Page 45 of The Earl Takes All
“It’s not proper for you to be here, m’lord.”
“It’s proper for a husband to get his wife with child but not to be in attendance as the child is born? That’s rubbish.” Reaching up, he stroked the hair back from her face. “Unless you want me to go.”
He hadn’t been with her when she’d lost the other three. She didn’t know what to expect here, what he might witness, but she needed his determination, his sureness. “No, I want you to stay. You’re my strength.”
He pressed his mouth against her knuckles. “We’ll get through this.”
Sometime later she realized those words were extremely easy for him to say when he wasn’t the one with pain ratcheting through his body. But bless him, he never flinched, no matter how hard she squeezed his hand. He merely cooed encouraging words and wiped a cool cloth over her brow. And he told her stories, about his childhood, his travels. He made her laugh when she’d thought the act impossible, made her believe that before the day was done, she’d be holding a squalling babe in her arms.
Beyond the window it began to grow dark. “Where’s the doctor?” she asked.
“He’s no doubt delayed by the storm,” her husband told her. “You don’t have to wait for him.”
She forced a laugh. “As though I could.”
He brushed back her hair. “You’re being so brave.”
“Only because you’re here. I don’t mean to be awful, but I’m so glad it wasn’t you who died in Africa. I don’t know how I would manage to get through this if not for you.”
“You’re not awful. You couldn’t be awful if you tried. The first time I laid eyes on you I knew you were special.”
“I fell in love with you almost immediately.”
“Almost immediately? Why the delay?”
“It was only a few minutes. From the moment we were introduced until we had our first dance. You were so serious. I thought, ‘He won’t be any fun at all.’ And then you smiled at me, and I was lost.”
“So you were won over by something as simple as a smile.”
“You have a most charming smile. I hope your son has your smile.”
“I hope he has your strength of character.”
Another pain ratcheted through her. He was standing now, hovering over her. She was growing so tired, so weary.
“If I die—”
“You’re not going to die,” he insisted.
“But if I do, you must promise me that you won’t abandon our child the way Marsden abandoned his. You won’t blame this child for my death.”
“Julia—”
“Promise me.”
“I promise that the child you carry shall never know what it is not to be loved.”
Nodding, she knew she couldn’t yet give in to her need to rest. Not until their son entered the world, not until she gave Albert his heir.
“I think he’s almost here, m’lady,” Mrs.Bedell said encouragingly. “I can see the top of his head. Black hair he has.”
She smiled at her husband. “Black hair.”
Tenderly, he pressed the cool cloth to her temple. “He’s going to look like you.”
Wearily, she shook her head. “No, he’s going to look like you. Only with black hair. Will that please you?”
“Any child you deliver will please me.”
