Page 23 of The Rake’s Absolutely Devilish Reform (The Notorious Briarwoods #4)

“Y ou have a daughter,” the doctor exclaimed and placed the baby into her arms.

Priscilla could not stop crying tears of pure joy. She was shaking with it, shaking at the joy and wonder in the world. And she had never known love like this. Love that was so intense and so pure. She sat up on the bed, sweaty and exhausted, and looked down at the small face of her little girl.

More tears tumbled down her cheeks as the babe cried at being brought into the cold world, away from the warmth that had been her mother’s womb.

“Oh, but you are not alone, my darling,” Priscilla assured. “You are not alone, and you never shall be. For you are a Briarwood.”

Her husband stood by the bed. “Indeed, a Briarwood could never be alone,” he agreed. “Why are you crying, my love?” he asked softly.

“Because I am so happy,” she said. “Because my daughter will never have to know the fear that I did. She will never have to suspect that one day she might be cast out into the streets and have to fight for every scrap of bread. And it isn’t just because we have money,” she said. “It is because the Briarwoods will never let each other down. If one falls, the others are there to pick that one up. No matter how hard, no matter how difficult, the Briarwoods will always rise to the occasion,” she said firmly.

Hector beamed at her. “I love you. I love you so much. And I’m so bloody grateful I came out of that window and made a ponce of myself.”

“As am I, my love,” she returned.

And then her body began to contract again. Her eyes widened. “Something is different,” she said tightly. “Something’s happening.”

And the doctor stopped cleaning his hands. “I beg your pardon, my lady?” he said.

“Something is amiss,” she cried.

The look upon her husband’s face was one of sheer terror. “Doctor, please, what is it?”

And in that moment, she knew that Hector had been afraid. For all his bravado, for all his braveness, he had feared too. Her great hero of a man could be afraid. Afraid that he might lose the woman that he loved or the child that he had been waiting for.

The doctor came rushing back to her and let out a blurt of amazement.

“There’s another baby,” the doctor stated.

“What?” she gasped.

And then, quite accurately, she felt the need to begin to push again. She let out a groan as pain convulsed through her body.

And yet that pain was matched by an equal desire to meet her other child. And so she took her husband’s hand. The nurse ran forward and took her new daughter.

Holding tight onto Hector, she exerted all her will and let her body do the work. She gave herself over to the business of being a mother. And within a few moments, there was another cry in the room.

And the doctor grinned.

“Twin girls. I cannot believe it! Another set of twins in this generation. The duke and duchess shall be thrilled too!”

The doctor brought the little baby up, cleaned it, wrapped it, and took her to Priscilla.

She took the child in her arms and then they placed the firstborn into her arms. Priscilla looked from baby to baby, her heart so full she was certain it would burst.

And Hector, her darling Hector, placed kisses on all three of their heads. He stared down at them as if he had found heaven.

“Come,” she called to him. “Come, you must join us, for we are a family,” she said.

He laid down beside them and took one of the babies into his arms and caressed the other one’s cheek.

“We are safe,” she breathed.

“Yes, my love,” he replied gently. “You and my girls will always be safe. And the world is yours.”

“Because of you, Hector,” she whispered. “All because of you.”

The End