Page 80 of Dare to be Wicked

“Who taught you that?”

“Fred showed me,” she said, putting up her chin with a defiant twinkle in her eyes. “Jules is teaching him the finer points of pugilism.”

Cassius snorted and touched a finger to his jaw, to where the memory of a punch lingered. “Well, he knows a thing or two, I’ll give him that.”

“How’s Mama?” Lottie said, taking her sister’s arm.

Eliza’s face softened. “She’s well. Very tired, but happy. The doctor said she’s doing marvellously and… and we have a new baby sister. Octavia.”

Lottie gave a little squeal of delight and the two sisters hugged each other again.

“That’s wonderful news,” Cassius said, more than relieved to hear the duchess and the baby were well. Lottie had been fretting herself to death these past weeks as the duchess was so tired she had not even had the energy to write letters and, most shockingly of all, had put the writing of her latest novel to one side. “Why did she decide on coming back to town to have the baby at Beverwyck, though?”

“We were all born here,” Eliza said fondly. “It’s her favourite place to be. She’s comfortable here, and her doctor is close at hand.”

They all looked around at the soft knock, and a moment later young Jenkins opened the door.

“Her grace will see you now,” he said, looking almost as proud as Cassius suspected the duke must be.

They made their way to the duchess’s rooms and entered. The bedchamber was as lavish and opulent as befitted the Duchess of Bedwin, but the scene at the centre of it was intimate and quiet. The duke sat with his arm about his wife, and they both stared down at the little bundle in the duchess’s arms, enchanted. They had not heard their daughters or Cassius enter, too lost in their own little world, and Cassius felt his breath catch at the look that passed between them. He understood that look, the depth of love and devotion between two people who had chosen to live their lives together. Lottie’s hand slid into his. She had evidently seen what he had. Her big blue eyes were very bright, sparkling with happiness.

“Girls!” the duchess said, finally seeing them.

She carefully handed their new arrival to her husband and put out her arms. Eliza and Lottie ran to her, embracing and kissing her in turn.

“Well, done, Mama!” Lottie exclaimed as her father walked around the bed, looking very pleased with himself.

“What about me?” the duke said, affecting a look of indignation.

Lottie waved her hand. “Oh, you did the easy bit,” she said dismissively. “Give me a cuddle with my new sister. I have so much to tell her.”

The duke stared at the baby and gave a sad shake of his head. “Oh, I can feel the grey hairs growing already.”

Reluctantly, he passed the baby to Lottie as Eliza peered over her shoulder.

“She’s exquisite,” Eliza said, one slender hand reaching out to touch the baby’s downy head. “I wonder if she will be blonde like you, or dark like me?”

“Whichever she decides, she will be as beautiful as you both,” Cassius said.

“Stop bewitching my daughters and trying to turn them up sweet, young man. You’ve got one, and believe me that’s quite enough.”

Cassius grinned at the duke. “Oh, I know it, sir. Believe me, I have the deepest admiration for everything you’ve been through.”

“So I should think,” the duke murmured.

He put his arm about Lottie, staring down at the babe in her arms before reaching for Eliza and pulling her close too.

“Eight, children,” he said with a sigh, before adding with desperation, “and five girls. Five beautiful girls! It’s a wonder I haven’t run mad.”

“Yes, and bearing in mind I did all the hard work, might I have my daughter back?” demanded their mama.

The duke laughed and took the baby from Lottie, who appeared loath to hand her back.

“Oh,” she said, clutching her arms about herself. She turned to look at Cassius. “I want one.”

Cassius blanched as Eliza gave a snort of laughter.

“Oh, stop it, Lottie. You’re scaring him.”