Page 86 of How to Capture a Duke

Her heart leaped with joy, and she reveled in the sweetness of his lips. Winding her arms around his neck, she looked into his eyes. She wanted to confess her own feelings but held back until he knew the full truth. “There’s something you should know, something I feared I’d never get the chance to tell you. I’m with child.”

She held her breath, not knowing how he would react. Would he be happy or displeased?

His mouth curved in a wide smile. “I know, love. Ellie told me. God has blessed us.”

“You are not upset? Not worried he or she may…may speak like you?”

He cradled her face in his hands. “No longer. With you at my side, our child will have all the help she needs. I know this now.”

“You hope for a girl?”

“A beautiful girl with golden hair and green eyes.”

Unable to hold back, she buried her face in his neck. “I love you, Tristan.”

He gently lifted her chin and looked in her eyes. “Say it again. Please.”

“I love you. I’ve loved you since you took me riding at Rosehill.”

His embrace tightened. “I love and adore you, Olivia. My grandmother was right. I’ve been a fool not to recognize how fortunate I’ve been. I now count myself to be the luckiest man on earth.”

“You have been stubborn,” she teased. “I feared you’d never completely trust anyone.”

“I do. I trust and love you. As soon as you recover, I promise to take you riding at Rosehill.”

“Like our first time?”

“No.”

“No?”

He shook his head and nuzzled her ear. “This time, you shall ride Atlas.”

Epilogue

“Papa, what will Mother say?”

“Ah, leave her to me, Georgiana.” Tristan looked down at his six-year-old daughter. She was beautiful, with golden hair and bright green eyes that gleamed like jewels when she was excited, just like he’d hoped before she was born. She was growing to look more and more like her mother each day.

A tiny puppy squirmed in her arms and licked her face.

Georgiana giggled. “She’s kissing me.”

“Can I hold her?” Rory asked.

Dark curls framed his son’s face. He smiled, showing missing two front teeth. Olivia had often said their four-year-old son was going to grow to be a charmer, just like his father.

Tristan took the puppy from his daughter and handed it to his son.

“Mama has to agree to keep her,” Georgiana said. “She has to!”

“Stay here and think of what you want to name her while I talk to your—”

But young Rory wasn’t as disciplined. He ran into the house ahead of his father. “Mama, look! Papa brought home a puppy!”

Tristan moved quickly to follow his son inside and was just in time to see Olivia stand from her chair. A scrap of fluff bounded over and launched itself at her skirts.

Rory jumped up and down with excitement. “Can we keep him, Mama? Father said Socrates was lonely.”