“Wife.” He knew he had a silly grin on his face.
“Husband.” She reflected his grin back.
“You must sign the register,” the cleric said. “I don’t know why so many couples don’t think of that.”
“I would not have let them leave without signing it,” Miss Stern said, and Gavin knew she would have dragged them both back to accomplish the task. Whoever she married would have to be willing to let her lead at least some of the time.
The Eighteenth Day of February in the Year of
Our Lord Eighteen Hundred and Nineteen.
Littlewood, England.
My dearest Georgie,
I hope this short letter finds you both happy and in good health.
Yesterday I gave birth, and I am pleased to report that both Frits and I were right about the sex. I had twins! A boy and a girl. We have named them Guy Randolph Charles and Amelia Georgiana Cristabel. Frits still maintains that my sweet little Amelia was the one kicking me the hardest. However, since Guy is larger I believe it was him. Not that it matters. They are perfect in every way.
Frits and I would be honored if you and Turley would agree to stand as their godparents.
Your loyal friend,
A.L.
“Well, that answers why she seemed so much larger than normal,” Georgie muttered to herself.
“What did you say?”
She glanced up to find her husband standing in the doorway of her parlor with a disgusted look on his face and a letter dangling from his fingers. “I received a letter from Adeline. She has had twins. A boy and a girl. They have asked us to be godparents.”
“I am glad she was more informative than Littleton. All he did was say the babies had been born, and he was never going through that again.”
Georgie tried to stifle her laugh and lost the battle. After several moments she was finally able to speak. “He is probably a bit overwhelmed.”
Gavin sauntered to the sofa and sat next to her. “I suppose I shall find out how bad it is in a few months.”
She took his hand and placed it on her stomach. “I do not know if you will be able to feel the babe move. It’s a light, fluttering sort of feeling.” The baby moved again. “Can you feel it?”
“No.” He shook his head. “Not yet.”
Well, that was disappointing. “Perhaps in another week or so the movement will be stronger.”
He slipped his arm around her shoulders and drew her closer to him. “All that matters to me is that you are both healthy.”
Rivercrest, July 1819
As her maid stuck another pillow behind her Georgie waited impatiently to hold her new son.
“You did an excellent job of it, my lord.” The midwife kept shaking her head as she finished looking the now clean baby over. “Don’t know many men that would step in like you did.”
Gavin’s emotions ranging from relief to smugness to disbelief that anyone could doubt his competence flickered across his face. “I’ve helped birth cows and horses. . . .”
“I want my son,” Georgie whispered to her maid. “Immediately.”
Without even interrupting the conversation, although, Gavin did glance at her as if to ask for help releasing him from the midwife while her maid liberated the baby and brought him to her. Gavin would have to suffer a bit longer. She had her new son, Benedict Edward Turley, in her arms and just wanted to enjoy the soft, warm bundle who was showing definite signs that he wished to be fed. She ran her palm over his small head covered lightly in dark brown hair. They had wondered if he would take after her and his great-great-great-great French grandmother, or have the typical blond hair of the Turleys. They had their answer.
Gavin’s old nurse helped Georgie situate that baby. “There you go, my lady.”
“If I’d had any thought that her ladyship’s travail would be so quick, I would have insisted on leaving the Mustoes as soon as their babe was born.” The midwife handed him the ointment she had for the place where little Benedict’s umbilical cord had been severed. “Use this for the next week or so.” The woman shook her head as she glanced at Georgie. “At least a week early and so fast. I would never have believed it. I know you’re glad your husband took matters in hand.”
“Extremely glad.” Her mother and Lady Littleton were due to arrive tomorrow. They were going to be surprised that the baby was already here. It had been an unwelcome shock to discover that, other than Nurse, who had assisted two or three times years ago, the rest of the females in the house had very little experience with birthing a baby. “He did not even flinch.”
“You have a good man. There’s no denying that.” The midwife closed her bag. “I’ll be by to look in on you in two days.” She inclined her head and left the room.
Gavin shut the door. “I never knew what a rattler she was.” He stepped over to the bed and sank into the chair next to Georgie, searching her face. “You are well?”
“Yes.” She glanced at their son before smiling at him. “She was right, you know. I am extremely fortunate that you knew what to do.”
“I’m only happy that the birth was not complicated or long.” A shadow passed through his eyes. “Good Lord, Georgie. It’s a deuced good thing that you started your pains early this morning. I’d hate to think I might have been out and about.”
He had a point. Once he’d left the house he could have been anywhere on the estate, and they would have had to have found him. “Perhaps we should buy an alpenhorn.”
“That is an excellent idea.” He sprawled in the chair and watched the baby nurse, a soft smile on his face. “What a story we’ll have to tell little Ben when he gets older.”
They would have many stories to tell their son, but none would be better than the one when his father delivered him.
AUTHOR NOTES
Parliamentary elections were held in August 1818, and the subsequent autumn schedule was light, which gave me the idea of being able to have a house party in the middle of what would have been a Season.
As longtime readers will know, I look up the words and phrases I use to ensure that they were used at the time of the book and in the correct context. That leads me to the word “swipping.” I originally wanted to use “barreling,” but that word wasn’t used until later in the century.
The story about the Great Dane playing at eating grass to get the attention of a herd of cows is a true one. My second Great Dane, Abby, did that and succeeded in enticing the head cow first, then the entire herd over to meet her.
Although Georgie’s older sister and brother are mentioned, they were very busy with their own doings during the time her book was set. However, you can find out more about Kit in A Kiss for Lady Mary, and about Meg in Miss Featherton’s Christmas Prince. Both books are in my The Marriage Game series. Just stop by my website www.ellaquinnauthor.com and they are easy to find. You will also find all my social media links there as well as the links below.
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