His daughter jumped off his lap. “I promise.”
Martin watched his daughter with pride as she ran to accept Martha’s outstretched hand. He knew he would do anything for that little girl. She had taken his heart the moment she was born.
Hannah placed a hand on her protruding belly. “You spoil her.”
“It is easy to do so.”
“That it is,” she agreed.
Martin leaned back in his chair and smiled at his wife. “How are you faring today?”
“I am well, but I’m afraid I am moving at a much slower pace now.”
“That is to be expected.”
“True, but it is hard to keep up with Alice,” Hannah said. “She ran circles around me when we went on a walk today. I have never known such an inquisitive child.”
Rising, Martin walked over to his wife and placed his hands tenderly on her shoulders. “We have more than enough servants to tend to Alice right now,” he remarked. “Furthermore, my mother and father would be more than happy to spend time with her.”
A smile came to Hannah’s lips. “I daresay I have been surprised at the amount of attention your father lavishes on her.”
“As have I,” he replied, “but that was only after he got over the fact that she wasn’t born a boy.”
“Let’s hope this one is,” Hannah said, rubbing her belly.
Martin shook his head. “All I care for is a healthy baby, male or female.”
“You say that now, but—”
He cut her off. “I mean it, Hannah,” he replied. “I have never been happier than I am right now.”
“I am pleased to hear you say that.”
Martin leaned in and kissed her, then asked, “When do we need to depart for dinner with your sisters?”
“We’ll leave right after you read a story to Alice.”
“Are you sure you’re feeling up to it?” he asked.
Hannah nodded. “I am not due for another month,” she pressed. “Besides, I haven’t seen my sisters in quite some time.”
He chuckled. “You just saw them last week for a picnic.”
“Wasn’t that fun?” she asked. “I don’t think I could ever tire of playing with all of my nieces and nephews.”
“Neither will I,” he said. “We did have a rousing game of shuttlecock going.”
“That we did.”
Martin dropped his arms but remained close. “I can scarcely believe how blessed we are to have such a close-knit family.”
“I agree.”
“Even my sister is happily wed now.”
Hannah gave him a knowing look. “Your mother was not pleased that she married only a viscount.”
“True, but Marianne is ecstatically happy,” Martin said. “Besides, Mother eventually came around.”
Hannah reached for his hand. “You’d better not keep Alice waiting for her story.”
“Will you come with me?”
“Always,” she replied. “There is no place that I would rather be than with you.”
Unable to resist, Martin leaned forward and kissed her. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” he murmured, remaining close.
She gave him a playful smile. “I believe you finally came to your senses and realized that you couldn’t live without me.”
“That is precisely what happened, and there isn’t a day that I don’t revel in my good fortune.”
Hannah wrapped her arms around his neck. “That was rather a sweet thing to say, husband.”
“I can’t imagine how I lived at all before securing your love, when I now know I can’t possibly live without you.”
Hannah’s eyes glistened as she murmured, “You won’t ever have to.”
The End
About the Author
Laura Beers is an award-winning author. She attended Brigham Young University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management. She can't sing, doesn't dance and loves naps.
Besides being a full-time homemaker to her three kids, she loves waterskiing, hiking, and drinking Dr. Pepper. She was born and raised in Southern California, but she now resides in South Carolina.
