Page 31

M ary Kate woke when her husband slipped his arms from around her and got out of bed. Seamus had been true to his word and made love to her all night long. Even when she didn’t think she had the strength, he convinced her with his lips and teeth and tongue that she was stronger than she knew.

She heard the water pouring into the wash bowl and knew he was washing before getting dressed. It would be a miracle if she could even walk over to the washstand today!

Dear Lord, how could she explain her malady to Lady Calliope?

She would die of embarrassment! Then she remembered those first few months after Calliope and the viscount had been living at Chattsworth and smiled.

Things that she’d thought odd became crystal clear now.

Calliope had been exhausted from spending nights in her husband’s arms, not some other odd, unexplained condition.

Mrs. Romney must have known what was going on, but never said anything.

Smart woman. It wouldn’t do to have anyone making comments about the viscountess and her husband when it was plain to see they were head over heels in love with one another.

“Are ye thinking to spend the day with sheets pulled over yer head, then, lass?”

Mary Kate slowly lowered the covers. “I’m not sure I can walk.”

His lightning-fast grin irritated her. He did not feel sorry for her—he was proud as a whitewashed pig! “Well now, ye’d best stay in bed. I’ll know right where to find ye when I take me midday break.”

“You aren’t thinking to go back to Lippincott Manor without me, are you?”

“Do ye work at Lippincott Manor?”

“Well, no, but—”

“Do I work here?”

“No, but—”

“Then I shall explain to her ladyship that ye’re recovering from yer ordeal yesterday and I recommended ye stay in bed.”

Mary Kate frowned at her husband. “She’ll know why I cannot get up, won’t she?”

Flaherty’s bark of laughter irritated her as much as his grin had. “As a happily married woman, me guess would be that she will.”

“Then you have to help me get up.” She tossed the covers aside and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Not waiting for Seamus, she got out of bed on legs that wobbled.

Before she could ask for help, her husband lifted her off her feet and into his arms. “Lass, I truly did not mean to take the starch out of yer legs.”

“But you knew it could happen,” she accused him.

He fought not to smile, and she wondered why she’d ever thought that she loved him. Just when she was about to ask him that very same question, he kissed her and every other thought just slipped right out of her head.

“I love ye, lass. It might be best if ye rest today. You never know, ye could be carrying me babe.”

Her mouth gaped open until she saw the devilish look in his deep blue eyes. “You’re going to say that every time we make love, aren’t you?”

“Why not? The chances of ye being with child grow exponentially every time we make love, lass. Let me know when ye start to feel queasy of a morning.”

“Mayhap I won’t.”

“Won’t what, feel queasy or tell me?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. Instead of the reaction she anticipated, he pinched her chin until she glared at him. When his lips covered hers and his mouth worked its magic until she was mindless once again, she sighed and leaned into his kiss.

He was dressed and standing by the door before her head cleared.

“You cannot keep kissing me to distract me to get your way, husband.”

“Aye, wife, I can. I shall speak with her ladyship on yer behalf.”

“I’d rather you did not.”

“Well, if ye can walk from the bed to the door, I’ll let her know ye’re delayed instead of staying in bed today.”

With a will of iron, Mary Kate stood once more. This time she concentrated, locking her knees so they did not wobble, and slowly walked over to her husband, put her hands on her hips, and frowned at him. “Please apologize to her ladyship, and tell her that I shall be down shortly.”

“I love ye, lass.” He cupped her face in his hand and gently, reverently molded his mouth to hers. “Do not overdo today. Although I’m thinking her ladyship would not expect that of ye, given all that has transpired since yesterday.”

“I love you too.”

“Faith, I know ye do.” He was halfway out the door when he stopped, turned around, and drew her into his embrace for one more lusty kiss. “That’ll have to hold me until tonight.”

Mary Kate was still staring at the closed door ten minutes later when she felt a chill and realized she’d been standing with one hand to her heart and the other on the door—without a stitch of clothing on!

She shook her head at the incongruity of the situation.

She had never done anything out of the ordinary all of her life…

until she met Seamus Flaherty. Meeting him had been the undoing of her.

Instead of fretting, she was smiling when she wobbled her way over to the washstand. It took twice as long as normal, but she managed to wash and dry herself before sitting down to regain enough strength to dress.

Finally ready for the day, she slowly made her way down the servants’ staircase—it was the fastest way to reach the kitchen, and she was starving.

“There you are.” Lady Calliope looked relieved to see her.

“I am sorry for being so late, your ladyship.”

“Nonsense,” the viscountess said, walking over to study her face. “Pale, but all things considered, not unexpected. I should have reminded you to rest today. The very last thing I would want is you collapsing from breathing in too much smoke, or from the blow to the back of your head.”

Linking her arm with Mary Kate’s, Calliope bit her lip, then said, “Had Flaherty not swept you off your feet and up the stairs, I would have had a chance to mention it.”

Mary Kate felt a flush sweep up from her toes to her forehead. Mortified, she had no idea how to reply.

Fortunately, the viscountess took pity on her. “Forgive me for teasing you, but I do so love seeing you happily married to Flaherty. The two of you were meant to be together.”

“I could never quite decide if he cared for me, or was irritated with me.”

Mary Kate’s confession surprised a laugh out of Lady Calliope.

“Do you know, when I first met William, we were sitting beside one another at Aurelia and Edward’s wedding and started talking.

It seemed as if we’d been friends forever, and I thought I sensed he was interested in more than friendship…

until he learned that I was a poor relation.

He was quite cool after that, leaving me to wonder if I had wanted him to be interested in more than he was.

Until that fateful day he burst out of the duke’s upstairs study and collided with me. ”

“Had I not been booted out of my former position, I would not have ended up at Wyndmere Hall and therefore would not have accompanied you here to Chattsworth Manor. We have had some life-changing events happen, haven’t we, your ladyship?”

The viscountess softly smiled. “And most of those moments we were protected by the duke’s men—and so was my William during that duel.”

“I’ll not have it, Calliope!”

The two women spun around at the viscount’s raised voice. Calliope released Mary Kate’s arm and walked over to her husband, frowning. “What on earth—”

“I do not give a bloody damn whose duel you think to interfere in this time, wife. You are not leaving Chattsworth Manor!”

“Do lower your voice, William. I was speaking of the past. Besides, neither Aurelia nor I have had any false rumors lodged against us—or recorded in White’s betting book—since the last duel.”

“It was your honor that I was prepared to avenge, my love.” The viscount drew her against his side. “I was set to duel with Chellenham right after Lord Coddington bested the man.”

“You never had the chance,” Calliope whispered. “Chellenham cheated and was going to shoot Aurelia’s uncle in the back. Instead you leapt in the way and took the lead ball meant for him.”

While Mary Kate watched, the viscount tenderly brushed away his wife’s silent tears.

“And I would do it again to protect your dearest friend’s uncle—the man who took you in after discovering your relatives all but forced you into a menial position without taking care of you.

My only regret is that Chellenham was unable to meet me on the dueling field. ”

Mary Kate slowly slipped into the hallway, but heard Calliope’s reply.

“He thought he could best a man his own age and experience, but I think he sensed you were younger and would have had quicker reflexes. He knew you would defeat him. I truly believe that is why he turned on the count of fifteen paces instead of twenty.”

Watching the couple had Mary Kate examining her relationship with Flaherty.

They had been through harrowing times together too, while he had been protecting her ladyship, and by default herself as Calliope’s lady’s maid.

But he never treated her as if she were a maid—he treated her as if she had as much value as the viscountess.

All of the duke’s men had. Which led her to wonder if it was because of the overall head of the extended family.

The Duke of Wyndmere took his cue from his duchess, who treated servants as if they more than mattered.

His brother Earl Lippincott and their distant cousins, Viscount Chattsworth and Baron Summerfield, treated their staff in the same manner.

They relied on one another to keep their estates running smoothly, extending their care and concern to not only their staff, but to the tenant farmers and their families, plus the villagers who depended upon the largesse of the families.

It was some moments before Mary Kate realized she had been lost in thought long enough that Mrs. Romney had linked arms with her, urging her back into the kitchen to sit down at the large kitchen table.

“Drink up. Judging from the way Flaherty was whistling this morning, you’re in need of more than a strong cup of tea. You need a good, solid meal.”

Mary Kate stared at the heaping plate of eggs, sausages, fresh bread, and butter and completely forgot her embarrassment. “Thank you, Mrs. Romney. I could eat.”

By the time she’d eaten every last crumb, the cook refilled her teacup and joined her. “Now then, I had not intended to interfere yesterday when Flaherty was beyond worried about you and the possibility of what could happen after you’d been injured. Today is another matter.”

Confused, Mary Kate set her cup on her saucer. “It is?”

“Most men have no idea how strong a woman is. We have been carrying babes in our bellies, all the while continuing to care for our menfolk, and other babes we’ve already birthed, for generations.

Then there’s the birth itself—no man could stand up to the rigors of bearing children.

Do not spend your time worrying whether or not you will miscarry a babe because of performing everyday duties.

Sometimes circumstances happen that are beyond our control.

But most often we women are sturdy and strong enough not to ever have that worry. ”

“Mum used to say it was up to the Lord, and that there are times when something isn’t quite right with the babe because it simply was not meant to be.”

“Your mum was a very wise woman.”

Mary Kate smiled and reached for the cook’s hand.

“You remind me of her. Thank you for reaffirming what she told me.” She sipped from her cup and frowned into it.

“Do you have any advice for how to keep Flaherty from chasing me back inside once I find myself carrying his babe? I have a feeling he’ll want me to rest for the whole nine months. ”

Mrs. Romney smiled. “You promise not to overdo, but keep up with what you have the energy for. Eat well, rest when you are tired, and never hesitate to ask for help—even if it is to run interference with your well-meaning husband.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Romney.” Mary Kate shot up from her seat, intending to dash off to the nursery, but a wave of dizziness assailed her, forcing her to sit back down.

“Well now,” the cook said, “we’d best start out as we mean to go on, with you putting your feet up for half an hour. You can rest on the cot in the room at the end of the hallway if you do not want one of the footman to escort you to your room. Cannot have you fainting on my watch.”

“It could just be exhaustion,” Mary Kate reminded her.

“You are absolutely right. However, I am not willing to incur the wrath of your handsome husband if he is right.” Mrs. Romney tilted her head to one side, staring at Mary Kate for a few moments before asking, “Are you?”

Mary Kate blew out a breath. “He’d probably lock me in our bedchamber.”

Mrs. Romney laughed. “We’ll do our best to avoid that happening. Now then, can you stand?” When she did, the cook slid her arm around Mary Kate’s waist. “We’ll walk slowly, no need to rush.”

Mary Kate hesitated to admit that she was still a bit lightheaded, so she bit her lip and did as the cook bade. Walking into the room, she spied the chair and asked, “Couldn’t I just sit in the chair by the cot?”

“As I have the midday meal to start preparing, I’d rather you lie down.

Give your system time to absorb the meal you just ate.

You’ll feel better for it.” Mrs. Romney helped Mary Kate lie down and drew up the blanket.

“I’ll send one of the maids down to check on you, but you have to promise not to get up on your own—or I’ll send word to Lippincott Manor and Flaherty. ”

Mary Kate did not want to interrupt her husband’s duties. “I promise not to get up.”

“As long as we understand one another.”

“We do.”

“Don’t fret. You’re young and strong, and surrounded by people who will look after you until Flaherty returns at teatime to collect you.”

“But what about her ladyship?”

“I’ll speak with her myself later, as the viscount whisked her away while you were lost in thought.” The cook walked over to the door. “I’m going to leave it partway open. One of the footmen will be just a few feet away—within hearing distance—so just call out if you need anything.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now close your eyes!”

“Yes, Mrs. Romney.”

Mary Kate had no intention of sleeping, but she did as she was told and closed her eyes, not sure how long the cook would stand in the doorway to ensure she kept them closed. Mary Kate sighed and waited. Listening.

The last thing she remembered was how warm and cozy the blanket felt and how surprisingly comfortable the cot was.