Second Chance Marquess (Second Chance Series Book 1)
Page 18
His eyes burned. It wasn’t the lack of sleep, it was the tears threatening to spill over at any moment. How could he live without her? He’d done it before, but that was never living, merely a half-hearted existence.
“George?” Willie started to sit up.
“No.” He pressed her back down. “Rest. The physician said you were exhausted and you needed rest.”
“I heard you,” she whispered. “Every word.”
He wiped at his eye with the back of his hand. “Well, I’m not sorry you did. It needed to be said. I should have said it years ago, and every day since.”
She started to sit up again, casting a sideways glance when he tried to help her. “I’m sorry about all this.”
“Don’t be.” He reached out and took her hands in his. “You couldn’t have known, none of us could.”
“I really didn’t think it would happen.”
“No one ever does. We just need to make these days the happiest we can.”
“I agree,” she said. “I love you. I know I didn’t say it at the inn, but I should have.”
He was in awe of her bravery in the face of such sadness. “There’s no time for regrets. We’ve said it now, and that’s all that matters.”
“I didn’t mean to cause anyone worry. I do hope I didn’t scare you all too much. I feel like such a ninny now.”
“Don’t say that. We all love you and you shouldn’t worry about us, especially at a time such as this when it’s you we should be worried about. We will all take care of you, I promise.”
She patted his hand. “That’s sweet. But I’m sure I can manage. I mean, women do this all the time. I won’t be the first, certainly not the last. Before too long, Kitty might even be going through the same thing.”
George took to the bed and sat next to her. “Kitty, too? Is it for certain? Did the physician say as much?”
Willie cocked her head slightly. “Of course it’s not certain, but I do hope she too can experience such a blessing for herself one day.”
“A blessing?” He was appalled that she would say such a thing.
“George? What’s wrong with you? Why are you crying?”
“Because you’re dying.”
Willie stared back at him for a moment, then a small smile started to spread across her face. The smile grew and she began to laugh hysterically.
“What’s come over you? Are you daft?” George asked, angry that she could be so cold. “Of course I’m upset, you’ve just come back into my life and then I learn I’m losing you, this time for good.”
“Oh, George.” She reached up and cupped his face in her hands. “I’m not dying. I’m having a baby, you silly man.”
He heard the words, but couldn’t make sense of them. “But the physician said there was no cure. I thought—”
“Well there’s not. I’m going to be tired for the duration of the pregnancy and there’s no going back now. There’s no cure for being with child except, well, having the child.”
Never before had he felt such an array of emotions. His heart leapt into his throat. A child? Their child?
He grabbed her and kissed her, every feeling he was experiencing he put into that kiss.
She was still laughing, pushing him off her. “Oh, George. I wouldn’t dare leave you now. Not after everything we’ve been through.”
“And will go through.” He was beaming, there was no way to contain his excitement. “Our child. We’ll be married straight away. I’ll obtain a special license and you can live with me here in London, or no, not London. We’ll move to Chesterton. The country is the only place to raise a son…or a daughter. I’m not sure which I’d prefer. They both have their benefits…”
“I’m not certain you’ll have much of a choice in the matter.”
He laughed. “Oh, it doesn’t matter. I’ll love him or her because they’re part of you, a part of us. We are truly being given a second chance at everything, aren’t we?”
She was crying now. “Will you bring the others up so we can tell them?”
George started to stand but stopped himself. “No, not right now. I’m not sure I’m ready to share you quite yet.”
And he bent his head and kissed her.
The End
About the Author
Jessica Jefferson makes her home in Almost-Chicago with her husband, two young daughters, French bulldog Lulu, and English bulldog Pete. When she’s not busy trying to find middle-ground between being a modern career woman and Suzy-Homemaker, she loves to watch “Real Housewives of [insert city here]” and performing unnecessary improvements to her home and property.
Jessica writes Regency-era historical romance with a modern twist. She creates endearingly flawed heroes and one of a kind heroines that you’ll want to continue knowing long after you read the last page. Fall in love with romance again.
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