Page 24 of A Necessary Wife

“And this is Xavier Whitfield, my son.”

Amelia made enough of a fuss over meeting the newborn that his father was beaming with pride. “What a contented child.”

“Sleeps all day and all night, thank God.”

Amelia took a step back as Chatham spoke of his youngest brother troubling the duke and duchess with his need to be held.

“Jessica will be so excited to hear your news, Milo,” Whitfield said. “But a little warning that you were married might have been wise.”

“I tried that yesterday, and it did not help with the duke’s response,” Chatham answered out of the side of his mouth.

Whitfield pulled a face and glanced at Amelia again. “He’ll come around eventually. He did with me.”

Amelia was not reassured by Whitfield’s words, but she smiled at her new brother-in-law. Whitfield seemed a friendly sort of gent, and she hoped he remained that way.

“I’d better go see my sister.” Chatham strode ahead into the garden, taking the children with him.

“Might I escort you to meet my wife, Lady Chatham?”

Since her husband had rushed off without her, she could hardly refuse. “I should like that.”

They walked slowly, and eventually Whitfield turned to her. “You and my wife will get along well, I think.”

“I hope so.”

“She’s wonderful…kind, funny,” he gushed, then laughed. “I am the most fortunate of men.”

She glanced at him and realized the man was deeply smitten with his wife. “I am pleased to hear you say so.”

Whitfield held back the branches of a weeping willow, and Amelia’s breath caught at the spectacular view ahead. She was surrounded by a garden unlike anything she’d ever seen before. Unruly and abundant but planned, she suspected. A fantastical world just coming to life after the winter cold eased. “My word!”

Whitfield smiled widely. “My wife and I spend a great deal of time tending to this garden together. Something for Xavier to inherit.”

Amelia glanced at the babe again. His little face was protected from any chill by a small scarf, but his eyes showed he was taking in his father’s every word.

“And it has been a worthwhile endeavor indeed. I’ve never seen its equal.”

The garden was breathtaking. Amelia had always had dreams of having a garden of her own one day, but they paled in comparison to this wonder.

Whitfield caught her eye. “Do you enjoy the garden and tending plants, too?”

“I do, but I was steward to my brother’s for many years.”

“When you are settled in Devon, send word and we can dispatch any plant you desire from our greenhouses.”

Chatham reappeared then, with a handsome young woman at his side. The family resemblance made her identity clear.

Whitfield sighed. “Ah, there is my Jessica.”

Mrs. Jessica Whitfield rushed toward Amelia. To her surprise, the young woman embraced her as if they’d been the closest of friends forever. “Welcome, dearest Amelia!”

“Mrs. Whitfield.”

“Now, now. None of that horrible formality. It is not done in our family. We are sisters, and I was just telling Milo of my relief that he chose someone I can finally talk to.”

“Thank you,” Amelia answered, deeply touched by the first truly happy reception of her marriage, and her curiosity was stirred. Her own brother had not been this enthusiastic about Amelia’s decision to wed. But that was likely because he would now have to deal with the running of his household without her for once in his adult life.

Jessica latched on to her arm. “Now, come along, my dear sister. I demand the honor of hosting your first tea here, and hearing how my brother finally found the courage to propose to a lady after so many years of being acquainted. Our other sisters will be so jealous of me that I’ll know the details of your courtship first!”