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It seemed she’d only dozed a few minutes before the carriage rolled into the stable yard behind Breadie Manor. Logan assisted her down, steadying her as she found her balance.
“We’d best go through the kitchen gardens,” Braden said. “We all look rather a mess.”
“Especially me,” she said with a huge yawn.
The housekeeper was waiting at the back entrance and ushered them into the blessedly warm kitchen, where a few footmen were putting away the last of the silver. The spacious room was tidy and showed little evidence that a rousing party had been in progress a short time ago.
“All is well?” Logan asked Mrs. Webb.
“Aye, sir. Lady Arnprior is waiting for ye—”
“Here I am.” Victoria hurried over to throw her arms around Donella. “Are you all right?”
Donella hugged her back. “I’m fine. Everyone is fine. The others should be returning shortly.”
“Nick stayed behind to get everything sorted,” Logan said. “He was gearing up for a grand lecture when we left.”
Victoria smiled. “Of course he was.”
Logan ticked up an eyebrow. “I thought the party would be in full swing until morning, as usual. How did you clear the place out?”
“You can thank Lady Reese. When people began to notice that half the family had gone missing, she announced that the lobster patties had apparently been tainted, so any partakers best return home immediately. As you can imagine, it had the desired effect.”
“Brilliant,” Logan said with a grin. “Though I have the feeling that Gilbride parties might not be so well attended in the future.”
“Eden will be happy to hear that,” Donella said.
“How’s Joseph?” Logan asked Victoria.
“Waiting up for you with Angus, because none of us could get him to sleep. He’s in Donella’s room. He insisted on staying there.”
Logan took Donella’s hand. “We’ll go up right away.”
As they climbed the stairs, he flashed her a wry smile. “Ready to be a mother, lass?”
“I’m more than ready to be Joseph’s mother.”
He stopped at the top of the stairs and pressed a heartfelt kiss to her forehead. “Thank you for loving him. And for loving me.”
“Joseph is easy to love.” She smiled. “Surprisingly, so are you.”
He snorted. “Cheeky lass.”
When they reached the bedroom, Donella quietly opened the door and stuck her head inside. Joseph was lying down but shot up when he saw her.
“Donella, you’re home!”
He was about to throw off the covers, but Angus, who was sitting in a chair next to the bed, gently restrained him. “Ye’ll catch a cold, lad. They’ll come to ye.”
Donella hurried over, briefly hugging Angus before reaching down to fold Joseph into her arms. He burrowed against her with a tight little sob.
“I was so afraid when I saw those bad men take you,” he said in a teary voice.
She patted his back. “I’m fine, dearest, and I understand I have you to thank for my rescue. I want to hear all about it in the morning.”
After exchanging a few quiet words with Logan, Angus left the room.
Logan joined her and Joseph. “Aye, the brave lad is definitely the hero of the night.”
