Page 78 of His Duchess in Disguise
“Both of them were. But Melissa’s mother forgave them when they brought home a fine string of trout. Although Robbie says that fishing was more fun when he had to sneak about to do it.”
Leo chuckled. “No doubt. And in those days he had no duties associated with caring for those trout, either.”
Just then, Mrs. Able came in. “Shall I take the baby so that the two of you can get ready for dinner?” she asked.
“Oh, my! Is it that time already?” Emma sighed. “I’ve not finished enjoying the new curtains.”
“They will be here tomorrow,” Leo said, surrendering up the little one, who cheerfully put out her hands to Mrs. Able, knowing that there was a nice repast laid out for her in the nursery.
As they all stepped out of the library and carefully closed the big double doors, they were met by Rags, a dainty little hound who was a former spit dog, and a veritable horde of puppies.
“Puppeeee!” Beverly cried out, reaching chubby hands toward the sea of spotted and shaggy backs that surged around the adult’s feet.
Leo turned back to make sure that the library doors were securely closed. Emma knelt and made much of Rags, rubbing her fingers through his shaggy coat. Robbie turned the corner from the hall that Emma had once cleaned so carefully, saying, “There’s where they’ve gotten to! I might have known.”
“Have you found homes for them all yet?” Emma asked.
“I think so. Since most of them seem to be good mousers, I don’t have a lot of trouble placing Rags’s pups.”
“That is good since the little fellow doesn’t seem to have difficulty finding paramours.”
“Yes, he is quite the man about town, so to speak.”
“Speaking of men and towns,” Leo put in, “I nearly forgot to tell you. Sir Draper and Mrs. Pearthorne have arrived and will join us for dinner.”
“They have? Will Aunt Alicia be here as well?”
“Indeed, yes,” Robbie said. “That is what I had come up to tell you. Her carriage arrived not a quarter glass ago, but she wanted to freshen up before she saw you.”
“Did my father come with her?”
“No, I believe he had business in town, and we are not to expect him for a se’nnight.”
“Just as well. While I suppose I should be grateful to have a father who behaves like a father, at last, there are times when he proses on so that I am of a mind that his speech is a great deal like Cicero’s.” Emma made a slight face.
“Oh?” Leo feigned not to understand the reference.
“Oh, you know. As you once said of both the classicist and members of parliament…”
Leo grinned. “Surely I never said anything disparaging.”
“Oh, but you did, my love. Not long after we first met.”
“What a shallow cad I was to say such a thing.”
“Oh, not a bit of it, Your Grace. I’m sure you said it on the best of authority.”
“And now I am ‘Your Grace’ again.”
“But only because it was said on very good authority,” she repeated, smiling up at him.
Leo chuckled, then looked around him at the small crowd of puppies, dogs, servants and one small girl who seemed to have lingered in the hall. “Don’t all of you have someplace to be?” he asked with gentle good humor.
All of them, indeed, seemed to have errands elsewhere, and the hall quickly emptied.
And there, in front of the carved wainscoting that told the story of the great standing stones and Menhiransten, Leo kissed Emma very thoroughly, and she kissed him back.
“I love you, Emma Brady,” he said.
