A Compromised Lady (38 page)

The child drew the pony to a halt beside the chair. The pony promptly dropped her head in Thea’s lap and blew noisily, demanding largesse.

Laughing, Thea rubbed the velvety nose. ‘And what did Papa say?’

Richard dismounted. ‘Papa says that his daughter is an unconscionable baggage who has her uncle Max twisted around her little finger.’

His daughter. Her heart swelled in joy at the love in his voice. The complete acceptance. Not even the birth of little Davy six months ago had changed that, except perhaps to deepen the ties binding all of them.

He bent to kiss her gently. ‘And how is Davy?’

Thea glanced fondly into the baby carriage beside her chair. ‘Asleep. I just fed him. Did you ride as far as Blakeney? How is Verity?’

‘We didn’t go to Blakeney,’ said Sophie as she dismounted. ‘Uncle Max was out by himself. He says Aunt Verity isn’t allowed to ride at the moment and she doesn’t want to go in the carriage because it makes her sick.’

Thea stared up at Richard, who grinned at her unspoken question.

‘Yes,’ he said, a wicked twinkle in his eye. ‘Max informed me that I’m going to be an uncle again. I think he’s determined to catch up. Actually accused me of cheating!’

Thea smothered a chuckle. ‘Oh, how lovely,’ she said. ‘What a marvellous idea. Perhaps we should do a little bit more cheating?’

He kissed her again. ‘Another baggage. I’m surrounded by them.’

Sophie looked up from an inspection of her baby brother. ‘He sleeps a lot, doesn’t he?’

‘He’s growing,’ said Thea, smiling at her daughter. ‘Just like you. Why don’t you run inside and ask Nell for some milk and cake?’

Sophie bent a stern look on her. ‘I have to take Astra to the stables first,’ she said firmly. ‘Papa says always to see to my pony first.’

‘Good girl,’ said Richard. ‘Off you go and have your milk and cake afterwards.’

Sophie led her pony away as Thea and Richard watched fondly.

‘She is so happy, Richard,’ said Thea softly. ‘Thank you.’

He smiled down at her. ‘For what? Having the good sense to marry the woman I love and gain a daughter?’

‘For being you,’ she said simply. ‘And for having sense, if you must put it like that!’

‘I’ll find another way to put it later on,’ he promised her, dark eyes full of wicked, smiling promise.

He reached down and pulled her out of the chair, sitting down in it himself and settling her in his lap. With a deep sigh of contentment, he untied her cap and dropped the lace-edged confection on the grass, to bury his face in soft tawny tresses.

‘Sometimes,’ he said, kissing her ear, ‘I can’t believe you actually forgave me for being stupid enough to hesitate.’ It still horrified him that he had come so close to failing her.

She twisted in his arms to nestle closer. ‘That,’ she told him, ‘was my good sense.’

His arms tightened. He’d thought to find contentment in marriage, and he had. But this deep, aching joy that spread through everything, even backwards so that everything that had led to this moment, and this woman in his arms, was somehow a preparatory blessing. Heaven, he supposed, just might be retroactive.

ISBN: 978-1-4268-0564-6

A COMPROMISED LADY

Copyright © 2007 by Elizabeth Rolls

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