Serena could hear the pacing outside her chambers come to an abrupt halt as Eleanor opened the door. She did not hear what her mother-in-law said, but a moment later, Rowan appeared. His eyes were wide and sleepless, but there was a wide, almost crazed smile on his face that Serena had only seen one other time. She leaned against the pillows, exhausted both body and mind, but she offered him a tired smile.

“Twins,” she said, glancing down at the swaddled bundle she held in each arm.

Rowan’s eyes widened as he rushed over to her.

“Girls,” he asked as he touched one tiny, flushed cheek.

Serena nodded as she gazed up at her husband, a rush of joy replacing her fatigue.

“Our daughters,” she said, smiling fondly at their little girls.

“They are so beautiful,” he said, tears rolling from his eyes so quickly that one dropped onto the forehead of the girl in the crook of Serena’s left arm.

The baby cracked her eyes open and let out a single tiny grunt. Then, she closed her eyes again, drifting back into the peaceful sleep of infants.

Serena and Rowan laughed.

“She is not one to be trifled with,” Rowan said, wiping his eyes and kissing both his daughters on their heads, which were covered with pale blond hair.

Serena shook her head.

“It would seem that she is not,” she said.

Rowan smiled at her, brushing back strands of hair that were sticking to her damp forehead.

“What shall we name them?” he asked.

Serena smiled.

“I thought we might name one Eleanor, after your mother,” she said.

Rowan brightened instantly and nodded.

“I think that is a lovely thought,” he said. “But would you not rather name one of them after your own mother?”

Serena nodded, still smiling softly.

“I was thinking that we could name one of them Caroline,” she said.

Rowan grinned, nodding fervently.

“I could not agree more, darling,” he said. “Are you feeling up to a little company?”

Serena looked at him quizzically. Eleanor, Imogen, and Olivia had been present for the birth, and her father wasn’t due until the following day.

“Visitors?” she echoed.

Rowan nodded.

“There is a certain big brother who has talked nonstop all day about meeting his new sibling,” he said.

Serena’s eyes widened and she nodded, her smile widening.

“Yes, please, bring in Roger,” she said. “I can hardly wait to see his face when he learns he had two siblings.”

Rowan nodded.

“This will be quite unexpected to him, I imagine,” he said.

Rowan left the bedside, going back to the door, which the three women had closed behind them when they exited to give the mother and father a moment alone with their new daughters. Like a horse straight out of the gate at a derby, Roger bolted into the room. He looked around wildly in search of his mother and new brother or sister. When he spotted Serena lying in the bed with the two infants in her arms, he gasped loudly and rushed over to them.

“Two babies?” he asked, pointing to the two small faces peeking out from the blankets in which they were snugly wrapped.

Rowan laughed, putting an arm around his son.

“That is right, son,” he said. “You have two baby sisters.”

Roger looked from the girls to his mother, back to the girls and then to his father.

“Two sisters,” he said, looking quite deep in thought for a moment. His expression was serious as he seemed to weigh the implications of this new development. “Why two babies?”

Rowan looked at Serena, who looked at him just as stumped.

“Because sometimes, families get two blessings instead of just one,” he said. “We get three wonderful children, and you get two beautiful sisters.”

Roger thought this over as well, and Serena watched him carefully. He had been excited about having one new sibling. How would he feel about two?”

“Two sisters,” he said, his voice squeaking on the last syllable. His eyes were wide as he clapped his little chubby hands together, a toothy smile spreading across his cherubic cheeks. “Big brother to two sisters.”

Serena’s own smile widened as he gently patted the tops of their heads. Both newborns opened their eyes simultaneously, and both began waving their right fists toward their big brother. Roger reached down with both index fingers, touching their hands softly. And when the girls closed their impossibly small fingers around his, he giggled wildly with delight.

“They like me,” he said, his face turning red from the joy of his laughter.

Serena and Rowan exchanged delighted looks as they watched their son with his new sisters. Rowan’s face looked exactly as Serena imagined hers did, marveling at the sight of their son’s pride at becoming a big brother.

“Hold them?” he asked, extending his arms out and waving his hands, palms up.

Serena looked at Rowan, who shrugged.

“As long as you let Mama and Papa help you,” he said, moving quickly to the other side of the bed.

Roger’s face lit up and he nodded.

“Yes,” he said, hurrying to follow his father.

A moment later, Rowan sat on the far side of the bed and Roger was between his parents. Carefully, Serena laid Caroline in his right arm, where Rowan was ready and waiting to help support the baby’s head, then she put Eleanor in his left arm, cradling the girl’s head with her hand.

Roger’s eyes were filled with the kind of wonder that only a doting brother can have when looking at his younger siblings. It was a look she knew well, as it was the same way that Julian looked at her. The family sat in silence for several minutes, enjoying the warmth and pure bliss that had filled their lives. When Roger looked up, his blue-gold eyes were shining with glee and his smile was bigger than Serena and Rowan had ever witnessed.

“Love them,” he said, nestling his head into his mother.

Serena smiled tenderly at her son, who was doing surprisingly well holding his baby sisters, given his age and his small frame.

“They love you too, sweetheart,” she said.

***

A fortnight after the birth of Caroline and Eleanor, Rowan approached Serena as she was knitting scarves and mittens for their children. He had a conspiratorial grin on his face, one which she knew meant he was up to planning something.

“Oh, surely, you do not wish to begin trying for another child already,” she teased, winking at her husband.

Rowan pretended to think long and hard about the prospect.

“I shall not say that the thought has not crossed my mind,” he said, giving her a smirk that made her blood heat instantly. “But that is not what I am currently thinking. Your birthday is in just a fortnight, and I thought that a ball would be the perfect celebration.

Serena smiled brightly at her husband. Since her debut ball, she had fallen in love with grand parties and dances. And since she had taken so well to the tutelage that Eleanor had offered her in the four years since marrying Rowan, she was adept at planning them.

“That sounds like a lovely idea,” she said. “What better way to commemorate my birthday, and the incredible journey we have shared, than to invite everyone we know and love to celebrate with us.”

Rowan grinned, nodding.

“Only a ball that is the envy of the entire ton will do for my beautiful duchess,” he said. “And I intend to ensure that it will be precisely that. I have asked mother to oversee the preparations, as it would hardly be befitting to make you plan your own birthday celebration. And I will be putting as much money as it requires.”

Serena laughed, looking at her husband with awe.

“You do spoil me, darling,” she said.

Rowan grew serious for a brief moment, cupping her cheek in his hand.

“I promised you that you would be taken care of for the rest of your life,” he said. “I vowed that anything you wanted would be yours. And that is precisely what I meant.” He paused, grinning once more. “And if the ton gets to see how sincere that vow was, so much the better.”

Serena giggled again. She had believed that she could not love Rowan more than she did when they professed their feelings for one another. But after four years of falling in love with her husband more every day, she knew that she could always love him even more than in days past.

“Incorrigible,” she said, unable to contain a fit of delighted giggles.

As promised, for the next two weeks, Eleanor saw to every detail of the ball preparations. Serena approached her one day, a week into the planning, as she stood in the ballroom giving instructions to some of the maids.

“Eleanor, is there anything I can do to help?” she asked.

Eleanor turned, looking as though she had been caught in some conspiracy, her cheeks flushing. Her eyes were kind, but her lips pressed into a facsimile of a hard line.

“You certainly may not, darling,” she gently chastised. “This is meant to be a celebration in honour of your birthday, not labored over by you. Now run along.”

Serena giggled, hesitating before retreating.

“Are you certain?” she asked. “I understand that it is my birthday, but should I not be helping you?”

Eleanor was shaking her head before Serena could finish speaking.

“I will not hear of it,” she said. “Now go, before I am forced to scold you.”

Serena laughed again, but she nodded.

“Very well,” she said. “Please, do not hesitate to tell me if you need my assistance, after all.”

The dowager waved her away, but not before giving her a warm smile. Serena left the ballroom, nearly bumping into Rowan. He looked at her, raising his eyebrow.

“You tried to help Mother with the preparations, did you not?” he asked, giving her a smug smirk.

Serena erupted with laughter and nodded.

“I did,” she said.

Rowan wrapped his arms around his wife, clicking his tongue.

“You will learn that there is none more stubborn than my mother,” he said.

Serena laughed once more.

Indeed, the dowager did not ask for her help. The following week, she was kept as far from the ballroom as possible, not allowed to ask any questions or lend any aid. And on the night before the ball, she entered her chambers to find a large, silver box, topped with an orange bow. The note simply read:

To the dearest daughter-in-law I could ever hope to have.

All my love,

Eleanor

Serena opened the box, gasping at what she saw inside. It was a dress of the brightest white silk. Diamond-like rhinestones wove floral patterns all over the skirt, and the bodice was encrusted with tiny identical stones from waste to bosom. Atop the dress was a diamond diadem, pink diamond encrusted slippers and a sparkling pink diamond necklace. Serena guessed that the outfit cost a small fortune, and tears stung her eyes. It was the dress she had envisioned for her wedding, and she was in awe. She slept with the box at her feet, hardly able to wait for the following day.

When the day of the ball arrived, Serena was forbidden from leaving her room. Christine kept her company, drawing her a long bath and regaling her with stories from her childhood. And as the hour of the ball approached, the lady’s maid helped her into her dress, styling her hair in the tightest, loveliest ringlets that Serena had ever seen. She nestled the diadem snugly into her hair, ensuring that the curls stayed tucked neatly behind it so that each diamond sparkled brilliantly. She stood in front of the mirror, looking as she had dreamed that she would on her wedding day.

“Your Grace,” Christine whispered with tears streaming down her cheeks. “You look like a princess.”

Serena threw her arms around her lady’s maid as tears stood in her own eyes.

“Thank you, Christine,” she said. “This would not be possible without you.”

The lady’s maid stepped back, wiping her cheeks, and shaking her head.

“You are the loveliest lady in all of London,” she said.

Serena laughed.

“You exaggerate,” she said. “But I love you, nonetheless.

When the time came, Christine escorted Serena to the staircase, at the bottom of which stood Eleanor and Rowan. Both of them stared up at Serena in awe as she descended the stairs.

“Thank you so very much for the gift, Eleanor,” Serena said, embracing her mother-in-law as she reached the grand hall.

Eleanor patted her back, pulling away to get a good look at her.

“You look even more beautiful than I could have imagined,” she said.

Rowan stepped forward. His eyes were wide, and his jaw was slack. It took him a full minute to speak.

“Beautiful is an understatement,” he said, offering his arm. “I have never seen such a divine creature.”

Serena blushed and smiled.

“Shall we?” she asked. “I can hardly wait to see what all this secret planning was about.”

Rowan and his mother exchanged glances as he offered the dowager his free arm. The three of them walked to the ballroom, where guests were already milling about. But it was not the people Serena noticed at first. It was the décor.

There were ice sculptures of a lion, a butterfly, a horse, and a giant rose. The rose’s ice had been stained pink and was encircled by a thick wreath of red roses at its base. The décor was pink, yellow and red, streamers, balloons, flowers and tinsel shimmering from every corner of the room. On the refreshment tables was every single one of Serena’s favorite foods, from roast pig with baked apples and toasted rolls to vanilla cakes, and strawberry and plum tarts. Fresh cherries filled small bowls scattered throughout the tables. And champagne flutes lined three entire tables. The cook had even prepared the orange mint punch she loved so much.

“Happy birthday, darling,” Rowan said, kissing one of her cheeks.

“Happy birthday, sweet Serena,” Eleanor said, kissing the other.

“Oh, heavens,” Serena breathed, taking it all in. “This is the most wonderful birthday I could have ever hoped for.”

Rowan chuckled.

“That is not all, darling,” he said, pointing to the entryway.

Serena watched as her father, Aunt Imogen and Julian and his wife, Francine, entered the room. Behind them followed Harry and Louisa, Emma, who was now nearly four and Thomas, their six-month-old son. Olivia and her husband, filed in behind the rest of the group, as did Lord and Lady Sinclair.

They rushed to Serena, each one of them chatting happily over one another, embracing her and wishing her a happy birthday. Serena had never felt so surrounded by love, or so filled with gratitude at the blessings in her life. She looked at her husband, seeing the same love and devotion that had first taken root in the library of Dalenwood Manor four years prior. That love had blossomed into a boundless affection.

“Will you join me out on the terrace for a moment?” Rowan asked.

Serena nodded, choked with emotion as she gestured for her loved ones to give them a brief minute. She followed Rowan outside, staring up at the sky, which was painted with the last remnants of dusk.

“Are you happy, darling?” he asked, brushing back a curl that had fallen down into her eyes.

Serena nodded, looking at Rowan and feeling more love and joy than she had believed possible, even at the births of their children.

“Darling, it is not possible to be happier than I am now,” she said. “Thank you for everything.”

Rowan shook his head, looking intently into her eyes.

“No, my love,” he said. “Thank you. I never knew that I could be this happy after everything that happened. Not until you taught me that that is all I ever wanted in the world. And then, you gave it to me. You give it to me every day, and I am eternally grateful to you.”

Serena smiled as Rowan lowered his head to kiss her.

“I love you,” she said as he brushed her nose with his.

Rowan kissed her right between the eyes, then once more on her lips.

“I love you more,” he said.

The End