“Arabella, darling,” Adrian called as he rushed out of his chambers. He had been on the verge of drifting off to sleep when he recalled something important for the following day. He lifted his hand to knock gently on his wife’s bedchambers when the door gently opened. Arabella stood there, dressed in a modest pink nightgown and matching floor-length robe. Her light brown hair flowed down her shoulders, but the pink in her cheeks told Adrian that she was still awake when he had summoned her.

“Can you not sleep, dear?” she asked, her lips twitching with a hint of bemusement.

Adrian shook his head, chewing his lip.

“I almost forgot that I could not find the list of our final preparations to make for tomorrow,” he said. “I meant to add some things to that list and have it ready for Mrs. Winters tomorrow morning.”

Arabella giggled, shaking her head as she took Adrian’s hands.

“Oh, my dear,” she said, gesturing toward her desk, which was littered with papers and her ink well and quill. “I know that you wish to have fresh lilies plucked from the garden precisely one hour before guests arrive, as they are Eleanor’s favorite flower, and you want the smell fresh and potent when she comes. I know that you want Madeira wine instead of port with dinner, and I know that you wish to play Conundrums, rather than Charades.”

Adrian blinked, staring at his wife in awe.

“How do you remember all those things?” he asked. “I did not even remember the wine choices until you mentioned them just now.”

Arabella stood on her toes to kiss him gently on the cheek.

“After five years of us hosting our yearly summer party for our loved ones, how could I forget what you prefer for them?” she asked.

Adrian sighed, smiling lovingly at his wife. Even after years of marriage, she still found ways to surprise him every day and make him fall more in love with her, as well.

“You are the most perfect duchess that Norenshire could ever have,” he said, cupping her face in his hands.

Arabella blushed, even as she met his eyes with a confident gaze.

“And you best not forget it, Your Grace,” she teased, lightly tapping his nose with her finger. “Now off to bed with you. We cannot risk you waking a certain three-year-old little boy.”

Adrian chuckled softly, thinking about the cherub that was Arabella’s and his son. George Norfolk looked just like his father, with the exception of his eyes, which were identical to his mother’s determined, shining ones. And he had her bold attitude, which made him a boisterous little boy. He was a good child, but full of energy. And no matter what time it was, from the instant his eyes opened in wakefulness, he was ready to play and engage in toddler mischief.

“Forgive me, darling,” he said, kissing his wife once more. “I shall retire. I love you, Arabella.”

Arabella beamed up at him, stroking his cheek.

“I love you, too, Adrian,” she said. “Now get some rest. Our loved ones will be here before we know it tomorrow.”

Adrian nodded, bidding his wife goodnight and waving as she closed the door softly. He made his way back to his chambers, humming softly to himself. Five years prior, he would never have dreamed of singing softly as he got into his bed. But he fell asleep humming a tune from the first opera he ever saw with his beloved wife, Il matrimonio segreto.

***

The following day, the Norenshire country estate buzzed with activity as the carriages of Arabella’s and Adrian’s friends and family began to arrive. Arabella helped Betsy dress a certain toddler, who was restless from the excited energy he sensed from his parents, into a pale blue outfit. Betsy lifted the squirming boy into her arms and followed Arabella down the stairs to prepare to greet their guests. She was hardly surprised to find Adrian standing in the entry way, already greeting the first of those to enter their home.

“Welcome,” he bellowed as Victoria and Edwin entered. He kissed Victoria’s cheek, then bent his head to kiss the heads of the twin one-year-old girls who nestled comfortable in the arms of their parents. “Good day to the loveliest little girls in the whole ton.”

Edwin gasped in mock horror as Arabella approached, looking at Adrian as if he had been terribly offended.

“And what does that make me?” he asked, shaking his head and clicking his tongue at his friend.

Adrian snorted, looking at Edwin with mock disgust.

“The ugliest old man I have ever laid eyes upon,” he said.

Victoria laughed loudly, causing the baby she was holding to stir. But the girl simply looked up at her mother as though she were mad before drifting back off to sleep.

“She is accustomed to her father’s jesting,” she said softly to Arabella.

Arabella embraced her cousin, kissing Edwin on the cheek and stroking the heads of the twin girls.

“I wager that at least one of them will turn out to be just like him,” she said with a giggle.

Victoria rolled her eyes, but her smile had never been wider.

“It will likely be Hannah,” she said, gesturing to the baby Edwin held. “Vanessa here is tolerant, but serious, even being so young.”

Arabella grinned at Hannah, who was awake and looking around. When she saw Arabella, she smiled, waving a small fist at her.

“And it will be the most precious thing any of us have ever seen,” she said.

Edwin smiled at his friend as he clapped him on the back.

“I dare say that marriage suits you quite well,” he said. “I believe you have softened with all the happiness over these years.”

Adrian nodded, looking at his friend intently.

“I cannot even begin to explain,” he said.

With George hanging onto her skirts, she wrapped her arm around Adrian.

“I can,” she said. “And it begins and ends with I love you.”

Adrian looked lovingly at her.

“And I love you, darling,” he said.

Serena and her husband, Viscount Ronald Chestfield, were the next to arrive. A little girl with bouncing, light brown curls led the way, tugging at her father’s breeches. Serena held an infant boy, dressed similarly to George, on her hip, and she was beaming at her sister.

“Arabella, you look so beautiful,” she said, gesturing to her sister’s dark pink dress.

Arabella kissed first her sister, then her niece, Rosa and her nephew, Darren. The little girl squealed and hid behind her father, while the boy smiled and began to drool. Ronald Chestfield bowed to her, then went to greet Adrian and Edwin. The women let the men talk as they stood ready to greet the next guests.

Her mother and father were next, immediately followed by Eleanor. Arabella had just finished greeting the earl and countess, handing her still wriggling son to his grandmother, when Eleanor approached her.

“George has grown so much,” she said, looking fondly at her great nephew.

Arabella nodded, laughing.

“You should try holding him,” she said, gesturing toward where her mother struggled to keep the child in her arms.

Rosalind finally relented, putting the boy on the floor. He did not make it far before he fell to the floor. There, he began crawling, looking at Rosa, who was almost the same age, with fascination. The little girl approached him, patting his head as though he were an animal. Rosalind watched as her grandchildren played, dabbing her eyes that shone with tears of joy. Arabella watched as her father then lifted George above his head, making the little boy giggle. To her surprise, he remained still for the earl, allowing himself to be hoisted and bounced. Arabella and Adrian shared a look and a smile, until the last of the guests arrived.

“I do hope we did not interrupt anything,” Nathaniel said as he and his wife approached the happy family.

Arabella excused herself, grabbing Serena and running to her brother. Both the sisters wrapped their arms around him, squeezing him tightly. Arabella could still hardly believe that Nathaniel had decided to allow himself to love again. But as she turned to the black-haired, green-eyed daughter of Baron Viscar, Elizabeth, she thought of how grateful she was that he had. Elizabeth was the kindest, sweetest woman Arabella had ever met, and she adored the young woman.

“Good day, Elizabeth,” she said, embracing her. “It is so lovely to see you again.”

The woman blushed, laughing shyly as all the other women of the family also stopped to embrace her.

“It is wonderful to see you all again, as well,” she said.

Nathaniel excused himself to speak to his father about their latest joint business venture. Arabella did not hear much of what they were saying, but she was aware that the Norenshire-Colbrook shipping empire had flourished in the wake of Sidney Pembroke’s rein of cruelty and insanity. Arabella noticed that even her father seemed happier and more relaxed than he had five years prior, when he married her to Adrian. Now, Nathaniel, her father and her husband worked together in a thriving business venture that would bring them all fortune and report for many years to come.

When the conversation concluded, Nathaniel returned, putting his arm around his wife and smiling as his mother approached to greet him.

“Now, I have a critical question for all of you,” he said as he clapped his father’s back and kissed his mother’s cheek.

Adrian looked at his brother-in-law with earnest.

“Of course,” he said with a warm smile. “Ask anything you wish.”

Arabella laughed, noticing the impish shine in her brother’s eyes. She knew what he was going to say even before he spoke.

“When will the meal be served?” he asked.

Arabella gave Adrian another look as everyone laughed. She playfully pushed her brother, shaking her head in exaggerated disappointment.

“Now, your silly fool,” she said.

Hand in hand, with their son toddling along beside them, Adrian and Arabella led their family to their sprawling rose gardens, where a large picnic feast was already arranged. The children were placed on a blanket not far from their respective parents, in the care of Betsy and two of Adrian and Arabella’s maids. The adults picked their seats on the larger blanket, everyone helping themselves to the meat, cheese, fruit and cakes that had been prepared. Arabella nestled her head on Adrian’s shoulder as they ate, watching their loved ones laugh and enjoy the company of one another in comfortable silence.

Once everyone had eaten, Nathaniel decided to organize an impromptu game of croquette. Adrian granted his consent, helping his brother-in-law set up the game. Arabella wandered to the nearby rose bushes, admiring the dark pink ones that Adrian had purchased for her on their first wedding anniversary. Suddenly, an arm slipped around her waist and she looked up into the smiling face of her husband.

“It is incredible, is it not?” he asked, pulling her close against him.

Arabella leaned her head on his chest, looking at him with puzzlement.

“What is that, darling?” she asked.

Adrian sighed, kissing the top of her head.

“Our arranged marriage, much like this rose bush, has blossomed into the most wonderful thing in London,” he said. “We now have the deepest love imaginable. We both dreaded our future together. And now, I for one am endlessly grateful for the twist of fate that brought us together.”

Arabella nodded, turning so that she could wrap her arms around her husband’s waist.

“It is, indeed, incredible,” she said. “We have each other, we have our little boy, and we have a family who could not possibly love us more.”

Adrian nodded, burying his face in her hair.

“I still sometimes struggle to believe I deserve such happiness,” he said.

Arabella looked him in the eyes, turning them so that they could see their loved ones playfully competing in their friendly game.

“You do,” she said. “And I promise you that it will always be this way.”

Adrian gave her an intense look as he nodded.

“And I finally believe that,” he said.

He bent his head, causing Arabella to stand on her toes. Their lips met, as they had five years prior, and excitement filled Arabella. They had more love than any husband and wife, any family, in all of England, she was sure. And she would continue to be thankful for that every single day.

The End