Emma nodded and cast a tentative glance at Olivia, perhaps looking for some sort of sign that she was doing the right thing separating a mother and her child like this.
Emma didn’t have to wait long for solid confirmation. Olivia’s next words, so brutal and cruel left little doubt in anyone’s mind that Marcus and Emma were not only doing the right thing by adopting her child, but that they also had Olivia’s blessing.
Squeezing her blanketed bundle to her breast, Emma exited. Anger bubbling in her stomach at Olivia’s heartless statement, Juliet was right behind her.
“Don’t pay her any mind,” Caroline whispered to Juliet. “As I said before, her words about Marcus fit her better than most of her gowns.”
Juliet smiled weakly at Caroline’s jest and dabbed her eyes. Should she ever be blessed to have a child, she’d love and protect that child with everything she had, and never be as cold and heartless as to―to― She couldn’t even force herself to think of it any longer.
Straining to smile, Juliet followed Emma into the drawing room where the men were waiting.
Lord Sinclair nearly leapt from his seat at the sight of his wife carrying their child through the doorway. “May I?” He gestured to the baby.
Emma nodded and handed her husband the baby. “You can announce his name, too, if you’d like.”
“His name?” Lord Sinclair repeated, beaming down at the little boy who was now safely in his papa’s arms. A moment later, he looked up and cleared his throat. “Emma and I thought we’d follow Alex and Caroline’s example and use the name of the person who played the largest part in securing our match―”
“But since Marcus doesn’t know just who that is,” Emma broke in laughingly.
Marcus shrugged. “What can I say? It took a lot of convincing to make me see reason. Anyway, instead of giving him a name so long it wouldn’t fit on a portrait plaque, we decided to name him Jack in honor of our four closest friends.”
Juliet’s heart squeezed at their sweet gesture. She looked around the room, letting her eyes land on the individuals who made up the other letters to Jack’s name. Her eyes narrowed when she got to Drake. Obviously she was the J, and Alex and Caroline the A and C, but how had they gotten a K from Drake? She shook her head, probably because of the K in both Drake, and Patrick. That was the only logical solution.
“Are you ready to go, Juliet?” Drake asked. His tone was flat, and his expression unreadable.
“Of course.” She said her goodbyes and extracted a promise that when she came to Ridge Water later in the week she’d get to hold Jack, but the promise was only agreed upon after she threatened not to leave the day of her visit if she didn’t get to hold him.
The carriage ride back to Briar Creek was quiet which, considering all that had happened that day, was a welcomed change. Juliet was not only weary from spending so much time at Olivia’s bedside, but she was still trying to make sense of her conversation with Caroline and Emma earlier in the day.
She glanced over at Drake and by the moon’s dim glow shining into the carriage she could see his set jaw and lowered eyelids. Not closed exactly, just lowered.
“Why don’t you go on up to bed, I’ve something I need to take care of,” Drake said when the carriage came to a stop and he’d helped her down.
“A―all right. Will you be joining me shortly?”
“Of course, just give me a little bit of time.” The sadness filling his tone tore at Juliet’s heart. In all her excitement of the day, she’d forgotten that Drake’s first wife died in childbirth. How could she have been so heartless as to even mention the impending birth today, not to mention asking him to join her at Ridge Water?
Juliet swallowed. “Drake, I―I’m sorry if it upset you to go with me today.”
He shook his head. “It’s all right, Juliet.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. I just need a few minutes alone.” He escorted her up to the front door. “I’ll be my usual self tomorrow, I promise.”
And true to his word, he was.
“Here, I have something for you,” Drake said, placing a breakfast tray down on the bed. Then he handed her spectacles to her.
Juliet slipped on her spectacles, then sat up and pushed a fluffy pillow behind her back. “It all looks delicious,” she said, letting her eyes roam over the array of pastries on the tray.
“Eat your fill. I’ll just sit over here and wait to eat the crumbs.”
She swatted him on the shoulder. “You’re terrible.”
“I know.” He reached forward and took a scone.