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“A boy!” declared the doctor with obvious relief, and the baby was taken off to be sponged and wrapped in the saomery babies for hundreds of years Evidently this didn’t suit Oliver and Vivianna’s son, because when he was presented to the proud parents he was howling loud enough to wake the whole of Berkley Square
Gazing at Oliver across their son’s red, angry little face, Vivianna gave hi smil
e “You’re not the last of the Montegomeries now,” she said, her voice husky fro her hazel eyes, “Oh, Oliver…”
Oliver drew the his face in her hair In the bedcha words of congratulation, but Oliver and Vivianna and their son were in a little island all their own
Watching them, Marietta felt the burn of tears in her own eyes—a mixture of sorrow and joy and even a touch of envy For this would never be her life She was destined for so very different, and if her hopes became reality then it would be a life to savor and to look back on with a smile of satisfaction But she would never have what Vivianna had right now The heart of one man
She had co her confinement, and to assist her afterwards with household matters Lady Greentree was to have come herself, and in fact had been ready to do so, until she had an unfortunate accident Teeks ago, she tripped and fell down soh the ankle was not broken, she was unable to walk, and a journey by coach to London had been out of the question Even if she had been able to travel, of what possible use could she be, hobbling about? So she had handed the task over to Marietta, a little reluctantly to be sure—Lady Greentree did not like letting her second daughter out of her sight, not since Gerard Jones, and London was a long way froaze Marietta, with strict instructions as to what she could and couldn’t do, and with Mr Jardine as her companion, came to take her mama’s place at Berkley Square
Vivianna was very glad to see her
“Oh Marietta, thank you for co to be with ht, to be appreciated, even if she knew her sister was a little overwrought because of her condition And she intended to do her duty, of course she did! But now she was finally in London, Marietta also meant to make the most of it She had plans of her own, and one of theas balloon The other…Well, that was so both Vivianna and Lady Greentree had expressly forbidden
Marietta planned to visit Aphrodite at her home, the famous Aphrodite’s Club And she planned to ask Aphrodite for her help
“You are not to go there under any circu Marietta’s adventurous and impulsive nature, had spoken to her on theto me, Marietta? Mama has forbidden it, and if Uncle Williae of Lady Greentree’s brother discovering yet another scandal in the family “He already considers you beyond redeood and obedient you can be”
“When did you begin to care what Uncle Willia not to be hurt by her words “Besides I am beyond redemption”
“Nonsense! There are gentlemen here in London who have never heard of your…your misfortune Oliver says he can find several ill be very interested in offering for you”
Marietta bit her lip to stop herself froht about that Vivianna probably believed she was doing her sister a good turn—as the eldest she had always tried to look after them, ever since they were kidnapped from Aphrodite as children and later abandoned on Lady Greentree’s estate, where she had found them and taken them in But the idea that Marietta would need Oliver’s help and persuasion to find herself a husband—probably some old man with lecherous eyes—made her feel ill She enty-one now and the scandal had set her well and truly on the shelf She had no intention of allowing Vivianna to boss her about just to avoid Uncle William’s displeasure Particularly when she knew that sanito, when she was of a sie
Marietta took one more look at Vivianna and Oliver, admired their new son, and slipped out of the bedcha at the head of the stairs, his blue eyes anxious, his graying hair standing on end as though he had been running his hands through it
“A son,” she said, with a smile to set his mind at ease “And everyone is very well”