Evening Star (Star Quartet 1)

Giana was unaware that Anna Carruthers was now in the room, calmly instructing a trembling Ellen what to do. She was drenched in her own sweat, consumed by a pain she could never have imagined.

She felt Alex’s arms about her shoulders, holding her, felt him wipe her forehead with the damp cloth Mrs. Carruthers handed him.

“It won’t be long now, Mrs. Saxton,” she heard Dr. Davidson say, his voice sounding tired. Long, she thought vaguely. It had already been forever.

For several moments the pain locked out everyone and his words made no sense. It was Alex shaking her that brought her back to a semblance of reason. At a nod from Elvan, Alex said in his most imperious voice, “Push down now, Giana.”

She groaned, straining desperately. She let out a scream and lurched upward.

“The baby’s coming. Again, Mrs. Saxton, push.”

Alex released his hold on her just in time to see Elvan catch his son. “My God,” he said, staring at the mop of black hair. At his son’s furious wail, he said again, “My God.”

Alex turned back to Giana, a wide smile on his face. He kissed her lightly on her parched mouth. “

Thank you, love. You promised me a son. I should never have doubted you.”

Giana smiled even as she closed her eyes.

“Now will you get out of here, Alex? Damn, if she had waited another month, your son would have been born speaking.”

Alex sat on the edge of the bed, watching Elvan show Giana how to feed their son. When the baby’s small mouth suddenly closed around her nipple, she gasped, then smiled, her eyes flying to Alex’s face.

“Oh my,” she said, “how very odd that feels.”

Elvan rose. “Well, you don’t need me anymore for the present. I won’t ask you to accompany me out the door, Alex. I can see you’d far rather watch your son have his dinner.”

“I don’t think Giana cares what I do for the moment,” Alex said, laughing. He watched her shake aside the thick, plaited braid that lay over her shoulder as she stared down, bemused, at the tiny fingers clutching at her breast. She looked so very lovely. Who would guess that she had given birth only yesterday? He felt a welling of pride and tenderness so intense that he had to turn away.

“A glass of wine, Elvan?” he asked, and led the way to the library.

When he returned to their bedroom, Nicholas was sleeping in a cradle Alex had hastily bought.

“I expect him to snore any minute,” Giana said, pulling her eyes away from her son. “And you, Alex, you look so very pleased with yourself.”

“It is you I am pleased with,” he said. He cupped her face between his large hands, dipped his head down, and lightly kissed her. “Thank you for my son.”

She felt him trembling slightly, and gently stroked the curling black hair at the back of his neck.

“He is rather nice,” she said, breaking the power of the moment. “But he looks not at all like me. It isn’t fair, and I did all the work.”

“Ah, but I, my dear, made it all possible. ‘One damned time,’ if I recall your words correctly.” His grin faded and she heard the anxiety in his voice as he added, “Do you feel all right now?”

“Of course. And so flat. Feel, Alex, I’m skinny again.”

He forced a smile to his lips, and laid his hand lightly on her belly. “I will see that you stay that way,” he said, and she started at the intensity of his voice. It was odd, she thought, but the terrible pain she had endured was fading from her mind more quickly than from Alex’s.

Giana looked again at her sleeping son. “Do you like him, Alex?” she asked shyly.

“He’s a greedy little begger. Leah approves, but made me promise that I wouldn’t ignore her now that I have a son. Silly little chit.”

“We will have to be very careful about that, I expect,” Giana said, and yawned.

“Have I bored you already?”

She shook her head, but he saw she was having difficulty remaining awake. “Poor Mother. She missed everything. Nicholas will be a month old, nearly grown, by the time she and the damned duke get here,” she said, mimicking his voice.

“Perhaps to hear him recite the Declaration of Independence,” Alex said. “Go to sleep now, love. I was informed by Elvan that I am not to touch you for a month at least.”