“Because we all have to,” she told Matthew now, pushing back her chair and taking his hands. She really didn’t feel like going into long explanations today. Matthew would probably blithely ignore every one, in any case. “Where is Pennethorne?”
“I don’t know. Looking after Susanna, I suppose.”
Her husband strolled in. As usual, her heart rate went up. It happened every time he was in her vicinity, especially when he met her eyes and gave her the intimate smile that had charmed her from the first. “I knew he’d be here. You should leave your mama alone, Matthew, when she is trying to write letters.”
Livia had decided to catch up on the correspondence she’d been shamelessly abandoning recently. With her siblings spread all over the country, she had a lot to catch up with. “Viola is expecting again,” she said, nudging the top letter in the pile she was replying to.
“How many is that? Four?”
“This will be her fifth. And her last, Marcus says.”
Adrian winked at her. “Perhaps we should give him some lessons.” He meant in controlling the baby-making. At the rate they made love, they should have more than two children. And she had been relieved not to have twins. Marcus had not avoided that fate. Perhaps, considering the news she had to impart to her husband, she might not, either.
He handed their son over to his nurse, who appeared at the door, profuse apologies on her lips. Then Adrian closed the door and leaned against it. “Alone again. But not for long. We may have more visitors in a short while.”
“Oh, who?”
“The Bennings.” Their neighbors, the squire and his wife. As different to the Creaseys as anyone could imagine. Kind, thoughtful, well-informed and good company, they often had them over to dinner and a convivial chat afterward.
Once Livia had seen the house in Oxfordshire, she’d known where she wanted to spend the bulk of her married life. Unpretentious, though large enough to entertain when they had to, this house suited her in every way. After Adrian’s mother had died, they’d moved the treasures here, and sold the rest, leaving the house for the orphans they were caring for there.
Turning evil memories into good ones, they’d set up an orphanage. Society thought they were mad, turning such a lovely mansion into a place for children to despoil, but the people who really mattered, her family, were won over by the plan and enthusiastically turned their hands to help. Rescuing Mickey had proved a turning point for them both.
“Our three are lively today. They’ll appreciate having the Benning children to play with. Until then, it’s just the two of us.”
She loved that he always included John in that number. Mickey had refused indignantly, declaring he’d had parents. But in their hearts, he was another of theirs. He would probably not accompany John to Oxford, though. Mickey’s intelligence was of a decidedly practical nature.
“Actually, we’re not alone.” Getting up from her chair, she crossed the room to join him.
He met her halfway, taking her into his arms as naturally as breathing. “How so?”
He knew. She could see it in his eyes. But they spent every night together, so how could he not? “I believe, despite our efforts with sponges, that we have another child on the way.”
His lips broadened in a smile. “I thought as much when you sent your morning chocolate back untouched.” Adrian missed nothing where Livia was concerned. “And I am glad. Except that I fear for you.”
“Only because I make so much noise when I give birth.” By rights he shouldn’t be anywhere near the birthing-chamber, but the last time he’d scandalized the midwife by rushing in when she’d screamed, and stayed there until Susanna had been born.
“You don’t. I do.” He gave her a tender kiss. “Thank you.”
“What for?” She had hardly been an unwilling participant in their enthusiastic and adventurous lovemaking.
“For saving my life. For giving me life,” he said.
References and/or Bibliography
I’ve been studying the eighteenth century for a long time. I do have a long list of books that I read, which I keep meaning to put on my website. I keep reading. My most recent discoveries are Dan Cruickshank’s “The Secret History of Georgian London” and Mark Morton’s “The Lover’s Tongue – A Merry Romp Through the Language of Love and Sex,” both of which I heartily recommend.
Reading the accounts in these books, I wonder why I bother making anything up at all! The realities of the era were so amazing that if I wrote some of them as fiction, people wouldn’t believe me.
Meet the Author
Lynne Connolly was born in Leicester, England, and lived in her family’s cobbler’s shop with her parents and sister. She loves all periods of history, but her favorites are the Tudor and Georgian eras. She loves doing research and creating a credible story with people who lived in past ages. In addition to her Emperors of London series and The Shaws series, she writes several historical, contemporary and paranormal romance series. Visit her on the web at lynneconnolly.com, read her blog at lynneconnolly.blogspot.co.uk, find her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter @lynneconnolly.
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