Page 125 of Rogue of My Heart

Marie knew she should be embarrassed by giving birth six months after her wedding to Christian. In truth, it could have been worse. They’d caused enough of a scandal by marrying only six months after the deaths of Christian’s father and brother. Even by modern standards, it hadn’t been enough time for proper mourning. But everyone in County Antrim was already whispering about the need for such scandalous haste. Those whispers had grown in volume when Marie began to show within two months of the wedding. It was exactly the sort of thing society expected from one of those wicked O’Shea sisters.

Neither Marie nor Christian cared one whit, though.

“I can’t stop staring at her,” Christian said, his voice tight with emotion. He nestled closer to Marie, reaching around to stroke their daughter’s head. “And to think that something so alive and miraculous could come hard on the heels of such tragedy.”

“The natural successor to death is life,” Marie reasoned. “Just as the natural progression after sorrow is joy.”

“Joy,” Christian repeated, resting his cheek against the top of Marie’s head. “What do you think of that for a name?”

Marie’s heart flipped excitedly. “I think that would be perfect,” she said. She beamed down at their daughter. “Welcome to the world, Joy.”

“May you bring as much happiness and excitement to this world as your dear mama has brought to me,” Christian added, brushing his thumb over little Joy’s brow, then kissing Marie’s cheek. “Though you’re as likely as not to bring chaos, mischief, and trouble to the world as anything else. Just like your mama.”

Marie laughed. “Just like your papa, you mean,” she corrected him.

“Just like the both of us,” Christian said, settling the matter.

Marie glanced up at him, meeting his grin with one of her own. She couldn’t imagine her life being any more perfect than it was with Christian and their family.