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‘No,’ he said, pulling her closer so that they were touching down the full length of their bodies.

‘I have always been in awe of your intelligence. I love to watch you thinking. I used to stand on the edge of the ballroom, trying to work up the nerve to ask you to dance but knowing that I was not worthy of you. And, when I finally got the courage to approach you, I always seemed to say the wrong thing. I would make your eyes spark with annoyance and I could not completely regret it because you are so beautiful when you are angry.’

‘Oh, Freddie.’ Her heart was melting; she loved this man fiercely, would love him for the rest of their lives together.

‘And when you are not angry too. It is just that I knew I was the only one who rattled you like that and if I got a reaction, well, it was better than nothing at all.’ His thumbs drew deliciously slow circles on her lower back.

‘So, yes, I love you but I…’ he rested his forehead against hers and she inhaled the deep, familiar scent of him that she adored so much ‘…I know we have not been married long, and I have a lot of proving myself to you to do. I do not expect you to love me back. Even if it never happens, I will be the best husband to you.’ He swallowed. ‘I only want you to be happy.’

She tilted her head and touched her lips to his in a gentle kiss.

‘When we met, I thought you were a fool.’ His soft laugh breathed across her skin.

‘Whenever I encountered you at a ballroom, I could not fathom why it was only me whom you treated differently.’ He groaned softly, calling himself idiotic, but she ignored that.

‘It never made sense to me that I could long to touch a man who also made me want to throw cheese at his head.’

‘Cheese?’

‘It was soft enough not to hurt, but it would be annoying to wash off.’

‘Ah, always thinking of everything.’ Freddie’s smile cracked wide across his face.

‘Somewhere along the line, you became the person I do not want to live without.’

His smile faded, his gaze locked on her face, his expression intent. ‘You love me,’ he murmured.

‘I do. ’

‘Well, that’s good news.’ The joy sparking in his eyes contradicted the banal words. ‘It would have been awkward otherwise, despite what I just said.’ He pressed a kiss to her laugh.

She ran the palms of her hands along the length of his shoulders, happy to stay in his arms even as her stomach rumbled, reminding her she had not had breakfast. His lips were on the base of her throat, kissing the soft skin there, which always melted her into a puddle.

She ran her fingers through his hair as her heart expanded with love.

‘Emily,’ he murmured against her collarbone. ‘Do you think you might be with child?’

‘I beg your pardon.’

He laughed against her skin, before lifting his head and gazing down at her with eyes full of love.

It was incredible to her that she had missed this look before.

‘There is no need to sound so indignant. I know that we did not anticipate our marriage. Believe me, I lived through the torture of that eternal engagement.’ It was her turn to roll her eyes.

‘But, it has been six weeks since we married and there has been no sign of…’

‘Oh,’ she said, stepping slightly away from him so that she could peer at her flat stomach. ‘Oh.’ She pressed a hand to herself but there was no hidden bump. ‘Oh.’

‘Are you going to say anything else?’

‘I have felt very sick.’

‘I see.’

‘And last night, the ball, the smell, it was all so much worse than normal.’

‘I see.’

‘Oh, Freddie.’ She sank down onto the edge of her mattress, her legs no longer holding her up. ‘There might be a baby. ’

She looked up at him; he was fighting a smile, but the joy was evident in the shine of his eyes. ‘I am not sure how you feel about it,’ he admitted.

‘I am…’ She looked down at herself in wonderous amazement.

‘I never thought, I never imagined… something so miraculous.’ The words seemed inadequate.

How could she get across that she had never believed she would ever be this blessed, this happy?

She looked back up at him and saw from his face that she did not need to explain; he knew.

‘I might not be,’ she told him. ‘There is currently no way of knowing for sure.’

‘Of course,’ he agreed quickly. ‘It is very soon. Too soon.’

They both stared at her stomach as if expecting to find the answer written across her.

‘If you are not,’ said Freddie slowly, ‘then I could be persuaded to try for a baby right now.’

‘That is very noble of you.’

‘That is me, always thinking of pleasing other people.’

She gurgled out a laugh as his weight sank the mattress next to her. ‘That is one of the things I love about you.’

‘Later, I would like to hear about all the other things you love.’

‘Later,’ she agreed, as he pulled her down to lie next to him. She would always be thankful that there would be a later for both of them.

The End