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LONDON.
Seven months later.
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SHE WAS FAMISHED. THEY had skipped a proper dinner the night before in favor of a light repast sent up to their rooms. But really she could not regret that, as her husband had more than satisfied more than one appetite. Heat flooded her face as she remembered all the different ways Colin had pleasured her last night. He was really the most inventive lover, finding interesting positions in which to make love, now that her belly swelled with their child.
She looked at the head of the table where her husband sat, studying her with a wicked expression, as if he could read her lurid thoughts. She narrowed her eyes at him. Not that she would mind a repeat performance later. But right now, she needed to eat.
Pregnancy was a capricious estate, and it seemed her body had mounted a rebellion and had its own distinct demands. It dictated when and how much to sleep, the amounts of food to be consumed, it even seemed to have had an influence on another type of appetite altogether. Though that might just be Colin’s effect on her.
“Have you heard from Gabriel?” She said, helping herself to a huge serving of kidney pie.
“No, I haven’t.” He frowned. “And I worry about him. His child would have been born about a month ago. And that is also about the time he disappeared.”
“Maybe he just went to his country estate.” She suggested.
Colin shook his head, looking even more grim. “Already tried. I sent a couple of messages and his butler replied, saying he was not there.”
“Hmm. I’m sure he is fine, my love. Maybe he just needs a little time by himself to... process things.”
“There’s nothing to process, sweetheart. I feel for him. In his place, I would go insane.”
There was nothing to say to that, so she just reached out to hold his hand where it rested on the table, squeezing in an offer of comfort. Colin turned his hand, twining their fingers and bringing her hand to his mouth to kiss it. It was a tender kiss. But it was full of love and it seemed to brand her hand, claiming her as his.
She heard a familiar voice down the hall a moment before the countess entered the dining room.
On her own two feet.
She had left for America with Wang shortly after their precipitous departure for Bath, saying only that she wanted to try a new treatment he had suggested. Over the next few months, they had corresponded frequently, but she had never reported that she was walking on her own again.
She was leaning on a cane and Mr. Wang was on her other side, his hand under her elbow should she need the support, but she was standing. More than that. She looked stronger. Younger. She wore her dark mahogany hair in a looser, more youthful style and she was radiant. It was rather a miracle.
“Esther!” Abigail exclaimed, scrambling to her feet with as much agility as a heavily pregnant woman could. Colin had stood up too and was now moving behind her to open her chair solicitously. “What a wonderful surprise to see you, and, dare I say, in such good... health. When did you arrive from America? And why didn’t you tell us you were coming? Had we known, we would have met you at the pier.”
Esther laughed and extended a hand towards Abigail, which she took, and the two women embraced. “And that is precisely why I said nothing, Abigail darling. In your condition, you shouldn’t be traipsing around the docks.”
At that precise moment, Elizabeth barreled into the dining room, almost colliding with her mother.
“I thought I heard... mum! You really are here! And you are standing!” The girl’s eyes shone with surprise and excitement, and she almost knocked over her mother with a rather enthusiastic hug. But the countess seemed not to notice or care. She hugged back her daughter with tears in her eyes. Colin had stood to the side with Wang, and now both men looked on with indulgent amusement.
“Oh, my darling child, how much I have missed you! How are you?” The countess was smoothing Elizabeth’s hair, as if she couldn’t get enough of her daughter.
“I’m well, mum. Colin and Abigail rather spoil me, if you must know. But I have missed you, too. Are you here to stay? Please say yes. I can’t bear to be parted from you again.”
“Yes. I am back for good. And I... Well, I have something to share with all of you.”
Three pairs of eyes looked at her expectantly. The countess looked at Wang, who came to stand by her side, taking her hand in an obvious show of support. Abigail saw Colin notice the move and raise his brows.
“I... that is. Mr. Wang and I have married.” Esther said with a tremulous smile. Obviously wanting her family’s approval, but unsure how they would receive the news.
Colin was the first to react. Coming forward, he extended his hand to his friend and mentor with a smile. “Congratulations.”
Wang clasped his hand in a firm handshake but said nothing, merely inclining his head with a quiet smile. Colin then turned to the countess and kissed her hand. “Madam. I wish you much happiness.”
“Thank you.” Esther’s eyes were worried when they turned to her and her daughter. “Do we have your blessing, too?”
“Of course you do!” Abigail said, giving the older woman a hug. “You merely surprised us, but we are thrilled for you. Aren’t we Elizabeth?”
The girl was looking at her mom with a disconcerted expression. “I-I suppose. Yes, of course. I’m happy for you, mother.” And she gave her a hug too, but Abigail could detect her ambivalence. It could not be easy for the girl to see her mother after so many months and find out in the same moment that she had remarried. Elizabeth made an excuse and exited the dining room, and Esther’s gaze followed her, a worried frown marring her forehead.
Abigail took her hand and squeezed it comfortingly. “Give her some time to get used to the idea. I’m sure she will–”
A sudden pain ripped through Abigail’s stomach, and she gasped, tightening her hand convulsively around Esther’s fingers. Colin was by her side in an instant, grabbing her other hand, wrapping a comforting arm around her back.
“Darling, what is the matter? Is it time, you think?” Worry saturated his tone.
She tried to smile reassuringly but another contraction - for she was pretty sure now that is what it was - ripped through her, making her bend and clutch her belly. Warm liquid gushed down her legs to splash down onto the floor. “Oh,” she said, embarrassed to have this rather private incident happen in front of everyone.
Colin lifted her in his arms amid her protests.
“I’m fine. Really. And yes, I think the baby is coming. Better call Dr. Finlay now.”
He turned to bark the order, but the footman had heard and was already running towards the door. They all had the order to call for the physician at the first sign from her.
“Let me help you to your room.” Colin said solicitously.
Half an hour later, she lay ensconced in her bed, wearing a rather roomy nightgown and propped up by a mound of pillows at her back. Her contractions had continued regularly every few minutes.
The doctor had not yet arrived and Colin fussed over her, getting on her nerves.
“Colin, would you sit down, please?” She muttered in a break between contractions.
“I can’t. What on earth is taking Finlay so damned long?”
“I was attending another labor, if you must know.” A calm and sardonic voice replied from the doorway. “You are quite lucky my previous patient had already delivered when I received your summons, otherwise, you would have had to deliver your own child. I can’t be in two places at the same time.”
“Damn it, Finlay, don’t even joke about that. You damned well knew you had to be here the moment my wife began labor.”
“Let us not argue, shall we?” The doctor turned to address his nurse, who was entering the room behind him. “Bring me a pitcher of boiled water.”
“I have already set the kitchen staff to boil water as soon as she started having contractions.” Colin informed him.
“Good, we should have a good amount, then.” The physician said, removing his coat and rolling his shirtsleeves. Just then, a maid entered, carrying a large pitcher of water. The doctor extracted a rather pungent smelling soap from his bag and started scrubbing his hands and forearms thoroughly under the stream of water poured by his nurse. She noticed Colin always did the same, and she suspected that Finlay’s practice of antiseptic methods was what had won him Colin’s approval.
“Now, with your permission, I will examine you, Lady Hartfield. Lord Hartfield, I suggest you retire from the room now, as the birthing proceedings could be quite distressing for the father. I have the situation well in hand now.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Finlay.” Colin bit out.
“Suit yourself. At least I don’t have to worry that you will pass out at the sight of blood, you being a surgeon and all.”
Abigail gritted her teeth as the doctor lifted the edge of the sheet to perform his examination. She liked Dr. Finlay immensely, and she trusted his expertise and skill, but really, the man liked to provoke her husband. This situation was uncomfortable enough without the added tension of an angry husband.
But Colin wasn’t even paying attention to what the doctor was doing. His attention focused on her face. “How are you feeling, darling?”
She nodded and tried to smile because words were beyond her at this point as another contraction ripped through her.
“It won’t be long now.” The doctor said, and Colin snapped his face around to look him in the eye.
“How is everything?”
“Everything is progressing nicely. I have to commend you, Lady Hartfield. You have been quite efficient in your labor. You are almost fully dilated.” The doctor said, washing his hands again and turning to extract an apparatus from his bag. “We could start the anesthesia now.”
“Yes, please.” She gasped.
The doctor placed the mask over her nose and mouth and she breathed in.
After that, everything was hazy. She was aware enough to follow the doctor’s directions to push, to notice Colin by her side, holding her hand, bracing her shoulders, patting her forehead with a damp cloth, but everything else was distorted. Time, sounds... everything was a blur.
Until she heard the cry of her baby.
The nurse cleaned and swaddled the baby in a soft blanket, then handed the bundle to Colin, who was looking at the crying baby in his arms as if mesmerized.
She must have made a sound, for he came to her and she noticed his eyes were suspiciously bright.
“Is he well?” she asked, then had to swallow against the lump in her throat.
“She is perfect.” He replied, a catch in his voice.
“A girl?” Her arms were heavy, but she extended them and Colin came to sit next to her in the bed and placed their daughter in her arms. “Oh, aren't you precious?” The baby quieted as soon as she heard her mother’s voice, turning her little head to nuzzle at her breast.
“Yes, a precious little girl. I rather think she looks like you.”
She smiled at that because the tiny baby didn’t look like anyone yet. Although the fuzz covering her head appeared to be dark, and her eyes were blue. She looked into her husband’s eyes.
“Are you disappointed that you don’t have your heir?”
He shook his head emphatically.
“How could I be? I fell in love with her at first sight.” He said, running a fingertip, feather soft, over the baby’s cheek. “As for the heir, we’ll just have to keep trying, won’t we?”
He placed a soft kiss on her lips.
“Oh, yes,” she said with a smile. “I daresay we will have to give it our best effort.”
“None of that for at least six weeks.” Dr. Finlay admonished, making her blush that the doctor had heard them.
“Don’t worry Finlay. We are in no rush. We have forever, don’t we, my love?” Colin said, placing a tender kiss on her forehead.
“Oh yes. Forever might be just long enough.”