Page 21 of One Jewel-tide Scandal (Singular Sensation #10.5)

Biddle House

Manchester Square

Mayfair, London

“Charlotte?” With his chest tight from worry, for he hadn’t been able to locate her in the library or drawing room, Alex bounded up the stairs of his townhouse.

He and his wife had used her maiden name for its address to differentiate it from his family’s holdings, and as she had suggested on that Christmas Eve, they had sold off two of the diamonds in her necklace to finance the dwelling as well as take a short honeymoon to Brighton that spring.

Since then, they had sold another of the stones to furnish the house as well as hire a staff.

Others would be sold at a later date to provide for their children’s future. “Charlotte?”

Today was their second wedding anniversary, and he’d just stepped out briefly to secure her a bouquet of hothouse flowers as well as a bottle of her favorite lilies-of-the-valley perfume like he did each year.

Despite the chill in the air and the spitting rain, he’d felt compelled to run those errands, for he wanted to continue the tradition he’d started last year.

“In here,” she called from the private family parlor on the third floor.

When he bounded into the room, he stopped short at the pretty picture she made in a gown of vibrant purple which blended nicely with the sapphire crushed velvet cushions on which she sat.

In fact, the whole room was pleasantly decorated in shades of blue to evoke an air of calm.

She’d chosen to wear her hair down today, with the gentle curls flowing about her shoulders and back like a caramel waterfall.

What made the scene even more special was the fact his infant son lay cradled on her lap.

Little Adam had been born in late September of last year—the very image of him when he was a babe, according to portraits he’d seen of himself—which was a year after their daughter had come into the world.

That little poppet looked like his wife, and he couldn’t be more thrilled.

“Are you well?”

“Of course.” Though her face was lined with exhaustion, the joy reflected in her eyes always managed to leave him breathless. “Taking a moment for myself. Alexandria is with the nursery maids.”

“It’s the anniversary of our wedding day, sweeting.” After he laid his offerings on a nearby table, he moved to sit next to her on the sofa. “And I know that I tell you this many times, but I am still so happy you chose me.”

“Always so charming.” Half-turning toward him, she placed a palm against his cheek, drew her fingers along his lower lip that left awareness in her wake. “What you’ve given me in two short years leaves me breathless. I can hardly believe this is my life now. Me, a father.”

“Me either.” She stared down at the sleeping baby, gliding her fingertips over his downy head. “I never thought I would have children, but then I met you, and you made… everything possible.” Tears welled in her eyes. “Every day I am in awe.”

“That is exactly how I feel as well.” When he gazed at his son, his heart squeezed, for it was so full of love. “Are you content with our children?”

“I am.” Her smile lit tiny fires in his blood. “But I think I would like to have a couple more before we declare our family complete.”

“Truly?”

“Yes.” Charlotte nodded. “I’m hoping for another one of each. And…” Wicked mischief sparkled in her eyes. “I am also hoping that I might already be increasing, since our last two children were conceived on Christmastide.”

Heat went up the back of his neck. “Well, it is a special date on our calendars.”

“It is.” When the baby stretched and a tiny little fist escaped his swaddling, she tucked it back in. “If you can summon his nurse, we would be afforded an hour or two of privacy to ensure that our next child will be born in the autumn.”

“Ah.” Interest shivered along his shaft.

“I think that can be arranged.” As he stood, Alex pressed a kiss into her hair.

“Thank you. For everything.” Over the course of their two-year-old marriage, his life had settled into days of domestic contentment, and when he dropped into his club to visit with his friends, he finally felt as if belonged with them even more.

“You are quite sweet, Alexander. Don’t forget that we are hosting dinner for a few of your friends and their wives tonight, so we’d best closet ourselves away more sooner than later.”

“I haven’t forgotten.” He crossed the room to yank at the blue brocade bell pull. “Every opportunity to show off my beautiful, caring, wonderful wife to my friends is a good one.”

And he couldn’t wait to see where their lives would go from here.