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“Georgia!” he admonished, folding his arms across his chest. “Have you been listening at my keyhole?”
“I just wanted to make sure Izzie wasn’t in trouble.”
Yes, Gabe was severely out-numbered at Northend. Even after Clay was born, Gabe was still nowhere near evening out his numbers. He sank down to his haunches to be at eye-level with his oldest child. “And just what would you have done if she was?”
“I would have burst in here and begged you to spare her.”
Which he could see Georgia doing in his mind’s eye. She was such a stubborn and delightful child, and so full of passion. He still wasn’t certain he believed there was no escaping one’s blood, but there certainly seemed to be quite a lot of Sophie in Georgia. He tugged one of her golden curls. “Then I would have scolded you and sent you to your chambers without any supper.”
Georgia giggled at that and threw her arms around his neck. “I love you, Papa.”
“Yes, I love you too. But we’re still going to have to break you of your eavesdropping habit, Georgia. It isn’t polite.”
She pulled back slightly. “But if I don’t listen, I’ll never know what’s really going on, Papa.”
For God’s sake, she sounded just like her mother. Gabe tweaked his daughter’s nose. “Not everything is your concern, Lady Georgia Prideaux. And you’ll set a bad example for Vivian. She does everything you teach her.”
Georgia huffed a little indignantly.
She was adorable, but Gabe refused to smile. It would only encourage her behavior. “Now go and play with your sister.”
“Yes, Papa.” Georgia pushed away from his hold and started back into the corridor.
Gabe pushed back to his full height and glanced once more at his niece. “No riding astride. No wearing breeches.”
“Yes, Uncle Gabe.” She sounded just as dejected as Georgia had just the moment before.
With that settled, Gabe left his study and found his way to Sophie’s private sitting room. From her spot on the settee, his wife looked up from a letter she was reading and graced him with her most beatific smile.
“Well, it’s happened,” he told her.
“What has?” She dropped the letter to her lap as he claimed the spot beside her.
“I’ve become your father.”
She shook her head and said, “I hardly think that’s true.”
“Admonishing Ismérie for riding astride in breeches, scolding Georgia for listening at doors.” He shook his head.
“Well, Izzie shouldn’t be riding astride in breeches or otherwise. She’s coming out this year.” She winced slightly. “It’s hard for me to say anything about Georgia though or I’ll sound like a hypocrite.”
“Oh, don’t think I don’t know where she gets that tendency from.”
Sophie laughed as she snuggled against him. “Come now, listening at doors does have its uses.”
Gabe snorted.
“No truly.” She tipped her head back to see him a bit better. “If I hadn’t listened at Papa’s door all those years ago, we never would have found our way back to each other.”
That was true, but he wasn’t about to say so aloud. It would only embolden her. “So we should encourage this behavior in our children, should we?”
“Oh heavens no!” Sophie laughed again. “I reserve the right to do so myself, but we should definitely squash Georgia of the habit and pray she hasn’t already taught Vivi to do the same.”
And then Gabe laughed. “You reserve the right, do you? Is there something interesting you’ve found listening at doors of late? “
Sophie shook her head. “I have no need to listen at doors at Northend. You tell me everything anyway, but if we—“ she lifted up the letter she’d been reading “—visit Hampton Hall as we’ve just been invited, there’s no telling what sort of secrets I might learn while we’re there.”
“Your parents want us to come?”
She grinned at him. “I think they mostly want to see Clay and the girls. But they know the children won’t come without us.”
There was a lot of truth in that, and Gabe couldn’t help but smile. Lord and Lady Beckbury were doting grandparents, and the children did adore them.
“And while they’re preoccupied with our children, you can take me on a tour of the lands and point out all of that pink rock you’re so fond of.”
Gabe rolled his eyes at the memory. “I was such an idiot back then. The whole time I was talking, I was really trying to figure out how to kiss you.”
“Oh?” Sophie leaned up to look at him. “Well, you just do it like this,” she said, and then she very gently pressed her lips to his.
