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‘It’s the best play I’ve ever seen.’ David’s voice had a crack in it.
‘I agree.’ Even the Dowager Duchess was beaming. ‘I’ve seen a lot of plays, but that was spellbinding.’
‘Does that mean we can have some cocoa now, Aunt Elizabeth?’ Michael grinned cheekily. ‘And biscuits, too?’
‘Of course. You all deserve a reward.’
‘You certainly do.’ Henrietta bent to kiss each of her nephews in turn. ‘But you’ll need to have it up in the nursery. The guests will be arriving soon.’
‘Can’t we stay for the party?’
‘It’s not for children.’ David interceded, putting an arm around Peter’s shoulders and earning himself a wide smile. ‘But I’d like to join you upstairs for cocoa and biscuits.’
‘Are you certain?’ Elizabeth gave him a kindly look. ‘You’re more than welcome to stay.’
‘No, thank you.’ David shook his head. ‘I’d rather be with my boys, but I appreciate the invitation.’
‘Very well, but if you’re going to escape then I suggest that you hurry. I think I can hear the first carriages arriving now.’
‘Come along then, the rest of you.’ Lord Tobias tore off his French soldier’s costume and made sweeping gestures towards the doorway with his arms. ‘Let’s go and greet them. It’s about time I introduced my heir to the neighbourhood.’
‘Feeling nervous?’ Sebastian slid an arm around Henrietta’s waist as they moved obediently towards the door.
‘A little, but it’s very kind of your uncle to want to introduce us.’ She peered up at him. ‘What about you?’
‘Not nervous exactly, just slightly in shock. A month ago I was a single man heading home to run a biscuit shop with his widowed mother and unwed sister and now...’ He shook his head slightly. ‘It’s hard to accept that all this is real.’
‘I know. I still can’t believe that Tobias made you his heir. We aren’t really going to live here one day, are we?’
‘There’s no need to look so horrified.’ He laughed. ‘But who knows? Maybe I’ll decide to become a gentleman of leisure eventually. Or we could turn it into a maritime academy?’
‘I think it might be a little far from the sea. What about a baking school?’
‘It’s an interesting idea.’ He stopped and tugged her towards him. ‘Speaking of baking, I wrote to James a little while ago, asking him to look out for suitable properties for our tea shop.’
‘And he’s found one?’ She stood up on tiptoes, clasping her hands to her chest in delight.
‘He might have. Not on Swainswick Crescent, but only a few minutes’ walk away. Next door to his store, actually, with rooms upstairs for us to live in.’
‘That sounds perfect!’
‘Which means there’ll be no need to throw Nancy and Bel-whatever-her-name-is out into the street. They can stay and run Belles together if they want, with a wage increase naturally.’
‘As if you would ever have thrown them into the street!’
‘You’re right. Nancy would have thrown me back.’
‘At the very least, and you already have bruised ribs.’
‘You know...’ he slid his hands gently over her hips ‘...this will make an excellent story for the children one day. I offered your mother a manor, but she wanted a tea shop...’
‘Just for now.’ She drew in a breath and then smiled it out again, wanting to purr like a cat at his touch. ‘But maybe I’ll want to be a lady of leisure some day, too. You never know what the future will bring. I certainly never expected to find a sailor in my kitchen in the middle of the night.’
‘And I never expected to find anyone as perfect as you.’ He grinned. ‘Not beautiful perfect, obviously. Inner perfect.’
She clucked her tongue. ‘You know, you’re allowed to give me compliments now that we’re married. I only objected at first.’
