that, though I am glad it didn’t take a scandal to get me my wife. I’d much rather let the ruined reputation go to Lord Halloway.”
Roger chuckled. “He still won’t leave his townhouse.”
“If I ever see him again, it’ll be too soon.”
“Well, put all of that behind you. You have a good future ahead of you. It’s best to focus on the blessings.”
Aaron had every intention of doing that. He glanced over at Kitty. She was laughing at something the newly married Mrs. Stonewall was telling her. Lilly, Emilia, and Hattie stood with them. Teddy, however, wasn’t paying attention to what anyone was doing. He had gone over to one of the windows and was busy watching what was happening outside. Benjamin and Mr. Stonewall were talking to the vicar.
Aaron thought it was good that Teddy, Hattie, and Mrs. Stonewall would be living in much better conditions now that they would be under Mr. Stonewall’s care. He hadn’t realized Mrs. Stonewall had been living in such a hovel. By the way she dressed and conducted herself, he assumed her to be in a better financial situation than she was. He guessed she had to do that in order to acquire jobs chaperoning ladies in the noble class.
Kitty and Lilly returned to him and Roger.
“We’re ready for the wedding breakfast,” Kitty said.
“The maid will watch Jackson while we eat,” Lilly told Roger.
Aaron had wondered what Lilly and Roger were going to do with the baby. He didn’t remember what age he started eating in the dining room with his father, but he assumed a wedding breakfast was no place for a child.
“Thank you for coming with me to Michael and Gretchen’s wedding,” Kitty told Aaron.
Turning his attention back to her, he smiled. “It’s the least I can do after all the grief I put you through.”
“It was all worth it,” she said in a playful tone as she slipped her arm around his. “I’d go through it all again to get to be where we are today.”
“I think going through all of that once was enough.” He patted her arm. “I much prefer things the way they are now.”
“I do, too,” Roger said.
Surprised he should chime in, Aaron looked at his friend but saw that Roger was looking at Lilly.
“Yes, it all worked out very well for everyone,” Aaron told Kitty before he escorted her to the wedding breakfast.
***
June 1815
Kitty held Emilia’s week-old girl. “You didn’t have to come over here,” Kitty told her friend. “I would have gone to your townhouse.”
“I needed to get out of my townhouse,” Emilia said as she picked up the crumpet from the tray in front of her. “When Lilly came by for a visit, I begged her to bring us here. I’ve been cooped up in my bedchamber for the past four months. If it hadn’t been for you two and Benjamin spending so much time with me, I might have gone mad.”
“We all worried about you,” Lilly told Emilia. She glanced at Jackson who was sitting on the floor in front of her. “It’s scary to have a problem occur while you’re expecting a child.”
“Yes, it was good you stayed in bed like the doctor told you to,” Kitty agreed. “Not only are we glad you and Anna managed to get through everything fine, but poor Benjamin would have been lost without you.”
“It was sweet how he fussed over me,” Emilia replied. “He didn’t let me out of his sight unless you two were with me. He wanted to be sure he could summon the doctor right away in case I needed him.”
“When hasn’t Benjamin fussed over you?” Lilly asked with a giggle. “From the moment he thought you were in love with him, he’s been the most devoted gentleman I’ve ever seen.”
Kitty laughed. “That’s true. And I thought it was sweet that he ran over to our townhouses to tell us you had Anna.”
“Even though it was three in the morning?” Emilia asked.
“We all worried about you and your child,” Kitty replied. “So yes, we were glad Benjamin woke us up.”
Lilly nodded her agreement. “We all need to be there for our little ones. Our children will be good friends.” Her gaze went to Kitty. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine,” Kitty said, thinking of her own pregnancy. She had just made it to seven months, and she had no problems like Emilia did when Emilia got that far along. “Thankfully, everything is going smoothly for me.”
“Good,” Emilia replied. “I don’t want either