Page 126 of The Reckless Love of an Heir
She turned and took his hand. ‘Come along, Monsieur Cat.’
‘Monsieur Cat…’ He frowned at her.
‘You smile at me all the time as though I am the freshest cream.’
He laughed. ‘There is nothing wrong with happiness, and your eyes glitter with pleasure whenever I touch you, as though we are about to begin a waltz?’
After dinner the family, as it was, without the boys who were at school, or Percy who was at university, gathered about the pianoforte. Henry’s mother played, with his father sitting beside her, turning the pages, while the rest of them sang. Henry stood behind Susan as he had done upstairs before they’d come down, with his hands gently resting on her stomach.
It was still early when Christine claimed she was tired and said she would retire, and Sarah then said she would walk upstairs with her and retire too.
‘We shall go to bed also,’ Henry stated, letting Susan go.
‘Not for a moment.’ His father reached out and caught a hold of Henry’s sleeve to stop him. ‘We wish to speak with you.’ He looked at Sarah who was walking across the room to leave. ‘Will you close the door behind you?’
Henry turned to Susan. ‘We are in for some sort of scold, I think…’
She smiled.
Henry’s father stood. ‘It is not a scold.’
His mother stood. ‘It is a scold.’
His father smiled. ‘Are we expecting a grandchild and our son has neglectfully forgotten to inform us?’
‘Is it true?’ His mother’s voice slipped into pure excitement, as she looked at Susan for the answer. ‘There have been all the signs. You miss breakfast more days than not, and you yawn and retire in the afternoons, and Henry,’ she looked at him, ‘you are forever touching Susan’s stomach.’
Henry grinned, which widened Susan’s smile.
‘It was supposed to be our secret,’ he said, though he sounded thrilled to have been caught out.
‘Oh, Susan! That is so wonderful!’ His mother rushed about the piano and grasped Susan in a firm embrace.
‘Congratulations.’ His father embraced Henry.
‘I am so happy for you.’ His mother let Susan go and embraced Henry. ‘But now I shall be itching to tell all my friends, and Ellen and Edward.’
‘If anyone is to tell anyone, Mama, it will be us, and Susan’s parents should know before your friends or Edward,’ Henry said.
‘Then hurry, because my tongue will be bursting to say it.’
Henry’s father settled a hand about his mother’s waist. ‘Let the boy have his moment of wonder and pride, my love. Do not be cruel and steal it from him. The announcement is part of the excitement and we have stolen the moment once already.’
She looked at Henry, then Susan. ‘Were we cruel? I could not continue pretending I had not guessed.’
Susan clasped his mother’s hands. ‘You were not cruel at all.It is wonderful you know, Mama. It is only that we wished to be certain?—’
‘But you are certain…’
‘Yes, absolutely certain and I will write to my mother tomorrow, then within a week you may tell whoever you wish.’
‘And I shall write to Edward,’ Henry stated.
Susan looked at Henry. Then Harry would know, and all of Henry’s friends. He had not seen them much in their months of mourning. They would see them when they travelled to London for Alethea’s wedding, though. He had changed so much since their marriage, or rather since William’s death, she wondered if his friends would even recognise Henry as he was now.
When they retired, after they’d made love, and she lay on her back with her head resting on his arm and he lay on his side beside her, drawing idle circles on her stomach with his fingertips, she asked him, ‘Do you ever wish you were not married, and you were free to live as you used to?’
‘You mean to race my carriage hell for leather to Brighton and topple it over on the road? No, I do not, darling. I am more than happy with our life. I need nothing to inspire me other than your company. This is a very pleasant, if perhaps a tamer source of adventure, and I am very happy.’
