Page 38

SIX MONTHS LATER

R adcliffe Manor looked glorious beneath a blanket of snow as Alicia made her way carefully down the steps of the terrace and onto the lawn.

The swell of her belly was becoming more obvious by the day, and her whole body felt as if it were on fire most of the time. She barely felt the chill and was even more grateful that she was not plagued by sickness as her sister had been.

She smiled, resting a hand on her bump, feeling a faint kick against it. The baby had been moving more and more lately, and it was a wonderful thing to feel a life growing inside her.

Turning toward the house, Alicia breathed in the crisp winter air as the sun attempted the shine through the canopy of clouds.

She could hear cutlery clinking from inside the house, and she could see the shapes of servants through the doors of the terrace, preparing the drawing room for their guests.

Alicia was looking forward to the grand breakfast they were hosting. She could see the servants carrying trays of bread and pastries to the tables.

She spotted crumpets on one of them and was determined to steal one before the bell rang for breakfast.

It would not be long before the guests arrived, and she watched as bacon, tongue, cold partridge, and a long cheeseboard were carried to the table.

Mrs. Timmons appeared on the terrace, rubbing her upper arms against the cold and waving a hand to her.

“Are you well, Your Grace?” she asked. “Do you need anything? A cup of tea perhaps?”

Alicia smiled gratefully at the housekeeper. “A cup of tea would be most welcome, Mrs. Timmons. Thank you.”

“The Duke is looking for you, Your Grace,” Mrs. Timmons said meaningfully.

Alicia hid a smile. “Very good, I have no doubt that he will find me.”

Since she had told Seth of their impending arrival, he had been worse than a mother hen.

Alicia could not get away from him, no matter where in the house she chose to be. He would seek her out, looking concerned, insisting that she sit down at any given opportunity.

In secret, she adored his attentions, but it was rather suffocating every hour of the day.

Not long after the bustle of the servants had died down and she had wandered a little way across the lawn, she heard the crunch of footsteps through the snow behind her.

Alicia turned and laughed at Seth’s furious expression.

Dove was perched on his shoulders, looking for something to hunt in the vicinity, her white fur shining in the faint winter sunshine.

“This creature must be locked away,” Seth barked, picking up the cat and glaring at her. “She chased Christopher away, again. I shall be heartbroken if anything happens to him. From now on, she cannot be allowed in the gardens unsupervised.”

He handed Dove to Alicia, who cradled her gently in her arms.

“I am sorry, my love, but she is a wild animal at heart. I do not wish for anything to happen to Christopher either, but I do not believe he is in any real danger.”

“No danger?” Seth huffed, looking agitated. “However can you say such a thing?”

“Because I believe he baits her deliberately. I was having a cup of tea in the parlor yesterday and he fluttered about outside as if waiting for something. When Dove arrived, he watched her, teased her, and fluttered away just as she pounced. She is very bad at catching things, and I do not think she will ever manage it.”

Seth eyed Dove for a few moments, his lips thinning.

He had many expressions that were not obvious to those who did not know him, but Alicia had learned to read them all. He loved the cat beyond reason.

“She is a menace,” he said peevishly, then plucked her out of Alicia’s arms and hugged her. “How are you feeling this morning? It is damnably cold to be outdoors.”

Inclining her head, Alicia shrugged a shoulder. “I like the cold, and I am a little tired but looking forward to our soiree. Have you heard from Isaac?”

Seth nodded. “Indeed, I have. Had to harangue him into coming, but he will be here shortly. I believe he only attends such events to speak with you. Whatever do the two of you talk about anyway?”

“Oh, many things. I enjoy how straightforward he is.”

Seth glared at her, and she fought back the smile that threatened to break free.

“We are very much in love, Isaac and I. He is the best man I know,” she said thoughtfully.

“You may be with child, but I can still throw you over my shoulder and carry you to our room if I wish,” Seth warned.

Alicia could not help but laugh at him.

“You are the most foolish man in the world,” she said, putting a hand on his cheek and giving him a kiss. “I love only you, as you well know.”

“Hm.”

He stroked the cat and offered her his arm as they headed back to the house.

Frost glittered across the terrace steps, and Seth paused to allow her to go first, watching carefully should she slip.

“Has there been any word?” Alicia asked as they reached the top step.

Seth shook his head. “The trial should take place soon, or so they tell me. But these things take an age. I cannot imagine Grant is particularly happy in gaol. It warms my heart to think of him amongst the vagrants and the rats.”

Alicia squeezed his arm. “At least Gordon’s garden is almost finished,” she said quietly as they walked to the end of the terrace to look down at the little patch of soil to the right of the house.

It was the same spot where Alicia had planted her first flowers alongside Seth all those months ago.

They had both agreed, after the exposure of Michael’s betrayal, that they should not remain angry at his misdeeds, but celebrate the life he had stolen from the world.

The little bed had been planted over several months with different types of flowers and a large white rose bush in the center that would bloom later in the year.

Seth and Langham had worked together to create the shape of it, and it was becoming truly beautiful. Alicia liked the way Seth’s whole countenance softened whenever he looked at it.

“I think he would have liked it here,” he whispered. “I only wish he could have met you.”

“I wish that, too. But I believe he is all around us, even now.”

Seth smiled. “Perhaps you are right. If this menace were a boy, I would think Fernside had come back as her spirit to torment me.”

He held Dove up in front of his face and glared at her as she gave a pitiful mew.

“Mm, exactly,” he said, as if agreeing with her.

At the sound of the butler’s footsteps, they both turned to greet their guests.

Seth would never grow tired of watching his wife. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and each day that went by, he became twice amazed that she wished to spend the rest of her life with him.

“You are mooning, Radcliffe,” Lucas remarked, sidling up to him with a cup of tea in hand.

“I am allowed to,” Seth protested. “She is my wife, after all.”

“Very true, of course, but it is rather sickening all the same.”

Seth snorted, taking a large bite from the scotch egg in his hand and smiling fondly as Alicia held up the kitten to her sister.

Jane was holding her daughter, Constance, in her arms, and the little girl giggled madly every time the cat came into view.

“What is the matter with Stone?” Lucas asked.

Seth glanced at their friend, who stood at the window, staring out at the gardens. He had been there for some time.

Frowning, Seth placed his plate behind him, glancing at Lucas in confusion. “He has always been a melancholy soul.”

“True,” Lucas said. “But lately he has seemed more so. I would have thought he would be happy, now that Grant is where he belongs.”

“Perhaps it is memories of the war. He has never spoken of it.”

“Nor will he, I’d wager,” Lucas muttered, his face serious as his eyes fell on Isaac’s frame. “I may take a slice of cake to him to cheer him up.”

“I am sure he would enjoy that, considering he hates sweet things,” Seth replied sardonically, but Lucas did not hear him.

Moments later, he was heading toward Isaac with a croissant and a scone on a plate. Seth turned away so that he would not have to endure the inevitable outburst.

His eyes darted around the company, and he could not help but smile at the strange picture they painted.

He had organized the breakfast to celebrate Alicia’s pregnancy, but he also had a mischievous reason he had not revealed until that morning.

Every woman in the room had been instructed to wear an unusual dress in her honor, and Alicia’s face had turned scarlet with embarrassment as each carriage arrived.

Several ladies had outdone themselves with enormous feathers in their hair and sashes around their shoulders.

After the initial shock, Alicia had hit him lightly on the arm and disappeared for a short while. When she emerged again, she was wearing the pink and gray dress she had worn once in an attempt to irritate her husband.

“It is the only one that still fits me,” she had explained, doing a little spin as Seth burst out laughing, more in love with her than ever.

Jane was wearing some sort of cape, with forest green sleeves that her baby was pulling at.

Seth crossed toward them, catching Alicia’s eye and loving the way her face lit up at the sight of him.

“Constance said my name!” she said happily.

Jane turned to Seth, rolling her eyes.

“Did she now?” he asked, putting a hand on Alicia’s waist.

Jane squinted at her daughter, who was only three months old. As Seth waited patiently, the baby wriggled madly.

“ Asha ,” she gurgled, more gibberish than actual words. Jane shifted her onto her hip.

“You see?” Alicia said happily. “She is saying Alicia, I am certain.”

“She is not four months old, my darling sister,” Jane said wearily. “But I have no doubt you will teach her your name before she turns one.”

“Of course I will. When she meets her cousin, they will be the cleverest girls in all the world.”

“Girls?” Seth asked in amusement.

Alicia looked up at him. “Of course. She must have a sister, and until she gets one, I shall provide a female cousin who will act accordingly.”

Seth raised his eyes to the ceiling in resignation, placing a hand on her belly. However, Dove chose that moment to climb up his leg, as was her habit.

Seth glowered at her as he winced, her claws sinking into his skin as she climbed up and leaped into Alicia’s arms, pushing his hand away from her belly as if she owned it.

“She loves you even more than I do,” Seth said testily.

“Well, that is hardly her fault,” Alicia teased.

Everyone around them laughed heartily, and she beamed at him, hugging Dove to her chest as the ladies all came to fawn over her in a myriad of mismatched colors and feathers.

The End?