— August —

The air was still and the sky was deep blue today. When she had woken in the morning, Cate had seen that it was going to be one of the last really warm days of summer. David was busy working, or she might have begged him to take her and Luke down to the beach to splash in the shallows, hunt for shells, and have a picnic. As it was, she settled for playing with Luke in the garden all morning. She was getting freckles on her nose, but it was hard to mind them very much when David said he loved them.

Luke was starting to run and climb now. By mid-afternoon, Cate was exhausted from running after him and it was starting to get very hot. She packed up their blanket and his toys and tried to persuade him to go indoors. She was successful only in setting off a tantrum, which only proved that he was more tired than his running about would suggest. She picked him up and carried him indoors and settled him down in bed. Barely a moment after she had got the screaming to stop, he was asleep, his little chest swelling in and out and his little thumb between his front teeth. She stayed to watch him for several moments, exhausted herself but very happy with the picture he made.

"You're a lot of work," she said. "Babies in general, I mean."

David had been suggesting lately that they hire a dedicated nursemaid for him. At first, Cate had been affronted by the idea of it. She had always been enough for Luke before. But then David had pointed out that it would not always be just Luke. He had spoken of the matter very casually, as a distant eventuality. All the same, it had startled Cate.

She went to her room, took her hat off, and examined herself cautiously in the mirror. There was no visible difference about her, unless you counted the freckles on her nose. All the same, she felt different. Bigger, even if she didn't look it yet. So tired lately, so prone to tears, even when nothing was wrong. And she had no appetite. She had had no appetite with Luke either.

It was probably time to tell David.

She went downstairs and knocked on the door of his study.

"Come in," he said.

He was with Benson, talking over a pile of charts and maps on his desk. When he saw her, his eyes crinkled in a smile.

"Cate, dear. Do you need me?"

"If you can spare a moment for an interruption." She hesitated. "It might be a long moment, Mr Benson."

"Our business is all but concluded. It was good news today, Mrs Demery." Benson reached over the table and picked up a lump of dark grey rock. "Take a look at this."

She took the rock in her hand. "Slate?"

"A sample from the preliminary mine shafts. We will be able to begin the actual mining operations sooner than we thought."

"That is very good news indeed."

Benson shook her hand. "Indeed it is. You will be rich. Good day, Mrs Demery. I will see you tomorrow, Demery."

He left the room. David looked after him, bemused. "That was almost rude," he said.

"I think he was being solicitous, actually." Cate put the lump of slate back on the desk. "He knows what my little interruptions mean."

"Mmm? What do they mean?" David got up from behind the desk and came around to the other side to lean against it and watch her. "Tell me, darling. Why did you interrupt me today?"

She bit back a smile. "There's something I want to talk to you about."

"Oh?" He frowned. "Will it wait? You've just reminded me of something I have for you."

"It can wait. What is it?"

He turned around and hunted through the pile of charts. "My groom brought a letter for me a short while ago. It was passed on to him by Paul when he went to Conwy yesterday. It's from your brother Luke."

"Luke!" Cate joined David at the desk. "Is that it?"

"No, here it is." David unearthed a slim folded sheet from under a map of the hills. "What does it say?"

Cate tore the seal and skimmed it. Luke had never been a great letter writer and the letter was not more than a few short paragraphs.

"He's well. He has a new colt which he is breaking in. Everyone else is well, I presume, or he would have mentioned their illness. He wants to know if baby Luke speaks yet — is he ever quiet!? Oh! He's coming. In October, he'll be attending a hunting party in Shropshire and he'll sneak over for a day or two then."

Cate's father was still adamant that his other children would not see her, though he had softened enough to send a letter every now and then informing her of what they were up to. Cate sighed deeply.

"That's very lucky," David said. "The first of many visits, I hope."

"Indeed. Perhaps my father will even change his mind soon."

"It might take a little more time, Cate dear. He is difficult to convince."

"Yes, but..." If she was right in her suspicions, her father would soften further.

David looked enquiringly at her. "What is it?"

"The thing I came to talk to you about." Cate folded Luke's letter and put it in her pocket. "David, a few weeks ago you suggested hiring a nursemaid?"

"And you hated the notion of it." He reached out an arm to pull her closer, so he could rest his hands on her hips. "You've come to tell me you've changed your mind."

"I've been thinking about it." She closed her hands over his. "I can look after Luke by myself."

"I know." He dipped his head and kissed her. "I don't doubt your abilities, darling. I just think a little help might make things easier." He kissed her again, more intimately. "Give us some more time alone together." His hands shifted around behind her. "The adorable brat seems to wake up at the most inconvenient times."

"He finds it hard to sleep when it's hot." Cate positioned herself against the desk, ready for him to lift her onto it. "Don't get carried away, darling. We really must talk."

"I'm not carried away." He got his hands under her thighs and shunted her up onto the edge of the desk, his mouth working away at her collarbone all the while. "I can listen and kiss you."

It was somewhat more than kissing. Cate shut her eyes and let him do it.

"I can look after Luke by myself," she repeated, "but... but, Davie darling... I don't think I can look after two by myself."

He froze then slowly raised his head from her chest. His face was rather white. "Cate. You don't mean..."

"I think so." Her hands trembled. "I can't be sure, but I think so."

He backed away from her and sank slowly down into an armchair. "Oh." He stared blindly at her. "Oh!"

For a few long moments, he was quite speechless, then he began to smile.

"You really mean it? You're with child?"

"It seems more than likely. I don't want to give you any false hope though. I could be wrong yet."

He shook his head. "Come here. Let me hold you."

She came and curled up on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder.

"I don't think you're wrong."

"You don't want to think I'm wrong."

"True." He kissed her shoulder. "You don't think you're wrong?"

"I don't." She played with the collar of his coat. "With every day that passes, I'm a little more certain about it."

"Good." He found her mouth and kissed her properly. "Perfect. Wonderful. We're going to have another baby. Cate, I'm so happy."

Tears came to her eyes at the words, more evidence in favour of her suspicion. She closed her eyes and kissed him back. "Me too, darling. Me too."

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2023-06-30: And it's over with a baby on the way ;) Thank you so much for reading, everyone <3 I've felt so much support while writing this novel. I really appreciate you all <333