Epilogue

7 years later . . .

Louisa stared down at two small, mud covered hands as they clung to a slimy green frog. "William Robert, you will apologize to your sister this instant."

"But I didn't do anything!" William's deep blue eyes peered up at her, his brown hair a scraggly mess as if he were a feral creature instead of the son of a duke. "Liza is lying to get me in trouble." William stared down at his wiggly frog with a slight pout to his lip as the frog did everything within its power to free itself.

Robert sighed beside her, and Louisa glanced over to see the defeated slump to his shoulders as he propped his hands on his hips. "William," he said, his tone that of a father about to deliver consequences. "Liza has the mud in her hair to prove it."

"Benjamin told me to do it," William shot back, pulling his frog closer to his body as if to protect it.

Louisa shook her head. "And if Benjamin told you to jump off a cliff, would you?"

William looked up at the sky, and for a moment, Louisa assumed he had completely lost his line of thought.

Finally, he gave his small shoulders a shrug. "Probably."

Well, so much for that argument.

"William, you need to go inside and apologize to Liza. She was very proud of the braids in her hair today and is upset that they must now be removed to get it washed." Louisa was feeling quite proud of the authority in her tone, until she noticed Robert's shoulders shaking. "Robert," she hissed. "Are you laughing?"

He kept his head down, shaking his head.

"Go," Louisa ordered their second-born, pointing toward the house, "and apologize. Your father and I shall be in shortly to go over your punishment." She rolled her eyes as Robert's laughter became more and more obvious.

William looked over at Robert. "Why are Daddy's shoulders shaking?"

Louisa stepped forward, taking William's shoulders and turning him toward the house. "Because he feels very badly for your sister. So much so that he is in tears."

"No!" William said with a gasp, trying to glance over his shoulder to catch another glimpse.

"Yes." Louisa gently pressed him onward, forcing him toward the house. "Now go inside and we will be there in five minutes."

William's steps were decidedly slower than Louisa would like, but at least he was moving. "You always say five minutes, but last time I watched the clock and it was at least ten."

"I am glad your tutor has done such a good job of teaching you how to tell time." She pressed him ahead once more. "Now go."

"Fine," William agreed with all the exasperation a boy of four could possibly muster. He drug his feet in the grass, as if he had all the time in the world.

"And keep the frog outside ," Louisa called after him.

The frog had finally seemed to give up a bit of its fight, its long legs hanging in defeat. But Louisa did not stand and watch to make sure William followed the instruction to leave it outside. Instead, she spun about, marching back to Robert.

"Excuse me," she said. "But what was that about? Are you not supposed to be the authoritative duke who keeps his children in order?"

Robert finally brought his head up, a large smile creasing his cheeks. "Did you see his face? And the frog? How could I not laugh?"

"Like this." Louisa crossed her arms, raising her brow and keeping her mouth a flat line. But even as she tried, she felt the corner of her mouth twitch.

"See?" Robert pointed at the smile she was desperately trying to fight. "You cannot keep a straight face either."

"At least I waited until William could no longer see." Louisa looked back to see him kneeling in the grass, watching as his frog hopped away. She turned back to Robert and found him watching William as well.

Robert narrowed his eyes. "One shilling says that that frog will be in William's bed tonight."

"Or Liza's," Louisa mumbled.

"Or Benjamin's." Robert shook his head, smiling and walking over to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing the top of her head before stepping back and cradling her ample belly. "And what about you, Little One?" He looked down. "Shall you get into as much mischief as all of your siblings? Or will you be like your Uncle Henry and be the epitome of restraint?" Robert's eyes flicked to Louisa. "One can always hope."

A laugh bubbled out of her. "At this point I would not count on it. Even Henry's sons are not like Henry."

He shrugged. "Perhaps Edwin. He is the most reserved of them all."

"I fear it is too soon to tell. He is only four." Louisa stretched her back, then turned toward the house. "We had better get going. William has assured me he will be watching the clock for our timely arrival."

"Ah, now that sounds like me." Robert stepped beside her, offering his arm.

She gratefully took it, hefting more weight upon it than usual, walking as fast as her advanced state would allow.

"Goodness, my feet are sore." Louisa stopped, wiggling her toes in her slipper. "I cannot wait any longer. The doctor keeps making promises, yet here we are. I only wish to be able to see my shoes when I look at my feet. Is that so much to ask?" She glanced up at Robert and found him biting his lip, attempting to hide a smile.

"I'm sure it will be any day now."

"I have heard that before," Louisa said with a huff. "You are only attempting to placate me."

Robert led them forward again. "Nonsense. Logic stands that one day it will happen. And with every day that passes, the odds are that much more in your favor." He looked down and gave her a wide grin.

Louisa gave a final huff, shaking her head. "Now," she began, switching to the issue more immediately at hand, "you cannot laugh when we get inside. You must be the stoic duke I know you can be."

"Yes, but that's with strangers. These are our children." A ghost of a smile remained on his lips as he looked toward their destination.

A chuckle slipped out as she said, "Goodness, we are hopeless."

"Yes." Robert brought his free hand over, covering her fingers that clung to his arm. "Hopelessly happy."

Louisa felt her throat swell again and her vision went blurry, and she was thankful for Robert's steadying arm.

The day went by in a flurry of frogs, ribbons and braids, aching feet, and most importantly, laughter.

Robert and Louisa went to each child's room, kissing their brow, saying prayers and listening to them go on about their adventures during the day. Robert managed to spy a lump in William's mattress and removed the frog before they left.

"I told him not to bring that into bed," Benjamin said from across the room, tucked in tightly.

"Of course you did," Louisa said, a smile in her voice. Her legs were spent and she was more than ready to climb into bed herself for the evening.

She and Robert slipped through the boy's bedroom door, leaving it open a small crack. "I am so tired," Louisa said, leaning her back against the doorframe.

"You go on to bed." Robert pressed a quick kiss to her brow, then looked down at his hand with a grimace. "And I shall put this poor creature back outside."

"Poor creature?" Louisa laughed. "He has been treated like a prince today."

The creases on Robert's brow only deepened as he scowled at the amphibian, turning and heading toward the stairs.

"You know we have servants for that," Louisa called after him.

"I fear they have endured enough today. I shall take care of this." And then he disappeared down the stairs.

Louisa slowly made her way to their bedchamber down the hall. As she opened the door, she heard the welcoming thump of Prince's tail against his pillow. "Yes, I know," she cooed, waddling over to him. "You need some attention too." Prince lifted his head, anticipating his nightly scratch. He harrumphed when she apparently stopped before his approval. "I am tired tonight," she said. "You are lucky I scratched your ears at all."

Louisa's maid readied her for bed, and just as Beatrice left the room, Robert entered, striding to the wash bin. He scrubbed his hands, then began removing his attire.

"Are you not going to call in Norman?" Louisa asked, settling into the pillows with a sigh. Ah, sweet relief.

"Not tonight." He removed his cufflinks, placing them on top of his night table. "I already told him he was excused for the evening."

Louisa smiled to herself as she watched him. Her husband was just as handsome today as he was the day she married him.

"Excuse me," Robert said lazily as he draped his shirt over a chair. "Are you ogling me?"

"Yes," Louisa answered, unashamed. She turned onto her side to make herself more comfortable—and to make her view better. She spun her finger in the air. "Could you turn to the side, please?"

He laughed, throwing a nightshirt over his head. "How about I come join you instead?" Finishing with his buttons, he walked over and slid onto the bed, letting out a sigh. "Goodness, I am tired. I cannot imagine how you must feel." He reached over to his night table, grabbing his spectacles and then draping them over his ears.

"That is unfair." Louisa reached a hand up, trailing it across Robert's chest. "You know I cannot resist you in your eyeglasses."

"Is that so?" He feigned surprise. "I had no idea." A smile lit his face and he leaned nearer, pressing his lips against hers.

Louisa wasn't sure how long they had been kissing before Prince began snoring in his bed.

Robert pulled back, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Must we really keep him in our room? He is getting old and making more noises with every year that passes."

Louisa toyed with the back of Robert's hair and he closed his eyes with a moan, laying his head down on his pillow.

Distraction was her best resource.

Unfortunately, he seemed to catch on, his eyes jolting open. "You didn't answer my question."

Louisa looked over to her little dog, his hind leg kicking out as if chasing some creature. "He is getting old, Robert. I do not know how much longer he shall be around." Her eyes blurred again and Robert sat up, putting his hand to her back.

"Of course. I'm sorry. I am only tired. And his snoring . . ."

They both glanced over at Prince, who had further sprawled across his pillow, his snores growing louder.

"I find it sweet." She turned, leaning down and giving Robert a quick peck on the lips.

He gently caught her neck before she retreated too far, apparently unsatisfied with Louisa's chaste kiss and taking his time to show her how it should be done. She did not complain.

Finally, he loosed his hold and she pulled back, his blue eyes holding hers, his hair rumpled, and her heart suddenly ached. To think she almost missed out on this life of theirs. Watching him be an amazing father to their children, experiencing just how much love he was capable of.

It had been years, and yet still, she would randomly be struck by the thought and it would take her breath away.

"What are you thinking about?" Robert's deep voice rumbled in his chest as he laid on his pillow, staring up at her where she sat.

She ran her fingers through his hair, then trailed her fingers across his cheeks, feeling the slight stubble beneath her fingertips. "How much I love you. And how my foolishness almost cost me everything."

He turned his face into her hand, kissing her palm. "I wouldn't have let that happen. I told you I would wait."

"And was it worth the wait?" Her hair tumbled across her shoulders as she leaned slightly closer.

His eyes trailed up her arms and shoulders until they met her gaze. "You were always worth it, Louisa."

She leaned down until their lips met again, assuring herself that he was indeed there and real and it was not some dream she had conjured in her mind.

Robert pulled her head back so their lips barely touched, cradling her cheek. "My Duchess."