“It wasn’t your best effort,” Kitty said blandly.

“In my defense, I plead being dumbstruck by your beauty.” Winkler caught her hand and brought it to his lips. His mouth lingered on her skin, and Kitty felt the heat of his touch radiate up her arm.“Come, my dear,” he said and reached for the candle. “You need your rest. We’ll skate together tomorrow, and then I must return to Lambton.”

Kitty followed him into the main hall. “I wish you didn’t have to depart.”

“I have duties to the community, Catherine,” he reminded her. They turned toward the stairs, but another light brought them up short.

Mr. Bennet stepped from Mr. Darcy’s library. “There you are,” he said.

“Papa! What are you doing up?” Kitty rushed forward to take his arm.

“I promised Mrs. Bennet that I would see you safely returned to the house.” Mr. Bennet’s eyes traced both their appearances and found them presentable. “The colonel explained your need to leave so quickly, Mr. Winkler. I hope you were able to give the woman solace.”

“Thorne was so responsive to the family’s needs. I was so proud of him.”

Mr. Bennet’s eyebrow rose in interest. “Mr. Winkler has a true calling, not like my cousin’s, then?”

Kitty wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Mr. Collins lacks empathy for others. Our cousin is very much like his patroness.”

“Miss Catherine was most valuable in entertaining the children.” Mr. Winkler smiled again at Kitty.

Mr. Bennet chuckled. “I’m sure she was. All my girls, except maybe Lydia, can prove themselves worthy, but we’ll discuss Kitty’s value on the morrow. It’s late, and we each should seek our beds.”

“I am tired,” Kitty admitted. She leaned easily against her father’s arm. “Miss Darcy shall have to deal with the guests without me early on. I assume we heard nothing from Lizzy while Mr. Winkler and I were out.”

“No, and your sister’s absence worries me so,” Mr. Bennet confessed.

Kitty guided her father’s weary steps toward the main stairs. “I wouldn’t worry, Papa. If I know Mr. Darcy, he and Elizabeth are waiting out the storm in the best accommodations money can buy.”



Darcy slid in behind his wife on the newly wrapped mat. After a heated discussion, the Josephs had accepted the bed. Now, Darcy spooned Elizabeth’s body. His arm snaked around her rapidly expanding waist, and his fingers gently stroked her abdomen. As she was likely to do, his wife rewarded him by grinding her hips against him.

Slowly, Darcy raised his hand to her back. Gently, he brushed the hair from her cheek and neck before trailing light kisses along her neck’s nape and behind her ear. With a breath’s whisper, Darcy brushed her ear’s lobe with his lips. “I love you.”

Elizabeth’s right arm reached up and behind his neck. Turning her head sharply to the right, she pulled Darcy’s head and mouth toward hers.

He kissed her thoroughly — Darcy’s mouth asking for her devotion and receiving it. “Love me?” he asked as his mouth hovered above her lips.

“Always,” Elizabeth murmured.

Darcy settled once more behind her and pulled Elizabeth to him. He brushed her hair to the side. Then his hand traced heat down her arm. Finally, it splayed across her extended abdomen. Kissing her shoulder, he whispered, “Mine.”

“Ours.” Her hand clasped his. “Our family.”

Chapter 12

“We’ll pray for your safe journey,” Mr. Joseph said. He and his wife and child had come downstairs to say another farewell to the Darcys.

“Thank you.” Darcy helped Elizabeth with her cloak. He banked his irritation: They were getting a later start than he wanted. Elizabeth and Mrs. Joseph had said their good-byes three times previously. “Mr.Washington has assured me that the roads are passable.”

“Most of the other guests have departed.” Mr. Joseph smiled at the two women. “You may need to carry Mrs. Darcy to your carriage.”

Darcy watched his wife caress the child’s cheek again. “Women and babies,” he said with a wry chuckle. “We men cannot always understand the attraction.”

“I have a better grasp now that I’ve held my son.”

Darcy sighed. “I pray for the same pleasure.”

“In the spring, Mr. Darcy. My Mary believes it to be so.” He extended his hand in parting. “Mary and I owe our child’s life to you and Mrs. Darcy. Young William will know of the Darcys of Pemberley.”


Elizabeth caressed the child’s dark hair and then bent to kiss the baby’s forehead. “Babies always smell like a cloud,” she said softly before sniffing again.

“Not always.” Mrs. Joseph laughed as she took the child from Elizabeth’s arms. “Dirty baby cloths, you know.”

Elizabeth laughed softly. “Thunderclouds.”

Mrs. Joseph’s eyes sparkled in delight. “One way to look at it.” Companionable silence returned. “I’ll never forget you, Elizabeth Darcy. My William shall learn of the woman who calmly escorted him into the world. If there is ever anything the Josephs...” her voice trailed off. “All you must do is ask.”

Elizabeth took one last look at the boy. “Just extra prayers for my own child.”

“You’ll send me word of your safe delivery. Until then, my prayers will drown in your praise.”