The Duchess Takes it All

Epilogue

Tamsin laughed as James ran past, chasing a duck, while Christian jogged past, chasing him . Her boys laughed heartily, and she could swear the duck chuckled as well. She put aside her sketchbook with the new caricatures she was working on as Christian finally dropped onto the blanket beside her. He drew her down for a kiss, and she melted into him until he finally pulled away with a groan.

“Keep that up, wife, and we’ll have to abandon our picnic and retire for the afternoon.”

“You say that as if I would protest.”

He chuckled and grabbed a few strawberries from the basket she’d brought.

James ran past again, stopping to jump all around Christian. “Papa run, Papa run!”

Christian laughed and shook his head. “Papa needs a rest for a moment.”

James, ever a sweet boy, didn’t sulk but, spying the duck again, sped off with a shriek.

“He’s growing so fast,” Christian said.

“That he is.”

“It will be nice once Feldhagen’s child is old enough to play with him. I’m exhausted.”

Tamsin laughed. “And, while it won’t be possible for a while yet, perhaps our new little one will help keep him occupied.”

Christian’s gaze shot to hers and then dropped to her stomach before looking back up. “Wha— Are you…?” he asked, his eyes wide.

Tamsin nodded. “It is early yet. I hadn’t meant to say anything until I was sure. But, yes, I believe so.”

She waited anxiously for his reaction. They hadn’t been married long, barely more than a year. While she was thrilled with her condition, she had hoped to have a bit longer before adding another child to their family.

He still seemed stunned, and she finally asked, “Are you…happy?”

Christian blinked, as if waking from a trance, and a huge smile spread across his lips. “I am surprised,” he said with a laugh before reaching over to pull her onto his lap so he could kiss her properly. “But yes, very happily so.” He kissed her again. “Meine schone Herzogin,” he murmured, this time lingering when his lips met hers.

She wrapped an arm about his neck, her hand tangling in his hair as he pulled her closer.

“Stop running, duckie!” James said, chasing the duck that seemed determined to keep away from the young duke.

Tamsin and Christian broke apart with a laugh.

“As soon as he goes down for his nap, we may need to…rest a bit ourselves,” Christian said, his frustration evident. And shared.

She smiled, already anticipating what little rest they would actually be getting. Though she would be sure to take an actual nap afterward. She really was quite tired. And she had a meeting with the patrons of the Prince Conrad Foundling Hospital later that afternoon. Work on her foundation was finally progressing.

Her friends had been right. It had taken time, and Tamsin would likely never be society’s darling, but slowly the bare toleration her peers had shown her in the past was changing. Ironic that she no longer cared much whether or not she was ever fully accepted. She had her small circle of close friends. She had her son, and soon her new babe. And she had Christian. She needed no one and nothing else but them.

She slid from Christian’s lap and sat beside him instead, her head on his shoulder.

“You should stop calling me your duchess, you know,” she said. “I am a duchess no longer.”

The moment she’d married him, she’d given up claim to her title. And as the marriage laws in Christian’s country forbade her sharing his title, she was simply known as Mrs. von Rauchberg.

“Hmm.” Christian wrapped an arm about her waist and pulled her close to kiss her forehead. “You will always be meine Herzogin.”

She snuggled into him with a smile.

“Although perhaps I should start calling you meine Freifrau,” he said.

She sat up to look at him, her brow creased. “Your baroness? What do you mean?”

He gave her a crooked grin that sent her heart fluttering. “A letter from my uncle was delivered this morning. He wrote to inform us that you have been created the Baroness of Badenshulz. And while our children will still not be entitled to my rank or inheritance, they are entitled to yours. Our child,” he said, tenderly covering her stomach with his hand, “will be styled baron or baroness at birth.”

“Oh, Christian,” she breathed, stunned.

“The title comes with a small but profitable estate that should provide a healthy annuity if managed wisely.”

Tamsin stared at him, flabbergasted. “I didn’t think this was possible.”

He shook his head. “Neither did I. Before the Confederation, creating titles for the spouses in unequal marriages was left to the discretion of the Holy Roman Emperor. And exceptions were not granted often. It is now mostly left up to the individual ruling houses and is subject to their laws. It seems that my uncle has seen fit to adopt a new directive or two. Perhaps as my brother has finally fulfilled his duty and married his princess, my uncle feels the succession is secure enough to be generous.”

“Whatever the reason, I am grateful for the gift,” she said.

While she hadn’t been too fearful of the future in terms of finding herself and her children without a home or support—her father would never let that happen, nor would Christian—once again having income of her own and the status that came with a title in her own right gave her a sense of security that she had been lacking since she’d given up her rights to the Clevesly title and estate upon her remarriage.

She’d never regretted her choice for an instant. But she did greatly prefer to have her future under her own control.

Christian’s tender smile sent her heart skipping, and she wondered if there would ever be a time when she would cease to react so to him. She hoped not.

“I am happy my uncle has seen reason,” he said. “But I am more grateful for the gift you are giving me.” His hand covered her belly again, and she placed her hand atop his, more grateful than she could say for the gift of him in her life.

“Kiss me, my lord.”

He gave her that devastating grin of his and leaned in to do as she’d bid.

“As you command, my love.”

An excited squeal from James had them looking around to see what had caused it.

“A gift has arrived, my lord, my lady. From Lord and Lady Feldhagen.” Davis gestured with a grimace to a cart that contained…

Tamsin bit her lip to keep from laughing. She’d be willing to bet that gift was from Frederick alone. “Oh dear.”

“Oh no,” Christian groaned.

James just clapped his hands and squealed again. “Goats!”

The love doesn’t end here…