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Gregory looked down at the small round face.

“I want to call him Theodore,” he said, very low. “After his mother.”

Phillipa’s throat closed.

“It is close enough that I shall never forget whose son he is,” he swallowed. “She is gone, Phillipa. She has been gone for half a year. I have only just been told.”

“Oh, Gregory.” The tears she had been holding back spilled over at last, running down her cheeks. “Oh, my dear.”

“Theodore,” he said again, “Will it do?”

“It will do beautifully,” she said, and wiped her eyes on the back of her wrist. “Theodore Welby. It suits him exactly.”

The baby, hearing his own name for the first time, reached up with both hands and took hold of Gregory’s nose.

It was not a laugh that came out of him, exactly. It was closer to a sob, but the duke did not put the child down, nor did he let go.

Phillipa knew then that she would stand beside him, exactly like this, with whatever was to come ahead.

He sat for a long time afterward in the wing chair by the window, with the child slumped asleep against his chest and one large hand spread across the small back. Phillipa took the chair opposite.

I will not ask him. It wasn’t that she didn’t wish to know, that would be quite the opposite of what she wanted. But she didn’t want to rush him.

Who told you, and how, and what did they say, and where is she buried?

No, she would hold back on the questions until he was ready to share.

When Martha came to the door at last, hesitant, , Gregory shook his head without looking up, and Martha withdrew as silently as she had come.

“Thank you,” he said, “for not asking. I’m not sure when I’ll be ready to tell you.”

“Then I shall wait.”

He looked up at her then, and she held his gaze.

She would show him patience.

CHAPTER 20

“And the invitations, Your Grace?” said Mrs. Glenn. “Some two hundred are written and ready to go.”

“Keep them.” Phillipa did not look up from the list she was holding. It was a very long list, and the ink was beginning to swim. “And please, hold everything. The florist, the printer, and also the musicians. I shall write to them today that the ball is postponed.”

Mrs Glenn seemed surprised for a moment at the change. “Until when, Your Grace?”

“Until further notice,” Phillipa sighed.

Mrs. Glenn did not ask why.

“Then it will be done.” The housekeeper inclined her head, and the door closed behind her without a sound.

“Postponed,” said Augusta when she was visiting her sister. “Not abandoned, I hope?”

“Postponed.” Phillipa took the cup she was offered and held it in both hands, “I think I’ve informed everyone I was supposed to, so it should be fine. I’m nervous, though. A lot of planning went into this.”

“Well, I am sure that London is not short of events, so your guests will find something else to keep themselves busy.”

“Hmm. I should hope,” Phillipa sighed.