Epilogue
“When will they arrive?” Mia asked, pacing the drawing room.
“Soon, Mia. The roads are clear now, and the Devons’ coach shouldn’t encounter any more trouble before reaching us,” Jacob said.
Two days ago, a fierce snowstorm had dumped several inches of snow, threatening to cancel their Christmas activities. Today, the sun was shining and the temperature was crisp, but not frigid. It was a perfect day to gather pine boughs for decorating the manor and finding a yule log.
Mia heard the front door open and rushed out to see who’d arrived. Much to her delight, Kathryn and Sam stood in the foyer, taking off their coats. “I thought you’d never arrive,” she said.
“Hello, Mia,” Kathryn said.
“Miss Mia,” Sam said, greeting her with a bow.
Jacob was pacing the floor when Kathryn and Sam walked into the drawing room. He turned when they entered. “Good day to you both. Thank heavens you’re here, Kathryn. Audrey is feeling quite poorly, and I don’t know what to do to help her.”
“Oh, dear. Let me go to her,” Kathryn said.
“Thank you. That would be most helpful.”
“Should I come too?” Mia asked.
“Not yet. Let me see if I can help her first.”
Mia nodded, and Kathryn quickly left the room and walked up the stairs.
When she came to Audrey’s bedchamber, she could hear her casting up her accounts. “Oh goodness, that doesn’t sound good,” she said, entering the room without knocking.
Audrey stayed bent over a bowl until her stomach emptied, then slumped back against the pillows. “Kathryn, I’m so terribly sorry. I’m in such a state today; I fear I won’t be much help gathering the pines,” she said, wiping her mouth.
Kathryn dipped a cloth into the bowl on the table beside the bed and wrung out the excess water. “Here, put this on your forehead. It’ll help cool you down a bit. You’re quite flushed.”
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“How long have you been feeling poorly?”
Audrey shook her head. “I don’t rightly know. Perhaps a week, maybe two.”
“Ah…”
“What? Do you know what’s afflicted me so? Please tell me. What is the cure?”
Kathryn sat on the edge of the bed and squeezed Audrey’s hand. “My dearest friend, there is no immediate cure.”
“No cure? Will I die?”
“No, dearest. I do believe you’re with child.”
“What?”
“My mother told me what to expect from the marriage bed and about some of the signs that my womb had quickened.”
Audrey managed to smile before another round of retching took hold of her again. “I’m sorry you had to witness that.”
“Please do not apologize, my dear. I’ll ask Mrs. Greenleaf to prepare some mint tea for you. That should help your stomach settle. Would you like me to send your husband up so you may tell him the good news?”
“Yes, thank you,” Audrey said as Kathryn stood to leave the room.
Before heading to the kitchen, Kathryn went to find Jacob.
“How is she?” he asked when she walked into the drawing room.
“Jacob, may I have a private word, please?”
“Of course,” he said as he walked out into the foyer with her. “Well, how is my wife? Do you know how to help her? Should I call the doctor?”
Kathryn squeezed his arm. “Jacob, calm yourself. She will be fine. She wants to see you. I’m off to order her some mint tea.”
Peter nodded and raced away.
Kathryn smiled as she went to the kitchen to see about the tea. She was thrilled for her friend.
~~~
Peter walked into his wife’s bedchamber as she fell back against the pillows. “My darling, Kathryn said you wanted to see me?”
Audrey held out her hand. “Yes.”
Peter took her hand and sat down on the bed. “Are you feeling better?”
“No, but there’s a very good reason why I’m feeling this way.”
“A good reason? How can that be?”
“My darling, I’m with child.”
A huge smile broke out on his face. “A child? Are you sure?”
Audrey nodded as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Oh, why are you crying, my love? What can I do?”
“These are happy tears. I hope to give you an heir next summer.”
Jacob pulled her into his embrace. “You’ve made me so happy, my dear sweet wife. Why don’t you rest now? Kathryn told me she will order tea for you.”
“I’m feeling a little better now, but a soothing cup of tea sounds wonderful.”
Jacob gave her a quick kiss before standing. “I’ll check on you later.”
As he was walking down the stairs, Lord and Lady Devon were walking into the foyer and handing off their outerwear to the footman. “Lord and Lady Devon, so glad you could join us.”
“Thank you, Fletcher,” Lord Devon said. “I wasn’t sure how the roads would be after that snowstorm.”
“I was worried about that too. But, here you are. Devon, may I offer you a brandy and maybe a sherry for Lady Devon?”
They both nodded, and Jacob led them into the drawing room.
“Mama, Papa, I’m so happy to see you,” Kathryn said.
“Hello, my darling girl,” Lady Devon said, giving Kathryn a hug. “Mr. Clifford, nice to see you.”
“Lord Devon, Lady Devon, the pleasure is mine,” Mr. Clifford said with a bow.
Jacob handed out the drinks while everyone took a seat to catch up on the latest news from London.
An hour later, Jones announced luncheon was ready, and everyone stood to go into the dining room when Audrey entered the drawing room.
“Hello, everyone. Please excuse my tardiness in greeting you.”
Jacob noticed she was still a little pale, but there was a sparkle in her eye, and he went to her. “My darling, I’m glad you’re feeling better,” he said, holding out his arm to escort her to luncheon.
“For the moment,” Audrey said. Once everyone was seated at the dining room table, she stood. “I’m so very pleased to see everyone has made it despite the recent snowstorm trying to put a damper on our Christmas celebration.”
“At least we didn’t have far to come,” Grace said.
“I think Belle would know the way to Dandridge blindfolded,” Peter said with a chuckle.
“Before we begin eating,” Audrey continued, “I have an announcement to make.” Every eye in the room was on her. “I’m so very pleased to tell you, my family and dearest friends, that I’m with child. I hope to give Fletcher an heir next summer.”
“Boy or girl matters not to me, my dear. As long as you and the babe are healthy,” Jacob said, squeezing her hand.
Everyone began talking at once about this happy news.
~~~
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Lord Easton said to Mia, who was sitting on his right at the opposite end of the table from their hosts. “You’re going to be an aunt, Miss Mia. I mean Miss Parker.”
“Oh, that’s too formal. Miss Mia is fine.”
Easton frowned. He didn’t like to be disrespectful, and with Grace married, Mia was now Miss Parker. “Maybe in private. In Society, you’ll need to be addressed as Miss Parker.”
“Fine, I suppose. Of course I’m very happy for my sister and brother-in-law, Lord Easton,” she said. “It’s all rather sudden, though, isn’t it?”
Easton shook his head. “Not at all. They’ve been married for many months now. It’s the natural course of these things.”
“Well, I don’t wish to be burdened with children right away.”
Easton’s eyes widened at her answer. “You don’t want children?”
“I suppose I do someday, but I want to have fun and enjoy life first. I look forward to my debut so I can enjoy all the activities associated with the Season. Neither of my sisters wanted a Season, and that was their choice, but I love London and want to experience everything for a year or two. There will be plenty of time to get married and have children after that.”
Easton sat back in his chair, shocked at her statement.
He knew she had a fun-loving personality, but this was something new, although he shouldn’t be too surprised.
They’d never really talked about the future together.
At six and ten, she wouldn’t come out in Society for a year and a half.
As merely a friend of the family, it wouldn’t have been appropriate for him to ask such a personal question, but since she’d shared her thoughts unprompted, he now found himself with an unexpected insight into her desires.
And he was quite surprised at the strength of her determination.
She’d clearly given quite a bit of thought to her future.
He had no doubt that she’d be a diamond of the first water when she entered the marriage mart.
Those sparkling blue eyes, womanly curves enough to tempt any man, and her zest for life were sure to attract many young bucks.
He almost felt sorry for them, because Miss Mia would definitely lead them on a merry chase.
He wasn’t sure he wanted to enter the fray for her affections. Time would tell if this vivacious young woman still had a hold on him when she came out in Society. A lot could happen in a year and a half.
The End