Happiness, when found, can make the time feel as though it has sprouted wings. And so, too, Alice found that the months with her husband felt shorter than any she had experienced at her childhood home.

Alice and her sister sat in the drawing-room, the late afternoon light falling lightly through the window.

“I’m ever so excited to be an aunt!” Nancy cried, her hands at her cheeks. “Have the two of you settled on a name quite yet?”

“Not yet,” Alice said. “We have many ideas, though; too many, in fact. That seems to be the problem!” She placed a hand against her stomach. “Oh, I do believe I felt a little kick!”

Nancy laughed, pure delight in her lovely voice. “Goodness!” she said. “I’m in for an energetic niece or nephew, then! How delightful!”

“You have yourself to thank for your niece or nephew,” Alice reminded her. “If you hadn’t come home with that silly invitation, none of this ever would have occurred.”

Nancy smiled, glancing down. “I suppose that’s right.”

Alice studied her sister’s expression. Something seemed off about her, but Alice was unable to put her finger on what it could be.

“Have you been to any exciting events, sister?” Alice asked. “Any balls of note?”

Again, Nancy looked away. “No,” she said. “Not of late. I haven’t had the time to attend such things in ever so long…”

“No time?” Alice asked. “Why, however are you spending it, then? Perhaps you’re being courted by a gentleman?”

Nancy wouldn’t catch her gaze, no matter how Alice tried.

“It’s of no consequence,” she said, the smile back in her eyes. “Come, I must be off. It is getting rather late, and I don’t wish to keep Father waiting.”

“Alice!” Henry called from the front door. “I thought I heard your voice. Are you—Oh, Nancy, how good to see you!”

Henry bent low to kiss Alice, scooping her into his arms. He kissed her again and again until she pushed him away playfully.

“Oh, go on, you villain,” Alice laughed.

“It was ever so wonderful to see you, sister!” Nancy called behind her. “And you as well, dear Henry!”

Alice shut the door behind her sister, smiling up at her husband. “I’m glad that you returned home in time to see Nancy, at least for a moment,” she said. “She is so fond of you.”

“I’m quite fond of her as well,” Henry said. “No better sister for you could I have imagined.”

Alice sighed, thinking back to Nancy’s evasiveness. “Nancy hasn’t attended any balls in quite some time. Do you think that something has perhaps happened?”

Henry raised his eyebrows. “Happened?” he asked. “Whatever could you mean?” Henry smiled at his wife, his eyes crinkling at her. “I think you have perhaps too many fears due to the nature of our relationship. Relax, darling. Your sister is a clever girl and can take care of herself.”

Alice watched Henry shed his coat and hang it, his shoulders shrugging wearily. The afternoon sun shone down on him through the window, and she could see the brown tones in his dark hair that so often look black.

He turned to see her watching him. “Is there something wrong?” he asked quizzically.

“No, nothing,” she said, shaking her head. She wasn’t aware that she’d been positively staring at him. “I am just musing over how happy I am to have you in my life. Can you imagine if our paths had never crossed?”

Henry stepped closer to her, pulling her against him. He brushed a lock of dark brown hair that had fallen away from her chignon, tucking it behind her ear.

“That never could have happened,” Henry said softly. “We were fated to meet, Alice. No one but you would have been so caring as to accompany your sister to a strange gentleman’s house, and no one but you would have been so bold as to escape the confines of her home a second night.”

He looked at her, love radiating from his eyes as he continued. “No, only you would ever have embodied exactly what I wanted and desperately, desperately needed. It would not have been an easy opportunity to miss. Not for one as remarkable as you.”

As he held Alice close to him, she closed her eyes and committed this moment to memory.

For years and years to come, she would be able to recall exactly how warm Henry felt against her, how comforted she felt in his arms. She could feel his breath against her neck, his hand against her waist, but most of all she would recall the simultaneous beating of their hearts.

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