Page 76 of A Housekeeper for the Earl of Drinkwater
Edward gazed at his bride with a soft smile.
“You have never played for me,” he said. “Would you do so now?”
His wife’s whole face lit up with radiant joy. She promptly sat down at the bench and pressed a few of the keys, immediately wincing.
“It is a bit out of tune,” she said. “But I would love to play just the same.”
A moment later, Edward was enraptured by the sound of her skillful playing . . . a beautiful, but unfamiliar melody. It was lovely, and when Serena began to sing, he realised his wife had the voice of an angel. He no longer noticed the out-of-tune notes.
He felt the music coming from Serena was coming straight from her soul. By the time she had finished playing, he had fallen in love with her even more.
“I have never loved you more than I do at this moment,” he said, gently applauding.
She got up and waltzed over to him, kissing him on the nose and smiling slyly at him.
“And now, I have a surprise for you, husband,” she said, putting his hand on her belly. “We shall soon be parents.”
With a cry of joy, Edward picked up his wife and twirled her around in circles. Then, he put her down gently, blushing sheepishly.
“I am sorry,” he said, kneeling to kiss her stomach. “I did not mean to upset the little one.”
Serena shook her head, moving into his arms again.
“You have not,” she said, glancing around. “Mother always wanted to be a grandmother. It is so wonderful to finally know she did not fail me after all, you know.”
Edward grinned, kissing his wife passionately.
“She would be so very proud of you,” he whispered.
Serena nodded.
“And I am proud of you, that is for sure,” she said. “I am so lucky to have such a lovely husband.”
Edward kissed her once more, taking her hand and leading her out through the halls toward the front door. They walked back to the carriage, hand in hand, and Edward looked up at the cloudless blue sky.I love you, Father,he thought, tears stinging his own eyes.May I be half the father you were.
Epilogue
Serena entered the bright nursery, not surprised to find her husband already in there, sitting in the shiny oak rocking chair with their now eight-month-old son, Austen Nathan Taylor. She stood in the doorway, staring for a moment at the two angels who blessed her life, before making her presence known.
Edward looked up, grinning at her broadly as he held up their sweet son, whose eyelids were steadily drooping.
“I made it here first,” he said, his eyes sparkling impishly. “Does that mean I can put him in the crib this time?”
Serena giggled softly, so as to not startle the child.
“I suppose so,” she said with mock exasperation. “But I shall tuck him in.”
Edward pretended to pout, slowly rising from the chair and walking silently over to the light-blue crib.
“If you must,” he said with false reluctance.
Serena giggled again, tiptoeing over to where he stood with the infant. This had become part of their nightly routine. They had decided not to hire a nursemaid or nanny.
They wanted to spend every minute they could with their first-born child, even sharing the wondrous task of putting him to bed every night. Serena had never guessed that being a wife and mother could be so blissful and rewarding, and she was thankful for every moment of it.
She stared with awe as her husband gently lay their infant son down on his feather mattress. The boy stirred, but only briefly, immediately calming and falling asleep against the big, soft toy bear the dowager countess had bought for her grandson.
Serena pointed at it, grinning at her husband as he stepped back to allow her to tuck Austen in.
