Page 21 of How to Catch an Heiress

Chapter Eight

Chastity couldn’t have been more wrong about married life…and her family. She had expected her sisters to go their separate ways, and had thought that she would be lucky to see them on occasional holidays. Lucy spent at least two days a week as Gledstone. Olivia’s husband worked closely with Stirling on a new shipping venture they’d formed, which meant he and Olivia hadn’t returned to Lossiemouth as he’d originally planned. He’d agreed to give up the rented townhouse, for a twenty minute ride was too much—so the men said—for them to work the late nights they had planned. And Jessica, well, Jessica had taken to running her husband’s estate, Baldain House, with such gusto that she constantly called upon Chastity for help and advice.

As had become their custom on Sunday afternoons, they all sat in the parlor after the afternoon meal, the men playing chess while Lucy and Olivia watched. Jessica sat with Chastity on the divan near the hearth. Today, a guest quietly talked business with Stirling in the chairs near the open balcony doors. Stirling looked up and Chastity resisted the urge to yank her gaze away when his eyes locked with hers. He had an uncanny way of knowing when she was looking at him. Or maybe he was simply arrogant enough to know she was too-often looking at him. A smile curved his mouth and she figured the answer was the latter: the man was confident. He knew she belonged to him heart, body, and soul.

“Have you told him yet?” Jessica asked.

Chastity broke from her thoughts and looked at her sisters. “What?”

“Have you told him you’re expecting a baby?”

Chastity started. “What—how did you know?”

Jessica’s eyes sparkled. “Because I am going to have a baby, too.”

Tears sprang to her eyes. “Oh, Jessica.” They hugged, and from the corner of her eye, Chastity saw the curious look on her husband’s face. She forced back tears as she and Jessica separated.

Jessica said, “I haven’t told Patrick yet. I plan to do so when we return home today.”

Chastity nodded, unable to speak.

“Oh dear, here comes trouble.” Jessica laughed.

Chastity looked up. Stirling was striding toward them. Trouble, was right.

“I think I’ll leave you to your ogre,” Jessica whispered.

“Jessica,” Chastity hissed, but her sister only pressed a kiss to her cheek before hurrying away.

Stirling reached her and lowered himself onto the divan beside her. “Your sister seems in especially good humor today.”

Chastity gave him a narrow-eyed look, but said nothing.

He lifted a brow. “Is there an announcement in the offing?”

Of course, he knew. He seemed to know everything—well, almost everything. He didn’t yet know the topic of her announcement.

“What business were you and Lord Benton discussing?” she asked.

“The young lordling is experiencing a bit of a dilemma,” he replied. “He is in love with a certain young lady who seems not to know he exists.”

“What—never say you are playing marriage maker again?” She rolled her eyes. “Good Lord.”

He gave a careless shrug, but she glimpsed the twinkle in his eye. “I have come to have a soft spot in my heart for seeing true love prevail.”

“More like, you enjoy dabbling in others’ lives,” she said.

“They do make it easy.” He leaned back against the cushion. “Unlike you, wife, who I am still trying to figure out.”

“Rubbish,” she said. “You are certain you have me figured out.”

He grunted. “Hardly. Though I have figured out that we will have a child in less than eight months.”

She started. “But how did you know?”

His eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “A man notices certain changes in his wife’s body—when he pays attention.”

To her chagrin, she couldn’t halt the warmth that spread up her cheeks.