The Traveling Teacher

by Kirsten Osbourne

  The midwife smiled at her and nodded. “I think it’s good for a woman to walk during her pains. I’ll walk with you.”

  “Thank you,” Taylor said, sticking her tongue out at Harry. She knew it was juvenile, but she was in pain, and she didn’t want to have to deal with her melodramatic husband.

  Within a couple of hours, she was in bed pushing. The baby came quickly, and all went well. Until the labor pains came again.

  “I’m having another!” she called to the midwife, who hurried to her side.

  “Did you know it was twins?” the midwife asked when she reached her. The woman’s eyes were twinkling.

  “I had a very strong feeling it was twins. I couldn’t be sure, because the doctor kept saying it was only one.”

  “We kicked the doctor out two hours ago for a good reason. The man knows nothing about childbirth. Let’s get the second baby here.”

  “Another girl!” Taylor insisted.

  “Yes, you need two girls.”

  Twenty minutes later, Taylor was sitting up in bed with a baby in each arm. “I’ll go fetch your husband,” the midwife said, a smile on her face.

  “Thank you.” Taylor sat there, waiting to see the look on Harry’s face when he saw that she was not only still alive, but she had twin girls.

  Harry hurried to the room. “What aren’t you telling me?” he demanded of the midwife. “How can I believe that my wife is fine when you’re very obviously hiding something?”

  He stood for a moment staring at Taylor, who held two tiny babies in her arms. “We need two girl names,” she told him, grinning.

  “Both are girls? Why can’t I do one thing at a time?” He was smiling as he rushed to her side and sat down carefully on the edge of the bed.

  “Both are girls. Now we have four children, two of each.”

  “So we can be finished having babies?” he asked, frowning at her.

  “If you can figure out a way to prevent them that doesn’t include giving up our fun time together.”

  He smiled, leaning forward to kiss her. “Girls. What are we going to name them?”

  “You suggested Josephine when I was first pregnant. What about Samantha and Josephine?”

  He seemed to think about it for a moment before nodding. “I like those names. How would you feel about the boys coming in to see their little sisters?”

  “I think that would be wonderful.” Taylor looked down into the little faces of the babies, and her heart melted. This was why she’d come back in time, so she could be surrounded by love and give love to others.

  When the boys came in, they had their hair perfectly combed, and they looked nervous.

  “Look what we have,” Taylor said.

  James reached out and touched the hand of the baby nearest him. “What’s her name?”

  Thankfully one of the twins was blond and the other was a redhead. She knew it was apt to change as they got older, but she’d be able to tell them apart for now. “This is Samantha, and the other one is Josephine.”

  Henry kept his hands behind his back. “Sisters?”

  Taylor laughed. “You knew you might get a sister.”

  “But there are two of them. Who wants two sisters?” Henry asked. He seemed disgusted by the whole thing.

  “Well, I like them a lot,” Taylor said. “I can’t wait until they’re grown and they can have as much fun as you two do.”

  The boys left the room with Maude and headed back to wherever they had been. Taylor wasn’t sure because she’d been in labor all day.

  She looked over at Harry who was watching her from by the door. “Are you happy?” she asked.

  He nodded. “I wasn’t worried about the baby . . . or the babies. I was worried about you. I can live without the babies, but I’m not so sure I can live without you.”

  She smiled. “I know I can’t live without any of you. The five of you are my family now, and I’m happy here.”

  He walked over and sat beside her on the bed, taking one of the babies from her. “Which one is this?”

  “Josephine.” She’d given both of the twins names that could end up as boy or girl names. She expected them to be tomboys, and it would be fine if they were, because there was a way to shorten their names perfectly.

  “Hello, Josephine. I hope you know just how loved you are.”

  Taylor sighed contentedly. This is all she’d been looking for. When she’d read all of the Regency books and wanted to jump into them and live there, it was for this moment. She had a husband who—even if he didn’t love her—cared about her a great deal. She had two boys who openly showed her their affection, and she had two tiny little girls, whom she loved with all her heart. What more could a woman ask for?

  Ten

  The household settled into a routine with two new family members who enjoyed keeping their mother up at night. Harry often offered to get a nurse to help with the girls, but Taylor truly loved caring for them herself. Sure, she was tired, but it was nice to have two little people who were completely dependent on you for everything in life.

  She quickly got her figure back and walked around the grounds of the estate with the girls in her arms and the boys trailing along behind her. She loved being outdoors and had often taken her books to read in Central Park back in New York.

  James had taken to being a big brother immediately, and he would often watch Taylor with the infants. Henry wasn’t as fond of his younger siblings and would leave and wait for his brother to join him.

  One evening, several weeks after the babies were born, Taylor was nursing Samantha, while Josephine lay sleeping in her cradle. Harry walked into the room, a scowl on his face. He sat on the edge of the bed watching her for a moment. “I think I need to go to London for a week or two.”

  Taylor frowned. He’d found a way to cut out all his trips to the city while she was pregnant, but here he was, ready to go back again. “The girls are too young to make the trip. I don’t think we can go.”

  Harry nodded, seeming very annoyed. “That’s fine.” He hadn’t wanted any of them to go anyway.

  Finally, she got up the courage to ask him what was on his mind. “Is something wrong?”

  “I’m just ready to get back to the way our lives used to be. The twins seem to always be underfoot.”

  Taylor looked at him. “Are you talking about how much time it takes me to take care of them? Or are you wishing we could return to our former intimacy?”

  “I know you’ve just had babies and we can’t go back to our lovemaking for several months, but every time I look at you, it’s all I can think about.”

  “Several months? You have to wait six weeks after a normal birth, and it’s been that. I’ve wondered why you were avoiding me.”

  He sat up straighter. “The twins are seven weeks old.”

  “I know they are. I was expecting you to initiate lovemaking a week ago. It’s all fine.”

  “How much longer is she going to nurse?” he asked, staring at the top of her breast that he could see over the baby’s mouth.

  Taylor laughed. “Ready now, are you?”

  “I’ve been ready for weeks. How much longer?”

  “I think she’s about to drift off to sleep. Probably another five minutes or so.”

  He stood up and started undressing. He wasn’t about to waste a single moment after the baby had finished her meal.

  He left on his pants and nothing else and sat on the bed watching her nurse. When the baby was obviously asleep, he took her and carried her into the adjoining nursery. “I think we need to get a nurse. You’re doing all the work for the babies, and it’s wearing you out.”

  She smiled. “Honestly, I’m tired, but I love what I’m doing, and I’d rather not get a nurse. Not yet anyway. Maybe when they’re a little older, I’ll get one so I can give the boys the attention they need for their learning.”

  “But you won’t do it to make your life easier?” He shook his head as he softly closed the door that separated their be
dchamber from the nursery. As soon as the door closed, he turned to her, holding her close. “I wish you’d told me you could return to all normal activities last week.”

  “You didn’t seem interested! I hate that you’re leaving for London just as soon as we can . . .”

  “I’m not. I was upset with you for not being able to make love, which makes no sense at all. I was tired of waiting, so I was going to remove myself from you.”

  Taylor shook her head. “You can talk to me about things. I’m interested in what you have to say. If you want to make love, just tell me.”

  “Well, I did. Finally.”

  “Next time tell me sooner!”

  “I will. Don’t you worry about that.”

  Late the following afternoon, Jane and her mother came over.

  The butler led them into one of the sitting rooms before he told Taylor they were there for a visit. Taylor told the boys to continue practicing their counting before she walked down the stairs. Why would Jane and her mother be there for a visit?

  When Taylor entered the drawing room, she found Jane and her mother, Lady Gibbons, sitting waiting for her. Jane looked upset, but Lady Gibbons looked angry. Today was the first day she’d met Lady Gibbons.

  “Hello. I’m Taylor Twigg.”

  “I’m Priscilla Gibbons. It’s nice to meet you.” Lady Gibbons didn’t quite meet her eyes, and Taylor wondered if she’d heard the lies her daughter had spread about her.

  “So nice to meet you.” Taylor sat down in a chair, smiling at her guests. “To what do I owe this honor?”

  Lady Gibbons took a deep breath. “It’s come to my attention that Jane has been spreading horrible rumors about you all through London.”

  Taylor nodded. “Yes, I’m aware of the rumors.”

  “You are?” Jane asked, surprised.

  “I am. There was nothing I could do about them, though, so I didn’t say anything.” Taylor shrugged. “I’m happy here in the country, and people here haven’t heard what’s been said. I’m sure it will matter when the children are older, but right now, it means nothing to me.”

  “May I ask if there’s any truth in what my daughter has said?”

  Taylor was surprised by the question but answered immediately. “There is no truth to it at all. The only man I have ever been with is my husband.” The latter part was none of the other women’s business, but she felt the need to add it. They needed to know that Jane had smeared the reputation of an innocent woman.

  Lady Gibbons looked at Jane. “I’ll expect you to tell everyone that you lied when you go to London next week. Everyone. And I expect you to ask them to spread the truth around the way they spread your wicked lies.”

  Jane took a deep breath, looking at the floor for a moment. “She took my fiancé.”

  “No, she didn’t. He was never yours. You wanted him to be, but that means nothing. I’m as sad that William died as you are, but you can’t go around ruining the lives of his friends because you’re sad. Do you understand me?”

  Jane nodded. “I’m sorry, Lady Twigg.”

  Taylor took a deep breath. “Please call me Taylor.”

  Lady Gibbons smiled at her, silently thanking her for being kind to her daughter. “I heard you had twins recently. Is that true?”

  Taylor smiled. “I had two girls. Their names are Samantha and Josephine.”

  “That’s wonderful. The Twiggs seem to have twins a lot, don’t they?”

  “I’m not sure about previous generations, but I know we have two sets of twins here, and that seems like a lot to me.”

  Lady Twigg got to her feet, and Jane followed suit. “Thank you for your time, and the next time you go to London, all of the ton will know the truth. Don’t worry yourself over it at all.”

  Taylor smiled. “Thank you, Lady Gibbons.”

  After they’d left, Taylor sat in the drawing room for a little longer, thinking about the surprise turn the day had taken. When Harry walked in a short while later, he sat down beside her. “I heard some visitors came, but I don’t know who they were.”

  “Jane and her mother. Lady Gibbons heard about the rumors that Jane had spread about me. She asked if they were true, and when I said no, she told Jane that she would be going to London next week to tell everyone she’d lied.”

  Harry blinked, surprised. “Really?”

  “Really. I couldn’t believe it either. I was worried that when the children got older and it was time for them to search for an appropriate mate, my reputation would hurt them. That won’t happen now.”

  He put his arm around her shoulders. “We wouldn’t have let them be hurt by it anyway, but I’m glad to hear that it’s all being resolved. It takes some of the worry off of me. I didn’t want you to have to go to London and face people who would give you the cut direct.”

  She rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m relieved honestly. And Jane did apologize.”

  “That’s a first,” he muttered. “She was just a little girl when her brother and I ran all over the estate. She would lie about what we were doing to her mother all the time, and William and I were always in trouble. But it was all because she’d lied, and she would never tell the truth. It was so odd.”

  “She doesn’t seem like a particularly nice person. For a moment, she seemed to really believe that you were supposed to marry her and not me.”

  “She can convince herself that any lie is true. It’s just how she is.”

  “It’s so very odd.” Taylor got to her feet. “I need to get back upstairs. I can’t hear the twins from down here, and the boys need me to finish their lessons for the day.”

  Harry sighed. “I still think you need help. A nurse or a governess. I’d be happy with either.”

  Taylor sat back down. “I just feel like I should be taking care of my own children. I’m sure it’s my American hippy upbringing.”

  “I’m still not quite sure what a hippy is.”

  Taylor thought about it for a moment, trying to put the hippy movement into words. “A hippy is someone who doesn’t worry much about anything. They just let life go as it should. They don’t care much about monetary things. They take mind-altering drugs and basically live a free lifestyle, if that makes any sense.”

  “I suppose it does. There are a lot of people like this?”

  “In the 1960s there were thousands if not millions. Now there aren’t a lot left, but the few who are around are still very vocal. They would march against wars to protest the fact that the US was going to war at all.”

  “None of that really makes sense to me, but I suppose that’s all right. Do you want to hire a nanny or a governess?”

  “Neither one.” She sighed. “I suppose I can interview governesses and find one who will follow what I want done with the boys. Does that work?”

  He nodded. “That would make your life so much easier. I think that’s a very good idea.”

  “All right. You put the word out that you need a governess, and I will interview them and find one who suits me.”

  She left the room feeling slightly dissatisfied. She and the boys worked so well together that it just seemed wrong to bring someone else in.

  Before bed that evening, Harry came in and watched her nurse Josephine for a few minutes. “I don’t think you have any idea how much I enjoy watching you do that.”

  Taylor smiled. “I think I do.” She looked at him, seeing the little smile on his face. “I love you, Harry.”

  He stared at her for a moment, seeming surprised. “You do?”

  She nodded. “I wasn’t sure I did when I married you, but now? I love you, and it’s all right if you never love me back, but I’m very happy we’re married. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  “Is that what you’ll tell the person who sent you back in time to the boys and me?”

  “Absolutely. I’m not even sure if she is coming now. I expected her a while back, but maybe she’s giving me time to be certain of exactly how I feel. I don’t know, b
ut I do know that I love you, and I wanted you to know it, too.”

  “I love you, too.”

  “You don’t have to say that just because I did.”

  He shook his head. “But it’s true. I do love you. I’ve loved you since I saw how good you were with my boys. I loved you before I ever asked you to marry me.”

  Taylor was surprised but happy to hear it. “You could have told me that a very long time ago. Knowing would have been nice.”

  “I was so afraid I was going to lose you when you had the baby that I was afraid to tell you. If I said the words out loud, then it would have been so much harder to lose you.”

  “But now you know you’re not going to lose me?” she asked.

  “I’m relatively certain of it.” He smiled at her. “Let me put the baby down.” He took Josephine from her and carried her into the nursery. As soon as he closed the door, she flew into his arms. “I love you more than words can express. Thank you for our children and for loving my boys as if they were your own.”

  “They are mine now.” She kissed him softly. “Thank you for the gift of your love and your family. I couldn’t be happier than I am at this moment.”

  Epilogue

  It was almost two years later, when Taylor had just given birth to another set of twins, that Dr. Lachele finally came to her. Taylor was sitting in her favorite chair, nursing one of her new daughters, when she spotted Dr. Lachele standing in the middle of her bedchamber. “So you’ve popped out four babies in the three years since you got here. Are you trying to set records?”

  Taylor laughed. “I always knew you’d come. No, not trying to set records. Honestly, I’d like to be done right about now. Six children is enough for anyone.”

  “You really have done well. The important question though, is whether you’re happy. Somehow I knew this was the right time to ask you.”

  Taylor nodded. “I am happy. I love my children. I love my husband. I’m where I want to be.”

  “Somehow I knew that would be your answer. I guess that means that you don’t want to go back to 2019 with me?”