Chapter Seven #2
They spent a pleasant hour discussing the first events of the Season, comparing which ones they would be attending. Lia shared that she was only ill from the babe in the early mornings, unlike Ariadne, who had been sick throughout the day for months.
“I believe I will do quite well at the events we attend.” Lia placed her hands upon her belly. “It is hard for me to believe a babe grows inside me now. I only have a small bump so far.”
“That will not last for long,” Tia said, laughing.
“You were not present at Millvale to see it, but Eden’s belly seemed to pop overnight, swelling to three times its size by the time she gave birth to William.
If you have any questions, Lia, go to Eden or Ariadne with them.
You know Mama never wishes to talk about such intimate matters. ”
“When the time comes and you find yourself interested in a certain gentleman, we should talk again. There are things I must share with you.”
“About kissing?” Tia asked, curious what her twin referred to.
“Yes. Kissing and . . . other things,” Lia said vaguely. “I want you to be prepared for your wedding night. All I can tell you, Tia, is that lovemaking is the height of living.” Her sister’s face grew rapturous. “You will find yourself soaring to the heavens and beyond.”
“I am so happy to see you this way, Lia. You are a wonderful wife, and you will make for the very best of mothers. Will you do as Ariadne has asked and bring your babe to town with you next spring?”
“I already love this babe fiercely,” her sister revealed.
“I would never desert my child for months at a time, simply to go to social affairs. Ariadne is wise in knowing this. I think it will be wonderful for all the cousins to bring their children to town each Season. Just think how much fun we would have had if we and our cousins had all come to town and we had gotten to know one another from the time we were children? Yes, Rupert and I have discussed it, and we are in agreement. We will always keep our children with us.”
“You are fortunate you wed a man such as Rupert.”
“You will find a good man yourself, Tia. I feel it in my heart. You are so strong in your convictions. You will be a woman who demands to be an equal partner to her husband, and I know the man you wed will value family as much as you do.”
“Well, it certainly will not be someone such as Lord Merriman.”
They both broke out into laughter.
“I am growing hungry,” her twin said. “Come home with me. You can stay and eat something with me. I am selfish, Tia. While I have enjoyed every moment of marriage, I have missed you something awful. I want us to make the most of our time together in town.”
Tia stood and pulled her sister to her feet. “Come along. After all, you are eating for two now. We must make certain your babe is well fed.”
They left Hyde Park and returned to Rupert’s townhouse, stopping by his study so that Tia might see him for a few minutes.
“I shall go and tell Cook to make up a small tray for us. Perhaps some cheeses and fruits,” Lia said.
She left the study, and Tia looked at her brother-in-law. “Mys sister is incredibly happy with you, Rupert.”
His face softened. “I never thought to make a love match. I know now that Lia is my soulmate. No one who walks this earth could make me feel the way my Lia does.”
“I would not have allowed her to wed just any man,” Tia teased. “I still think it quite romantic that you chased her halfway across England and presented her with a special license.”
His gaze met hers. “When Lia left Cumberland, it was as if a part of me had been cut off, Tia. I knew I had made a terrible mistake in not declaring my feelings for her. I would have sailed the Seven Seas in search of her. I will be grateful until my dying day that she forgave me for being so beef-witted and not telling her that I loved her.”
“You are together now, Rupert. That is all that matters. And soon, you will have a physical manifestation of your love when she delivers your babe. The child will be made up of the best parts of both of you.”
“I still marvel at the fact that we are to become parents soon. We have discussed it for many hours, Tia, and we want to be nothing like our own parents. Of course, I never knew my mother since she died giving birth to me, but my father was so distant. Lia says your father was the same. I believe your mother tries to be a little different now that she is a widow.”
“Mama is a woman brought up in her time. Thanks to Ariadne, our generation will behave differently as far as our children go. We will be loving parents, spending vast amounts of time with the children we produce. We—and they—will all be better for it.”
“Well said.” He grinned. “Especially for a woman who has yet to find love.”
Tia wanted to stop all this talk of love.
Yes, her siblings had been fortunate enough to make love matches, but she was quite independent.
She could not see herself loving someone to the point to where she relied upon them so much.
As long as the man she wed was kind and respectful to her—and affectionate to their children—she would be happy.
The one thing she would demand is his active involvement in raising their children.
That would be hard to find, especially with the attitude of most men of the ton.
Lia returned and said, “Come out to the terrace. The day is so pleasant, I thought we might eat outdoors.”
Rupert smiled at his wife. “The two of you go and talk. I know you still have much to say to one another since you have been apart for months.” He then looked at Tia.
“Remember, you are welcome at Crestbrook at any time. Though I may not be a blood relative to you, I feel you are the sister of my heart.”
“I feel the same about you, Rupert,” she shared. “I am fortunate that all my siblings have wed such amiable people.”
They left Rupert laughing and went to the terrace.
Tia spent another couple of hours with her twin, reluctant to leave.
She finally said her goodbyes and returned home in time for tea, which Mama would expect.
Once the Season began, she would not be able to see Lia as much.
Mama had already told her they would entertain callers each afternoon, which would limit her time with her sister.
Still, she would make the most of her time with Lia, even as she enjoyed the fruits of the Season.