Dangerous (19 page)
Authors: Julia Hawthorne
The anguish in her voice told him what that decision had cost her. Twice, she’d sacrificed herself for him, three times if he considered the effort required for her to carry and birth his son. She mutely stared at the body of her husband, a man she’d once cherished as a friend, and tears started down her cheeks.
Ignoring the pain of his wound, Eric drew her onto his lap. He knew of no words that could ease her sorrow, so he wrapped his arms about her and held her as she wept.
Epilogue
“Good morn to you, Christian,” Elisabeth greeted him as he strolled through the welcoming entryway into
Maison Jordanne
.
Miguel, his bound arm long since out of its sling, lay sprawled out on the floor in a patch of late autumn sunlight. Bearing no resemblance to the mercenary he’d once been, he seemed content in the midst of the rambling farm Eric had carved for Andrew.
“And to you,” he replied, then turned to Miguel. “
Hola
,
mi
amigo
,” he ventured in halting Spanish.
“
Faílte
,” Miguel answered. When Andrew held up a small sheep with a questioning look, he said, “
Caora
. Baahh.”
“Your Gaelic is much improved,” Christian complimented him.
“Andrew has been tutoring me.” He tossed a grin over his shoulder at Glenda. “And his lovely nurse, of course.”
Chuckling, Christian followed Elisabeth into the kitchen. Eric entered through the back door, stooping to kiss her cheek. His hand moved to her stomach, splayed in a protective gesture even an imbecile could interpret.
Smiling at her husband, she turned to Christian. “Would you care for something to eat?”
“No, thank you. I didn’t mean to intrude.”
“You’re not,” Eric assured him with a proud smile. “No doubt, you’ve guessed our news.”
“Indeed, I have. It still amazes me how very
un
barren my sister became when she began sharing her bed with you.”
“Christian!” Elisabeth glanced nervously to the doorway. “Glenda will hear you.”
Far from repentant, he grinned. Shaking her head, she asked, “Where are you off to?”
“Edinburgh.”
“For the Council of Clans?” When he nodded, she frowned. “Conditions along the Borders are growing worse, aren’t they?”
“If the English would simply go away, we’d all be much happier. But enough grim news. Have you a sense about this one?” he asked, glancing to her waist.
She tipped her head back to smile up at Eric. “A girl.”
Christian came forward to kiss her cheek and shake Eric’s hand. “At last I’ll have a niece.”
“If she’s like her mother, she’ll be a brazen little handful.”
She laughed. “You make it sound like a virtue.”
“It is,” he assured her, nuzzling her shoulder. “I’m certain your brother would agree with me.”
Christian was uncharacteristically silent, and she realized he’d left. “It seems he prefers a long, bumpy ride to our company.”
“Don’t let it vex you,
mon cœur
,” Eric murmured at her ear. “I’ll stay with you as long as you’ll have me.”
Turning to face the man who’d weathered so many storms to be with her, she cast him an impish smile. “That could be a very long time.”
“I hope so.”
Dedication:
For Rob
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