Chapter Four
Six months later….
Jonathon didn’t know when it dawned on him that his countess had become aware of his secret, but she knew. Yet, she said nothing. Even now, with her body round with his babe and the due date of their child fast approaching, she still welcomed him into her bed and her body upon his return to the house every morning. He was so close to paying off the last of the debts. A few more weeks, and he would be in the clear. Money would be tight, but his father’s debts would be erased.
So much had changed in the months since their wedding. Begrudgingly, he’d made the trip to London for the start of the season, but only to make an appearance as the new earl. He’d stayed a few weeks, but with Isabel indisposed and unable to travel to the capital, the delights of the season held no real interest to him. Their graces hosted him while in town, and, with all the women currently with child, the weekly poker games had been more talks of impending fatherhood than gambling.
Gabriel brought his new bride, the former Amanda Quincy, to town to make her debut into society. A prospect Chandra had taken on with great relish, the marchioness took her under her wing, sponsoring her for the season. Though not a love match, Gabriel had displayed no amount of displeasure in the union. Amanda proved to be painfully shy and more interested in books than balls. She also showed no interest in moving into her own residence, as, being an only child, she longed for a large family. So, when not in London and under the marquis’ roof, they resided at the family estate. The influx of money from the Quincys helped with major repairs to the house.
Jacob had become rector for one of Foxhaven’s many estates, which meant one less mouth to feed in the house. And, somehow, two scholarships had been found to send the two youngest back to Eton. He knew the scholarships had been sponsored by the three other couples, and when he questioned if there were other more-deserving recipients, he was informed the moneys could only go to two brothers of a certain age. No one else fit the requirement. Jonathon questioned it no more. They would pay it forward when they could.
William and the other brothers spent a great deal of time with the livestock and preparing for the upcoming harvest. They visited local farms and read all they could. There was a determination to make the estate viable again. As William had said at dinner one night, they didn’t need to be rich, but it would be nice if they were able to house some tenants and staff again.
When he entered the house in the early morning hours, the warmth of the bedchamber shocked him as much as the exhaustion that hit as he crossed the threshold. Izzy lay asleep, surrounded by pillows to support the added weight of pregnancy. The lantern glowed soft on the side table. He selfishly wanted to look upon her before dousing the light. On silent bare feet, he approached her side of the bed and froze. He could see the telltale signs of dried tears on her cheeks.
His fingers remained a mere hairsbreadth from her skin. Instead of climbing into bed with her as he would have on any other night, he pulled the chair from the window and sat down to watch over her. What had caused her such sadness while he’d been gone that she had cried herself to sleep? How many nights did she do this? Was her happiness in their marriage a mere illusion? Could she be regretting their night together so many months back—the one he thanked the heavens for every morning when his feet hit the floor?
The sun had long risen by the time her lids fluttered open. She smiled upon seeing him but must have taken in his grave look for she quickly sat up, pulling the mantle up to her chin. “Something is wrong?”
“Perhaps.”
“The boys, my parents?” She eased toward him and reached for his hand. “What happened?”
He brushed his knuckles over her cheekbone. “Tell me why you cry yourself to sleep?”
Her lips formed an O, and then she blinked several times. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
Not knowing what she had found out and what it was he was supposed to tell her, he remained silent. When she didn’t add more, he asked, “What did you discover?”
“Gabriel and Amanda returned home last night.”
Her reply brought him no closer to learning what she had discovered. “I should think having Amanda back would be a source of happiness, not despair. I thought you two got on well.”
“Why didn’t you tell me the conversation I overheard all those years ago hadn’t been you at all? Why keep to yourself that your brother and father made sure I heard what they wanted me to hear?”
“What does it matter?” The truth was, he had put that information so far back in his brain that it hadn’t entered his thoughts since their wedding day. “We found each other again. He didn’t win. We did.”
She climbed out of bed and onto his lap. His arms wrapped around her, and their babe kicked at his hand. “Settle down, little one. Your mother is fine.”
Tears pooled again, and she blinked them away. “But, all this time, I blamed you, hated you for something you didn’t do.”
“Did you hate me yesterday, before my brother opened his big mouth?”
“Well, no,” she admitted, brushing away a stray tear with the back of her hand.
“How about last eve when I took your body with mine?”
She blushed. “No.”
“We were young. Perhaps too young to understand that what we had was so very fragile.” He placed a kiss on the top of her head. “Had we wed, what would I have had to offer?”
“Your heart.”
“I can still offer you that. The last decade has been hard. Brutal, even. But I learned how to stand on my own. I learned how to make a living with my own two hands.”
“I know.” She laid a single kiss in the center of each palm.
“I know you do. And I adore you even more for not saying anything.” He paused. “I have had little more than my pride to keep me going, I thank you for allowing me to retain it.”
“You needed to do this for your family.”
“A few more weeks, and I should have my father’s debts all paid off.”
She pulled out of his arms. “You are exhausted. Please hear me out. My time is coming soon, and I need you here at my side. What happens should you be at the wharf when this babe comes? Allow me to pay off the last of the moneys.”
How he wanted to take her up on her offer. He hated leaving her every night. He longed to climb into bed and sleep at her side for more than a few hours. “One more week. This little one will need to hold off that long.”
“But you allow Amanda’s money to pay for things. You never argue when she hires new staff or pays for the new roof to the manor.”
“It’s different.”
“How so?”
“I cannot take your money. I did not marry you for it.”
“I know you didn’t. But I have it all the same. You have proved again and again you are honorable. More so that you love me. Even if you haven’t said the words.” She took a deep breath. “Perhaps I need to say them first. I love you, and I don’t want you leaving our home, our bed, in the middle of the night.”
“Do you think I want to leave?”
“It’s time for you to take up the position of the earl, and you can’t do that if you are working yourself into an early grave.” She rubbed her nose against his. “Why one more week?”
“Because I have already given my word to the foreman.” He hoped she would understand that for so very long the only thing he’d had worth anything had been simply his word.
“One more week and then you are mine.”
“Thank you.”
“But I’m going to restore the cottages for the tenants. Because it’s time they were occupied again. And we need to do some repairs of the manor. As the countess, ’tis my responsibility.” She eased off his lap and led him into the bed. “But my first responsibly is to see to your needs, and sleep is the greatest of those.”
She tucked him in before sidling up next to him. Now was the time to take the leap, to open himself fully to her. “I have loved you my whole life.”
“I know. Now get some sleep.”
Three weeks later, their first son, Adam, came into the world with a loud set of lungs and a desire to let the whole house know he had arrived. Jonathon had done as he’d promised and had worked one last week at the wharf, though William rejected the plan on his end, saying he needed something to do. How could he argue William’s right to earn a living like everyone else?
To allow Isabel to sleep, Jonathon, with Adam sleeping in his arms, made a morning ritual of walking the grounds. Sometimes, Jonathon would tell his son of his dreams and hopes for the young viscount. Other times, he would wonder on how life could be so good. The brothers occasionally walked with him, sharing their concerns or excitement. One morning, William joined him to announce he planned to save for his own ship, and, perhaps one day, he could be a merchant.
At the baptism of Adam Railey, Ninth Viscount of Aunton—such a large title for such a little babe—the young lord was surrounded by three godfathers and three godmothers, all of whom had placed a bet as to who would have the first girl and the right to name her Evangeline. The woman had worked magic with the four couples. One bored and afraid there was no one to love her. One believing love was never enough. One whose secrets nearly destroyed a chance of forever. The last had been lost to each other. All four couples were love matches and all proof that with a little guidance true love could be found.
The Lords and their ladies wondered, as they always did when the couples were together, how Madame Evangeline had done managed to bring love to them all and who the mysterious lady really was.