Captain Durant's Countess - By Maggie Robinson Page 0,111

a hand on the black fabric that covered her stomach. “Too exhausting for a woman in my state. So I sat in a comfortable chair and coaxed him to talk while his grasping mother probably pilfered my jewel box, not that there’s much in there. The boy is very smart and seems to have inherited neither of his parents’ objectionable qualities.”

“What are you saying, Maris?”

“I’m going to marry you—if you’ll still have me. I must talk to Mr. Woodley about the legalities, but I believe any child born into wedlock will be acknowledged to be my husband’s, no matter how brief the marriage. We can raise our child together, Reyn. No more deceit. Henry would have liked Peter, I’m sure of it. If he’s managed to remain as pure as he has with that harpy for a mother, we can only imagine how well he’ll turn out with some schooling and Mr. Woodley looking out for his interests.”

“What about David?”

Maris shrugged. “He may rise to the occasion. If not, how much harm can he do? He should have his hands full keeping his wife under control. Poor man.”

Reyn sat beside her and took her hand. “I disagree. How can you feel any sympathy for him? A secret marriage? Deserting his own child all these years?”

“Exactly. One should never desert a child. That was your concern all along, wasn’t it? Why you didn’t want to follow through with Henry’s plan.”

“At first. But now there is the small matter that I fell in love with you and can’t bear to think of living without you.”

She looked up at him, her eyes damp. Damn, but her tears always slayed him. “You won’t have to.”

“Are you sure, Maris?”

“Oh so very.”

Kissing her seemed the right thing to do. The only thing to do. They were to be married, after all, and if anyone saw them through the ornate iron fence, what did it matter? Reyn touched his lips to hers and was lost.

It was all too good—the kiss, the weather, the neat solution to their dilemma. But he had never been one to look for trouble. It had usually found him . . . if he waited long enough, anyway. If Maris thought she could leave her old life behind and marry him, he wouldn’t try to talk her out of it.

Or talk to her at all—just kiss—although, to be honest, there was nothing just about it.

First Epilogue

September 1821

“I cannot bear it. How can she?”

“Now, Captain Durant, your wife is doing beautifully.” The midwife, Mrs. Lynch, handed him a clean damp cloth.

Reyn had lost count of how many clean damp cloths she’d given him over the past twenty hours.

“If you are to remain—it is most indecent of you, really, although it seems Mrs. Durant wants you, though why she does is anyone’s guess as you’ve done your part already and gotten us all into this mess—you must put a smile on your face and wipe hers.”

Reyn gave it his best shot, which was more grimace than smile.

“Not like that. You look like you’ve eaten something nasty. Be brave for the lass as she’s been brave for you.”

After a career in the army, Reyn had thought he knew what bravery was, but he had been mistaken. Maris was braver than anyone. After almost a day’s labor, the baby was not slipping into the world easily, despite Mrs. Lynch’s efforts.

There was a reason men were barred from their wives’ side at such a time. A reason they drank themselves into a brandified stupor waiting downstairs after listening to the wailing from above. Maris had done her share of wailing, and each cry had pierced Reyn’s heart.

“We should send for Dr. Crandall,” Reyn whispered as he blotted Maris’s brow. Her eyes were closed and she was white as the sheets she lay on, her brown braid soaked. She had given up screaming some time ago and was silent. He thought he much preferred the screams.

“Too far. He’ll never get here in time. It really won’t be long now.”

“Dr. Sherman, then.”

Mrs. Lynch tsked. “The man’s a drunkard. Be patient, Captain. There’s my girl. I think we’ll get you up to walk again, my dear. How does that sound?”

Maris’s bloodless lips barely moved in response. “Whatever you think best.”

“Lean on that strong, handsome husband of yours. Well done, dear. Just to the chair and back. And again. And again.”

Reyn felt as if they were marching back and forth to their doom. His wife slumped against him, her body shaking, each