Page 67 of Lady Tempts a Rogue

On my employer’s behalf, I wish to reserve furnished houses with servants on Santorini overlooking the Aegean Sea for the month of May and in Athens for the month of June.

He is interested in purchasing an estate in Greece as well.

Please send descriptions, locations, and pricing of properties that meet the criteria I have included on the last page of this letter.

~Mr. Milton Shillingford, in a letter to his business contact in Greece,

Bakchos Demotropolis

Berkeley Square-London

20 November 1820

The wee morning hours

For the umpteenth time, Devin glanced at the white onyx mantel clock.

Nine minutes past three.

It would not be long now.

But the blasted doctor and midwife had been saying that for the past two hours as Trinity labored to bring their first child into this world. Whoever said women were the weaker sex had obviously never been present when a babe was born.

Though Doctor Travers harrumphed his disapproval and Mrs. Todd regarded Devin as if he had leprosy, he had refused to leave Trinity. Why should he get to sleep when agony ripped her asunder?

Eyes squeezed shut, she groaned and gripped his hand so tight that his fingertips grew numb.

“Push, Mrs. Everingham. Push.” At the end of the bed, Mrs. Todd glanced over Trinity’s bent knees and offered an encouraging smile. “You’re wee one is almost here. Push.”

With a guttural, animalistic cry, Trinity clenched her teeth and pushed.

A second later, the most tremendous, joyous sound Devin had ever heard filled the chamber.

His child’s cry.

He had a child.

A babe he would raise to know unconditional love and acceptance.

“My baby,” Trinity whispered, lifting her head as she tried to see the infant Mrs. Todd cooed to as she wiped the birthing blood off the child.

Devin wiped a damp cloth over Trinity’s sweat-slickened brow.

Doctor Travers made a note in his journal, recording the babe’s time of birth.

“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Everingham. You have a daughter.”

Eyes wide with wonder, Trinity met Devin’s eyes. “We have a daughter.”

He kissed her, loving her impossibly more at this moment than he could comprehend. “You were marvelous, darling.”

Mrs. Todd placed the wrinkled, red-faced, squalling wonder in Trinity’s arms.

“Look at all that hair,” the midwife said.

“She is beautiful,” Trinity whispered.

Devin wisely did not suggest otherwise.