Lyon's Gate (Sherbrooke Brides 9)

After no more than two minutes of whining, at which point James said, “That is enough. You will both be silent. Kiss your uncle good night. You will see him again soon. I will come up in a moment and tuck you in.”

Douglas shook his head at his wife. “I believe I said the same thing to him and Jason.”

“Very probably. Innumerable times. Are you all right, Jason?”

Jason hugged his mother, stepped back. “Don’t worry about me, Mama. I’m off.” He paused a moment, then said, “I missed all you so very much when I was in Baltimore, please never doubt that.”

James said as they listened to Jason’s boot steps receding on the tile floor, “I am going to give Hallie anything she wants.”

His father smiled.

CHAPTER 40

At the breakfast table the following morning, Hallie said brightly, “It’s been nearly a week since the Beckshire race. What are we going to do about Lord Grimsby?”

Jason said as he smeared honey on his toast, “Those are the first words out of your mouth since I slammed out of the house last night and left you alone with Petrie and Martha.”

“I saw you ride back and knew you were all right.”

Of course she would wait up for him. “I slept in Angela’s room.”

“Yes, I know. I hope you slept well?”

“Not very, but it doesn’t matter.” He became suddenly very stiff and formal. “I wish to apologize for my melodrama last night, Hallie.”

“Yours wasn’t the melodrama.” Even when he raised his eyebrow in question, she simply shook her head, said nothing more.

“I see, you’re going to be mysterious about this. I was hopeful that yesterday would be the day I’d be off to see Lord Grimsby, but it wasn’t. I am hopeful, however, about today.” He pulled out the watch from his vest pocket and consulted it.

“Now you’re being mysterious.”

“Yes, I am, aren’t I? Well, we’ll see. I would imagine he’s wondering why the devil I’m waiting this long, particularly since he knows we have Kindred.”

Hallie said, “Perhaps he thinks you’ve forgotten about it since it seems to be the done thing. When will you be ready? What does your seeing him depend upon?”

He only smiled at her.

“Very well, be a closemouthed trout-brain, as Martha would say.”

“As mysterious as my wife.”

“That’s different, but no matter. Now, I have a wonderful surprise for you, Jason,” and she beamed at him.

An eyebrow went straight up. “You’re pregnant?”

She dropped her slice of toast. “Oh dear, I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

“You haven’t had your woman’s monthly flow since we’ve been married.”

“Oh blessed hell, is that true? But I’m not always—Jason, that is very private. I don’t wish to speak of it.”

“I’m your husband. You’re to speak to me about everything.”

“No, surely not.”

“My father always said it’s very important for a wife to tell her husband everything. Tell me your surprise.”

Pregnant? Her flow was erratic but she wasn’t about to discuss that with him. She couldn’t imagine such a thing. It floored her that he would bring it up so easily. She took a bite of her toast, cleared her throat, and said, “At the race, you remember the other man, the one who actually shot Lorry, the one we didn’t catch—”