‘Tell me what the doctor said, tesoro.’
Lowri told him word for word what the obstetrician had said. She didn’t want to leave anything out, didn’t want to raise his hopes and have to dash them if the worst happened. Vincenzo needed to know the truth, every bit of it.
‘It was my own fault,’ she said miserably. ‘I wasn’t concentrating and that’s why I tripped. If I’d taken more care then it wouldn’t have happened.’
‘It’s easy to be wise after the event,’ he said softly. He turned her hand palm up and pressed his lips to the tender skin, making her shudder. ‘Why were you so distracted?’
‘Because I was thinking about what I was going to do.’ She looked into his eyes. ‘I was about to phone you and tell you my news.’
‘And that worried you?’ he queried, frowning.
‘In a way, yes, it did.’ She bit her lip.
‘Because you were concerned about how I would react? But having another child was what we had hoped for.’
He sounded perplexed, as well he might. Lowri took a deep breath, hoping she could make him understand. ‘It was but I was scared about what it would mean.’
‘That I would be a permanent part of your life and you weren’t sure if that was what you wanted?’ he suggested, his voice grating with pain.
‘No!’ She gripped his hand, needing to make him understand. ‘I was afraid that it wasn’t what you really wanted, that you would do it simply out of a sense of duty. I...I couldn’t bear that, Vincenzo. The last thing I want is for me and the children to be a burden to you.’
‘You could never be that.’ He pulled her close and kissed her passionately. ‘I need you so much, my darling. I can’t bear to imagine my life without you and the children in it.’
‘Really? You’re quite sure?’
‘I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.’ He kissed her again then pulled her to him, cradling her against him. ‘I know that I told you I had never wanted children and it was true. I made up my mind that I wouldn’t have a family very early on, mainly because my own childhood was less than idyllic.’
‘Tell me about it,’ she said softly, sensing that he needed to deal with the demons that had haunted him for far too long.
‘I told you that my mother died when I was very young.’ He carried on when she nodded and the lack of emotion in his voice told her how difficult he found it to talk about the past. ‘My father made no secret of the fact that he bitterly resented having to look after me after she died. He was only interested in his work—in making more money—and the time he had to spend with me stopped him doing that.’
‘How sad,’ she said softly. ‘You both missed out on so much.’
‘Yes. I can see that now that I have Megan in my life as well as this new baby to look forward to.’ He kissed her lightly then sighed. ‘Anyway, I was sent away to school when I was seven and saw very little of him after that. Holidays were spent with my grandmother, who did her best to compensate for my father’s lack of interest. However, it had a profound effect on me. I found it hard to get close to people and preferred my own company.’
‘It was only natural after the way you were brought up,’ she assured him.
‘You think so?’ He grimaced. ‘Maybe you’re right. However, I took it as a sign that I was exactly like my father. I couldn’t bear the thought of inflicting the same unhappiness on my own children so I decided not to have any.’
‘And you would have stuck to your decision if I hadn’t turned up at your door and told you that you had a daughter.’
‘Yes.’ He smiled. ‘I was so shocked it’s a wonder I didn’t pass out!’
‘But you didn’t, did you? You agreed to help me despite all your fears.’ She lifted his hand to her face and held it against her cheek. ‘Thank you so much, Vincenzo. I realise now just how much courage it took after hearing about your childhood.’
‘I was surprised that I wanted to help,’ he admitted. ‘It sounds a terrible thing to say but I’d never really considered other people’s needs before then. But when I heard about Megan and how ill she’d been...well, I knew I wanted to help her.’
‘Because inside you are a good person. You’re nothing like your father—you wouldn’t do the job you do if you were like him. You would be devoting your life to making money rather than saving lives.’
‘Do you think so?’ he said slowly.
‘I know so.’ She smiled at him. ‘If you need proof, I would never have fallen in love with you if you were like him.’
He laughed as he pulled her to him. ‘What can I say? I’m certainly not going to argue with you!’
He kissed her hungrily, only stopping when the door opened and Cerys and Megan appeared. Cerys looked from one to the other and grinned.
‘No need to ask if you’ve sorted everything out. Good. Right. I am going to take Meg home with me for a sleep-over. I think you two could do with some time on your own.’
‘Oh, but you don’t have to do that,’ Lowri began, but Cerys shook her head.
‘Oh, but I do. Give Mummy and Daddy a kiss, sweetie, then we can go home and play Happy Families.’ She grinned at them. ‘It seems rather apt to me!’
Lowri blushed when Megan ran over to kiss her. She cuddled her close then let her go so she could kiss Vincenzo. Megan frowned as she stared at him.
‘Are you really my daddy?’
‘I am, tesoro. Is that all right with you?’
‘Uh-huh. S’pose so.’
Megan ran back to Cerys, who laughed as she led her away. Vincenzo shook his head in amazement.
‘That’s it? She’s quite happy to accept me as her daddy?’
‘It appears so.’ Lowri smiled at him. ‘Children know instinctively who they can trust and Megan trusts you. As far as she’s concerned you’re her daddy and that’s final. There’s no going back on it now, Vincenzo.’
‘And no way that I want to,’ he growled, pulling her to him. ‘I love you so much, my darling. I promise that I shall do everything in my power to make you and the children happy.’
‘That’s all anyone could ask,’ she said, reaching up to kiss him.
She sighed blissfully when she felt his lips claim hers. No matter what happened, he would always be there for her and be there for Megan and any other children they had too. The future, which had seemed so scary just a few months ago, was suddenly filled with hope. Vincenzo loved her and together they would deal with whatever problems life threw at them.
EPILOGUE
Fifteen months later
LOWRI TUCKED A blanket around the baby sleeping in the pram. There was a breeze blowing up from the lake and she didn’t want Giuliana Bethan to catch a chill. At six months old, she was growing rapidly and each day brought about new changes. Vincenzo’s delight in his new daughter was a joy to see and Lowri never tired of watching them together. Despite his fears, Vincenzo was a natural when it came to looking after the children.
‘Ah, so she’s asleep, is she?’
He came out onto the terrace, putting his arms around her as he stared down at the newest addition to their family. Lowri smiled to herself when she saw the love on his face. He was as besotted with Giuliana as he was with Megan.
‘Yes. She needs a nap so don’t go picking her up or she’ll be really cranky. Megan will want to play with her when she gets back from Maria’s.’
He laughed. ‘Megan really adores her, doesn’t she?’
‘She does. She was thrilled when I explained that Giuliana had given her the special medicine that would help make her better.’
‘We’re so lucky,’ Vincenzo said quietly. ‘The fact that you didn’t lose the baby was a miracle in itself and then to find out that she was a perfect match for Megan was wonderful. Having the stem-cell transplant means that Megan should live a long and healthy life.’
‘Yes, we are. Very lucky indeed.’ She turned into his arms, holding him close. ‘We have to be the luckiest people in the world, Vincenzo. We
have two beautiful children and we have each other. What more could we want?’
‘Nothing,’ he murmured as he covered her mouth with his. ‘Absolutely nothing.’
* * * * *
ISBN: 978 1 472 04545 4
SAVING HIS LITTLE MIRACLE
© 2014 Jennifer Taylor
Published in Great Britain 2014
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
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