“I suppose there is a little bit of comfort in that,” Thomas said, “though it is hardly enough.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Florian said. He turned toward Amelia. “I am sorry to bring you such depressing news, but I thought you ought to know.”
“Your forthrightness is greatly appreciated,” she told him.
Returning to the party, Thomas drew Amelia aside. “I do not like this development one bit,” he told her.
“Neither do I, but I also refuse to let it ruin our lives when we have so much to be grateful for.” She made an effort to smile. “Speaking of which, we should probably leave soon. Given the beautiful weather, I thought it might be nice to take Jeremy out to the park.”
“He would enjoy that, Amelia, but there is no need for us to rush if you would like to remain here a while longer and see to your guests. Your sister and Lady Everly are with Jeremy as we speak. They have proven to be extremely attentive where he is concerned.”
She gave him a look. “They spoil him rotten when we are not there.”
He grinned. “They do so even when we are. Did you not see Lady Everly pass him a piece of chocolate under the table yesterday?”
“After I told him he could not have any more?” She would clearly have to set down some rules. Again. “That only proves my point.”
“I suppose it does.” He looked around. “I cannot wait to see this place filled with children next week. There is nothing quite like their joy and laughter.”
She smiled in response. “How would you feel about having one of your own?”
A frown appeared on his brow. “I already do.”
“Well yes, Jeremy is your son.” And would always be considered as such since no one besides Amelia, Thomas and the dowager duchess would ever know the real truth. “But . . .” She placed her hand upon her belly.
Thomas followed the movement with his eyes, then looked up at her face. “Are you telling me that . . . you are . . . I mean . . .”
Taking pity on him, she decided to clarify. “We are expecting a child, Thomas.”
She was in the air half a second later while he whooped and spun her around. Returning her to the floor, he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her soundly, right there in the foyer of Coventry School and without a care for what anyone else might think. It wasn’t until they returned home that reality seemed to kick in.
That night, he held her quietly in his arms, his mood completely transformed as he gently asked, “What if I lose you?”
She understood his fear. His sister had died in childbirth. “I suppose the possibility exists, though I expect it to be decreased with Doctor Florian’s help. That man is a miracle worker if you ask me.”
“Yes. We will stay close to him during your confinement.”
“And all will pass as it should.”
Which it did, allowing them both to hold their daughter in their arms nine months later after a surprisingly quick delivery.
“I have never been happier,” Amelia told Thomas as she watched him place a tender kiss upon Baby Melanie’s head. Beside him stood Jeremy, who’d painted a series of colorful pictures to hang by his sister’s crib.
Setting Melanie down, Thomas came over and touched his lips to Amelia’s. Affection flowed between them, filling her with all the warmth he carried for her in his heart. “Neither have I, my love. Neither have I.”
Chapter 25
St. Agatha’s Hospital, one year later
Seated in the crowded office to which she’d been granted entry, Juliette wondered if she’d made a mistake by coming here. Following protocol, she had taken the precaution of bringing a maid with her. She had, however, neglected to relay the real reason for her outing to her brother. He was under the impression that she had gone to the British Museum, which she would do right after this meeting so there would be some truth to what she had told him.
Biting her lip, she glanced around at all the books and various objects strewn about.
“Is that a real skull?” her maid asked from the spot where she sat some short distance away.
Juliette looked at the item to which Sarah pointed and found a pair of empty eye sockets staring back at her. “Yes, I believe it is.”
“Good grief!”
The door burst open and the man Juliette had come to see walked in. “My lady.” Doctor Florian acknowledged her presence with a polite nod, then smiled at Sarah before making his way around his desk and sitting down. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“First of all, I should like to thank you for seeing me,” Juliette said. “I hope you will forgive me for coming like this without warning.”
He met her gaze and held it until a distinct edge of discomfort forced her to look away. “My profession does provide me with a busy schedule. I would appreciate it if you would tell me how I might be of service.”
In other words, he wanted her gone as quickly as possible so he could continue with his day. She decided not to keep him too long. “It is my understanding that there has been a recent outbreak of typhus in St. Giles. I have been following the news of it in the paper.”
Florian frowned. “That is correct. Yes.”
When he said nothing further, Juliette leaned forward slightly in her seat. She did not miss the way his eyes sharpened with interest or how his posture appeared to stiffen. Curious man, he’d intrigued her since the moment she’d first met him, his view of medicine so apart from the norm that she found herself drawn to a subject she’d never before considered remotely interesting.
“I would like to know what is being done about it.”
He did not flinch, but she could tell that he was thinking—dissecting her words and turning them over in his head. “You have an interest on account of your history with the place.”
“I know what it is like to be sick and unable to afford proper treatment. Fortunately, my ailments were never too serious. Others, like my sister, Bethany, were not as lucky.”
She might as well have told him it often rained when she was a child. His expression remained unchanged, though he did say what was required. “I am sorry.”
“Thank you.” She would not blame him for his indifference. Death had no doubt become such an ordinary part of his life that he failed to be affected by it.
“As to what is being done,” he said, moving on with the conversation, “the affected streets have been closed off in the hope of halting further contagion. Regarding treatment, however, resources are limited, the people suffering, too poor to cover the necessary costs. I believe there are even those who think it would benefit the City if we let nature take its course and allow the slum to perish.”
“Then it is as I feared,” she said, “which is why I would like to make a proposal.”
He gave her a steady look—one that blatantly assessed her. “Does your brother know you have come here?”
“No. I thought to acquire your help before going to him.”
He winced. “Even if you manage to do so, considering I have yet to discover your intent, I would prefer to avoid a duke’s wrath. Now that there are two dukes in your family, I wish you would have sought some approval.”
Nodding, she blurted, “I want to fund a health plan for the poor.”
He stared at her. “What?”
“A means by which to cover the cost of their treatment—any treatment—for the duration of their lives.” When he said nothing, she continued. “Fortune has smiled on me, Doctor, and I now have the means required to help. Please tell me you will allow it.” If he denied her, she would fail. Countless lives would likely be lost, which was something she wasn’t prepared to accept.
Author’s Note
Dear Reader,
I hope you’ve enjoyed the second book in my Diamonds in the Rough series. Writing Amelia’s story turned out to be a lot more challenging than I’d expected. In fact, it required a complete rewrite from start to finish, but in the end I have to say that I’m extremely pleased with how it turned out.<
br />
As you may have suspected, Jeremy is autistic, but since the term autism wasn’t used prior to 1911 and the condition had not been described or researched at the time in which this story takes place, my characters could only conclude that Jeremy was “different” and in need of special attention.
Since Amelia did spend the majority of her life in St. Giles, I really loved the idea of her giving back to that community. Buying a run-down house with the intention of turning it into a school gave her purpose. It was also inspired by hours of binge-watching HGTV episodes in the evenings, and in case you’re curious, my favorite show there is Fixer Upper, featuring Chip and Joanna Gaines.
In general, my intention and hope for this series is to explore class differences during the Regency period by getting the very rich and the very poor to mix and mingle. Right now, I’m about to start writing Juliette’s story. As the youngest Matthews sibling, she has always felt overprotected and like Amelia, she desperately needs to find a place for herself in this new life she’s been given. Prone to sickness during her time in St. Giles, she’s been used to feeling weak and helpless, but she’s about to turn that into an asset now. And with Doctor Florian by her side, who knows where her plan to do so might lead?
I’m having fun with it, and look forward to sharing this new romance with you soon.
Acknowledgments
It takes more than an author to grasp an idea and transform it into a book. My name might be on the cover, but there’s a whole team of spectacular people behind me, each with their own incredible skills and experience. Their faith in me and in my stories is invaluable, and since they do deserve to be recognized for their work, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their constant help and support.
To my editor extraordinaire, Erika Tsang, and her wonderful assistant, Nicole Fischer: your edits and advice have helped this story shine. Thank you so much for your insight and for believing in my ability to pull this off.
To my copy editor, Cathy Joyce; publicists Katie Steinberg, Emily Homonoff, Caroline Perny, Pam Spengler-Jaffee and Jessie Edwards; and senior director of marketing, Shawn Nicholls, thank you so much for all that you do and for offering guidance and support whenever it was needed.
I would also like to thank the amazing artist who created this book’s stunning cover. Chris Cocozza has truly succeeded in capturing the mood of The Duke of Her Desire and the way in which I envisioned both Thomas and Amelia looking—such a beautiful job!
To my fabulous beta readers, Rhonda Jones, Marla Golladay, Judy Barrera and Dee Foster, whose insight has been tremendously helpful in strengthening the story, thank you so much!
Another big thank-you goes to Nancy Mayer for her assistance. Whenever I’m faced with a question regarding the Regency era that I can’t answer on my own, I turn to Nancy for advice. Her help is invaluable.
My family and friends deserve my thanks as well, especially for reminding me to take a break occasionally, to step away from the computer and just unwind—I would be lost without you.
And to you, dear reader—thank you so much for taking the time to read this story. Your support is, as always, hugely appreciated!
About the Author
Born in Denmark, SOPHIE BARNES spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She’s lived in five different countries, on three different continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish, and Romanian. But, most impressive of all, she’s been married to the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses. When she’s not busy dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.
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Also by Sophie Barnes
Novels
The Duke of Her Desire
A Most Unlikely Duke
His Scandalous Kiss
The Earl’s Complete Surrender
Lady Sarah’s Sinful Desires
The Danger in Tempting an Earl
The Scandal in Kissing an Heir
The Trouble with Being a Duke
The Secret Life of Lady Lucinda
There’s Something About Lady Mary
Lady Alexandra’s Excellent Adventure
How Miss Rutherford Got Her Groove Back
Novellas
Mistletoe Magic (from Five Golden Rings: A Christmas Collection)
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
the duke of her desire. Copyright © 2018 by Sophie Barnes. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins Publishers. For information, address HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.
Digital Edition JANUARY 2018 ISBN: 978-0-06-256679-9
Print Edition ISBN: 978-0-06-256682-9
Cover design and art direction by Guido Caroti
Cover illustration by Chris Cocozza
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HarperCollins is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Publishers in the United States of America and other countries.
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The Duke of Her Desire: Diamonds in the Rough Page 28