Page 98 of The Rules of Matrimony
“The walls are thin in this room, so don’t say anything you don’t want overhead,” Ian whispered in her ear before leaving a kiss on her lobe. The touch sent gooseflesh down her arms.
“I’m surprised we are still holding meetings,” came a feminine voice through the wall.
“That’s Miles’s mother, Mrs. Jackson,” Ian whispered.
“Indeed. It looks like our work here is done,” came another voice.
“And that,” he whispered, “is Lady Felcroft, Tom’s mother.”
Amie frowned. Why were all these women here, and why had no one invited her to join them? For a moment, the sense of being an outsider threatened to overwhelm her. Perhaps she should question her newfound feelings of belonging.
“Good heavens, ladies. Our work is far from done.” Here was a voice she could identify. It was her mother-in-law, Lady Kellen.“There are too many unwed, lonely souls in the world for us to put down Cupid’s arrow now.”
“So, we will continue our musical club?” a voice that sounded very much like Lisette asked.
“That’s Mrs. Manning, Lisette’s mother,” Ian said a moment later.
Amie was proud of herself for guessing so well.
Lady Kellen spoke again. “We meet Tuesday next, and I want everyone to come with a list of names to present. We will vote for our next project.”
The women visited for a few moments longer before leaving, but no more was said about lonely souls or impending projects. Their voices slowly faded down the corridors until they were gone.
“What did we just overhear?” she asked Ian.
Ian seemed lost in thought but blinked a few times, then answered her. “That, my darling, was a secret meeting of the Matchmaking Mamas of Brookeside.”
“They sounded serious.”
He nodded long and slow. “Never underestimate a mother’s intuition in discovering the perfect match for her child.”
“Trust me,” she said. “I won’t.”
They laughed together, and Ian pulled her toward one of the two chairs in the room. He sat first and tugged her onto his lap. “Before we started playing billiards, you mentioned you had something to speak to me about. What was it?”
“Yes, I did,” she hedged.
“And? Are my mother’s machinations scaring you?”
“Though I wonder who they will match next, this is something quite different.”
“Go ahead.”
She swallowed. “Remember how I teased you when you were holding baby Katie a few weeks ago?”
“Ah, yes. You were concerned that our future children would inherit some of our best family traits.”
She giggled. “Well, I was merely testing the waters until I was certain.”
“Certain of what?”
She stared into his sky-blue eyes brimming with love, and her smile wobbled. “Certain that I was with child.”
Those same cerulean eyes widened considerably. “You’re ... you’re with child?”
“It’s still early, but when I went to Town yesterday with Cassandra, I stopped in and saw her doctor.”
His arm tightened around her. “Are you well?”
