Page 42 of The Rogue's Christmas Gift

Once Kitty did a thorough investigation of Harrison’s ledgers, she had found several properties that were not entailed that Harrison sold. She also advised him to greatly decrease the amount of funds that his mother and sister were allowed. A topic that had become a contentious disagreement between Kitty and her mother-in-law. Because of their differences, the Dowager Countess chose to spend her time living with her daughter in Essex and her close friend, Lady Davenport in London.

Once Harrison had done as Kitty advised, the coffers were overflowing with money. So much so that he never required any funds from her at all. Her income was her own to do as she pleased.

“I saw them run away again. Why are they always running?” George, their three-year-old said, in the saddest little voice, tugging at Kitty’s heartstrings.

Putting on her dressing robe, she glanced over to her husband checking that he was now decent before she allowed their children entry into their sanctuary.

“You know it will be impossible for us to escape from three children,” Harrison said, sitting down on the chaise lounge in the corner of the room.

“And you wanted four total,” she reminded him, reaching the door.

Technically they do have four children.

He laughed behind her. “Yes, I’ll take four total, and Christopher will make five.”

It had become easier for them to speak of their first son. They had told Adelaide and George of their older brother, both of them excited to have an angel always watching over them.

Opening the door, she smiled at the two redheads in front of her, a set of green and hazel eyes surveying her.

“Mama, didn’t you have on a dress?” Adelaide asked walking deeper into the room.

Her brother following dutifully behind her.

“I-I did, but I needed to change before I left for work,” she ran her fingers though her daughter’s soft curls.

The children knew that unlike other mothers, theirs did indeed have a profession, though Kitty had long relinquished the everyday running of Pleasure House to Siegfried and Lilias. She had not turned completely away from her duties as Madame; the books and all final decisions still fell to Kitty. It was a relief to have people she trusted overseeing the business she’d built with her bare hands.

“Papa!” George shouted, running to throw his tiny body against Harrison.

“There he is!” Harrison caught their son, lifting him in the air before settling him on his knee.

Their likeness was so overwhelming it stole her breath away. There was no doubt in Kitty’s mind that if Christopher had lived, he would look exactly like his father and brother.

“When you return from work, will you play the piano forte and we celebrate Christmas tomorrow?” Adelaide asked, sitting on her father’s other knee.

“Yes, I will play the piano forte, gladly,” Kitty told her daughter, sitting beside her small family on the chaise lounge.

“Indeed! I think all the pudding you can eat is in your future.” Harrison squeezed the children to him, tickling their small abdomens.

“Yay!” They cheered together.

Kitty wiped at a few stray tears, still not believing that this was her life. She had her family, her business, and her love.

Forever.

The End.