The Heart of a Duke

by Victoria Morgan

  He had only seconds to contemplate it, for with a cry Julia shoved free.

  Daniel lunged toward Edmund, who staggered back, his knees hitting the cement wall behind him. His good arm flailed like a windmill to right his balance, and then he was gone, tumbling backward, green eyes wide with horror.

  Daniel raced to the ledge to see Edmund sprawled on the slate patio, his sightless eyes open, blood pooling around his arm.

  Daniel swallowed hard. Then Julia was in his arms, and he crushed her close, against his heart, where she belonged.

  There was a pounding of boots, and he lifted his head to see Taunton and then Brett barrel onto the balcony. He gave them a brief nod, which Taunton returned, his eyes on his daughter. Julia looked up, and seeing her father, she ran into his open arms.

  Taunton held his daughter. “I thank you.”

  “No, I thank you,” Daniel said, grinning.

  “It was your cousin,” Brett said, wonder in his voice. “Lord Bryant shot him. The man’s a crack shot. Probably years of watching birds. Has a keen eye.”

  “I owe him my life.”

  “I would say you are even,” Brett said. “Had he mailed you Shaw’s package, this might have been avoided. Lord Bryant said he had received a letter from you saying you were returning home, so he was holding Shaw’s papers until you visited. Thought to turn them over to you in person. What the devil was in them?”

  “Confessions and a change in my inheritance. Later, I will explain it all later,” Daniel said, a weariness sweeping over him.

  Julia stepped away from her father and returned to his side. “I am sorry about Edmund, Daniel. So very sorry. I had no idea he was . . .” She shuddered. “Thank God you ruined me.”

  “It was my greatest pleasure.” He tucked a loose curl around her ear. “I am sorry, too. But I have friends who stand beside me, a new family, a wife whom I love dearly, and a nursery to fill. All things considered, that is pretty good for a scrawny runt.”

  Julia smiled, her eyes shining with love. “Let us go home.”

  He hesitated, and then cleared his throat. “About that. It seems we will be residing at Bedford Hall. You will make a magnificent duchess.”

  “As long as you are there, Your Grace.”

  “Just try to rid yourself of me,” Daniel murmured, pulling her into his arms.

  He had claimed his destiny.

  Epilogue

  SIT down for God’s sake, you’re going to carve a hole in the carpet,” Brett barked. “And you are giving my neck a cramp watching you. Everything will be fine, Your Grace.”

  Taunton laughed.

  Daniel glowered at them. “You do not know everything will be fine. You forget, your sisters are unmarried and thus never had a baby before. This was a mistake. Whose idea was this? And stop calling me Your Grace.”

  Taunton squeezed his shoulder. “She is young and strong. She will be fine. I have been through this.” Despite the conviction in his voice, he tugged at his tie and swallowed. “Three times.”

  Daniel noticed his father-in-law’s pallor and guilt stabbed him. He was not the only one suffering. This had to be difficult for Taunton, who had lost his wife in childbed. Daniel’s legs went slack and he dropped into the chair behind him.

  “He sits. It’s a miracle.”

  He snarled at Brett, who held up his hands.

  This was a bad idea. He had taken on too much. He was still adjusting to having inherited a dukedom, being a member of a close-knit family, and marriage.

  As godfather to the baby, Brett had announced his decision to stay until the baby’s birth. Daniel knew his friend was not ready to concede defeat with Emily, but his sister-in-law was clever. Daniel trusted her to lead him on a merry chase.

  Remarkably, he was getting accustomed to being at home at Bedford Hall. Julia’s presence helped to chase away the lingering shadows. She brought love and laughter to the house. There was still much healing to be done, but things were progressing and Taunton’s tutelage had proved invaluable.

  A private funeral had been held for Edmund. News of his accidental death while hunting on his cousin’s estate was keeping the gossip mill well oiled.

  Daniel’s life had settled into a comfortable rhythm, so why had he disrupted it? He should have kept his hands off of her. He was still stinging from the slash of Julia’s temper earlier. Between clenched teeth, she had warned him he would never sleep in her bed again, and that she planned to build a room for him in the stables. She had said some other rather harsh things until Emily had whisked him from their room.

  What did he know of being a father?

  He stood up. He had changed his mind. He sat down again. He had provided Brett with enough amusement for the night. Brett still kept chuckling over his vow of celibacy. He dropped his face into his hands and exhaled.

  “Congratulations, Your Grace.”

  He lifted his head. Emily stood framed in their bedroom door and she was smiling. He shot to his feet and staggered over to her. “Is she . . . ?”

  “She is. Come and see.”

  He charged into the room. Julia lay in the center of the bed, a tired smile on her face.

  He gingerly lowered himself onto the bed beside her, taking her hands into his. “Are you all right?”

  “I am wonderful. And so are the babies.”

  The tension gripping him poured out in a wave of relief. She did look wonderful, albeit a bit weary. Her cheeks were mottled, and loose tendrils of hair curled over a damp cheek and her forehead. He brushed them back from her temple and froze.

  Babies?

  “You mean baby.”

  “Congratulations.” Julia removed her hand from his to lift the cover of the swaddling she held. He exhaled, for there lay the tiniest baby he had ever seen. “Meet your son.” One baby. One thing at a time, for he had too many responsibilities as is.

  “And your daughter.” She smiled and Daniel froze as Emily thrust a warm bundle into his arms.

  He stared at the sleeping face of a pink angel. He couldn’t breathe.

  “Daniel, are you all right? Aren’t they beautiful?”

  His eyes shot to hers, and he relaxed again. She was beautiful and strong and his anchor. She wouldn’t let him falter. His gaze drifted between his son and his daughter. They were . . . small. Runts like him. Fear gripped him. “They are terribly small.”

  “Thank goodness. Any larger and you really would be sleeping in the stables,” she said dryly. She must have read his panicked expression, for she squeezed his hand. “They have you to protect them until they grow.”

  For her sake, he managed to summon a smile. But she was right. He would protect them with his life. He knew all about surviving against a hostile world, not that their world would be hostile . . . his smile faded. “What if they hate each other?”

  Julia laughed softly. Her hand cupped his cheek, and she turned his face from his daughter toward her. “Then we will teach them that love is stronger than hate. They will learn it from watching their father because he has so much love to give and does so generously.” She squeezed his hand. “You will save them just as you saved me.”

  He kissed her gently and felt his throat clog. He had to blink furiously, for his eyes were suspiciously moist.

  “Thank God I ruined you.”