She nudged Charlie who jumped up. Louisa handed him a piece of paper. “Yes, we are and we, all of us have a toast for you.” He raised his teacup. “‘To Matt, our new brother, and Grace, our new sister, we wish you a happy marriage and’—just a moment—do you really want me to say this?”
“Yes,” Louisa hissed, and resumed her smile.
Charlie’s brows rose. “All right, ‘we wish you many happy times together and a lot of children, because we want to be aunts and uncles.’”
Their brothers’ and sisters’ faces beamed. At the moment, Grace couldn’t bring herself to think of additional children. She glanced at Matt who was fighting a valiant battle to maintain his countenance, and spoke for the both of them. “Thank you for all your good wishes. Now, everyone must finish breakfast. We are going to church again.”
After filling her plate, Grace took her place at the foot of the table.
Her husband leaned down. “Do I have to sit at the head?”
“No, not during breakfast.” She held her hand out to him.
“Good.” Worthington took her fingers and kissed them before visiting the sideboard. He came back with a plate piled even higher than hers.
Yesterday morning, she had felt so alone it had quite dampened her appetite; this morning she ate everything and went back for more. “I love breaking my fast with all of you. I only hope that by the time you have gone on to make your own lives, we shall have more children to join us.”
Her brothers and sisters and his sisters all nodded in agreement. Worthington paled a little. “Indeed, my love, we shall hope for the best.”
Grace took her last bite and her final sip of tea. “If you can stay and help get them all together, I’ll see you in about fifteen minutes.”
“Of course. I’ll take care of them and have everyone ready.”
She kissed him and left.
“Sir,” Philip asked, “why must you always kiss Grace?”
Matt picked up his cup. What does one say to an eight-year-old boy about kissing? “She would be upset if I did not.” The boy’s brows drew together as if not quite understanding. Perhaps something more direct was called for. “It is obligatory to kiss one’s wife.”
Philip frowned. “Well, in that case, you won’t mind if I don’t marry, will you? I don’t think I would like to always be kissing a lady.”
Louisa and Charlotte hid their faces in their hands as their shoulders shook. Matt cast them a stern glance and noticed that Walter and Charlie were applying themselves diligently to their plates. Matt returned his attention to Philip. “Not at all. When you are of sufficient age to marry”—Matt slapped Louisa on the back as she made a choking sound—“and you still do not wish to kiss a lady, I’m sure Grace and I will have no objection to you remaining single.”
Letting out a relieved breath, Philip smiled. “Thank you, sir.”
“Er, Philip, you may call me Matt if you choose. Iamyour brother now.”
“Umm, yes, sir. I mean, Matt. Thank you.”
Walter fixed Matt with a look. “Very glad this all worked out. You marrying Grace, that is. Didn’t much like her acting like a watering pot and hiding away.”
Agreeing entirely with Walter, Matt nodded. “No, I can see how uncomfortable that would have been. I don’t like to see her cry myself.”
Charlie stood. “All right, you lot, time to go and finish getting ready.”
Matt lounged in his chair. “She’ll be at least a half an hour.”
As he turned to look at him, Charlie’s face took on an amused cast. “Still have some things to learn about Grace, I see. You’ll look no how when she comes back and we’re all still at the table.”
Unable to believe what he was hearing, Matt said, “Go on.”
Charlie grinned. “If she says fifteen minutes, that’s what she means.”
“Very well, off you go. I don’t intend to spend my first full day as her husband in a bumble bath.”
“Wise decision, sir,” Walter added.
Grace appeared precisely fifteen minutes after she’d left. He would have dashed a hand across his eyes in relief, but he was straightening Philip’s clothing.
