Page 86 of A Night of Passion with the Duke

Arabella smiled despite his rude tone, a telltale sign he was worried about her. Though he sat beside her on the bed, his body shook like a bird preparing to flee from prey.

“He is due to arrive today, Eddie,” Emily answered. “He shouldn’t be too long now.”

“All right,” he answered.

He held Arabella’s hand, intermittently squeezing it softly to give her a massage.

Arabella stared up at the man she had chosen to love and spend the rest of her life with. Looking back, she couldn’t have imagined herself so deeply in love with anyone, but here she was, happily married to a man who was worried sick about her.

She smiled, watching her mother-in-law and sister-in-law tease him for his worry. He finally turned towards her, noticing her smile, and he smiled back at her.

He leaned over, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “What makes you smile, wife?” he asked with that lopsided grin that made her stomach flutter.

Arabella bit her lip, causing him to arch his eyebrows, those dreamy eyes she had fallen for the first time she saw him boring into hers.

“I was just thinking about you and how much I love you,” she admitted shyly. “And I think maybe you are the cause of my headache, because I think of you too much and I can’t help it.”

She chuckled and so did he.

“Oh, can you stop it already, or else I’ll tear up,” Harriet said with a watery smile.

Edward opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Enter,” he called.

The doctor walked in, led by Arabella’s maid, Matilda.

“You finally came, Doctor.” Harriet smiled. “How are you today?”

“Very well, Your Grace.” He smiled. “Who is my patient today?”

“My wife,” Edward answered.Arabella sat up, giving the doctor a nod.

“Your Grace.” He bowed.

“There’s no need to stand on protocol, Doctor,” Edward told him.

“What are your symptoms, Your Grace?” the doctor asked.

“I have these bad headaches. Oh, and I can’t seem to keep anything down. Especially in the mornings.”

“How long has this been going on?”

“About a month now.”

“Permit me to ask, but have you had your monthly courses?”

Arabella pursued her lips, looking lost for a second. Just then, it hit her that she hadn’t had her period for a while now. For about two months, she hadn’t, but she’d barely noticed.

Wheels started to turn in her head. She had been throwing up, and Edward had told her it was fever and had given her bitter herbs that made her throw up even more. She had eventually chosen to just smile and say she was fine if he ever asked, never wanting to see the worried look on his face.

“ N-no… I… I haven’t,” she replied, swallowing hard.

“I suspect congratulations are in order, then.” The doctor smiled. “You’re expecting.”

“Oh, wonderful!” Harriet cried.

“Another baby in the family,” Emily gushed, hugging her.

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