Page 86 of The Duke of Lies
“As soon as we get home,” Kit vowed.
“Home. I like the sound of that.” Her brow creased slightly. “And you’re fine with it being on land?”
“Home is with you and Beau, wherever that is. You have my whole heart and my entire soul, and I don’t ever want them back.”
She leaned up and put her lips on his. “Good, because you can’t have them.”
Epilogue
September 1818
The warm sunroused Verity from her nap atop the blanket. She blinked as she rose from the pillow Kit had thoughtfully brought along and looked out to the pond, where Beau was rowing the boat. Even from this distance, she could see how hard he was working to get them back to the dock.
It was a blissful sight—her son and her husband together in a happy activity. Kit had spent the summer building the dock and teaching Beau to swim. He’d also taught Verity, but she didn’t like to put her head under like Beau did. He was, she decided, part fish.
And now, with her belly swelling with Kit’s child, she much preferred to nap. It had been like this with Beau too, but the persistent need to sleep had lessened at some point, and she anticipated it was happening now as she hadn’t felt the need to nap in a few days. Today, however, with the sun and the birds and the overall sense of contentment, she’d easily drifted off.
The boat hit the dock, and Beau jumped out to lash it to the side as Kit had taught him. He’d learned so many things from his father over the past few months.
And yes, Kit was his father in every sense of the word.
Telling Beau had gone well. He’d been sad to hear that his real father was dead, but glad that they were bringing him home. They’d decided not to tell him of his grandfather’s involvement. He’d learn of it some day, but not yet. And he’d never see him again, for Horatio was already on his way to Australia on a convict ship after Verity had pleaded—via letter—for that sentence instead of hanging.
Simon had been right—the ensuing scandal had been massive. Everyone was talking about the shocking discovery of the Duke of Blackburn’s body in his father-in-law’s garden. People clamored to catch sight of the widowed duchess and the man who’d pretended to be the duke. That he’d done so to flush out her father’s crimes was a particularly scrumptious bit of the gossip, of which there was plenty to devour.
After cramming their sightseeing into a day and a half, Verity and Kit had swept Beau, who was now the Duke of Blackburn, out of London. He wouldn’t take his seat in the Lords for many years, and so there was no need for them to return to London any time soon.
The scandal in Blackburn was far less, though they did attract attention wherever they went. The staff at Beaumont Tower and the retainers didn’t particularly mind that Kit was Captain Powell and not His Grace. In fact, a few had even said they were glad to know hewasn’tthe duke. They were, to a person, including Thomas, delighted for Verity and for their obvious happiness.
So it was that they’d settled into an idyllic peace in which their family would gain a new member come early spring. In the meantime, they were to journey to Lyndhurst in a few days so that Verity could attend Diana’s birth. Nick and Violet would be there too, and Violet was also expecting a child around the new year.
Beau bounded along the dock and ran to the blanket. “Did you watch, or were you sleeping the whole time?”
“Not the whole time. I saw you row to the dock quite expertly and then tie up the boat. You’ve become quite accomplished.”
His little chest puffed up, and he glanced at Kit as he walked up behind him. “Thank you. Papa says so too.”
“You’re a natural sailor,” Kit said, clasping Beau’s shoulder briefly before depositing himself on the blanket next to Verity.
“I can’t wait to take a boat on the ocean when we visit Aunt Diana and Uncle Simon!”
They’d planned a side trip to Southampton, where they would take a boat to the Isle of Wight for a couple of days. Kit was ridiculously giddy about it and Verity terribly excited to see him in his element.
Kit turned his head to Beau with a grin. “Maybe we’ll convince your mother that we need a ship.” He tossed a wink toward Verity.
“Papa, we are far too busy here at Beaumont Tower for that.” Beau sounded as if he were thirty-six instead of six, causing both Verity and Kit to burst into laughter. Beau looked between them. “What’s so funny?”
Verity managed to draw a breath. “Nothing, dear. You are just incredibly wonderful. Do you want a cake? There are still some in the hamper.” She inclined her head toward the picnic basket on the edge of the blanket.
“Yes, please. I’m just going to go check on the bird nest over there. I suspect they’ll be flying south soon.” He went to the basket, found two cakes, and began munching as he walked a short ways from the blanket to survey his avian friends.
“We’re going to have a bird in the house some day,” Kit said. “Mark my words.”
Verity sighed as she lay back on her pillow and looked up at the clouds floating across the pristine blue sky. “Probably.”
A shadow fell as Kit came over her and dropped a kiss on her lips. “Are you feeling all right?”
Mornings could be a challenge, but by afternoon, she was usually just fine. “Yes, thank you.”
