Two years later…

Nora watched her husband and six-year-old daughter from the doorway of their daughter’s room. Arthur was reading Lydia a story from a new book of children’s tales that had been released recently, his deep voice changing as he mimicked the speech of different characters and narrated the book.

Two years, and still she could not believe the good fortune that had led her here, to him.

Her relationship with her parents was much improved. They met every month if the roads were passable, alternating between the Beaumont estate, the Bedford London house, and the Bedford country home. She saw her sisters less frequently but still at least two or three times a year.

Her eldest sister would be welcoming her third child in a month or so, and Nora hoped to be able to attend the birth, as she had been unable to attend the previous two.

Scarlett had remained as Lydia’s nursemaid and governess, as well as her beloved Auntie Scarlett. To no one’s surprise, she had taken to learning with enthusiasm and now could speak as well as any lady of the ton and on far more topics of discussion, though she retained her forthright and fiery personality.

To everyone’s surprise, she had formed a connection with Arthur’s friend David. When his casual relationship with Annabelle Norburn faded into its inevitable end, Scarlett had become his confidant and the voice of reason he needed to recover his good spirits. From there, the relationship had deepened, and Nora thought, if she was reading the signs aright, there was a good possibility that they might need to hire a new governess in the near future.

Huxley had become the social pariah of the ton by the end of the Season, following their marriage. While Arthur was far too much a gentleman to reveal the details surrounding his decision, he had not hesitated to give his former friend the cut direct, and rumors had soon ran rampant about his scandalous past with various ladies and his rising gaming debts.

In the end, he retired from the social scene, and there were rumors that he had gone to the continent to escape the social stigma.

Aunt Evelyn remained in Bath, and they visited her at least once a year, much to Lydia’s delight.

Abigail had embraced her retirement from the social scene and the duties of the Bedford estate with enthusiasm, though she still gave Nora much-needed advice. She refused to go to the country home and remained in London, devoting herself to odd little projects, her reading, and the raising of her granddaughter.

Lydia herself had blossomed under the devoted attention of so many new family members. Abigail was her teacher in manners and deportment, as Nora was in reading and writing, and Scarlett was in other subjects, but her father was her favorite, and he doted on her, shamelessly indulgent of her whims. For all of that, she was a well-behaved child still, if sometimes given to an excess of energy that needed a long outing to reduce to acceptable levels.

She was also growing like a rosebush in mid-summer, and Nora had taken to requesting that all her new clothes have enough material in the hems to be let down at least twice before they were given or sold to secondhand shops.

To Nora’s relief, there had been no reappearance of the mysterious fever that had so frightened her those many long nights ago. The Bedford family physician had suggested that it had been some sort of sickness from a bit of bad food, which she might have encountered anywhere. It was as good a reason as any for the strange malady, and in the end, Nora was grateful it had been no worse.

Her hand drifted to her belly, remembering what the physician had told her earlier.

Arthur finished the story he was reading, then set the book aside and tucked Lydia under the covers with a smile. From her position in the doorway, Nora could see that Lydia was already asleep, or very close to it. Arthur stroked back the dark curls and pressed a final kiss to Lydia’s forehead, then joined her at the door.

“She enjoys the stories, I think.”

“She has always enjoyed stories.” She took Arthur’s hand. “Come with me.”

“Of course.” Arthur followed her to the room they often shared, blinking as she all but dragged him inside and shut the door firmly behind her. “Nora, love? Is something wrong?”

“No. Nothing is wrong. It is only…” She paused. “You know I have been feeling poorly these last few mornings.”

“Yes. You promised you would speak to the physician about the matter to see if he could prescribe something for you.” Arthur had been concerned when he’d woken one morning to find her retching into a basin.

“I did speak to him, and he has suggested some remedies to settle my stomach. Only… he said I am not ill.”

“Not…” Arthur trailed off, eyes widening.

She smiled, resting her hand on her abdomen once again as a renewed sense of wonder filled her. “I am with child.”

“With…” Arthur breathed out the word. Moving closer so he could lay one large hand over hers. “How long?”

“The physician said barely two months, he believes.” She blushed. “I rather think it has something to do with that dancing lesson…”

“The waltz.” Arthur grinned wickedly. “That was a most informative lesson, indeed.” The expression faded into one of wonder. “A child… our child.”

“A new brother or sister for Lydia.”

“Yes…” The smile that emerged on Arthur’s face was brilliant as a sunrise. “A child.” He laughed then, exuberance flowing into his posture as he picked her up and spun the both of them around in uncontrolled joy. “A child. I cannot wait. To see you carrying the babe, to see them and welcome them to our family…” He spun them both in one final circle and set her on her feet. “Nora… you have no idea how happy I am to hear this, my love.”

“I have some idea.” She leaned up with a lazy smile of her own. “But perhaps you should show me.”

Arthur needed no second invitation, carrying her to bed. The lovemaking that followed was tender and gentle. Arthur fairly worshiped her body, and when they came together in a soft rhythm like waves on the shore, the brilliant smile still adorned his face.

Even as he faded into sleep in the afterglow of their lovemaking, still the smile remained. Nora watched him fondly for a moment before she nestled into his arms and allowed herself to surrender to the pull of sleep.

She was, and would forever be, grateful that she had come here, however it had happened.

Happier than she had ever imagined she could be, Nora Beaumont Russell drifted off to sleep in the arms of her loving husband, dreaming of the bright future to come.

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