Page 79 of Black Widow

Gideon nodded approvingly. “The fall is long enough that it will most definitely shatter when it hits the groundunderneath.”

“And ifitdoesn’t come to the house for my facsimile?” Amelia asked with folded arms, frowning at the soreness of herbreasts.

Was it her imagination or were they more ample than sheremembered?

Gideon adjusted the wig and sent John out of the room with a little push. “Then we try again tomorrow night and every night hereafter until itcomes.”

He put his hands on her shoulders. “Itwillwork. I’m certain ofit.”

Amelia suspected he was not being entirely truthful but decided not to take issue with it. It wasn’t as if she had a betterplan.

Rubbing her arms, she went to the window. It was safe, so long as she didn’t open the curtains. In life, Sir Clarence had not been aware of this property, or that it belonged to Gideon. They had arrived via an anonymous hired carriage, using her more distinctive conveyance as a decoy. Gideon would take that one up the main drive before guiding his faux-countessinside.

Mr. Clarke had disguised himself as a clergyman, one summoned to the Abbey on the pretext of blessing the grounds before they rebuilt the house. In the meantime, their superfluous male staff were making themselves visible on the house’sgrounds.

Crispin, along with half a dozen of Gideon’s best men, would stay behind at the cottage to watch over her. That suited Crispin just fine. He wasn’t eager to set foot in the ruin again. “I’m about as graceful as a sow with this leg. I’ll end up falling through the floormyself.”

Gideon assured him such a thing wasn’t likely. The men who would face the creature were secured to the stairs and the beams undamaged by fire with strong rope. The rest would be tied to each other. If one fell, the strength of the others would keep them from plunging into theabyss.

The earl was sure he had thought of everything. Amelia hoped he wasright.

In a few minutes, Crispin came up to inform Gideon that everything was in readiness. Then he went back down to check the state of his pistolsagain.

“He’s loaded and reloaded those guns at least three times now,” shesaid.

“It makes him feel better to be armed. And bullets do damage it, just not as easily as I would like.” Gideon took her in his arms. “Please don’t worry. We have everythingready.”

His big, warm hands moved to cover her stomach. Self-conscious because her middle had expanded a trifle the last few weeks—the richness of the food again—she tried to shift hishands.

“Rest,” he ordered. “Growing an entire person isexhausting.”

Amelia’s mouth dropped open as her mind wrapped itself around what he was saying. She couldn’t be increasing! She would haveknown.

As if on cue, a sudden wave of dizziness rose to overwhelm her. Gideon caught her up and set her on the wide double bed. “As I said, growing an entire person is exhausting for any woman, but bearing my heir is enough to tax even a goddess likeyou.”

Amelia slapped his hand. “How long have youknown?”

His grin was smug. “Notlong.”

“And you didn’t think to tellme?”

He kissed her forehead and drew back. “You had enough on yourmind.”

But he conveniently tells me now so I won’t worry.Amelia’s arms tightened around his neck, pulling him close for a fiercehug.

“Come back to me in one piece or suffer the consequences,” she said, fightingtears.

“You have my word,” he vowed, holding hertight.

Chapter 30

“It’s midnight,”Clarke whispered, squinting at his fob watch in the weakmoonlight.

Gideon didn’t need the reminder. He’d been checking his own watch often enough in the last few hours. “I don’t think tonight is the night,” hemuttered.

“Poor John is probably exhausted. I don’t think he stays up this late as a rule and traipsing around in that heavy winter gown is probably nothelping.”

Gideon was sympathetic, but the wool gown was a necessity. If they had dressed his tiger in one of Amelia’s lighter gowns, the boy’s distinctive shape would have been morenoticeable.

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