Page 98 of Forever Her Bachelor
Maggie still worked at the orphanage with Jessie and Ini but lived with her husband, Randall, in Baywater.
Pippa closed her eyes, sitting back on the blanket that Mrs. Morris had personally laid out for her. She enjoyed the sounds of chatter and laughter of children filling the bright country day. It was the sweetest sound she had ever heard, one that she never thought would ever be a part of her life.
There was a time when Pippa thought she would never have the life she was so gloriously blessed with. Eleven years ago, she had lost all hope for happiness. The utter devastation of losing the person she was closest to in the world had broken her sixteen-year-old self into pieces.
A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she remembered how she had first arrived at Bennett House in the middle of the night with only a bag and Newt. In truth, that was the beginning of their new life together. Whenever she saw the Duke of Summerset, Pippa always fought the urge to thank him. Indeed, if he had not so carelessly assaulted her that evening, she may have actually married him. Now, he was Florentia’s problem, and one the Duchess of Summerset seemed to handle very well. Whenever Pippa saw the duke and duchess, it was the duchess who seemed very much in control.
“What are you smiling about down there?”
Pippa opened her eyes to find her handsome husband standing over her, a babbling babe in his arms.
Her eyes roamed his person, taking in his bearded appearance. He had begun growing it after each Season once he realized how much she enjoyed seeing him in such disarray. Pippa would never forget how magnificent he looked charginginto her aunt’s parlor or the feel of his beard when he’d presented her with her laboratory at Bennett House.
Eleanor, named after Pippa’s mother, pulled at her father’s whiskers, but he showed no signs of irritation, taking her chubby hand from his beard and kissing it, pretending as if he would bite it. The dark-haired, hazel-eyed babe laughed in his arms, looking slightly different than her twin sister, Charlotte, who had light brown hair and brown eyes.
“I’m just thinking about how Newt and I showed up at Bennett House demanding you marry me,” she reminded him as he joined her on the blanket, sitting their one-year-old daughter between them.
“You never told me that!” Julia, Lady Heartford, called from her blanket beside Pippa’s.
She sat next to her husband, the marquess, trying to feed her son a small piece of bread, which the nearly three-year-old refused, trying to reach Charlotte who sat with Pippa’s aunt on another blanket.
“I think I do vaguely recall that story.” Beatrice spoke up from a chair on the lawn. She sat beside her new husband, the two of them exchanging secret looks. “Newt and St. Clara fought the entire trip to Gretna Green.”
Newt perked up from beside her aunt and Charlotte, sensing the conversation was about him. His yellow gaze turned to Chauncey, blinking as if he was threatening him. Their relationship remained the same, but they seemed to agree that they would both do anything for Pippa and the girls.
“Only you would fight with a cat,” Bollingbrook called to his friend from beside the table of treats laid out to celebrate Chauncey’s birthday.
“The important thing is that she is mine.” Chauncey sat down beside Pippa, his eyes full of fire and lust.
She could feel her cheeks heat under the scrutiny of their family and friends. The babe in her belly kicked happily. Only a few months along, she rubbed circles over the slight bump, a whimsical smile spreading across her mouth.
“I still think she should’ve married me,” Peter called out from the grass where he stood next to Randall, peering into a kaleidoscope.
“Peter,” Maggie warned from her own blanket.
“Fine, If I can’t marry Pippa, may I marry Lady Heartford?” the boy of twelve asked, causing Heartford to nearly choke on the cheese he was eating.
“You may not!” Heartford called to the young boy. “And I had no idea that annoyance was inherited.”
“In their case, it seems it was,” Elijah agreed with his friend, taking a sip from his lemonade.
“Bennett men are an acquired taste. You either love us or hate us.” Chauncey laughed at his friends.
“Good thing I love you.” Pippa leaned over and whispered for his ears only.
His gaze locked on hers, causing her blood to boil. “Kitten, you can’t help but to love me.”
As usual he was correct, and she would’ve told him just that until little Nicholas Livingstone broke free from Julia. He walked over to Charlotte who was standing in front of her aunt, waving her little arms in the air. The twins had started walking recently, and Pippa wished time would stand still so they could stay small forever.
Once Nicholas reached a smiling Charlotte, he wrapped his arms around her, leaned in, and kissed her happily on the cheek.
“Do not kiss my daughter!” St. Clara shouted, jumping up and marching over to Nicholas and Charlotte. He picked Charlotte up in his arms, causing the little boy to let out a scared cry.
“Don’t shout at my son!” Heartford stood, picking up a distraught Nicholas.
“You should teach him to keep his lips to himself.” Chauncey poked Heartford in the shoulder.
Pippa tried to hide her laugh at the two men who really loved each other like brothers. However, when they bickered, it was very difficult to see their mutual affection. They stood toe to toe, both carrying a child on their hips as they glared at each other.