One year later
Day 365 of love and arguments and marriage
Philip gazed at the tiny little thing being held out to him. "What if I drop her?"
Adelaide shook her head. "You won't. I will help you. Come closer."
He inched forward and held out his arms as Adelaide had taught him to. He tensed the moment she laid the swath in his arms. "Calm down, Philip. She's a lot stronger than you think she is."
"What do I do now?"
"Breathe. Loosen your shoulders and back." She patted those areas and he forced himself to release the tension. The bundle moved a little and he felt himself become taut again.
"She moved!"
"Yes, of course she will. She is a baby." Adelaide couldn't stop her smile at the look of terror on his face. "Compose yourself, my love."
As their daughter yawned and blinked her blue eyes open to look up at him, Adelaide watched the joy and wonder bloom on her husband's face. "Hello, Martha." And smiled indulgently at his expression of astonishment. "She smiled at me!"
"She knows who her papa is." At the baby's fussing, she added, "and she knows when she's hungry too." Lifting Martha from his stiffened arms again, she quickly unbuttoned her front to pull out her breast for her daughter to suckle on before sitting down on the settee.
Philip sat down next to her and brushed a finger against Martha's smooth cheek. He'd have lifted away his hand if her flailing hands didn't catch ahold of his last finger and held onto it tightly despite him trying to shake it off.
His chest grew as tight as her grip. He looked at his wife who was grinning at him. And all at once, he knew the sensation in his chest wasn't a sign of him falling ill.
"I love you, Adelaide." He kissed her forehead. And peering down at his daughter, for whom he would do anything for, he said, "I love you too, Martha."
Adelaide's eyes grew wet. She didn't need to hear the words, for he always demonstrated his love in every way possible. However, to hear him finally be able to articulate those words was something monumental.
"We love you too, Philip."
YOU ARE READING
Loving the Enemy
RomanceWhat happens when you put two people who don't want to be together in a week-long country house party? Adelaide Kendall has hated Philip Wyndham far longer than she had been in love with him (which was all of five days). Philip Wyndham has lusted af...
