No Decent Gentleman (36 page)

The door flew open. Higgins and Razi rushed into the bedchamber.

"I'll do the announcing," Razi said.

"No, I will," Higgins insisted.

Having been relegated to the corridor for one whole day, Winston scooted around the bickering retainers and made straight for the bed. The wolfhound rested his head on Adam's knee and stared at the baby. His nose twitched as he caught the new scent. Then he walked away and curled up in front of the hearth.

"My lord—" Razi began.

"Prince Adolphus and Madame Esmeralda have arrived," Higgins announced, earning a glare from his rival.

"Are you ready for this?" Adam asked Sabrina. When she nodded, he instructed his man, "Send them in."

Higgins nodded and started for the door. Razi had apparently had enough of the English majordomo.

Cupping his mouth with his hands, the little man called, "Your Royal Highness, you may enter the room now."

Adam laughed, and Sabrina dissolved into giggles. Horrified, Higgins turned around and slowly walked back to Razi. He cuffed the side of the little man's head and sneered, "You blinking idiot."

Wearing an amused smile, Prince Adolphus escorted Madame Esmeralda past the two bickering men on their way out the door. The prince and his longtime mistress crossed the chamber to stand beside the bed and peer down at the sleeping infant.

"Esmeralda, we have a granddaughter," Prince Adolphus said, a catch of emotion in his throat.

"I have a daughter and a granddaughter," the diva said with tears streaming down her cheeks.

The woman's tears brought the same to Sabrina's eyes. One tear brimmed over and slid slowly down her cheek. Adam reached out and brushed it away with his fingertips.

"I want you to know that I never meant for you to feel abandoned," Esmeralda said to Sabrina, the prince's arm around her shoulder lending emotional support. "I—we wanted only what was best for you, a respectable place in society."

Sabrina nodded, the lump of raw emotion stealing her voice for a moment. Finally she said, "What is done is past. I know you wanted what was best for me, but why have you stayed in Europe so long? I have been expecting this conversation for the longest time."

"I was afraid that you would reject me," Esmeralda admitted. "I was wondering ..." The diva hesitated as if afraid to continue.

"Would you care to come to tea one afternoon?" Sabrina invited her. "I'm sure you would like to see Regina."

"I would like to
see you
," Esmeralda said. "I hoped we could be friends."

Sabrina smiled. "I would like that very much."

"So, you've named the babe Regina," Prince Adolphus said.

"Yes, we named her for Adam's mother," Sabrina told him.

"I've just finished arranging for the exhumation of Courtney's mother's remains. They will be delivered to her in Dorchester," Prince Adolphus said. "Dudley and Courtney want Eugenia buried on their estate."

"I'm glad for my sister," Sabrina said. "You know, Your Royal Highness, that Courtney is expecting her first child. You'll be a grandfather again before the end of the year."

"This certainly is the year for babies," Adam said. "Lily Armstrong delivered a son the day before yesterday."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sabrina asked.

"Darling, Regina kept you busy yesterday," he answered.

Prince Adolphus and Esmeralda smiled. "We must be leaving," the prince told them. Then he asked Sabrina, "Will you be well enough to travel to Abingdon next month for your father's memorial service?"

"Nothing could keep me away," Sabrina answered. She looked at the opera singer and suggested, "If you are in London at that time, perhaps you would consider attending my father's memorial service. "You could plan on visiting with us at Abingdon Manor for a week or two."

Tears gleamed in the older woman's eyes, and she reached out to touch her daughter's arm. "God bless you," Esmeralda said. "I don't deserve this."

"Yes, you do," Sabrina replied, covering the woman's hand with her own.

"I will always be grateful to you for bringing Sabrina into the world," Adam spoke up.

"And I'm glad that everyone is thrilled with everyone else," Prince Adolphus said, clearly uncomfortable with the raw emotion in the chamber. "We'll see both of you again ... again ... again." With those parting words, the prince and his mistress left the bedchamber.

"That was very kind of you," Adam said. "Giving you to Henry Savage could not have been easy for her. I know that I do not possess that much inner strength."

"Oh, Adam, how could I do otherwise?" Sabrina said. "I am so happy."

"Does this mean you won't be making Turkish delights and nougats?" he asked.

"I would do anything for you," she answered. "I'll even make those disgustingly sweet candies."

Adam leaned close. Being careful not to disturb Re-gina, he planted a kiss on her lips. Then he stood and sat down beside her, leaning against the headboard. Together, the new parents watched the exciting sight of their baby at sleep.

"Adam, there is something I've wanted to ask you for a long, long time," Sabrina said, glancing sidelong at him. On the night of Lady Meade's ball last year, did you and Alexis Carstairs—?" She broke off, unable to finish.

"I did not," he answered, knowing what she was asking.

Sabrina gave him a doubtful look. "No decent gentleman would lie to his wife."

Adam cast her an appropriately offended look. In an insulted voice, he asked, "Have I ever lied to you?"

Sabrina burst out laughing, a sweetly melodious sound that reminded him of the night he met her. "Then where did you spend the night?"

"I slept in your room at my uncle's town house," Adam told her. "In the morning I slipped out the back by way of the servants' stairs because I refused to suffer the embarrassment of having our families know I was afraid to go home."

"Afraid?"

"I feared your rejection."

"I wanted you," Sabrina said, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I know that now," Adam said, lifting her free hand to his lips. "You cannot imagine the torment I suffered that night in your chamber. Everywhere I looked, I saw you. When I tried to sleep, I swear your rose scent on the pillow kept me awake."

"I love you," Sabrina told him.

"And I love you," he promised.

Adam covered her mouth with his lips in an endless kiss that seemed to linger for an eternity. Their kiss melted into another. And then another ...

Her loving kiss had transformed the frog into a charming prince, and the prince had made her his princess.