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P erry lay next to Dru, one arm about her, cradling her belly.

He could feel the strong kicks of the babe and wondered how his wife could sleep through them.

Then again, she was coming to the end of her term and had been exhausted for the last week or so.

She had told him it was difficult to inhale a deep breath.

The babe also pressed upon her bladder, resulting in numerous trips to the chamber pot throughout the day and during the night.

She lay sleeping peacefully now, and he would stay with her until she awoke. It gave him time to reflect upon how much had happened since they had met and fallen in love.

Though some might have gossiped about the speed of their marriage, he had known Dru was the woman for him.

He had fought against it, not wanting to trap her in a marriage with a man who feared the nights because of the terrible nightmares he had.

They still came to him from time to time, but he recalled little about them.

All he knew was that his wife had the ability to ease his ravaged soul.

She could soothe him by singing a few lines of a song and reassure him with a loving touch.

They had gone to town in the spring for their first Season.

Though they only went to a few of the social events, it had been good to try out the Season together.

They had also made time for family. Of course, Judson and Lucy were present, as were Julian and Ariadne, and he was comfortable in their company.

He also met Val, the Duke of Millbrooke, who brought his new wife to town, along with his sisters Tia and Lia, who had made their come-outs.

Con was also present, and Perry had enjoyed trips to White’s with Con and the other men in the family.

A new family member had made her appearance the first day of March, shortly before the Season began.

Lucy had given birth to a daughter. Ironically, Elizabeth shared a birthday with her cousin Penelope, who was exactly a year older.

Perry had grown comfortable holding the babe, and he particularly enjoyed the rapturous look on Dru’s face when she held little Elizabeth.

He could not wait to see their own child in his wife’s arms. With two girls already in the family’s next generation of cousins, he wondered if they, too, would have a daughter or if Dru would give birth to a son.

He liked that they had come home to Beauville for the birth of the babe. After six weeks of the Season, they both were ready to retire to the country. Dru was ready to stay off her feet, while he preferred the quiet of Surrey to the noisy ballrooms of town.

His wife began to stir. Her hand moved to her belly, and the babe’s kicks grew fierce. She sighed, and he knew she was now awake.

“Did someone wake you?” he asked.

“They most certainly did.” She chuckled. “And for once, it was not you.”

Perry stroked her belly, moving his hand around, feeling the babe kick wherever he touched. It still fascinated him that life grew within her, a child whom they would raise.

And love.

His own parents had paid little attention to him, much less loved him, but he was determined to be a good parent. Dru would help him in this endeavor.

Toby came strolling up the bed. The tabby slept at their feet each night, something which had taken a bit of getting used to, but he rather liked the cat now and considered Toby a part of the Beaumont family.

Scratching between Toby’s ears, he asked, “Are you ready for the whirlwind which will take over our lives?”

The cat purred, arching his back. He licked Dru’s hand once and jumped from the bed.

“I suppose I must get up,” she said, sounding more tired than usual.

“You may do whatever you like, my darling. You are the Countess of Martindale and beholden to no one. Stay abed all day if you choose. Your time draws nears. If you—”

Dru yelped.

“What is it? Is it the babe?” he demanded.

“Help me up,” she said, urgency in her voice.

He came around to her side of the bed and lifted her. Just as he set her on her feet, a loud whoosh erupted. Water splattered about their bare feet.

“It is time,” she said calmly. “Lucy and Ariadne were very specific about this.”

A thousand thoughts raced through his mind, and panic must have shown on his face because Dru said, “Perry, I am fine. Ring for my maid and your valet.”

He did as she requested, his heart galloping like a horse out of control. Dru had him remove her night rail and place a fresh, dry one on her. He slipped into his banyan.

Both servants arrived, and he told Grilley, “Go and bring the midwife back at once.”

“Yes, my lord,” the valet said, racing from the room.

To the maid, he said, “Have Cook put on water to boil. Then return here and tend to Lady Martindale.” It was something Judson had told him was needed, so he wanted to have plenty on hand.

His wife seemed calm, but her demeanor changed. Her face scrunched up in pain. She let out a low cry.

“What can I do?” he asked, feeling absolutely useless.

“Stay with me until the midwife comes. Help me back to bed for now. And stack the pillows behind my back. It is hurting a great deal.”

He hated that she would bear this pain alone and sat on the edge of the bed, holding her hand, trying not to look worried.

The midwife arrived and shooed him from the room. Not wanting to go far, he placed a chair in Dru’s dressing room and sat next to the closed door. He could hear her cries, ranging from low moans reminiscent of a cow to the loud screeching of a crow. Each time, the sound of her anguish filled him.

Then a scream erupted, earthshattering, and he threw open the door and raced into the room. He saw his wife, her face bright red, the sweat pouring from her. The midwife leaned between her legs, urging Dru to push.

“I cannot,” she said, tears flowing down her cheeks. “I haven’t got it in me.”

He rushed to her. “I am here, my darling girl. How can I help?”

With watery eyes, she got out, “Sit behind me.”

Quickly, he moved the pillows supporting her, crawling into the bed. His long legs cradled hers. He linked their hands together as she fell back against him.

Perry glanced at the midwife, who said, “She must push the babe from her, my lord, when the pain comes. Else the child will be stuck.”

Left unsaid was the babe would die.

“She will do so,” he guaranteed. “Dru dearest, the next time the pain comes, bear down hard. Push with all your might. Grip my hands as tightly as you can.”

She nodded, too tired for words.

“You can do this. You can move mountains. You saved me. Do this for our child.”

He sensed the pain as it rocked her body and urged, “Now. Now, my love. Bring our child into the world so that we might love them with all our hearts.”

Her body tensed. She squeezed his hands so hard, Perry thought she might break a few of his fingers. But he would do anything to help her. She grit her teeth, a guttural cry emerging, and pushed.

“That’s it, my lady,” the midwife praised. “You’re doing it.”

He could sense the determination rolling through her now. As another labor pain erupted, she pushed again, the growling coming from her fierce and resolute. And long. Extremely long.

Perry sensed some change in the air and then in his wife’s body. The midwife gave a cry.

“You’ve done it my lady.” She paused. “It’s a son.”

A lusty cry filled the room, and Perry relaxed at the sound.

“A son,” Dru said, blubbering, as he kissed her temple and then brought her hand to his lips.

“A son,” he said proudly. “You are a mother, Dru Beaumont.”

More tears came, this time happy ones, and she said, “We never spoke of a name.”

She had not wanted to do so, fearing it might bring them bad luck. He had gone along with her wishes, knowing too many times that childbirth ended in death for the mother, the child—or both.

“We need to now,” he said, an idea suddenly coming to him. “Let us see our son first.”

The midwife had handed the babe to a maid to clean, and she asked, “Would you step from the room a few minutes, my lord? There are things to do. You may see Lady Martindale shortly.”

Reluctantly, he slid out from behind Dru, setting the pillows behind her again, and kissing her mouth softly.

“I will be nearby. Call if you have need of me.”

Perry returned to the dressing room but was too exhilarated to sit. Instead, he paced the length of the room, again and again, hoping all was well with mother and child.

The door opened, and the midwife said, “You may return, my lord.”

He hurried to Dru, seeing she wore a new night rail. Her hair had been removed from its braid and brushed, resting about her shoulders. And in her arms, she held their babe.

“Come, meet your son,” she urged.

He sensed the others leaving the room in order to give them a moment of privacy, and so Perry slid back into the bed, slipping his arm about his wife. They didn’t speak, just simply gazed down at their newborn, who quietly studied his parents.

“I think he likes us,” Dru said.

He touched the babe’s head, which had a soft fuzz of light hair atop it. His thumb stroked the infant, and a wave of love burst inside him.

“It is love at first sight for me,” he admitted, and Dru said she felt the same.

They watched the babe for a few minutes, and then his eyes grew heavy.

“He is tired,” she said. “Just as I am. But it is a good kind of tired, Perry. We are parents.”

“We are parents,” he agreed, pride swelling within him. “And I have a suggestion. What if we call him Alington Beaumont?”

“Alington,” she repeated. “It is a big name for a very small babe.”

“But he will grow into it. Better yet, we could use Alington as his given name, but we might call him Beau.”

Tears misted her eyes. “Oh, I do like that. Beau,” she said, gazing down at the bundle she held.

The babe opened his eyes, and they both said, “Beau,” in unison.

And Perry could have sworn that their son smiled at them.

Softly, Dru began singing to Beau, her rich voice surrounding their infant. He blinked twice and closed his eyes again.

“You certainly know how to comfort all the men in our family,” he told her.

“I will sing to Beau each day,” Dru promised. “And any siblings he has.”

He thought of the family they would raise over the years to come, and peace descended upon Perry.

“I love you, Dru. And I love you, my precious Beau.”

Perry kissed the infant’s head and then his wife. The kiss was sweet, almost innocent, much as the first kiss they had shared.

The years would pass, and he knew his love for this woman and their children would continue to grow each and every day.