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" D o you suppose that we will ever have a moment's peace?" Morgan asked as they boarded the carriage, though he did not mean it.

Dorothy hoped that he did not, at least, especially as he was well aware of what was to come, and so it could not truly been seen as a surprise of any sort.

What had been a surprise, however, was how quickly everything had happened.

They received word that Emma had at last gone into labor, and by the time they arrived everything was over with.

The baby had been taken away to be cleaned and checked over, and Emma was lying on her bed, exhausted.

Cecilia and Beatrice looked on in amazement, telling her how wonderful she had been, and Dorothy did not know what to say.

"I am sorry," she said gently, making her way toward the ladies. "I should have arrived sooner."

"You could not have known," Emma sighed warmly, her breathing returning to normal. "Cecilia and Beatrice happened to be here, but if they were not then they would have missed it too."

Dorothy accepted it, but she felt guilty even so. She had arrived when everything was good, and missed all of the difficulty, and she did not feel like a good friend at all.

"Dot," Beatrice said gently, "truly, there was nothing that you could have done. It is vital that you and your family take some time to simply be together after all that has happened."

"And, given what we know now, it is quite right that you take all of the time you need," Cecilia agreed.

"What you know now?" Dorothy echoed. "What precisely do you know?"

The ladies looked to Emma, who nodded softly.

"It is quite all right. I would like to rest for a while. Although you must tell me how Dorothy feels about all of it when I awaken."

They left for the drawing room, and a tea arrived. Dorothy was not hungry, and her two friends white as sheets and did not seem to have much of an appetite either, but they sipped their tea politely.

"The entire ton knows about this," Cecilia began. "It is a wonder that you have not heard about it. Lady Annabelle was ousted!"

"Ousted? What do you mean?"

"Cecilia has gotten ahead of herself," Beatrice chuckled. "You see, her family has been struggling since her sister's disappearance. Her father pretended that she had gone to live in the country with a relative, but suspicions have been mounting for a very long time that it was not the case."

"And at last," Cecilia continued, "the ton has its answer. It might not be the news that one likes to hear, but at least it is a mystery solved."

"Yes, and after that all that was left to do was decide what happened to the family. It could have been accepted as a grieving family, and had that been the case then perhaps they would have been forgiven for lying."

"Except that word has spread among staff that Lady Annabelle has been scheming all this time, trying to damage marriages in any way that she could so that she would no longer be on the shelf."

Dorothy blinked.

"Do you mean to say that I was not the first?"

"You were the third," Beatrice explained. "Unfortunately, in a moment of desperation, she attempted to entrap a married man out in the gardens at a ball two nights ago. They were not seen, which was perhaps what she had intended, but the gentleman told his wife. She is ruined now, completely."

"I do not see what is unfortunate about that," Cecilia smirked. "I would say that it is precisely what she deserves."

"As would I," Dorothy agreed, "but I still have some pity for her. I suppose she wishes that she had not spurned Morgan's affections all those years ago."

"Well, she did, and now she is the child that has been sent away. She will be in the country for a very long time."

Dorothy knew that she was supposed to feel a sense of satisfaction that the lady that had caused her so much pain would be gone from her life permanently, but she did not. Her first thought was Catherine, and how it would have to be explained that she could no longer see her aunt.

She and Morgan had agreed that, in spite of everything, if Catherine ever wished to see her aunt again then they would not stop her. They would, however, be present at all times and never leave the two of them alone together. Now, however, that could not happen.

"This is a good thing," Beatrice promised, squeezing Dorothy's arm. "You may live now, with no need to wonder whether or not you are being watched."

"And, with all that has happened to that family," Cecilia added, "the news of you and your husband adopting Catherine has fallen by the wayside. It has been accepted by the ton , is that not brilliant?"

"It truly is. We were going to take her out soon, but I think we might wait until Emma has made an appearance or two with her new little one. Has the baby been given a name yet?"

"He is called Rupert," Beatrice smiled. "He is a lovely little baby, too. I cannot wait for you to see him."

"Nor can I," Dorothy replied. "We have yet to discuss having children of our own, and we have Catherine, and I do not believe Morgan has a particular desire to sire an heir."

"You never know," Cecilia said. "He could well change his mind upon speaking with Levi. Then again, the poor man seemed terrified by his prospects when we saw him. He was not allowed in the room with his wife, and he was furious about it."

"That is awful," Dorothy gasped. "I did not know that it had to be that way."

"Well, there is a certain strength required, one that only we women possess."

Dorothy thought of all the pain that Emma must have been in, and she wondered if she truly did possess such strength herself.

"I do not know what I am supposed to do. I am not supposed to be a father!"

Morgan had never met the man pacing the room, but he wished to befriend his wife's friends' husbands as they met, and Levi Hunter, the Duke of Lupton, was to be the first. He seemed to be a kind man, but in that moment he could not seem to collect himself at all.

He could not sit still, and had to walk from one end of his study to the other as he uttered nonsense.

"She is well, Your Grace," Morgan tried. "As is your baby, your son."

"I know, but I should have been there. It was humiliating to be shut out of a room in my own household, unable to support my wife."

"Your wife was supported, and she is in good health now. I know that all of this is scary, but believe me it becomes easier with time."

"Have you had a baby, Your Grace?"

Morgan hesitated for a moment.

"Not exactly. Not in the way that you have, at least, but I do have a daughter, for all intents and purposes.

I have raised my niece since she was a small child, and there have been difficulties but there have been more rewards than anything.

I assure you, even if you do not think you are prepared, you can do this. "

"Is it wrong to wish he was a girl?" he laughed sadly.

"We are supposed to want heirs, but if Rupert were a girl then it would not be my responsibility to teach him everything.

I am supposed to show him how to be a duke one day, but I could not even tell you the first thing about it. I simply do it."

"And that is all that you need to do. If you act as a good duke, and a good man, then he shall follow suit. Believe me, it will come to you almost instinctively."

It seemed to help his new friend, and at last he collapsed into a seat. Morgan took a deep breath, and leaned forward.

"When I first received Catherine," he explained, "I was alone.

I did not know the first thing about children, and I did not have a wife to make it enjoyable in and of itself.

It took time, but from the moment I looked at her I knew that I would do anything in my power to take care of her.

It will be the same for you, once you are allowed to see him. "

As if on cue, the butler arrived, and told them it was time to visit the Duchess.

They followed him to the Duchess' room, and she welcomed them both in.

The other ladies were already there, and Dorothy was holding the child.

Morgan fell in love with her all over again the moment he saw her, the boy cradled in her arms as she spoke gently to him.

She looked up at him, and in an instant he knew what he wanted to do.

She handed the baby to the Duke, and Morgan watched as the man's fears left him and came back in waves.

He was soothed by his son's presence, yet terrified of it.

It was precisely how Morgan had felt when he first met his niece, and it brought him comfort to know that he had never been alone in his feelings.

"He is perfect," he said quietly. "Rupert Hunter, the most perfect son I could have asked for."

He gave his wife a kiss on the cheek, and their visitors took that as a sign to give them some time alone. They left the room and were welcomed into another for drinks, but Dorothy gave Morgan a quick look to say that she was ready to return home.

"We ought to leave," Morgan explained. "After all that has happened, Catherine does not like to be alone for too long."

"Of course," Lady Beatrice agreed. "We understand, and the Duke and Duchess will too.

Oh! Also, my parents will be hosting a ball next week, and we were wondering if you might like to attend?

I was supposed to ask you sooner, but with everything that had been happening…

I understand if you cannot, as Catherine needs you. "

"We will be there," he promised, and Dorothy squeezed his hand.

"If you are not occupied elsewhere," Cecilia joked, and Dorothy nudged her sharply.

"We will be there," she repeated, and then they slipped away.

"What might your friend have meant by that?" he asked jokingly on their return home, and he laughed as his wife turned scarlet.

"I– I do not know."

"Ah, of course you do not."

"Cecilia knows me very well," she sighed, smiling. "She seems to know what I am thinking even before I do, sometimes."

"You are very easy to read. I have found myself knowing what you want of late."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"Well, for a start, I know that you wish to attend Lady Beatrice's ball, but you are concerned about Catherine."

"I simply do not like to be away from her."

"Which is why we shall attend for a short while, and then leave. I also may or may not have noticed that you looked at me a certain way when you were holding the baby."

She looked at him with her beautiful wide eyes, and he knew that he was right.

"I was going to ask you, but I know we have a lot to do with Catherine for the moment," she explained. "But you are right. When I held that little boy in my arms, and I looked at you, I realized that it was precisely what I wanted. We shall have to ask Catherine first, of course, but–"

He cut her off with a kiss. He knew that Catherine would be more than happy to have another little one to care for, but he also wanted his wife to truly do something for herself. When they pulled apart at last, she laughed softly, leaning against him.

"Does that mean we can?" she asked.

"It means that I would love nothing more."