Rogue Pirates Bride by Shana Galen

Author:Shana Galen
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2011-12-03T20:43:26+00:00

Epilogue

It was the worst pain she had ever felt. She’d

screamed until her throat was raw and only a hoarse

croak would come out. Bastien stood beside her,

held her hand throughout the ordeal. She’d told

him to leave, told him he wasn’t supposed to be in

the room, but he’d been steadfast, and after the pain

became unbearable, she was glad to have his hand to

clamp onto.

She wanted to say she forgot the pain when the

midwife presented her with the howling baby girl.

She took the baby in her arms, stared down at her red

face, the shock of black hair, and the muddy blue eyes.

Raeven didn’t forget the pain, but she did fall in love.

Instantly. Irrevocably.

She looked at Bastien and knew he felt it, too. She

held the baby out to him. “Your daughter.”

He blinked. “You want me to hold her?”

“Don’t you want to?” She almost laughed at the

look of pure terror on his face.

“Yes, but—”

“Then here.”

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Shana Galen

He took the squalling baby carefully in his arms,

looked down at her, and immediately she ceased crying.

“There,” Raeven said. “She likes you. What shall

we call her? Elizabeth? After my mother?”

He nodded, still staring, enraptured, at his daughter.

“Bon jour, Elizabeth. Bienvenue.”

The midwife had barely finished her duties and the

linens scarcely changed when the first knock came

at the door. It was Sarah. “Raeven, can we come in

now? Just Felicity and Rowena and I.”

Raeven smiled sleepily at Bastien. The baby was

curled in one of his arms, and he had the other

wrapped securely around her shoulders. “Your family,”

she murmured.

“Allow one in, they’ll all be in.”

He was right, but she didn’t mind. Somehow his

family had become hers, as well.

“Come in, Sarah.”

The door opened to admit the duchesse, the

dowager, and the comtesse. All three of the women

crowded around the baby and cooed.

“What have you named her?” Rowena asked.

“Elizabeth,” Raeven told them.

“Oh, I adore that name!” Felicity, who had a

daughter of her own, beamed. “Hello, Elizabeth.”

“We might call her Eliza,” Sarah said.

“Call who Eliza?” Julien stuck his head in the

doorway. He was holding Etienne, and the little boy

smiled shyly. “Armand and the admiral want to know

if it’s safe to enter.”

Beside her, Bastien gave a short sigh. “Why don’t

we invite the servants while we’re at it?”

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The Rogue Pirate’s Bride

339

“Oh, I know Mrs. Eggers wants to meet the baby,”

Felicity said. “And your friend, Bastien, Mr. Leveque.”

Raeven smiled. “Perhaps later.”

Julien and Armand stood at the foot of the bed. As

usual, Armand was silent, but he gave Raeven a smile.

Her father came to stand on the other side of her.

“I heard you named her Elizabeth,” he said. “Your

mother would have been honored.”

She smiled up at him. “I know you were hoping

for a grandson.”

“Now that I’ve retired, I need someone to go

fishing with me.” He smiled at the baby, who had

begun to fuss. “But I think this little girl will have her

mother’s spirit. She ought to keep me busy.”

Raeven took the baby into her arms, and Bastien

leaned over and kissed his wife’s temple. “Do you

think she’ll be able to sail in a few months? Our ship

will be ready, and the world awaits.

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