James immediately grasped his uncle’s finger with surprising strength, and Damien laughed with pure delight. “Strong grip. He’ll be an excellent horseman.”
“God willing, he’ll be many things,” Dominic said quietly. “But first, he’ll be loved. Completely, unconditionally loved.”
“He will be,” Damien promised, reluctantly returning the baby to Laura’s arms. “By all of us.”
The cottage had grown quiet around them, the afternoon shadows lengthening. Soon they would need to return to London, to face Eleanor and explain everything that had transpired.
“We should return to London,” he said finally. “Eleanor will be worried, and she deserves to hear this story from us rather than from gossip.”
“Is she… will she be angry?” Laura asked hesitantly. “About the deception, the way we’ve complicated your marriage?”
Damien considered the question seriously. “She’ll be relieved,” he said finally. “She’s too wise for anger.”
New Beginnings
Eleanor stood atthe drawing room window, watching the London street with growing anticipation as the afternoon light began to fade. Damien’s message had been brief but momentous:Croft arrested. Bringing family home. Much to explain.–D
The word “family” had sent her heart racing with possibilities she hadn’t dared to imagine. When the carriage bearing the Westmore crest finally appeared through the drawing room window, Eleanor’s heart skipped a beat. She immediately abandoned her post and hurried through the corridor, her silk skirts rustling as she made her way to the entrance hall.
She reached the front door just as Simmons was stepping forward to greet the arrivals. Eleanor positioned herself in the doorway, watching with growing anticipation as the carriage door opened.
Damien descended first, his face bearing the exhaustion of the travel but also something else—a lightness she hadn’t seen since she’d known him. Eleanor ignored the tightness in her chest as her husband turned to assist Lady Laura from the carriage, his manner protective and cautious. The uncomfortable feeling was forgotten, however, the momentshe saw a small bundle appearing from inside the carriage. Damien cradled the babe with so much tender care that filled Eleanor’s heart with unexpected emotion. Before she could fully appreciate the tableau, a man who bore such a striking resemblance to Damien that he could only be Dominic, alighted.
Eleanor stepped forward to greet them, her heart racing with mixed emotions. The little group approached with obvious uncertainty, as though unsure of their welcome by the mistress in this grand house.
“Eleanor,” Damien said, his voice carrying a mixture of joy and apprehension. “May I present my brother Dominic, his wife Laura, and their son James.”
Eleanor felt the world tilt slightly as the pieces fell into place.His wife.Laura wasn’t Damien’s former lover clinging to the past—she was Dominic’s wife, the mother of his child and now, her sister-by-marriage.
Relief flooded through her so powerfully that she placed a hand on her chest to steady her heart. Then, gathering her composure, she greeted her family.
“Laura,” Eleanor said with a smile, “welcome to the family. I’m so pleased to finally meet you properly.”
Laura’s eyes sparkled with relief. “Your Grace, I cannot express how grateful we are for your hospitality.”
“Think nothing of it,” Eleanor interrupted gently. “We are family now, after all.”
Dominic stepped forward, his face sheepish. “Your Grace, I owe you an apology for the distress I must have caused.”
“You owe me nothing,” Eleanor said firmly. “Though I would very much like to meet my nephew properly.”
The transformation in Dominic’s expression was remarkable—shame giving way to unmistakable pride as he looked down at the infant in Damien’s arms. “Your Grace, may I do the honour of presenting Master James Westmore,” he said dramatically.
Eleanor gasped, marveling at the baby’s round face and tiny hands. James opened his eyes and studied her with solemn curiosity.
“Hello, little one,” she whispered, surprised by the fierce protectiveness that immediately bloomed in her chest. “I’m your Aunt Eleanor.”
She looked up to find Damien watching her with an expression of such tender intensity that she felt heat rise to her neck. She saw his thoughts through his gaze—images of children with his dark hair and her blue eyes, of this house filled with laughter and small voices, of the family they could build together.
“He’s beautiful,” she said, her voice catching slightly. “Absolutely perfect.”
“He has the Westmore disposition,” Laura said with a soft smile. “Serious and thoughtful, but with moments of unpredicted mischief.”
Eleanor laughed softly, still marveling at the perfect little face in Damien’s arms. “Then he’ll fit right into this family.” She looked up at the travel-weary group before her. “But where are my manners? You must all be exhausted from your ordeal. Come, let’s go to the drawing room where you can be comfortable.”
She placed a gentle hand on Laura’s arm as she led the way. “Mrs. Wright has prepared chambers for you. She’ll have appropriate furnishings brought for the nursery. James will have his own space, though I imagine you’ll prefer to keep him close initially.”
“You’re so thoughtful,” Laura said, tears threatening to spill. “I don’t know how to thank you for your kindness.”