” Cordelia took a drink of wine. “It was not that we would have pushed her into marriage; she was just not interested in any of the gentlemen she had met.” She sighed. “She had a list of requirements a future husband must meet.”
“And none of them did,” the duchess agreed. “That was when I thought of Fotherby. The problem was getting them together.”
“Yes, that worked out more fortuitously than I ever could have imagined,” Cordelia agreed.
