Page 67 of The Scandalous Love of a Duke (The Marlow Family Secrets #6)

Leaning over the cradle, John watched his son gurgle to himself, in a happy one-sided conversation. The infant’s eyes glowed with pleasure. John smiled.

Paul Harding, the Marquess of Sayle, lifted his arms, reaching in John’s direction.

John picked him up. He was heavy. At six months he was a chubby, hearty, healthy child.

His fingers grasped a lock of John’s hair.

John caught the boy’s hand and carried him to the window to look out over the grounds of The Place.

In the distance he saw the folly tower. ‘All this will be yours one day, Paul. But for now, it is just your playground. I will not let you take its weight too soon, not as I did.’ John kissed the child’s head and felt love fill his heart.

‘So this is where you have run off to. Everyone is waiting for you downstairs.’

John turned to Katherine, his smile broadening as he lifted Paul high, tossed him upwards and caught him, making the boy giggle.

‘He is supposed to be sleeping,’ Katherine complained, but beneath the accusing words was a note of amusement.

‘He had woken.’

‘Because you were watching and disturbed him.’

‘I was checking to see he was comfortable.’

‘And waking him so you had an excuse to take him down and show him off.’ John grinned.

She came closer. ‘You will spoil him, John.’

‘With love, yes… always.’

She shook her head, smiling. ‘Spoil him if you will,’ she murmured, stepping closer and then she rose to her toes and kissed his cheek, before kissing Paul’s head.

‘Then may I bring him down?’

Her eyebrows lifted. ‘You are incorrigible.’

‘I dote on him, and I dote on you. There is no need to be jealous. There is space in my heart for you both.’

She smacked his arm, laughing a little, but then her expression grew serious. ‘There must be more space though, John.’

His brow furrowed.

‘I am only a few days late, but I am never late and the signs are already there…’

One arm holding Paul, his other arm drew her close. He could not comprehend the sudden rush of joy inside him.

‘Oh, Katherine, that is wonderful.’

She smiled up at him when he let her go, tears shining in her eyes.

‘I love you.’

‘I love you too.’

A year and a half ago Katherine could never have imagined this. John had been so far above her and now she was his equal.

John cupped her nape and brought her lips back to his. ‘I do not just dote on you both. I am besotted by you both, and I shall be with every other child we have.’

He was very open now, but even so moments like this were precious.

‘Come on.’ His hand held hers. ‘Let us go down. Mama and Papa have not seen him since they arrived, but I am not sharing our secret, we’ll keep it ours for a little while, shall we?’

‘Yes.’

When she had watched him in the lake so long ago, she had known the quality of this man, but she’d had no expectations, only dreams and longing. Now all her dreams had come true.