by Jane Charles
Harriet entered with a kettle of water and hung it on a hook in the fireplace. She struck the flint and set the kindling to burning. Jocelyn ran to open a window. Lily welcomed the breeze on her face.
The door slammed and Lily only assumed her husband had been pushed into the hall, but she couldn’t concentrate on that now. Another contraction gripped her abdomen.
“Lily, are you sure the pains just began?” her Grace asked as she helped pull the nightgown over Lily’s head.
“Yes. My back has hurt for hours. These pains just started.”
Jocelyn and Her Grace paused and looked at each other. They knew something she did not. Lily didn’t have a chance to ask. Another spasm took control and Lily cried out in pain.
“We don’t have time to wait for the doctor.”
“No, we must,” Lily panted.
“Has anyone ever helped deliver a babe?” her mother-in-law asked to the ladies in the room.
Nobody said a word.
“We have all had at least one child. I am sure between the five of us in the room we can get the job done.” Helen, the maid, entered and closed the door.
Her biggest fear had come to be. She was about to deliver a babe without a doctor, or Wesley. Lord, please help me.
“There is no birthing chair,” Jocelyn announced.
“Dr. Cornelius says they are outdated,” Lily panted as the last contraction ebbed.
Her Grace snorted, completely shocking Lily. “Dr. Cornelius has never given birth.”
“My first child was with a birthing chair. Then Dr. Hastings insisted it was best to lie in bed. If there is a next time, I will be in the chair,” Jocelyn insisted.
Another pain gripped Lily. Though a chair would be nice, she no longer cared. The baby wanted out now.
“We will have to make do as I don’t know any other way. Move her to the end of the bed, girls,” Her Grace ordered.
Hands lifted and Lily’s legs were soon hanging over the edge, feet dangling. Her bottom rested on the edge.
“Harriet and Helen, brace Lily’s feet.”
Her gown was shoved up, over her abdomen. If she weren’t in such dire straits, Lily would be mortified that she was exposed for everyone to see.
“Girls, lift Lily to a seated position and support her.”
Her sisters-in-law moved onto the bed and Lily felt her body rise. This is more comfortable. As the thought filtered across her mind, another pain wracked her body. Lily could hear herself scream from what seemed like a faraway place and she pushed.
“You are doing well, dear. Try again,” her mother-in-law encouraged.
Max paced in the hall. Each time Lily screamed, his heartbeat quickened. This was his fault.
“Max.” Drake placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Come down to the library. These things can take some time and you will only torture yourself by standing here.”
“Lily is suffering in there.” Her scream penetrated the door. “How can I abandon her at a time like this?”
“Your brother is right. This could take hours,” Wesley insisted from where he stood at the top of the stairs.
Hours? Could Lily survive that long? Panic set in.
“Is Dr. Cornelius with her?” Lily’s brother asked.
“No, there wasn’t any time. The pains came on so suddenly.”
Lily yelled.
“The pains are this close already?” Wesley approached the door. “Who is with her?”
“My mother and sisters-in-law.”
“No physician?” Wesley’s face turned ashen and he marched toward the door.
“I’m here now,” Dr. Cornelius announced from the top of the stairs.
A baby’s cry rang out.
Max grabbed for the wall, darkness invaded his consciousness.
Chapter 48
Lily cradled the bundle in her arms. Love flowed through her heart like nothing she had ever experienced the moment she set eyes on her daughter’s face. A gentle knock sounded at the door and Lily glanced up, expecting to see Max. Wesley entered instead.
“You are a little late,” she chastised, though she felt no anger toward her brother.
“So I see.” He returned her smile. “May I?”
Lily relinquished the child to his care. Instead of holding her, counting her fingers and toes, Wesley laid her on the bed, removed her blanket and proceeded to examine the infant. Lily bit her lip in worry. Was something wrong? “Dr. Cornelius already examined her.” Panic rose. “He said she was healthy.”
“Forgive me, but she is my niece and not the good doctors so I wish to see for myself.” After a few moments of examining the infant Wesley smiled up at Lily. “She is perfect.”
Lily sighed with relief.
“May I come in?” Max asked from the door.
A bandage was wrapped around his head. A small trace of blood stained the white on his forehead. “What happened?”
“Your husband fainted in the hall when he heard his child cry. He struck his head on the table.”
Max turned red with embarrassment. Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing.
“Come now, leave these two alone to get acquainted with their daughter.” Her Grace pushed the visitors from the room.
Max lifted the child into his arms. He counted her fingers and toes and kissed her forehead. “She is as beautiful as her mother.”
The moisture in his eyes matched the tears in Lily’s. “You don’t mind having a daughter instead of a son?”
“Never,” he insisted with a grin. “I will always feel blessed that God believed in me enough to entrust a child into my care. It matters not if it is a boy or a girl.”
Tears misted her eyes. No matter how much she loved the infant, she was still a daughter and not an heir.
“Besides,” he added with a grin as he settled on the side of the bed. “You have accomplished the one thing no one else in my family has been able to.”
“Give your mother a granddaughter?”
Max looked down at his daughter. Love shone in his eyes. “You are going to be very spoiled by a very special lady, little one.” He kissed her again. “And, you just may have relegated your papa to being the favorite son.”
Lily laughed. “I don’t believe your mother has favorites.”
Max met her eyes. “No, she does not, except for today perhaps.”
“I love you.” Lily’s heart was about to burst with love for both husband and child.
Max looked at her, almost in shock, then a gentle smile formed on his lips. “Do you know how long I’ve waited to hear those words form your lips?”
Lily had a good idea, but she’d never been able to say them, until now. Something about giving birth and holding her daughter was proof that you could love unconditionally. There is nothing that little girl could do that could ever make Lily change her heart or how she felt. Max had been telling her the same. That he loved her no matter what. He didn’t care about her birth, her ancestry, or that she came to him with only the clothing on her back. He loved her.
“I love you more than you’ll ever know.” Max bent to kiss her lips.
“Max, I plan to give you as many children as you wish. It really wasn’t as bad as I feared.”
Max’s face turned white. “You may feel that way, but darling, I’m not sure I could survive it again.”
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Dear Readers,
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Thank you for reading Lily, One Lord’s Temptation, the first book in the Garden Brides series.
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About Jane Charles
Jane Charles is a USA Today Bestselling author who has lived in the Midwest her entire life. As a child she would more likely be found outside with a baseball than a book in her hand. In fact, Jane hated reading until she was sixteen. Out of boredom on a long road trip she borrowed her older sister’s historical romance and fell in love with reading. She long ago lost count of how many novels she has read over the years and her love for them never died. Along with romance she has a passion for history and the two soon combined when she penned her first historical romance. What turned into a hobby became a passion. In addition to historical romances, she has been pulled to write contemporary and began penning her new series, Baxter Academy of Arts. She intends to continue writing both historical and contemporary.
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Historical Romance by Jane Charles
The Tenacious Trents
Compromised For Christmas
Landing a Laird
A Misguided Lord
A Perfect Gentlemen
Devil in Her Dreams
A Lass For Christmas
A Reluctant Rake
Lady Revealed
Lady Disguised
Lady Concealed
A Tenacious Trent’s Wedding
Lady Admired
The Spirited Storms
Christmas Spirits
Ruined by a Lady
Weathering Captain Storm
Wiggon’s School For Elegant Young Ladies
To Walk in the Sun
Ghosts From the Past
The Witching Hour
A Gentleman’s Guide to Once Upon a Time
His Impetuous Debutante
His Contrary Bride
His Not So Sensible Miss
His Christmas Match
Muses
Her Muse, Lord Patrick
Her Muse, Her Magic
Her Muse, Her David
Her Muse, His Grace
New Adult Romance by Jane Charles
Baxter Boys
Rattled: Rattled #1 (Baxter Boys Series ~ Rattled)
Still Rattled: Rattled #2 (Baxter Boys Series ~ Rattled)
The Rattle Box: Rattled #3 (Baxter Boys Series ~ Rattled)
Rattle His Cage: Rattled #4 (Baxter Boys Series ~ Rattled)
All Horns and Rattles: Rattled #4 (Baxter Boys Series ~ Rattled) coming soon
* * *
Baxter Academy
Valentine Wishes: The Legacy #1 (Baxter Academy Series ~ The Legacy)
Colors of You: The Academy #1 (Baxter Academy Series ~ The Academy)
Shadows of Memory: The Academy #2 (Baxter Academy Series ~ The Academy)
Casting Doubt: The Academy #3 (Baxter Academy Series ~ The Academy)
Between the Lines: The Academy #4 (Baxter Academy Series ~ The Academy)
