Page 28 of Stolen By the Duke of Stone

A resounding no.

“I see,” Jessamine said. “Thank you, but I expect to manage perfectly well.”

He inclined his head and left the room once again.

Jessamine sank into the rocking chair beside the crib. “Well,” she said to the sleeping child. “What am I going to do about him?”

The anxiety-inducing monotony of the day continued until after lunch. For once, yet again, Andrew did not disappear during the afternoon, instead remaining in his study. Jessamine had already resolved not to go to him for help unless she absolutely could not help herself. He had made his position clear.

Fortunately, distraction came in the form of Irene and Kate, minus Button. “I thought William might not like to see Button just yet,” Kate explained, perfectly seriously, by means of a greeting. “He is rather large.”

“He is,” Jessamine agreed with a smile. “That was very considerate.”

“How is he?” Irene asked.

“Why don’t you come and see for yourself?” Jessamine led them upstairs. “He had a fever last night, so he is a little crotchety, but I expect you can still hold him if you would like, Kate.”

Kate’s eyes lit up. “Oh, do you think? I would be so delighted to. He’s so tiny!”

Jessamine smiled tiredly at Irene, whose hands were on her stomach. If Jessamine hadn’t known her sister was with child, she would never have guessed, but Irene clearly never forgot that fact. And in seeing William, she was no doubt looking ahead to when she would have a baby of her own.

The nursemaid smiled at them as they entered the nursery, William in her arms, grumbling tiredly.

“Well timed, Your Grace,” she said. “He has just finished feeding.”

Jessamine glanced at Kate, who was staring at William in undisguised wonder. “Why don’t you hold him?” she suggested to the girl. “He doesn’t mind who holds him at present, so long as they are warm and comfortable and rock him gently.”

“I know how,” Kate said. “I have done it before, you know.”

“Yes, I know.” Jessamine nodded at the nursemaid, who relinquished William into Kate’s arms and guided her into the chair.

Kate stared down into William’s face with a soft smile on her face, looking as though the rest of the world no longer existed.

“She will be a wonderful mother one day,” Jessamine said.

“Oh yes,” Irene said. “If we can one day find a gentleman willing enough to put up with her spirit and her love of extremely large dogs.”

“She may yet grow out of that.”

“Perhaps. But I rather suspect that when Button eventually passes on, she will immediately find a new stray to take care of.” Irene’s face softened.

For all her teasing complaints, she adored her husband’s sister completely.

Jessamine rubbed at her face and took Irene’s arm. “I have something I must tell you,” she said under her breath. “Come through to my bedchamber, will you? It’s next door, and I will hear William cry if he does.”

“Of course. What is it?”

But Jessamine kept quiet until they were safely ensconced in her bedchamber, the door firmly closed.

Only then did she release a long, slow breath. “Last night, after William finally settled from his fever, the duke and I kissed.”

Irene clapped her hands together. “How delightful!”

“It was not delightful!”

“Are you telling me that His Handsomeness is a terrible kisser?”

More heat suffused Jessamine’s face. She felt as though she had spent half the day blushing. “That is not what I meant.”