To Dance until Dawn - Emma V. Leech Page 0,55

your mouth is old, I shall strike you,” Matilda said indignantly.

Lucian snapped his mouth shut and sent Pippin a pleading expression. The woman cleared her throat, her mouth twitching a little. “Your lady is fit and strong, and in excellent health, my lord. It’s certainly not unusual, and there is no need to fret unduly. I’ll take good care of her, and if she does as she’s told and rests, like her body is telling her to, she’ll be fine.”

“She will,” Lucian said forcefully, giving Matilda a warning look.

“Oh, Lord, Pippin. Now I will not be able to lift a finger for months,” Matilda said, regarding him with misgiving.

“No,” he agreed, fighting the desire to insist she not leave her bedroom again until the child was safely delivered. “You certainly will not, and I shall tell your sons to treat you more gently too.”

“Oh, Lucian,” she protested, but he only shook his head and she sighed. “Yes, my lord,” she said meekly. “If it will stop you worrying so.”

“Nothing will stop me worrying,” he said tightly, still thrumming with tension that he did not expect to leave him until the child was born, and both the babe and its mother were safe and well.

“Pippin thinks it’s a girl,” Matilda said, squeezing his hand tightly. “She says that’s why I feel different. Not so sick as with the boys. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Lucian nodded. He couldn’t speak. He had been so fiercely proud of his sons, and his wife for having provided the heirs he’d needed, but though he knew he was asking too much when he had been so blessed with Phoebe, he had longed for a little daughter. A girl with cornflower blue eyes, the image of her beautiful mother.

“Well then, away with you, my lord, and let your wife have a little rest after all the upset,” Pippin said, gesturing for him to leave. “She’s worn out by it, and if I know anything you’ve worried yourself to a thread too. You’ve lost weight, by my reckoning. So, let’s leave her in peace for a nice nap, and I’ll have Cook bring you tea and biscuits. Not that they’re as good as mine, for all I’ve told her time and again to add more ginger.”

“No one makes them like you, Pippin,” he said, giving the old woman a fond look before turning back to Matilda. “Rest then, my love, and I shall see you later.”

Matilda nodded, smiling at him with such adoration that he could not resist stealing a kiss.

“Not too much later,” she whispered as he pulled back, and he chuckled and kissed her nose.

“No. Certainly not.”

Reluctantly, he left the bed, pausing to stare at his beautiful wife and thank God for allowing him yet another blessing in his life. I will do better, he promised silently, and left the room.

***

“This is excellent,” Viscount Kline mused, taking another appreciative sip of the wine.

They had arrived at Abbeville in good time and ordered a light meal to fortify themselves against the challenge ahead. Kline, in pursuit of his wife, who was not a wife, and Phoebe and Max in search of Baron Alvanly.

“It is good,” Max agreed, regarding Kline. “Do you know much about wine?”

Kline returned a rather crooked smile. “More than I ought, I fear. The truth is, I’m here on a business trip, though I’d be grateful if you’d keep that to yourselves. Can’t have the ton know I’ve been reduced to working for a living, can we?”

“What kind of business?” Phoebe asked with interest.

Kline held the glass up to the light, admiring the colour of the wine as he tilted it back and forth. “I’m working for Gabriel Knight. He’s making a killing importing wine, but with all his other interests he does not have time enough to spend as long as is required seeking out new suppliers. We got to talking about the subject one evening and he was, er… impressed by the depth of my knowledge.”

He gave a self-deprecating chuckle. They all knew he’d had a reputation for hard drinking and gambling, and many other vices. Anything that had kept him away from Lady Kline.

“I needed to refill my coffers quite desperately, though, and this seemed like a pleasant way to do it.”

Max looked at him, a considering gaze. “It does, indeed. I have been thinking of restocking the cellars at Ellisborough. May I put you on the case?”

“You certainly may,” Kline replied with a pleased smile. “Knight will be thrilled that I’ve landed