Page 100 of Stolen By the Duke of Stone

The sight alarmed him in a way; he knew Jessamine would soon grow that large, a baby inside her, and he was already worried about what it would mean for her health.

The moment she’d informed him that she might be with child, bending over a chamber pot as she vomited in the middle of the night, he had been delighted. And petrified. He’d immediately consulted with a physician, who assured him there was nothing he needed to worry about, and that Jessamine was already doing very well. And that if things went smoothly, and there was no reason that they should not, then there would be nothing to worry about.

“As I expected,” Nicholas said, one eye shut against the sun. “You sly dog.”

Andrew rolled his eyes. “One day, you’ll marry, and then you’ll see.”

“Oh, and I shall eat my words, no doubt. I will be humbled, and I will come crawling to you for advice on how to be a father, and how to manage a beautiful wife.”

“You won’t like my advice.”

“Why, will you parrot my own advice back at me?” Nicholas rolled his head to bring Andrew in view. “Are you happy?”

“With her? Always.”

“What a change of tune. I like it.” Nicholas stretched, lazily. “Now go and stand by your wife and convince Lady Marwich that you are eager to have this child you’ve conceived.”

Andrew didn’t need telling twice. He rose from the blanket, into the sunshine, and brought Jessamine down on his knee.

“Stop standing so much,” he told her, nuzzling her neck.

His hands found her stomach, although there was nothing there yet to feel. She had assured him that such things took time, and there would be something to feel in the not-too-distant future.

All he had to do was be patient.

For a man accustomed to patience, he found himself largely without it now.

She laughed, placing her hand atop his. “Am I banned from standing now?”

“I don’t want to tire you out.”

“I have many more months before I will be significantly impeded,” she said. “Even now, Irene can get out and about.”

“She ought to be at home,” Henry said affectionately. “But she told me she would walk if I didn’t take her in the carriage, and so I decided I would take the path of least resistance.”

“As well you should,” Irene said, nudging his leg with her foot. “I knew there would be an announcement of this nature coming soon.”

On his lap, Jessamine’s cheeks pinked. “How did you know?”

“Well, as soon as I knew matters between you both were repaired, it wouldn’t be long until an update of this nature was on its way. After all, Henry and I are in a very similar situation. Oh, and you complained of feeling sick these past two weeks, and I just knew.”

“I’ve also been craving all sorts of odd things,” Jessamine said. “Clams, most recently. Do you know, it’s near impossible to buy clams in the middle of the night?”

Andrew groaned. “Not for want of trying.”

“He has been very patient with me, and he will have to be a good deal more patient, because I am not nearly done making a fuss.” She laughed, twisting around to drop a kiss on his cheek. “And you will grumble through it all, pretend as though it’s a great inconvenience, and provide me with a great many things I never even thought to ask for.”

“That is my plan,” he said wryly, holding her a little more tightly. “Except, you know I don’t begrudge you anything.”

That was the moment William chose to wake from his nap. Until just now, he had been sleeping in Kate’s arms, and she’d been blind and deaf to all the party, entranced by his tiny face and soft breaths. Andrew understood the feeling, although it wasn’t something he intended to admit to anyone.

But upon waking, William decided Kate was not the mother he had hoped to find, and let out a squall of indignation.

“Oh, my darling,” Jessamine cooed, sliding off Andrew’s lap and going at once to her son.

There could be no doubt about it now: William truly was her son. At the sight of her, his crying stopped, and he watched her with strangely serious eyes.

Jessamine returned to Andrew, climbing back onto his lap. He held them both close, all three of them if one counted the child in her belly.