At his wife's nod, Richard lifted Blythe toward heaven, and Keely called, "Great Mother Goddess, fierce guardian of all your children. Behold Blythe, the jewel of my life, conceived and born in love. Bless and protect her. Keep her feet planted solidly in the earth, while her spirit soars upward to seek the wisdom of the stars."
Keely took Blythe from her father's arms and cradled the infant against her breast. She closed her eyes and whispered, "Open my heart, that I may see beyond the horizon into my precious one's future."
Long silent moments passed. A satisfied smile touched Keely's lips and then vanished.
"I thank the Goddess for passing her wisdom through me," Keely said, ending the ceremony.
Keely handed Blythe to Duke Robert, then walked to the circle's western periphery and broke the enchantment. "Mulled wine and spiced cider will be served in the hall," she said as the invited guests left the sanctity of the circle.
Everyone but the proud parents started back to the house. While Keely walked around the outside of the circle and collected her holy stones, Richard wandered down to the edge of the fog-shrouded Thames and waited for her.
"What do you see?" Keely asked, slipping her arm through his.
"Beyond the horizon."
Keely smiled. "You must possess the incredible sight of a soaring hawk."
"I'll need hawk eyes to keep the rakes away from our daughter," Richard said.
Keely giggled. "Darling, you're about as sensitive to the invisible as a brick."
" 'Tis the reason I married you," Richard replied, laughter lurking in his voice. "You keep me from tripping over things I cannot see."
"You are very funny."
Richard drew her into the circle of his arms and kissed her thoroughly. "I do love you, dearest," he murmured against her lips.
"And I love you," she vowed.
He lifted her up, and she entwined her arms around his neck. As he carried her across the lawns to Devereux House, Richard asked, "What did you sec in Blythe's future?"
"One brother," Keely answered. "And six sisters." Richard stopped short. "Seven maidenheads to guard?"
"Holy stones! Don't drop me!"
"I will never let you go," Richard promised with love shining from his eyes. "Por tous jours."
"For always," Keely whispered, then pressed her lips to his.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
"Being a late twentieth-century American city slicker, I love my world of 'make-believe' filled with wild adventures and foreign locales. My favorite tales feature: strong, arrogant, long-suffering heroes; stubborn, feisty, fiercely independent heroines; incompetent villains; a ton of humor; and, of course, happy endings. I adore children and animals and try, whenever possible, to include one or both into my fictional world of adventure.
"Dubbed 'The Countess' by my closest friends, I live in Winchester, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. I earned both bachelor's and master's degrees in English at Boston State College, and for the past twenty years have been a teacher at Everett High School. (I'm certain my student geniuses at EHS will be thrilled that I mentioned them!)"
Patricia Grasso is currently working on her next historical romance.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Grasso, Patricia Page 37