Welcome To Paradise

14

Eden stayed in bed for two days, much to everyone's dismay but she was present when the first guest they were expecting arrived. It was her father. She heard his voice before she saw him, and she flew down the stairs. She flung herself at him and he twirled her around as he had done when she was little.

"I take it your glad to see me little one?"

"Is Ed coming?"

He heard the hopefulness in her voice.

"No, his wife still can't travel. Were you hoping Ed and Millie could take care of Lizzy. I heard the Dowager Duchess has been taking care of her."
"Well I want her to go away she is interfering in my life."

He piquet his eyebrow,

"Is there something I should know?"

She was beaming he knew there was something she was keeping from him and he was hoping her and the young Duke had come to their senses.

"Let say I may have changed my mind about marriage."

"Well does that mean I will be meeting this young man who has changed your mind about marriage?"

She shrugged

"Only if he comes to his senses."

The Earl looked up and saw the Dowager Duchess standing there watching them. She gave him an inviting smile. He gave her one in return. He gave his daughter a kiss on the forehead and told her he would see her later he was going to his room and rest. He went to his room, and then through the secret passage to Jennifer's room. She was acting like a young girl not the Duchess she was. Jennifer flew into Wayne's arms and kissed him.

"You know I must love you to put up with Lizzy this season."

He kissed her

"I love you too or I would not have agreed to this scheme of yours to get our children together. You know I have missed you having all the children in town and me out in the country makes me a very lonely man."

She drew him over to her bed.

"Here let me relive some of that loneliness."

When they finished making love they lazed about in bed cuddling and talking.

"Have the kids made any progress towards getting together?"

"I think so they go riding in the mornings together, they eat breakfast together and they dance the first and last waltz together. But they have made no announcement."

"Do you think we should turn up the heat a little?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"An old friend of Nic's is coming to the party. I saw him on my way here and invited him. He is someone Eden is acquainted with and he has always liked her. I think maybe the little bit of extra attention will help just a bit. I think they are in love, but both are too stubborn to do anything about it."

"I think it is my son who is the stubborn one. Eden has done all the right things it's just up to Nic to come to his senses."

Wayne laughed the boy was two and twenty when he was that age he had no sense either.

"I think they will be fine. I am just worried my dear that this will backfire on us if they find out we are scheming against or rather for them."

Jennifer brought his face down to meet hers she kissed him and was ready to do more when there was a knock on her door.

"Yes?"