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“Minerva assisted me, and I shall return the favor.” Chestwick took his wife’s hand and looped it through his arm. “I shall distract Kent, Phyllis, and Gregory. Can you handle Avondale, Isadora, and Charlotte?”
“As you wish, husband.” Diana gave Minerva a narrowed stare over her shoulder and said, “Ten minutes, not a moment longer.”
“When did she become the overprotective one?” Anthony asked.
“I think it’s an early onset of maternal instinct,” Minerva replied.
His brow shot up. “Diana is pregnant already?”
“Why are you surprised?”
“Our family is growing exponentially.”
Anthony’s use ofourmade her heart flip. She had made the right choice. “Aye, and it’s wonderful.”
Anthony escorted her back into the house. He nodded and smiled as guests congratulated him as they strode through the terrace doors, through the drawing room, and made their way to the family parlor that Minerva favored.
Ensconced in the private haven, Minerva’s muscles relaxed.
As soon as the latch fell into place, Anthony gathered her in his arms. “I have a confession to make.”
She stiffened in his arms, bracing herself for the worst. He’d changed his mind. He didn’t want to marry her after all.
He placed a kiss upon her forehead. “I purposely forfeited the chess match we played all those years ago, to make you smile. I won today’s match to do the same. Can you forgive me for not challenging you sooner…for not asking you to marry me, when it was all my heart desired?”
“I shan’t forgive you, for there is nothing to forgive. While I’ll admit the last several years have been a challenge, they also brought to light what I am capable of and made me realize what exactly it is that I want.”
“We don’t have to marry by special license if you do not wish to. But the archbishop was kind enough to grant me an audience, and—”
“Yes. I think you’ve made me wait long enough. And everyone who I’d want present is on the other side of those doors.”
Anthony chuckled. “No doubt attempting to eavesdrop.” He bent and kissed her. “Let’s get married.”
Epilogue
The infant cradledin his arm stole Anthony’s heart. He had been born a healthy eight pounds, nineteen inches, and with a pair of lungs that rivaled an opera singer’s.
Anthony glanced across the chessboard at the babe’s mother, his hale wife, who was presently scowling at the pieces in front of her. It was her turn to make a move, and after enduring nine months of his incessant queries as to her health and worrying over every aspect of her pregnancy, Minerva deserved a little patience from him.
His son wiggled and yawned before promptly closing his eyes to slumber. Anthony acknowledged all his worrying had been for naught. Minerva gave birth to their first child without issue, and had given him her “I told you not to worry” look thereafter.
A small hand tugged at his elbow. “Uncle, uncle… I want to see the babe.” Julian, their eldest nephew at the age of five, who had been Anthony’s boon companion during Minerva’s pregnancy, peered down at his cousin. “Have you decided upon a name for him yet?”
Minerva mumbled, “Not yet. Do you have any suggestions?”
Anthony hadn’t imagined ever having a son, and thus naming his firstborn had resulted in endless discussions with his wife, all with Minerva stating she knew a “so and so” and she’d not have her child share the same name.
“I think…” Julian’s brows knitted as he concentrated. “Emmett.”
Diana waddled over and swooped in and picked up her son. “It’s not your place to name the babe. That’s the parents’ responsibility.”
“Emmett is a good name, Mama.” Julian had inherited his papa’s looks and his mama’s stubbornness.
Diana shrugged and Julian grinned at Anthony, displaying the devilish dimple that would get the boy into trouble and out of it all too many times as he matured.
Arms reached out for their child, Minerva said, “I believe Julian has a point. Emmett is a fine name. However…” Anthony handed over his son to Minerva, who peered down at the sleeping baby. “He looks to me more like a Gavin to me—Gavin Emmett MacMillian.”
Anthony refrained from mentioning that a quarter of his clansmen up north were named Gavin.
