As soon as the doctor placed Ethan (named after Gilles' father) in Elise's arms she began learning his face with her lips and fingertips.
"I know you!" She whispered as she pressed her lips to his forehead. "I feel like I've loved you my whole life."
Gilles watched his wife holding his son and he was beyond words and feelings. He felt as if he was looking at his own soul. It was no longer in his body but on the bed before him.
When Ethan began to cry lustily, the midwife came to take him to the wet nurse but Elise refused. She insisted on feeding him herself.
Maman, Mirabelle and Madeline tiptoed in as soon as the doctor allowed Elise to receive guests. Gilles insisted on a doctor, a midwife, two nurses and a wet nurse. Not because he wanted to make sure Alastair's help wouldn't be needed but because he wanted Elise to have the best care possible. They wept with joy and cooed and gushed over Ethan and doted on Elise until she nodded off.
Once Ethan was fed, cleaned and asleep, maman placed him in Gilles' arms. He felt clumsy and large and asked if the women could hold Ethan for him while he watched. Were babies always this tiny? He wondered. Thankfully, they declined his request.
It didn't take long for Gilles to feel confident enough to carry his son to his study so he could meet his uncles. He'd done many things in his life but Gilles had never been as proud as he was when he introduced his son. His son. The words caused everything to shift within Gilles, it changed how he defined everything in his life.
Lucien beamed and declared Ethan the finest lad in all of England and promised he'd give him his first horse and lessons as soon as he could fit stirrups. Like Gilles, Lucien was daunted by how fragile Ethan was and quickly passed him to Alastair.
Alastair sat with tiny Ethan in his hands and just stared at him for several minutes. Gilles was half expecting him to unwrap and study Ethan like a specimen. Instead, when he looked up at Gilles, his eyes were glistening.
"He is the most incredible thing I have ever seen." Alastair announced. He eventually gave Ethan back to Gilles so he could take him upstairs. "I will always be here for you." He whispered as he carefully transferred him to Gilles.
When he returned to the bedroom, Elise was still sleeping. Anna sat in a chair next to the bed knitting. She offered to take Ethan so Gilles could rest but he shook his head as he sat on the bed next to Elise. Lucy rose from her spot on the floor at the foot of the bed and came over to inspect the new addition to her pack. Gilles carefully lowered Ethan and let Lucy sniff his head. She woofed softly and then returned to her spot.
Gilles rested against the headboard with Ethan cradled in his arms for an hour, content to stare at his tiny face and tiny hands until those tiny hands shook with tiny rage. Anna cleaned Ethan and Gilles passed him to a groggy Elise so that she could feed him.
As he watched Ethan suckle at Elise's breast, Gilles knew that he had everything he needed, that his whole world existed on the bed beside him.
Coming Soon!
Spencers in Love Book Two
Lucien finally realizes that he's had the ideal woman all along.
Can he keep her?
Has the danger truly passed or is there still someone out there?
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Saved By A Siren: Spencers in Love Book One Page 31