Page 30 of One Naughty Christmas Night

He took Valentina’s hand and helped her stand.

“If you’d excuse us, please,” he said, dismissing the staff from the room.

Once the room was cleared, Quinn put his hand on Valentina’s belly and announced, “We are having another child.”

An inhuman sound came from his mother, who immediately jumped from her chair to gather Valentina into her arms; tears streamed from her eyes.

“I knew it! I knew it!” she cried, placing her hand on Valentina’s stomach.

“You did, dear,” the Duke said, going to shake Quinn’s hand.

Quinn swung Samantha into his arms as Heath came to join them.

“Are you excited to be a big sister?” he asked her.

“Yes!”

Heath hugged Valentina, then clapped Quinn on the shoulder.

“But remember, you can’t tell anyone until Mommy and Daddy say it’s all right,” Quinn said, tapping her nose with his finger.

“Right.”

“Good girl,” he said, giving her a big, smacking kiss on the cheek, a squeal rent from her when he tickled her.

“Daddy, stop!” she cried.

Heath looked around at his family and smiled, happiness overwhelming him, ignoring the stab of jealousy that rose.

***

Victoria looked up at the door of the library when she heard voices.

Not again.

The door swung open to reveal her parents.

“Momma, Papa, what are you doing in here?” she asked, closing the book she read, using her finger as a bookmark.

“We decided to join you in the library for some reading, dear,” her mother said, perusing the shelves.

She chose a book and joined Victoria on the chaise, forcing her daughter to sit.

“I do love this book,” she said, opening it up.

Victoria snuck a peek at her father, who’d sat upon one of the other chaises.

“Robert, why are you so far away? We’re supposed to be reading together.”

With a disgruntled noise, he moved to the closer chaise, her mother’s satisfied sound pulling a scowl from him.

Victoria picked up her book and began to read again, the silence short before her father asked, “Are you excited for the ball tonight?”

Sliding her finger between the pages, she set the book down. “I am, Papa. What about you? Are you excited?”

His face contorted, and Victoria held back her laughter. Her father was a veritable hermit and was only sociable for short periods. The only time he came out of his shell was anywhere near the Duke. It was one of the things that Victoria loved about the Duke.

“I’m excited to try Wellington’s new cigars he bought,” he replied, a smile coming to her face.