Midnight Masquerade (39 page)

December 20
th
, 1817

Salthill Mansion

Brighton, England

“I swear to all that his holy I’m going to strangle Gideon if he doesn’t stop fussing over me!” Helena exclaimed, sitting down her cup of tea and shaking her head. Six months pregnant with her second child, the Duchess of Montrose was overly annoyed with her husband’s overprotectiveness.

Amelia smiled behind her teacup, she didn’t blame Helena, Gideon
had
been acting like a daft fool when it came to his
pregnant
wife, just like he had when she carried their first child
,
Theodore.

Sitting in the quiet library of her childhood estate
,
Salthill, she was thankful all three families were able to make it south for Christmastime, it had been a long standing tradition with her parents and brothers, one that continued even now they were all married. Salthill held a dear part of her heart, the sprawling estate easily housed the three families, each with their own personal wing.

Sitting with her sister-in-laws, Amelia noticed the soft falling snowflakes drifting down in a lazy fashion outside the window. A season that used to m
ake her sad, had now brought a new
found joy in her life. Yes, she still missed her parents, but her life had been filled with so much happiness since marrying Alastair
.
Their family had grown, their love for each other had grown and she had a special Christmas present for him this year she couldn’t wait to give him.

The nursery
at Salthill was open
and filled with babies, which made Mrs. Hollington so overjoyed she often cried with happiness at the full cribs. Gideon and Helena’s son Theodore was now one and a half, as was Luke and Genevieve’s twins
as they were born within days of each other
.

The newest addition to the nursery was her and Alastair’s dark haired, blue eyed daughter, Ele
anora Maria Bancroft, born seven
months ago. Her pregnancy had been easy compared to some she knew, the birth had been tranquil and held no complications, little Elle had come into the world and charmed her parents, and her aunts and uncles easily.

Early this morning t
he men had given
the ladies a break
and taken the children outside to see the new ponies Gideon had bought for them, four little Shetland ponies for each of the children. Of course they were all too young to ride, especially little Elle, but the eldest Somerset was adamant that his son, and nieces and nephews have only the best mounts once they were old enough to sit on the saddle without help. The little ponies had just been delivered that morning, Old Max the stable master hand selected them himself and was overly excited about the next breed of Somerset/Bancroft children to give riding lessons to.

Allowing themselves a moment of peace, the ladies had gathered in the library with a full pot of tea and a warm fire as they discussed the festivities planned, their husbands, children and life in general.

Beside her, her other sister-in-law sighed with exasperation as she said, “Luke has been better this pregnancy, mainly because I think there is only one baby in there this time.”

Grinning, both of her brothers’ wives were pregnant at the same time, again, Helena was nearing six months along, whereas Genevieve was most likely a month behind her.
Two more Somerset children would make an appearance this spring, growing the brood to a total of six grandchildren…until Amelia’s next child was born, which would most likely be at the end of summer. Something she hadn’t shared with her beloved sisters, or husband yet.

Just recently realizing she was pregnant her second child, she was a tad shocked it happened so soon given that little Elle was only seven months old. Happy that her children would be close in age to each other, and their loving cousins, she was planning on telling Alastair very soon.

Nudging Genevieve, Amelia offered, “That is because last time you were as big as a house and had to be chained to your bed
near the end so you wouldn’t go
walking all over the place.”

“Amelia Elizabeth Bancroft, I was
not
chained to the bed, I would have shot Luke myself if he even thought about doing that!” Genevieve teased, refilling the three teacups with her normal grace.

“Have Luke talk to his older brother, would you Vieve? One would think given I had little Teddy with no complications he’d understand how this works, I’ll be fine, and he’s slowly making me daft!” Helena offered with her brows scrunched in irritation.

Chuckling to herself, she heard the
delightful sound of the men and children
as they entered the front foyer from their chilly adventures outside in the stables.

Standing up, Amelia offered, “I’ll send your doting husbands in sisters, if you’ll excuse me, I have to talk to Alastair about something.” Leaving the two ladies sitting by the cozy fireplace, she went in search of her husband and daughter.

Walking out the library, she shut the large
library
door behind her and saw the three men and children, white flakes stuck in their hair, and rosy cheeks upon all of their faces.

“Auntie Lili, my pony is all black!” Teddy said with excitement upon seeing her.

Not to be outdone, Everett waved at her, “
Auntie Lili, my pony is
brown and white!” Unable to contain her grin at their excitement, she saw her beautiful niece shake the snowflakes out of her hair with irritation.
The young children were impeccable speakers, even so
young,
they took right after their mothers, talkers.

“
Lovely Clai
re, what color
pony did Uncle Gideon get for you my dear?”

“A mean pony!” Claire stated as she stomped her foot.

Her answer made the men, and Amelia laugh. Walking up to her niece, she knelt before little Claire and cocked her head, “A mean pony? Surely Uncle Gideon wouldn’t buy you a
mean
pony, tell Auntie Lili what happened love.”

“He tried to bite me!” Claire answered with irritation.

“Maybe he just needs to get adjusted to his new home my pet, he might be scared, surely you can understand that?”

Shaking her head Claire looked at the floor, “Will you go out there with me later?”

“Of course sweetheart, I would adore that! I’ll show you my horse too!”

“Come on let’s get you children cleaned up for lunch.” Luke stated, scooping up his daughter and son in one swoop.

“Where’s my wife?” Gideon asked, eyeing Amelia with concern.

Rolling her eyes, she p
ointed to the library, “In the library
Gideon, having tea with Vieve, and overly irritated
at your constant suffocation…tread lightly dear brother.”

“What? I worry.” He shrugged with a smile as Luke took his
twins
upstairs.

“How about you worry a little more to yourself before your wife bludgeons you to death, you are driving her daft Gideon. She’ll be fine, your new baby will be fine…how about you make her smile instead of frown, eh? It tis Christmastime after all.”

“Is she that upset?” He cringed as he picked up Teddy and put him on his shoulders.

Wrapping her arm around Alastair’s waist as he held their sleeping daughter in his arms, she nodded, “I think you know that answer brother, so fix it, none of us appreciate your duchess being in a prickly mood.”

Rolling his eyes, Gideon nodded, “Point taken Lia.”

“Good, now if you’ll excuse us, Alastair and I need to talk.” She said to Gideon, pulling Alastair away from his friend, and towards the stairs to their family wing.

“What did I do?” He asked in a teasing manner, knowing full well he hadn’t done anything to warrant a
verbal set down. Climbing the stairs together, her heart was full of love watching him carry their little daughter up to the nursery.

At the top of the landing she kissed Elle’s forehead and ran her hand over her soft head of hair, “Go hand her off to Mrs. Hollington love, I have a gift for you, meet me back in our room.”

“A gift? Christmas isn’t for days.”

“I’m well aware of what day it is husband, now go, I’ll see you in a few moments.” She shooed him away and watched him walk down the long hallway towards the nursery. Excited, she turned towards the bedroom she shared with Alastair and hurriedly rushed inside so she could be ready for his return.

Given how Alastair had found out about their first child, she wanted to make sure this time was entirely different, for both of them. She still regretted not telling him herself, she harbored guilt for the way he found out he was going to be a father. She should have told him herself, instead the man thought she carried another’s child, and then eventually figured her out during an argument in the pouring rain at her brother’s house in London. It still haunted her that she lost that baby after her fall, but she had gotten pregnant with little Eleanor so quickly it had helped heal both of their hearts.

Amelia could still remember the look on Alastair’s face when she told him she was carrying his child, it always made her smile. He was such a loving and protective father to his little daughter. Of course, much like her brothers, Alastair was overly protective of her while she carried his child. After losing their first child to the fall, Alastair had never ventured too far from her side throughout her pregnancy.

Putting a hand over her abdomen, she pondered if she carried a boy. Alastair needed an heir, although he never pressured her, she knew it to be true. It was the way of the upper class, he was a duke, and needed to pass his title down to his son in the future.

Regardless if she birthed another beautiful little girl, she knew her husband would be elated with joy, and they’d keep trying until she sired him an heir. Thankfully pregnancy was easier on her than her sister-in-laws, so she had no problems imagining her and Alastair’s brood, both of them wanted a large family.

“So, are you going to tell me what I did or should I start apologizing?”

Turning towards his voice, she smiled up at her handsome husband who was leaning against the door, his blue eyes watching her with so much love she couldn’t help but smile.

Crossing her arms, she nodded for him to join her in their large suite, “I do like your apologies, especially when you deliver them in bed.”

“You know, I’m not sure if is a curse or a blessing that I married such a greedy lover.” He teased, walking up to her he slipped his hand under her jaw and kissed her until she clung to him.

Running her hands up his chest, she looped her arms around his neck and nibbled on his bottom lip as she felt his hands run down her back and grab her ass and squeeze, “I think you are the greedy one my love, and I know you are a blessing.”

“
Ah, my dutiful wife loves me, does it get any better?”

“Actually, yes it does, your dutiful wife is once again with child due to her husband’s greediness, hopefully with his heir.” Watching his eyes soften and he picked her up, he kissed her softly, gentler than before.

“So soon?” He was worried, she could tell. She had just had little Elle earlier this year, and here she was pregnant again without much space between the children.

“I have a greedy lover Your Grace, one who can’t keep his hands off me. At this rate I think we’ll have at least ten children before I turn thirty.” She teased, she was twenty two and pregnant for their next child, at this rate she wasn’t far off.

“Your greedy lover doesn’t care what sex that baby is, as long as my wife is okay.” He whispered, leaning his forehead against hers. She should have known he’d be worried about her.

“Your wife is happy, having the children close together is a blessing, and let’s face it they’ll be surrounded by close cousins as well. Heaven help the staff, with Helena and Genevieve’s pregnancies, we’ll have three breeding mares around this place, and a handful of nagging
husbands
hell bent to drive us mad.”

“I promise to try to be better this time, I won’t hover…as much this time.”

“Bollocks, you know you will.”

Shrugging, he sat down by the fire and pulled her into his lap as he ran his hand up her skirt and slowly traced her thigh, “I love you Amelia Elizabeth Bancroft, I’ll always hover, I’ll always care, and I’ll always protect you. You are my sun, my moon and all my stars dear woman, without you, life is simply bland and unworthy of living.” 

“You’re happy then?” She asked, leaning into him.

“Lia, I’ve never been happier in my life. You have given me everything I ever wanted, and things I didn’t know I needed. Having you as my wife, my duchess, the mother of my children is all I’ve ever wanted. Every damn day I get to wake up to your beautiful face, I hear your laughter, and the laughter of our darling little girl. I will love each and every one of our children so fiercely, just as I love you, with everything that I am. I live to make you happy, to make you smile.”