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Eighteen Months Later
Susanna sat in her chair and cuddled Tommy to her. Her six-month-old son was teething, and he kept whining. Susanna’s nerves were starting to get the better of her, but she couldn’t find it in herself to be mad. It wasn’t Tommy’s fault that his mouth was in pain.
And she could easily hand her children off on to the servants so she could get some rest, but Susanna did that sparingly. She wanted to be the one who raised her children. She felt like she needed to do it. Be the mother that her own mother had been. Mary-Anne and Tommy seemed to appreciate it.
Who knew that five years after being divorced from Frederick Sinclair, Baron Greenbush, that she would now be the Duchess of Woodfield and the mother of two with a third on the way? If someone had told her this would happen, Susanna would have thought they were crazy. She wouldn’t have married a duke. Well, she had married one, and Susanna didn’t regret it.
There had been a lot of talk and shock at Reginald finally getting married again – and to a divorced woman – but it died down pretty quickly. Especially once news of Susanna’s reputation being of other people’s doing and not her own. Margaret and Frederick had tried to make it difficult for them, and it backfired on them. The backlash from marrying above her station wasn’t as bad as Susanna thought it would be. If anything, a lot of people were supportive. Several people, mostly those who had called her every name under the sun after listening to the rumours before, said she had done well for herself and should congratulate herself on keeping her head up.
Needless to say, none of them had ever been given permission to call on her.
“How’s the mother-to-be?”
Susanna looked up and smiled as Reginald entered the drawing room and walked towards her with a warm smile. Even with their second anniversary coming up in two weeks, just seeing her husband made Susanna feel warm all over. It was no wonder they were going to have three children under the age of three soon.
“Exhausted.” Susanna adjusted her hold on her son, kissing his head as he sucked his thumb. “I’ll be glad when these two go to sleep tonight.”
Reginald laughed.
“They can’t be that bad, can they?”
“Oh, they can.”
“I doubt it.” Reginald leaned over, kissing her before lifting his son out of her arms. He propped Tommy on his hip. “Hello, little man. Have you been a bit noisy for your mother?”
Tommy made a gurgling noise and giggled as Reginald tickled his chin. Then he grabbed his father’s hand and started chewing on his finger.
“Oh, dear.” Reginald laughed. “I see what you mean with the teething.”
Then he winced loudly as Tommy bit down. Susanna giggled.
“Careful. His gums are sharp.”
“Now you tell me.” Reginald drew his hand away and sucked his finger with a grimace. “Is Mary-Anne still out with your mother?”
“Yes, they went out in the carriage to the village. Mary-Anne wanted a toy from the shop, and Mother said she would see about buying it for her.”
“She’s got enough toys already.”
“I know, but Mother loves to spoil her.”
It was hard not to. And at eighteen months of age, Mary-Anne knew that people loved spoiling her. Susanna had had to tell her off about it several times, but then ended up indulging the little girl. Her daughter was very good at getting what she wanted, but it was in all innocence and nothing scheming about it. She was just a little girl.
Who was spoiled by everyone. Especially her father. Susanna knew why. After believing Joseph Nesbitt was his son and losing him, Reginald had believed he wouldn’t become a father again. But he was, and now he would be a father of three in six months. Susanna didn’t think she had seen her husband stop smiling.
“Look, why don’t you go and have a lie down?” Reginald suggested, sitting on the couch beside her. “I’ll look after Tommy.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. He’s my son.” Reginald settled Tommy on the floor on his back, tickling the baby as his son looked up at him. Tommy squealed. “Just remember that Thomas and Lucy are coming over for dinner with Susan. It will be the last time we see Lucy before she can’t travel far with her pregnancy.”
“I know.” Susanna shook her head. “Mary-Anne, Tommy and Susan. We’re not very creative with names, are we?”
“You weren’t complaining when Lucy said she wanted to name her daughter after you.”
“Not really.” Susanna poked her husband in the side. “Although I will complain if you get me pregnant a fourth time in as many years after this child. I would like to remember a time when I’m not pregnant.”
Reginald laughed and pulled her in for a kiss.
“I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t help being fertile. Neither can you. Oh, speaking of childbearing,” Reginald tucked Susanna into his side, his hand absently caressing the side of her belly, “I heard some news about Baron Greenbush while I was looking out over the farmland. The workers on our respective lands have been talking, so there’s a lot of gossip going around.”
Susanna frowned.
“I thought you didn’t listen to gossip.”
“Not normally, but I found this very interesting. I know you will as well.” Reginald gave her a sidelong glance. “Greenbush is trying to find a way to divorce his second wife.”
That had Susanna sitting up. She had been aware that Frederick had remarried, although not to Margaret, which had been a surprise after what Margaret had been saying about it. And it was a surprise that Frederick had managed to get a wife after everything had exploded about his actions of Susanna’s downfall.
But that was as far as she wanted to think about her former husband. The new wife kept asking in the beginning to have an introduction and meet the Duke and Duchess of Woodfield, but Susanna wasn’t sure about being friends with her ex-husband’s second wife. It wasn’t her fault that her husband was a bad man, but it meant she would have to see Frederick again.
He must have said something about her, because the invitations stopped a few months after the marriage. Now Susanna was aware the second wife was speaking badly of her. Thankfully, no one took any notice of it. Frederick Sinclair was considered someone you didn’t want to associate with, and his wife came into the same category. Susanna had sympathy for the woman, but not much.
“Why? They’ve barely been married a year.”
“Greenbush wants a child. From what I’ve heard, he’s been desperate for a child to carry on the line, and there was no child with you. There was no child after a year being with his wife. He’s trying to say that there’s something wrong with the second wife as she can’t get pregnant. I think he’s going for an annulment instead of a divorce.”
Susanna sat up.
“He’ll know about me pregnant with my third child after not having children with him.” She said. “He must be beginning to wonder if there’s something wrong with him if I’m able to have children with someone else.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
Susanna felt a knot start in her stomach. For a moment, she felt a stab of sympathy for her ex-husband. He had wanted a child to pass on the title, and he had got more and more frustrated when Susanna didn’t end up pregnant. He had blamed Susanna for it, calling her defective. Now to find that he couldn’t get a second wife with child, Frederick must be beginning to think that it might not be the woman who had a problem.
“What I am surprised about is that he didn’t get married to Margaret Abernathy.” Susanna rested her head on Reginald’s shoulder as Tommy wriggled and giggled on the floor. He was now rolling onto his belly and starting to shuffle across the floor. “She was gloating about it for years.”
“The fact they were clearly fooling around but there was no marriage should have told her everything.” Reginald agreed. “I think Greenbush saw her as a means to an end, and she outgrew her usefulness. Besides, nobody would have accepted her as Baroness Greenbush.”
“I suppose.” Susanna sighed. Margaret had shot herself in the foot with her behaviour. Now no one in the area would touch her. “Last I heard of her, she was on the docks in London. I’ll give you three guesses as to what she’s doing.”
Reginald grunted.
“Sounds about right for her.”
“Don’t be mean.” Susanna swatted his knee. “We need to get her out of there, Reggie. Maybe get her a job in servitude. It’s a step down from her current position, but it would keep her safe.”
Now Reginald looked at her like she had gone mad.
“Are you serious? She destroyed your marriage, your reputation and tried to make you a pariah, and you still want to help her?”
Susanna shrugged. She had wondered about it herself, but she didn’t want anything bad to happen to Margaret because she made a few wrong choices.
“What can I say? I’m a bleeding heart.”
“I was going to say soft.”
Susanna grinned.
“And you only get away with saying that because I love you.”
“I doubt you’ve even let me get away with it.” Reginald kissed her. “Where would you get her work, anyway? She’s definitely not coming here. Other than she hurt you in the past, I would be worried about her being in the same house as the children.”
He did have a point. While Susanna didn’t think Margaret would do something as bad as harm little children, she didn’t want to risk it.
“Maybe not with us, then. But my sister and her husband are looking for servants right now. A few of them have been struck down with smallpox, so they’re trying to fill the spaces. I think Margaret would fit right in there.”
Also, it was out in the Norfolk broads. Out of the way of anything else. And anyone else.
“Basically, out of sight, out of mind.” Reginald shook his head even as he smiled. “Like I said, Susanna. You’re too soft.”
“Being married to you has taught me a lot about forgiveness.” Susanna hugged him, snuggling into her husband’s side. “Although I won’t want her in my presence any time soon, or I’ll go back on what I’ve said.”
Reginald laughed, hugging her tight as he kissed her head.
“Now that’s the woman I know. Don’t take anything from anyone. Not even from her own husband.”
Susanna giggled.
“Well, not quite anything.”
“Oh? So, what am I allowed to get away with?”
Susanna was still laughing as she eased away to kneel on the floor beside her very mobile son.
“I’ll tell you later.” She winked at him. “When these two are asleep.”
There was a very good chance she wouldn’t be getting much sleep tonight, either. But this time, Susanna didn’t mind.
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OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 2 FREEBIES FOR YOU!
Grab my new series, "Lustful Lords and Ladies", and get 2 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!
Hello, dear reader! I hope you enjoyed this story and the Extended Epilogue! Please feel free to leave your comments below. Thank you 😊
I’m going to Amazon to leave 5 stars. Perfect story to go to sleep after the happy ending.
Loved this story to know how true love can conquer when true love is there. Too many times women are held responsible for what men do. There are always great men and women out there and when two of them get together it makes the world go around.
Thank you so much for your kind words, my dear!
Figuratively I read this book from cover to cover within a day.
Two endearing characters with damaged pasts and the social niceties or not so niceties of the Regency Period finally finding complete happiness in each other.
Add in two caring friends with their own success story made a perfect Regency romance.
I do like a good epilogue but find that the extended epilogues will not load on to my kindle.
Thank you so much for your kind words and support, my dear Myra. I truly appreciate it!
So glad you enjoyed the story! Make sure to stay tuned because I have more coming!
Thank you again and have a lovely day!
An outstanding story with great characters. Superb from end to end with a surprise ending in the extended epilogue
Thank you so much for your kind words and support, dear Michael . I truly appreciate it!
So glad you enjoyed the story! Make sure to stay tuned because I have more coming!
Thank you again and have a lovely day!
Absolutely brilliant I enjoyed every story in this box set
Thank you so much for your kind words and support, dear Mary. I truly appreciate it!
So glad you enjoyed the story! Make sure to stay tuned because I have more coming!
Thank you again and have a lovely day!
Couldn’t put it down wanted to find out if true love conquered all. And it sure did for Reggie n Susanna as well as Lucy n Thomas. Wonderful characters great story . Motherhood and love of a good man must of mellowed Susanna as I wouldn’t of been as nice the the horrible Margaret. Thank you Emily for an other great story.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Enjoyed the story
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the story.
It was a beautiful read with 2 very strong and endearing characters
What an enlightening story.Well these two had bad marriages.But what comes out in the extended Epilogue.Two babies and another on the way in eighteen months.Well written Emily and I all ways love your story’s.And this one had a lot of nasty minded people in it.And a devious husband and a nasty so called friend.Read this book and find out what a good storyteller Emily Honeyfield is.
This is another gripping story that has a very strong plot and equally strong characters. The villains are particularly nasty. The extended epilogue shows just how wrong the male of the species can be about female fertility.
So good to see happiness for two troubled souls in finding each other and the happiness that they so deserved and had been denied. Very glad I did not exist in that era!
Love her books
They have thoughtful, original, creative story lines with believable characters. Just enough romance to keep them interesting!
Thank you so much for your kind words and support, my dear Sharron. I truly appreciate it!
So glad you enjoyed the story! Make sure to stay tuned because I have more coming!
Thank you again and have a lovely day!
A really lovely story and very well written. I enjoyed reading about these two troubled souls who finally found happiness together, and were able to put their pasts behind them.
I am so glad to hear that, my dear Edna!
Great story, really loved it. Power of rumour even back then pre social media and tabloids!!
A very good story about devious people and the rulers they speed I am so glad that the Duke and Susanna found happiness and he became a father love is abundant with them The extended epilogue is very good and the story well written
Oh, I love the final finish to this story. After every thing Suanna went through with that viper of an ex, here she has two children working on a third. If Reggie gets any prouder, he will bust. And after all that had happened, Susanna could still find it in her heart to forgive Margaret. I am afraid I would think that she was right where she belonged. But does show the inequalities of the sexes in that time period. Bully, bully, for Reggie not giving up on the woman he loved.
I am so glad to hear that, my dear Debbie!
Excellent Extended Epilogue, I enjoy reading happy endings on top of happy endings.
The novel is exciting and works two love stories into it which means there isn’t any lulls or dragging in the middle.
Bravo Miss. Honeyfield for a well written book.
The extended epilogue was the icing on a delicious cake of a story. Two abysmal marriages and a surprising confession from the ex-husband! Yes, some great reading. The extended epilogue ties up every thread into a well woven story and ending to include that bit about Margaret. Thank you!
Absolutely loved this one from start to finish!
I am so glad to hear that, my dear Dianna!
A very well written story right from the first chapter I was hooked. It is definitely well worth the time taken to read the story and then the extended epilogue, well it just rounds out the story very nicely when you find out about the nasty characters and learn about their comupenses, yea! Thank you
I am so glad to hear that, my dear Anna!
Frederick was a wicked and evil man and Clara was cold and heartless. Susanna and Reginald were two broken souls that came together and found happiness and healing. They had two wonderful and supportive friends. Nicely written with a lot of passion and suspense. Finished in one go.
Thank you so much, my dear Lesley!
I love how Susanna and Reggie’s life together turns out. This was a fun, sometimes heartbreaking, Beautiful love story. It’s satisfying to have it confirmed that the villain was defective.
Another great 👍one loved it keep up the great 👍job
Thank you so much for your kind words, my dear!
Great book so compelling had to read in one go was not surprised how susanna was treated by her husband and so called friends women had no way to correct lies but all turned out ok in the end thanks for the extended epilogue they the everything up for every
One
Norah
Thank you so much for your kind words, my dear Nora!
I just love an extended epilogue. The finish to a really good book. Loved it and everyone in it
Thank you so much, my dear!
This is such a great story. I couldn’t put it down. Loved it! You really have a talent for writing an engaging, interesting and intriguing tale.
Thank you so much for your kind words, my dear!
Yes, I loved this book. I usually stick to Regency stories.When I was young I always wished that I had lived in those days to wear those beautiful dresses. But now
I see that it was so much a mans world. The poor women suffered to wear
the lovely gowns having to wear such a tight corset. I was a bit disappointed
that the explicit sex was there, as that’s why I read regency as it usually
Doesn’t need that. Buetifully written..thank you xx
My dear Patricia, I’m a steamy Regency romance author 🙂
Greatly enjoyed this book. I loved the twists in the story.
The only improvement I would make is to bring in Susannah’s parents into the extended epilogue. Parents have a lot of heartache when their children are mistreated and it would have been nice to have heard their reaction to the amazing turn of events which led to their daughter becoming a duchess.
Thank you so much for the feedback, my dear!
Another great love story. Enjoyed every minute of this book. Finished it in one day, as I could not put it down.
Thank you so much, my dear!
I couldn’t put this book down!!!! A fantastic story. I enjoyed it from start to the end. A wonderful end for two most deserving people. I love the extended epilogue. Great job. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your kind words, my dear!
You done again. This book was hard to put down. In the end I was wondering if it would have a Happy Ever After. A really a good book. Telling my friends to read it.
A wonderful heartbreak story ending with happiness….for some. I’m glad Susanna and Reginald got together and Thomas and Lucy. They truly deserved to be together. The extended epilogue completed all the characters in the story well leaving no loose ends to ponder on. I’m looking forward to your next book.
Great story with wonderful characters and villains that were easy to dislike. So glad there were several happy endings in this story as well as the fact that the main villain was getting his just rewards.
Thank you so much for your kind words and support, my dear Donna. I truly appreciate it!
So glad you enjoyed the story! Make sure to stay tuned because I have more coming!
Thank you again and have a lovely day!
You know you will get a great read from Emily this is a strong read from start to finish some heartbreak and some love poor Susanna so much humiliation and unhappiness but good for her wanting a bit of fun (well a lot by all accounts) loved it thank you
Wow. I am so pleased that the main characters earned their HEA. What a rollercoaster ride! It was also a pleasure that the h’s family supported her, many do not. My only unfulfilled wish was that the weasel lawyer did not get his just due. He, Margaret and the ex were simply waste of good oxygen.
Great storyline, editing and pacing. Highly recommended.
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