He stood. "You should say something."
Evelyn laughed. He had the same expression he had worn the first time.
Nathaniel stared at her.
"I am pregnant."
She took his hand.
"What is it?"
"I do. You said you had something to tell me. You look frightened." She laughed.
"What?" Nathaniel immediately sat upright.
Then Evelyn said, "I have something to tell you."
For several minutes, they listened to the evening sounds. She closed her eyes.
"Good."
He kissed her temple. "I'll accept 'honest.'"
"It is honest."
"That is not romantic." She laughed. "Now I think you were the most inconvenient woman I ever met."
"And now?"
"You were correct. I remember thinking you were arrogant." She smiled. "I remember you telling me you would stay. And I remember saying I wanted an heir."
"What do you remember?"
"Yes. Do you ever think about the first night?"
Evelyn rested her head on Nathaniel's shoulder. Their son slept inside. The sunset spread across the gardens. That evening, Nathaniel and Evelyn sat on the terrace.
"So am I." Evelyn smiled. "I am glad you stayed."
Then she kissed Evelyn's cheek. Lady Eleanor handed him the child.
"It is not."
"That is not better."
"You watched."
"I did not argue."
Nathaniel frowned. "That sounds like my son."
Lady Eleanor laughed.
"There was an argument about wine," Evelyn answered.
"No."
"Was it romantic?"
"Yes."
"Did you show her where you first met?" Lady Eleanor looked at Nathaniel.
"We visited Belford." Evelyn smiled.
"And yes, you have been gone all day," she held their son.
When they returned to Blackwood, Nathaniel found Lady Eleanor waiting in the garden.
"Because it remains my strongest defense."
"You keep saying that." She smiled. "We actually married. You are turning reckless."
"Let them. They are watching."
Evelyn pulled away. The village children shouted from nearby. He kissed her.
"It worked."
"That is a terrible reason." She laughed. "Especially because you were rude."
"Even though I was rude," she looked at him, "and then I would have found some reason to see you again."
"You did that anyway."
"I would have annoyed you."
"Definitely."
"I would have argued with you."
"You are certain?"
"Yes."
Nathaniel considered the question carefully. "Would you have chosen me if we had met here without the heir?"
"Neither did I coming back."