His grin widened.
"Not to mention," she added, "the fact that I'm irrevocably in love with you as well."
And that was when the Devil Duke burst out laughing, causing an even greater scandal to sweep the ton, for it was the first time anyone ever heard him laugh.
"Christmas miracle?" people whispered amongst themselves.
But Benedict didn't care. He had his love, his life, his family, and he had his aunt to thank for that. God bless her. She had given him the best gift of all.
The gift of family.
EPILOGUE
Three years later.
"Agatha!" Benedict screamed. They were going to be late for the Kringle Ball, and his daughter of two was currently running through the house naked.
Like father, like daughter he supposed.
His valet still hadn't quit, but he knew one day he would lose his mind. If anything, Benedict's own nakedness had become worse what with having a wife around all the time.
Clothes? Who needed clothes?
His valet did not agree.
Nor did his butler, but he gave them enough bonuses every Boxing Day not to care, so he figured he was safe.
"Agatha," he said quietly when she approached him giggling. "You need to go upstairs with Nanna. Mother and I are leaving for the night. Can you do that for us?"
She shook her head no.
Of course.
He swore up and down that Agatha, while in heaven, chatted up God and told him how amusing it would be to gift them with a child who took exactly after both their parents, to a fault.
And God, being in good humor and loving Agatha as he should, granted her this one boon.
Little Agatha smiled up at him and giggled again, his heart thumped with joy. "You must get some clothes on before Mother sees you."
"Before I see what exactly?" Katherine floated down the stairs looking every inch the duchess, and every inch the seductress. Heavens, how he loved her. It seemed the longer they were married the more their love grew, until most days he felt so stupidly happy that he couldn't wipe the smile off his face if he tried.
"Happy anniversary, love." Katherine kissed him on the cheek then looked down. "Agatha, sweetheart, why aren't you wearing clothes?"
"Papa!" Agatha squealed. "No clothes too!"
Katherine glared at Benedict. He winked shamelessly and then she blushed from the roots of her hair down her glorious neck. He leaned forward to take a peek down her dress.
She pushed him away. "Those are the very things you should not be doing in front of your daughter. She already copies everything else."
They both looked down at their grinning little girl and laughed.
Nanna came rushing down the stairs and scooped up Agatha, scolding her for running away during bath time.
"She takes after you," Katherine said.
"Does not."
"Does too! She runs around naked and ignores anyone's pleas to do otherwise!"
"She also tried to kill me three times. So who exactly does she take after in that regard?"
"It was four," Katherine argued. "And she didn't try to kill you. They were all accidents. It wasn't her fault you fell into the pond while taking her for a walk, or out of the tree when getting her an apple. You just need to be more careful."
Benedict grimaced, careful and his daughter were not anywhere near the same thing. The more he coddled her, the more it seemed she wanted to do something daring.
Unfortunately, it reminded him of himself, which frightened him more than words could express.
Luckily, he had Katherine.
And with her, he could do anything.
"Why are you smiling?" Katherine put her hands on her hips, tilting her head.
"Why shouldn't I be smiling?" His grin grew.
"You look like you're about to do something…"
He grabbed her hands and ran into the study, shoving the door closed behind them and with little effort lifted her skirts.
"Benedict!" she scolded. "What are you doing! We're going to be late!"
"Then we'll be late. I am a duke after all."
His argument to get away with anything.
She rolled her eyes and squirmed happily beneath his touch. "But it's our anniversary and everyone is going to want to see us. Oh!" She leaned in and kissed him. "Maybe just this once.
"That's my girl." He kissed her firmly across the mouth.
And an hour later, when they arrived at the ball hand in hand, Benedict's past reputation was merely a shadow on everyone's lips. Had he really been all that bad? People wanted to know. For what they saw now was a man completely changed from the one he had once been.
And it was all because his aunt had loved him enough to trick him. God rest her soul.
Read Baldwyn and Anastasia's side of the story in
TWO TURTLEDOVES
by Leah Sanders
Available wherever eBooks are sold.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
A Winter Wish