Page 43 of A Baby to Seal the Duke’s Fate

Barnaby nodded as though that answer had told him something. “Good.”

Honora looked at him for a moment longer than she intended and then filed him away as a problem. He noticed too much. He did it politely, which made him worse because she never knew what he was thinking of doing with anything she told him.

Beside them, Leopold shifted Cecily higher on his shoulder and glanced down at her. Cecily seemed to nestle more deeply into the duke and sighed again with perfect contentment. The duke simply held Cecily and looked out over the garden wall. Honora noticed that he looked rather happy and content, as well.

A moment later, a horse appeared there.

The rider slowed near the wall, reined in, and leaned slightly forward in the saddle. She was tall, dark-haired, and carried herself with the careless certainty of a woman who had no interest in pretending to be meek for anyone’s comfort.

Behind her, another horse appeared. Atop it sat a woman with pale brown hair tied in a tight bun and wearing a plain gray dress. She quickly positioned herself beside the dark haired woman, watching Leopold and Barnaby cautiously.

“Leopold,” the dark-haired woman called.

Leopold looked up at once. “Sabina.”

The woman’s horse pawed at the ground. She smiled down at him with open amusement. “So the rumors are true.”

Leopold’s expression did not change. “Partly.”

Sabina’s eyes shifted to the baby in his arms. “You are the father, then?”

“No. I said partly. That is the part that is not true.”

She laughed, clearly delighted by that answer, though whether it was because she believed him or because she did not, Honora could not tell. “Good. The county needed something interesting.”

Honora glanced once at Barnaby. He was watching the woman on horseback with an expression Honora could not immediately read.

Sabina’s gaze slid to him next. “And who is this?”

Barnaby stepped forward and bowed his head with easy politeness. “This is Barnaby Henshaw, Viscount Dunsmere.” He paused, turning to Barnaby. “Barnaby, this is my friend, Miss Sabina Montrose.” He glanced back toward the other woman. “And that is her lady’s maid, I believe.”

“Her name is Susan Wilson, Leopold,” Sabina said with a nod.

Leopold gave the lady’s maid a nod.

“Good day, Miss Wilson,” he said.

The young woman gave him a sheepish nod, but she said nothing.

Sabina’s brows lifted, turning her attention back to Barnaby. “I have heard of you. My father has had business dealings with your father and uncle. I expected someone taller.”

Barnaby grinned. “I will make a note of the disappointment.”

That drew a laugh from Sabina, who seemed to find him exactly as amusing as he found himself.

She tipped her chin toward Leopold. “You have a way of collecting odd company.”

Leopold gave her a dry look. “You came to observe it, apparently.”

“Only briefly.” Sabina adjusted the skirts of her riding habit over the sidesaddle and regarded the group with the bright interest of someone who enjoyed a story the moment it became public. “Well, with the whole district talking, I thought I should see the famous baby for myself.”

Honora felt her pulse rise.

Leopold did not look at her. “As you can see, she is real.”

Sabina’s smile widened. “And very precious, although I do not see much of a resemblance. Pity. I had hoped for something more dramatic.”

Barnaby folded his hands behind his back. “That suggests you enjoy theatrics.”