Page 41 of A Lover for Lady Jane (The Welsh Rebels #5)

T wins.

Jane still could not believe it. When the midwife had told her she was to prepare herself, as a second babe was coming, she had almost fallen into a swoon.

Another child? No, surely she couldn’t go through the excruciating labor again?

But she had, because there had been no other choice.

And so, while Sian held her blonde little daughter in her arms, she had given birth to her son.

Once the black-haired little boy had been cleaned, she had asked the midwife with a trembling voice if she was sure there wasn’t a third child.

Mercifully, there hadn’t been.

Heart filled with a joy such as she had never known, Jane stared at the two babies lying side by side on her husband’s smooth chest. It was not long before her eyes started to burn with another wave of tears. It really seemed she had done little else but cry this day.

Griffin had insisted he be the one looking after the babes, while she slept. Exhausted by the long labor, desperate to escape the pain gnawing between her legs, she had been all too happy to comply.

But now she was awake, and ready to start on this new part of her life.

Sian had given birth to her daughter six months ago, less than a day after Jane had announced she was with child.

Every time she had taken her niece in her arms, she had imagined how she would feel when she finally met her own child, but she had failed to anticipate such a rush of love—or that she would have to split this bounty in two.

No, not split it, she reflected, but multiply.

She had more than enough love for each babe, and the ones who would follow, as well as for their father.

“My love. How do you feel?” Griffin whispered when he saw her awake and looking at him.

“Much better.” Still not perfect, but a lot better.

There was a pause before he spoke. “I’ve been thinking while you slept and, if you agree, I’d like our daughter to be called Elspeth.”

“Oh, Griffin!” The tears she had been fighting since she’d woken up finally fell down her cheeks.

He wanted their little girl to have her sister’s name, to make her part of this joy.

She was more moved than she could ever put into words, because she’d had the same thought.

It seemed the only fitting name for a twin girl of her loins.

“Don’t cry, please cariad , not when I cannot hold you.” He nodded at the two babes huddled on his chest, their foreheads touching. His meaning was clear. He did not want to risk moving while they were resting so peacefully.

“These are happy tears,” she assured him, nestling herself against him.

If he couldn’t move, then she would. “And we will have to find a name for her brother. I was thinking of Llywelyn, like you’d imagined you would name your son.

Now that you have one, you can… Unless you’d prefer Madoc, after your father? ”

“Llywelyn is perfect.” He sent her a fiery look. “I love you, my lady, you do know that?”

“I do.” And she loved when he called her “my lady” because she knew in his mind it was now the most meaningful term of endearment.

They stayed lying side by side for a long moment.

Jane could feel herself falling asleep again.

Then the babes started to squirm, the reason for their unrest obvious.

They were hungry. With Griffin’s help, she settled herself in the bed and then put the twins at her breasts.

A giggle escaped her lips. Heavens, this would take some getting used to, but she could already tell she would cherish the connection with her children.

Griffin crossed his arms over his still naked chest and looked at her, his eyes filled with love.

“You know, I don’t think the two skeletons they found in the castle ditch were those of two ill-fated lovers,” he said, looking through the window to the imposing structure crowning the valley.

From their cottage by the river, it was all they could see.

“I think Castell Esgyrn is too happy a place for that.”

“Yes,” Jane agreed, placing a hand over her daughter’s head. “You’re right.”

Certainly she had never been happier than in that moment.

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A Scot for Bethan