“Father? Is Mother going to be alright?”

Edward stopped pacing to look at the son by his side. A child he had come to love with all his heart in the past year. It hadn’t been easy at first, being a parent.

He had soon realized how clueless he was. However, somehow, with Caroline’s help, they had managed to find their way about it.

Every day was filled with lessons, and they did well to heed each one. They knew that they wouldn’t have it any other way.

James brought so much joy to their lives. He had become their son in every sense of the word. The lack of blood ties mattered nothing to Edward and Caroline.

He was a child of their heart. That was more than enough.

Smiling, Edward nodded. “Certainly. She is only tired, is all.”

Edward wished he believed his own words. However, he could not tell the child this. One of his duties as a father was to make certain that his son never had cause to worry.

After he had seen his mother fall into his father’s arms that morning, James was worrying too much already.

They had just finished breakfast and were rising to leave the dining hall when Caroline suddenly fainted. Thankfully, Edward had been quick enough, catching her before she hit the ground.

They had sent for Doctor Ramsey right away. He had arrived soon after.

At the moment, he was in their chambers, seeing to her.

Edward was trying not to go mad, wondering what could have happened. Caroline was a perfectly healthy woman. It was utterly unlike her to suffer fainting spells.

He was pulled out of his thoughts as the door to the chamber opened.

“She’s awake now. You may enter,” Doctor Ramsey announced.

Quickly, Edward lifted his son in his arms and rushed into the room. He nodded at Amelia, acknowledging her curtsy before turning to his wife.

The color had started to return to her face. He was relieved to see this.

When she smiled at him, he breathed deeply for the first time since she fell.

“You gave us a scare,” he said as he went to her.

“I’m sorry. I did not mean to.”

“There is naught to be sorry about. Is there, James?”

Their son shook his head. “Not at all. We are happy you’re awake, Mother. Father has been fretting.”

“Only me?” Edward asked.

James nodded. “Of course. I wasn’t worried one bit. I knew Mother would be fine.”

Edward and Caroline laughed then.

“You certainly did, my strong man,” she cooed at him.

“How are you feeling?” Edward asked as they both recovered.

She bobbed her head. “Well. Just strangely tired.”

“That is usual when you have a babe growing inside of you,” Doctor Ramsey said.

Edward almost dropped James. His heart rammed against his chest as he slowly turned to face the other man.

In unison, he and Caroline asked, “A babe?”

Her words made him know he hadn’t heard it alone. He hadn’t been mistaken.

Doctor Ramsey seemed taken aback by their shock.

“Yes. A babe. Your wife is with child. Did you not know?”

With child? How?

Edward looked at Caroline. She was just as astonished as he was. He turned back to Doctor Ramsey, shaking his head slowly.

“We didn’t think we could have children.”

The doctor looked at James, his eyes filled with questions.

“He was adopted,” Edward explained.

“Ah. I see. It is impossible for one to tell. He bears a striking resemblance to her grace.”

“So we have been told. Are you certain? That she is with child? The… you see, I suffered an… accident. The physician who nursed me back to health said I might never be able to have children.”

Doctor Ramsey smiled then. “Might, your grace. It is a matter of possibility. While it could be difficult, it is not entirely impossible. I suppose you finally had your stroke of luck. The duchess is at least three months gone. I assumed you knew.”

Caroline spoke then. “I realized I was putting on weight. I have also missed my monthly flow, but I never considered that I could be with child. My mind never conceived it.”

“Well, I believe this is a cause for celebration. It is a good thing that we now know. She fainted from exhaustion. I advise that she takes plenty of rest in the days to come. Her body will be working tirelessly to adjust to the changes it is undergoing.”

“We shall do as you say, Doctor Ramsey,” Edward promised.

The physician appeared to be pleased with this. “If that is all, I shall take my leave. If I’m ever needed…”

“We will send for you,” Edward finished.

Giving a curt nod, the physician stepped out of the chamber then. Amelia knew enough to follow him, leaving them alone.

Edward turned to his wife then.

He was still overcome with awe, still trying to believe what they’d been told, to grasp it. It seemed a dream. One he hoped never to wake from.

“Did you hear what the physician said, Lin? We will become parents again. A babe…” He touched her belly. “My goodness, I can barely believe this.”

His eyes filled with tears. He must have done something right to deserve all of these blessings. After all hope had been lost, they had been gifted this miracle. Just like that.

“Me neither. Oh Edward, our own child!” Caroline too was crying. She turned to James. “Did you hear that, my love? You’re going to be an older brother. You’ll have someone to play with, to love, to cherish. Our family is going to grow bigger.”

They all locked arms in a tight embrace then, crying tears of joy.

It was more than Edward could have ever wished for. Everything had turned out perfect.

Nathaniel and Sarah had eventually gotten his parents’ blessings. When they’d welcomed Olivia Witherspoon, their daughter, his mother had been the most overjoyed. The duchess was utterly smitten with her grandchild and she adored Sarah as if she were her own daughter.

Whittaker had eventually been arraigned in court. There had been more than enough evidence against him, exposing fraud, several cases of assault, blackmail, and intimidation. The judge had deemed it fit to give him a five-year sentence.

Aunt Trudy had decided to travel overseas. There, she had met a widowed American man and they’d fallen in love. They had wasted no time getting married.

Aunt Helen and Uncle Ethan were busy traveling the world still. Lord Wymore had managed to begin his business again. He had also celebrated a year free from gambling just two months earlier.

Edward and Caroline were even more in love with each other than they ever had been, and now, they had a child on the way.

It seemed everyone had gotten their happy ending.

“It’s more than I could have ever imagined, Caroline,” he said as they finally pulled apart. “So much more.”

His wife, apparently understanding his meaning, smiled up at him. “It’s everything.”

Edward couldn’t have put it better.

That it was.

Everything.

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