Page 58 of The Reckless Love of an Heir (The Marlow Family Secrets #4)

There were tears in his eyes, clouding his view.

Henry wiped them away with the heel of his palm.

Foolish. So foolish to weep and yet the tears would not be held back now they had begun.

Susan’s hand stroked his hair, as his fingers stroked the softest hair on his daughter’s head.

He could not believe how tiny she was, even though he had seen his brothers and sisters as infants.

His father had described the emotion but Henry never could have imagined the feeling. He and Susan had created this little being. She had come from Susan’s body, where she had been cradled out of sight for months, felt but not seen, and here she was. Juliette.

He leaned and pressed a kiss on her soft cheek. She smelled of milk. He straightened and kissed Susan’s cheek. ‘May I take her to show everyone?’ Susan looked so tired she would probably be glad to be left alone. It had taken a day and a night of pains and labouring for Juliette to arrive.

‘I think your papa and mine will be very upset if you do not.’

Her eyelids drooped; she was so tired. ‘I shall keep her with me then for a little while and let you sleep. ’

‘Thank you.’

She let him lift their daughter from her arms and her eyes closed.

As he walked quietly from the room, his heart brimmed so full with love it might burst. He looked at his daughter whose gaze focused on him. ‘Juliette.’ With her cradled in one arm, his other hand touched her fingers and instantly she grasped hold of his thumb.

Pride. Love. Adoration… The emotions within him were ten thousand times greater than he could ever have imagined.

When he reached the stairs he let go of Juliette’s hand so he could hold the bannister as he walked down.

The excited chatter from the drawing room spilled out into the hall.

Of course they all knew his daughter had arrived.

His mother and Susan’s had been with her through the labour and delivered the news to the drawing room.

He had gone up alone. Now it was for him to introduce Juliette to their families.

As he crossed the hall, Samson came out of the drawing room, tail waving. ‘Here she is, Samson, Juliette.’ Samson sniffed her head. ‘Now you must watch over her, just as well as you do over Susan.’

‘Ah, here he is!’ Susan’s mother cried as Henry entered the room.

‘Look! Is she not the most beautiful baby?’ She rushed across the room and stroked a finger along the side of Juliette’s cheek.

Juliette’s gaze did not leave Henry. He offered her his forefinger and she grasped it.

Then he looked up to see everyone coming to surround him; his parents and Susan’s, and Alethea and Stourton, and Edward and Ellen, who’d called at a timely moment.

Juliette had arrived three weeks early, and made her appearance only a week after Alethea’s wedding.

‘She is so tiny,’ Alethea whispered as she leaned to see .

‘May I hold her?’ Susan’s father asked.

Henry smiled at him, pride lancing through his heart. ‘Of course.’ He passed Juliette over, but she refused to let go of his finger. His thumb brushed across the tiny fingers that continued to hold his. He lifted them to his mouth and kissed the back of them before peeling them free.

His father’s hand settled on his shoulder. Henry turned and embraced him for a moment. Now he understood so much more of the things his father said and felt.

He let his father go, but his father’s arm remained about his shoulders as they turned to watch the women cooing over Juliette.

When the first flourish of fuss had passed and a fresh pot of tea had been ordered for Henry’s benefit, Henry’s father said, ‘I think it must be my turn.’ He walked across the room to Susan’s mother who was the current keeper of Juliette. ‘May I?’ He held out his hands.

Henry watched him, a little in awe as his father bent and lifted Juliette from Susan’s mother’s arms.

His father encouraged Juliette to hold his finger then walked with her to look out of the window. He was whispering to her. Telling her something of great importance.

Henry joined them, Samson accompanying him. ‘What are you telling her, Papa?’

His father looked at him and smiled. ‘I am telling her about her father and her family.’

‘What about us?’

‘My father would have loved to know you and Juliette. Your grandparents would have been very proud of you, and if William is watching us, he would be happy for us, and he would be an uncle. ’

Henry smiled, wondering what his other brothers would make of Juliette.

Susan had not woken when he retired. She lay asleep in the bed as Juliette lay asleep in her cradle. He undressed quietly and slipped in between the sheets next to her. The world was peaceful as he lay close to her, a sense of home wrapping about him.

Home was no longer a place he travelled to, or returned to. Home travelled with him. Susan was his home, and now Juliette…

His heart ached with sweet sensations as he wrapped his arm about Susan and drew her against his chest.

She whispered, ‘I love you,’ her breath stirring the hairs on his chest. Then she drifted back into sleep.

He kissed the top of her head. ‘I love you too.’