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Authors: Kirsten Osbourne
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heavily. “You are going to be my sister-in-law. Just wait.” She stood with the baby in her arms. “For now, though, you’re going to be my savior. Let’s get these bab ies upstairs to bed, and then I’ll show you your room.”
Constance stood, holding the baby carefully against her. She hadn’t spent a great deal of time around young children being an only child, but she had always enjoyed them. She followed Lily upstairs and to the nursery. Both babies were put into their beds and they quietly tiptoed out of the room.
Once they were in the hall, Lily put her hand through Constance’s arm. “My best friend is my maid, Bernice.” She whispered the words as if she were sharing a huge secret with Constance.
Constance laughed. “So you like the idea of your brother marrying your nurse.”
“It doesn’t bother me at all. I was raised in the country, just like my brother was. Class distinctions just aren’t as important here.” She opened a door that was next to the nursery. “This is your room.”
Constance looked around the room. It was simply furnished with a small bed and a dresser with a mirror over it. There was a wardrobe off to one side to hang her clothes in. It was nicer than any room she’d had since her parents had died. “It’s perfect. Thank you!”
Lily smiled. “If you want to make any changes, do so. We’ll have dinner in about thirty minutes, so go ahead and get dressed if you want to change. You’re fine the way you are, though.”
Constance looked at the other woman in surprise. “You want me to have dinner with the family?” She knew things weren’t done that way.
Lily shrugged. “We don’t stand on ceremony here. Besides, I’m not going to tell my future sister-in-law she has to eat with the servants.” She closed the door behind her as she left the room, obviously pleased with her parting remark.
Constance sat on the edge of the bed for a moment thinking about what Lily had said. She really thought Charles would marry her? He certainly didn’t seem to think it was a good idea.
*****
Instead of leaving right away, Charles sought out Kit. He liked the other man despite having to protect his sister’s honor with his fists when he’d first discovered he was the man to have ruined Lily.
He knocked on the other man’s study, standing outside the door waiting. “Enter!”
Charles opened the door and walked inside. “Do you have a few minutes?”
Kit looked at him warily. “That depends. Are you going to hit me or talk to me?”
Charles smiled. “I’m done hitting you. I did what I had to do for my sister.”
“Oh, I know that, but I still see you and want to rub my eye.” He waved to the seat across from his huge oak desk. “What can I do for you?”
Charles wasn’t sure how to say what he needed to say, so he just blurted it right out. “I’m in love with your nurse.”
Kit frowned. “My nurse? Oh! Constance. Is she here now?” He started to stand to go and see if Lily was pleased.
“Yes, I’m in love with Constance. Aren’t you shocked?”
Kit looked at his brother-in-law and realized that right at that moment, he needed him more than Lily did. “No, I’m not shocked. I saw how you were looking at her at dinner the other night.”
Charles sighed. “I didn’t realize I was so obvious.”
Kit laughed softly. “No man has ever been more obvious. Well, except me with Lily maybe.”
“I can’t marry her! She’s a servant.”
“She was raised country gentry. It’s not a match that London matrons would approve of certainly, but you live in the country. Your whole life is here except for when you’re in town for parliament. You can leave her at home then or take her with you. No one will mind either way.” Kit shrugged. “That obstacle is only in your mind.”
Charles leaned back in his chair. “And my
Constance stood, holding the baby carefully against her. She hadn’t spent a great deal of time around young children being an only child, but she had always enjoyed them. She followed Lily upstairs and to the nursery. Both babies were put into their beds and they quietly tiptoed out of the room.
Once they were in the hall, Lily put her hand through Constance’s arm. “My best friend is my maid, Bernice.” She whispered the words as if she were sharing a huge secret with Constance.
Constance laughed. “So you like the idea of your brother marrying your nurse.”
“It doesn’t bother me at all. I was raised in the country, just like my brother was. Class distinctions just aren’t as important here.” She opened a door that was next to the nursery. “This is your room.”
Constance looked around the room. It was simply furnished with a small bed and a dresser with a mirror over it. There was a wardrobe off to one side to hang her clothes in. It was nicer than any room she’d had since her parents had died. “It’s perfect. Thank you!”
Lily smiled. “If you want to make any changes, do so. We’ll have dinner in about thirty minutes, so go ahead and get dressed if you want to change. You’re fine the way you are, though.”
Constance looked at the other woman in surprise. “You want me to have dinner with the family?” She knew things weren’t done that way.
Lily shrugged. “We don’t stand on ceremony here. Besides, I’m not going to tell my future sister-in-law she has to eat with the servants.” She closed the door behind her as she left the room, obviously pleased with her parting remark.
Constance sat on the edge of the bed for a moment thinking about what Lily had said. She really thought Charles would marry her? He certainly didn’t seem to think it was a good idea.
*****
Instead of leaving right away, Charles sought out Kit. He liked the other man despite having to protect his sister’s honor with his fists when he’d first discovered he was the man to have ruined Lily.
He knocked on the other man’s study, standing outside the door waiting. “Enter!”
Charles opened the door and walked inside. “Do you have a few minutes?”
Kit looked at him warily. “That depends. Are you going to hit me or talk to me?”
Charles smiled. “I’m done hitting you. I did what I had to do for my sister.”
“Oh, I know that, but I still see you and want to rub my eye.” He waved to the seat across from his huge oak desk. “What can I do for you?”
Charles wasn’t sure how to say what he needed to say, so he just blurted it right out. “I’m in love with your nurse.”
Kit frowned. “My nurse? Oh! Constance. Is she here now?” He started to stand to go and see if Lily was pleased.
“Yes, I’m in love with Constance. Aren’t you shocked?”
Kit looked at his brother-in-law and realized that right at that moment, he needed him more than Lily did. “No, I’m not shocked. I saw how you were looking at her at dinner the other night.”
Charles sighed. “I didn’t realize I was so obvious.”
Kit laughed softly. “No man has ever been more obvious. Well, except me with Lily maybe.”
“I can’t marry her! She’s a servant.”
“She was raised country gentry. It’s not a match that London matrons would approve of certainly, but you live in the country. Your whole life is here except for when you’re in town for parliament. You can leave her at home then or take her with you. No one will mind either way.” Kit shrugged. “That obstacle is only in your mind.”
Charles leaned back in his chair. “And my
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