The Earl's Stolen Bride (Marriage by Deceit Book 4) (19 page)

“He said as long as I don’t name any of them Malcolm or Malcolma, he approves.”

“Malcolma?” Chloe asked, not sure she’d heard right.

Melissa burst out laughing.  “Yes.  He actually said, ‘Malcolma’.  My brother is Malcolm, and they don’t get along very well.  They tolerate each other for my sake, but I don’t think they’ll ever be friends.”

“That’s a shame.”

“It is what it is.  Once gentlemen make up their minds, there’s no sense in wasting time trying to change them.”

“What’s so amusing over there?” Logan called out.

“Nothing,” Melissa told him, peering around Chloe so she could see him.

“Hmm…  I just felt a shiver of dread crawl up my spine,” he replied.  “I suspect you mentioned that brother of yours.”

Melissa turned her gaze to Chloe, eyebrows raised.  “Now, how did he know that?” she whispered.

“It’s true then.  You were talking about Malcolm,” Logan said with a grimace.

“You needn’t worry.  I won’t be naming the child after him.”

“I should have known,” Logan told Orlando.  “Ever since Melissa found out she’s expecting a child, there’s little else she talks about.”

Shooting Chloe an amused grin, she went over to her husband and patted him on the shoulder.  “I have an idea.  Why don’t we draw each other’s silhouettes?”

“Orlando would be good at that,” Chloe replied.

“He might, but I wouldn’t,” Logan said.  “Let’s play Le Baiser à la Capucine.”

“No,” Orlando replied.

“What is that game?” Chloe asked.

Logan turned his gaze to her.  “You haven’t heard of it?”

She shook her head.

“It’s a ‘guess who kissed you’ game,” Orlando told her then looked at Logan, “and there’s no way I’m letting you kiss my wife.”

Chloe shook her head.  “You really are as scandalous as Melissa says, Logan.”

“I only want to prove to Orlando that I kiss better than him, that’s all,” Logan replied, his tone so serious Chloe couldn’t help but smile at his joke.

Helena walked over to them.  “I have a better idea.  Let’s play Charades.”

The others looked at each other, and since no one protested, that was the game they settled on playing.

Epilogue

Mid-May 1817

Chloe gave one final push, and immediately, there was the absence of pressure as Dr. Westward brought the baby into the world.  Relieved, she fell back on the pillows, barely aware of what he was doing as he took the baby to a wash basin.  Despite the breeze floating into the room from the open windows, the gown clung to her damp skin, and she was having a hard time catching her breath.

But a moment later, the baby let out a cry, and her attention quickly went back to the physician as he washed her son.  When he was done, he wrapped her son in a small blanket and came over to her.

“Congratulations, Lady Reddington.” He smiled.  “Your husband has an heir.  One more and you no longer have to share your bed with him,” he joked.

Laughing, she took her son and held him to her breast.  “You’re full of mischief to mention such a thing, Doctor.”

He went over to another basin and washed his hands.  “Mischief?  I was merely thinking of your comfort.  Who needs someone stealing the blankets or tossing and turning all night?  Or worse, the snoring could be wearisome.”

“Orlando doesn’t steal my blankets, toss needlessly, or snore.  He’s the ideal husband.”

He dried his hands on a towel and studied her, as if trying to decide whether to believe her or not.  Finally, he shook his head.  “I don’t believe it.  He has a flaw of some sort.  All gentlemen do.”

“Not him.  He’s perfect.”

With a chuckle, he said, “It’s nice when wives are blind to how their husbands really are.”

“Is your wife blind to your flaws?”

“Heaven forbid, my lady.  I don’t have a wife.  No lady in her right mind would dare marry me.  I’m one of the most unpopular gentlemen in the Ton.  God only knows why you asked me to help with the birth of your child.”

“Because you’re good at what you do.  Also, you’re funny and nice.  It’s a good combination for a physician.”

He raised an eyebrow, but there was a hint of laughter in his voice as he asked, “Are you telling me you secretly admire me from afar?  Because I have to be honest with you.  I’ve watched my brother with other gentlemen’s wives, and quite frankly, it never ends well.”

“You know I have no such interest in you.” After a moment, she added, “I didn’t know you had a brother.”

“Oh yes.  The Marquis of Dodsworth.  He’ll never admit I’m his brother.  It’s my fault, really.  I know I should be good and at least make a pretense of obeying the Ton’s rules.  If there weren’t so many ridiculous ones, I might. But alas, I can’t seem to help myself.  Someone tells me not to do something, and I tend to do it just to see how they’ll react.” With a smile, he shrugged.  “We all must follow our own path, I suppose.”

As he tended to her afterbirth, she focused on her son.  He was such a small thing, but he’d already stolen her heart.  She caressed his cheek, and he reached out and grabbed her finger.  Laughing, she kissed the tip of his nose.

When Dr. Westward was done cleaning everything, he went to get the others.  She thought for sure her mother would insist on seeing the child before allowing anyone else to, but to her surprise, Orlando was the first one in the room.

“Are you and the child doing well?” he asked as he sat beside her.

“We’re doing fine.  Want to hold him?”

He nodded, and she settled the boy in his arms, reluctant to part from him.  He was such a tiny thing.  And wonderfully made, too.

“Are you sure you don’t want to name him Orlando?” she asked.

He chuckled and shook his head.  “No.  One Orlando is enough.  Besides, I thought we agreed on Clifford if we had a boy.”

“I know, but I wanted to give you one more chance to name him after you.”

“I have no desire for that.”

“All right.  Clifford it is then.”

“There he is!” her mother called out as she ran into the room, followed by her father who managed to practice more restraint despite the wide smile on his face.

Her mother peered over Orlando’s shoulder and touched the baby’s hand.  As he’d done with Chloe, he opened his hand and wrapped it around her finger.

“I just love it when babies do that,” she said.  Then, in a higher voice, she told him, “I’m your grandmother.  Yes, I am.  Yes, indeed.  I’m your grandmother.”

While her mother continued to talk to Clifford, Chloe looked at her father.  “Would you like to hold him next?”

“Oh, he wouldn’t!” her mother replied.  “It’s my turn next.  He can hold him when I’m done.”

“Why, Mother, you can be unbelievably demanding,” Chloe said, though she’d fully expected her mother to want to be the next to hold him.  She couldn’t blame her, especially when she wanted to hold him next, too.  But she’d be good and wait while everyone else had a turn.  Smiling as Orlando handed him to her mother, she said, “We decided to name him Clifford.”

“A fine name,” her father replied as he checked on the boy.

“It suits him well,” her mother agreed.  “He looks like a Clifford.” She glanced at her husband.  “Don’t you agree?”

“Yes, I do.  Now, let me hold him.”

“I’m not done yet.  I need a few more minutes with him.”

“Why don’t I hold him for a few minutes and give him back to you?”

“You waited nine months to hold your grandson.  You can wait five more minutes.”

“You waited for him for nine months, too, but you’re holding him now.  I don’t see how that’s fair.”

While her mother continued to argue with him, Chloe glanced at Orlando and chuckled.  Poor Clifford.  She had a feeling her parents would be fighting over him a lot in the years to come, which only proved a baby couldn’t be better loved.

***

Two weeks later, Chloe and Melissa went to visit Helena, and as soon as the three sat down to have tea, Chloe and Melissa couldn’t help but tease Helena about the upcoming birth of her own child in August.

“Just wait until you’re in your last month,” Melissa said.  “It’ll be hard for you to sleep lying down.  I needed to be propped up with four pillows or I’d risk something I ate earlier in the day coming back up.”

“Well, it helps if you don’t eat something with spices in it,” Chloe added.  “I made that mistake, and it was awful.  I couldn’t get a good night’s sleep at all.  It was like liquid fire coming up my mouth.”

Helena grimaced and lowered her teacup.  “Must you tell me everything that’s unpleasant while expecting a child?” She rubbed her round stomach and sighed.  “You take all the enjoyment out of it.  Earlier today, I was counting the number of kicks the little one was making.  That was nicer than listening to you two discuss how uncomfortable you were.”

“The discomfort was worth it,” Chloe assured her friend.  “I’d go through it all over again for Clifford.”

“And I would do it for Mathias,” Melissa added.

Recalling how Logan had hoped Melissa wouldn’t name her son after their brother, Chloe asked Melissa, “Was your husband relieved you didn’t name your son Malcolm?”

“Very much so.” Melissa took a sip of her tea then giggled.  “He collapsed with relief right into a chair upon hearing the news.  I was never going to name the boy Malcolm.  I only said that to tease him.  I didn’t think he took me seriously.”

“I’m surprised he takes anything seriously,” Helena said.  Glancing between her two friends, she added, “I can’t help but notice all of you have boys.  Regina has Samuel.  You have Mathias, and you,” she looked at Chloe, “have Clifford.  We need a girl.”

“Hmm,” Melissa began, “a girl for the three boys to one day fight over when it’s time to marry.”

“I shall encourage her to marry Clifford,” Helena replied.

“What’s wrong with Mathias?” Melissa asked.

“Mathias has a father who would encourage him to enact a scandal to get what he wants,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.  “And Samuel has a meddlesome grandmother.” Winking at Chloe, she added, “Orlando and Chloe have the ideal situation for my daughter to marry into.”

Melissa lifted her nose in the air and sniffed in mock indignation.  “I don’t think it’s fair if you’re going to base your decision on things I have no control over.”

Chloe chuckled and shook her head.  “Helena could have a boy.  This conversation could be for nothing.”

“True,” Helena replied.  “All four of our boys might end up running around London finding out who can create the biggest scandal.”

“Oh, I hope not,” Melissa said.  “The Ton can barely keep track of all their gossip now.  The other day, Logan overheard one lady whispering something to her friend, and they got the gentleman’s title wrong.”

“What did he do about it?” Helena asked.

“He corrected them, of course.  He makes it a point to know who is doing what and to whom.  Sometimes I think he’s worse than Regina’s mother.”

“Imagine if both of them had married!” Chloe chimed in.

Her friends burst out laughing.  “Oh dear,” Melissa said, “What a match they’d make!  They would put the
Tittletattle
to shame.”

“There wouldn’t be a need for the
Tittletattle
if they were married,” Helena added, which only made them laugh harder.  After they calmed down, Helena said, “Speaking of matches, I finished compiling a list of attributes that would make ideal matches between ladies and gentlemen.  Have you two given any thought to helping me arrange marriages?”

“Are you sure you want my help?” Melissa teased.  “I am the one married to a gentleman who loves scandals.”

“But you’re practical.  Once you got over that crying spell, you’ve been sensible about things.”

Melissa offered a shrug.  “At the time, I truly thought my life was over.”

“To be fair to Melissa,” Chloe began, “she did assure me things weren’t all that bad when my marriage to Orlando was exposed.  I agree with you, Helena.  She is sensible.  She’ll see things as they are instead of being ruled by her feelings.”

“Which is why I’d like you to also be a part of this,” Helena replied, turning to Chloe.  “You were in a marriage where there was no affection, and now you have a love match.  I think you’ll be guided more by sensibility.  The two of you would help me make the best decisions on who to match together.”

“It does sound like fun,” Chloe admitted.

“Oh, why not?  Let’s do it,” Melissa told Chloe.

Chloe nodded and turned to Helena.  “All right.  We’ll do it.”

“Wonderful!” Helena set her cup aside.  “As it turns out, I have some questions we can start going through.  They’re in my desk.”

As Helena hurried over to the desk, Chloe whispered, “Do you have the feeling this is the real reason she invited us here?”

“Probably,” Melissa mused.  “But I can’t think of three ladies better suited to arrange marriages, can you?”

“No, no I can’t.”

And there was no doubt this was going to be fun.