Page 53 of A Baby to Seal the Duke’s Fate

Cecily’s attention shifted almost at once. She turned toward the stream, made a determined little sound, and began pulling herself forward again.

“Cecily,” Honora said, already reaching for her, “no, stay where you are.”

The baby did not stop.

Honora rose, one hand already extended, and followed her toward the edge of the lawn. The bank near the stream had looked firm from the path, but up close she could see the water had softened the ground in patches, the mud near the slope dark and slick from recent rain.

She stopped short. Cecily, too distracted to notice, patted Honora’s sleeve with both hands and looked extremely pleased that Honora had followed her. Honora crouched to lift the child, but the wet soil made her movements unpredictable.

Her foot slipped, and for one terrifying second, the world tilted. Honora felt the mud give under her heel and her balance go with it. Her arms tightened instinctively around Cecily. The baby gave a surprised babble, unaware of the impact they were about to take when they met the ground. Honora’s other hand shot out for the bank, but there was nothing firm enough to catch.

I will fall on Cecily, she realized with horror. I cannot turn enough to fall under her now. My weight will injure her terribly…

Then, a hand closed around her wrist. She looked up just in time to gasp sharply at the face.

Leopold.

It seemed that he had come from the path above the stream so quietly that she had not heard him until he was already there. One hand held her steady at the elbow. The other reached for Cecily. Honora saw that he had already bent to take the baby from her arms with calm efficiency.

“Steady,” he said. “It is all right. I have you both.” His voice was low and calm but reassuring.

Cecily, instead of protesting, gave a delighted little squeal and clung at once to his coat as though the rescue had been part of some plan of hers.

Honora was still half crouched on the muddy bank, her heart beating hard enough to leave her dizzy, when Leopold braced her with one hand and lifted the child with the other. They stood like that for a moment longer than the rescue required. Honora’s dress was already mud-splashed at the hem. Her hands were shaking.

Leopold’s palm remained at her arm, firm enough to keep her upright but not so tight as to feel like a restraint. He looked at her face once, quickly, then at her footing.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

Honora blinked. “I did not fall.”

He searched her expression for a moment. “That was not what I asked.”

She let out a breath she had not realized she was holding. “I am fine, Your Grace.”

Cecily babbled through the whole exchange as though she were delighted by the fuss and entirely unconcerned by the fact that everyone else had nearly fallen into the stream.

Leopold adjusted his grip on her. “You are muddy.”

Honora looked down at herself. “Yes.”

“And shaken.”

She lifted her eyes back to him.

He was not looking at her dress, but at her face, and there was nothing amused in it now. Only concern.

“I am fine,” she repeated, more quietly. “I had a fright for Cecily’s safety, but all is well now.”

Leopold’s hand left her arm only after he seemed satisfied that she was not about to slide further down the bank. “You can go and change.”

Honora stared at him. “Cecily.”

“I will watch her.”

She hesitated, looking from his face to the child on his hip. Cecily had already settled there as though she belonged. One small hand was fisted in Leopold’s coat. Her cheek was pressed to his shoulder.

The baby had gone perfectly still in his arms, not unlike the way she did with Honora. Perhaps calmer. She thought about Mrs. Pritchard telling her about how the duke had taken Cecily for a walk in the gardens himself while she rested the day before. She did not understand the duke’s fondness for Cecily, but she found that she appreciated it.