Epilogue
LANIE
“He’s asleep,” I announced, entering the place we turned into a family room. I just put George down for a nap.
Ellie looked up from her crossword and smiled. “He fights them like mad.”
“He does. But there is so much to do, and his aunt is in town.”
Dora Elizabeth sat in the window overlooking the sea, arms wrapped around her knees. Her tan arms indicated just how far she’d been from Braemoor. She was here for a short visit, taking a break from her time in the DRC feeding people and being otherwise saintly.
My sister sensed I was staring and turned. “What?”
“Nothing, you’re just sun kissed and I’m a little bit jealous,” I admitted.
“I’d tell you to visit. Even if you stayed in Gisenyi, it would be nice,” Dora Elizabeth offered. “Not that I suspect Baz would let you bring Georgie.”
I snickered. “I’d guess not, but what fun would such an adventure be with a baby?”
“Probably not much,” Dora Elizabeth said. “Of course, if he came by the convent, he’d have dozens of friends to play with. There are always children. I’m usually holding a baby—not that I mind.”
I didn’t mind, either. Motherhood suited me.
I always knew I wanted to be a mother, but I didn’t realize just how much I craved this time until we had a baby.
Watching Baz dote on our boy only affirmed how perfect it was—perfectly imperfect, perhaps.
The show had gone bananas but apart from a short appearance in season three, I elected to take a break from work to stay home with Georgie.
“I’m going to go find Mum,” Ellie declared. “I should take a walk. Even if I freeze to death.”
“You’re from Chicago. You can manage.”
She stuck her tongue out.
“Go on,” I giggled. “Go find her in her wandering. Even if she tells you she won’t like the company, you know she does.”
“It will do you good,” Ellie said.
We watched her leave before Ellie asked, “She’s still a baby, isn’t she?”
“She is completely innocent, yes,” I giggled. “But she’s an absolute sweetheart. You two have much in common. You love to serve everyone around you. I only worry that some man will take advantage of it. Thankfully, I don’t think she’s much interested in dating. I don’t understand it.”
Ellie shrugged. “I’d rather be happy on my own with all my hobbies. I’ll settle for the right man if he ever presents himself. Until then, I have my work and Georgie and maybe more?”
She raised an eyebrow as if she knew. How did she know?
“I haven’t told anyone yet,” I whispered. “And Mum will kill me if I say anything before I tell her.”
Ellie brimmed. “And Baz?”
It was his idea.
I didn’t want to admit just how much Baz begged for another baby or how little I’d resisted. George was only seven months old but thriving. We wasted no time with baby number two. I was barely pregnant, but so excited at the possibility of having a little girl this time.
“He’s excited, yes,” I said. “He’ll have a hard time keeping it under wraps when he gets here.”
Baz had been abroad off and on for the last month. I’d taken the test with Chloe on the line last week before calling Baz to let him know that our shag in the butler’s pantry in London had borne fruit.
“Is he not back yet?” I looked up to find Mum standing in the doorway. Based on her face, she’d not heard any of my news, just the mention of Baz getting in.
Ellie checked her watch, a gift from Baz at Christmas. “He’s due really anytime now.”
“Did you not see Dora?” I asked.
“Briefly. She came to see me, then promptly left me to see if the man with the ponies down the lane is about.” She pulled a face.
“Oh, Tim?” Ellie asked. “Those ponies are adorable.”
“Every chance she gets, it’s always a horse,” Mum sighed.
“I don’t know. Tim is charming,” Ellie said. “And rather handsome. Might be more than the ponies?”
Mum shook her head. “It should not be. She must go back to Africa in two days’ time. What good does that do her?”
“How much longer?” Ellie asked.
“She’s only a couple months out from the end of that contract,” Mum answered. “I keep asking her what is next and pray she will just stay a bit and maybe meet a nice man from a good family.”
“A nice man from a good family? What good is that?” Baz’s voice rang out as he entered, looking handsome with a fair bit of stubble.
I rushed to greet him. He bent down to give me a sweet kiss, leaving me longing for what we might do later.
“You know, Lord Osgoode, she’s a good girl. She lives in a convent,” Mum protested. “And she’s still very much a practicing Catholic unlike some of us.”
Mum glared our way.
“I went to mass with you two weeks ago!” I protested.
“For the baby’s christening. It does not count. This weekend—”
“She wasn’t feeling well,” Ellie said. “It wasn’t her fault.”
Ellie’s protective streak always warmed my heart.
“She was unwell?” Baz asked, concerned.
I turned to him. “It’s fine. I am fine. Stop.”
“This weekend, you are all coming to mass and I won’t have any protests.”
“If the place catches fire, it’s on your head, Lady Danna,” Baz said. “Go, Lanie, sit. Can I get you anything?”
“Are the rest of us merely chopped liver?” Ellie joked.
“Can I get anyone anything?” Baz asked. “Or ring the staff we pay to help?”
Ellie knew he only fussed over me for obvious reasons. She loved to rib him, and I loved to be fussed over.
“I’m fine. Sit. You’re the one who has been traveling.”
“Don’t worry about me. Worry about you.” He kissed my forehead and sat.
Mum stared suspiciously in our direction. “Now, I hate to say it, but your father always got like this when I was pregnant. I found it rather annoying.”
“I remember you when you were pregnant with Dora,” I protested. “And you seemed to be quite happy to let him do everything for you. He worshipped the ground you walked on, and you were quite fine with it.”
It wasn’t a denial, nor was it an acceptance. She knew, though. Somehow.
Baz looked for confirmation and I shrugged.
“Well, I am a bit nervous, yes. As you say, Danna, I’m being annoying because I worry about her when it’s early days like this.”
“I knew it!” Mum said. “How far along?”
“Super early,” I said. “Like six weeks. But I promise you, I’m fine. And I didn’t lose my mind, and you don’t have to worry.”
The baby fussed on the monitor and I groaned.
“I’ll get him.”
“No, Baz, he just went down. Let him settle,” I insisted.
“Sorry, but I missed him.”
Baz departed and Mum turned to me. “This is exactly how your father and I ended up with Daphne, you realize?
“What, the two of you had sex? I am so surprised. I had no idea how it worked!”
Ellie stifled a laugh.
“Well, I… I am happy if you both are. It seems Baz is pleased.”
“He is,” I said. “It was his idea, so…”
She did a double-take.
“Oh, Danna, he loves that boy so much.”
“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” I admitted. “He’s been wrapped up in Georgie since day one.”
“When he’s around.” Mum would never admit that despite our odd beginnings, her concerns about Baz were unfounded.
“Yes,” I said. “But I don’t mind it. When he’s here, he’s like this. He always is the first to go grab George.”
The baby continued to fuss on the monitor, but by now Baz swooped him up, something I could see in real time from my phone if I wanted. Instead, we got to hear him baby talk to George in a way that melted me every time.
Voice excited and sweet, he cooed, “There you are. Mummy told me not to get you, but I ignored her. C’mon.”
Mum said nothing, but Ellie laughed. I couldn’t help but love him for it. Yes, he was a sap. No one would believe that Baz Osgoode was capable of being the baby-talking family man he was, but I knew the truth. In a way, that made it even better.
Baz returned minutes later with a happy baby.
“He’s not fussing. He just had FOMO,” I joked. “Didn’t you?”
George, bright-eyed and excited, blew me a raspberry. I leaned over and kissed the baby on the cheek, so happy he was all smiles. George gripped my hair but thankfully let it go.
“Be nice to your mother,” Baz said. “Don’t bite her, either.”
“Yes, that is wise or else no more boobs,” I said. “What a nasty surprise the other night.”
“Has he done it again since?” Baz asked.
“No. But I worry I traumatized him by getting up and leaving him with Mum.”
“Am I traumatizing?” Mum scoffed.
“No. He just… he didn’t want to take that bottle and crying hurts me something fierce.”
“I told you it was the right thing to do, darling. It was. You’re a wonderful mother. You’d never hurt him,” Mum said.
I was nearly dumbfounded by her words.
“What? You two have done well by Georgie. He is a happy boy,” Mum cooed, walking up and taking Georgie from Baz’s lap.
Baz looked at me, astounded by her statement, not that she stole the baby.
He rubbed my back and whispered, “Well, that is a first.”
“Write down the date,” I snickered. “I doubt we will hear it again.”
He chuckled. “I’ll take what I can get. That and a week with you. Fuck, how I’ve missed you.”
I rested my head on his shoulder, lapping up how deeply I felt his words. “Even if you’re stuck going to Mass?”
“For you and to skirt her ire, I will,” Baz whispered. “But in an act of protest, I plan to do all manner of things to you afterwards which will make up for any expression of piety, Lanie.”
I wanted to run him off to the bedroom right then.
I whispered back, “Tonight, I plan to torture you for leaving by forcing you to watch me get myself off first.”
“You think that will work?” He asked. “That that is torture?”
“It has worked before,” I said.
“You’ll get as good as you give then. And I will not hold back, Lady Osgoode.”
I kissed him, not even minding we weren’t alone. “I expect nothing less.”