"Major Fabian seems like a decent chap," her father said.
"I'm glad you approve."
He nodded. "George Knight likes the lad, so I take that as adequate recommendation."
They paused in the entrance hall while Olivia and her mother arranged the train on her dress and Alice adjusted her veil. Kelly stood directly behind her with Zoe and Annabelle. At the last moment, she handed the children their tartan-trimmed flower baskets of heather.
Hew, Duncan, and Blair stood in the doorway waiting for her.
"Everyone's ready," Duncan said.
"You're a bonnie bride, Meggie Mackenzie." Blair winked. "It looks like Fabian got his three thousand pounds' worth that he paid for you at the auction."
"Blair!" She slapped his arm and he grinned at her, unabashed.
Hew signaled out the doorway and the bagpipes started playing. Unexpected nerves tangled inside her.
Duncan smiled, steady and reassuring. "Enjoy your day," he said.
To the poignant strains of "Highland Cathedral," she walked sedately down the flagstone path, through the gate, and onto the neatly-trimmed grass.
Grinning, Daniel stood with his brother, framed by the heather-trimmed arch, Loch Kinder in the background. All her nerves evaporated as she met his gaze. Her spirit soared up to the mountain peaks to think she would soon be married to this wonderful man who had made her feel beautiful and wanted.
Her father shook Daniel's hand, then stepped aside. She passed her bouquet to Alice, slid her fingers into Daniel's, and they turned to face the vicar.
The next half hour passed as if in a dream, her focus completely on Daniel. She barely noticed their friends and family as she repeated the words of the marriage service.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," the vicar said.
Daniel embraced her and their lips met. For a moment, the world went away. She fell into a blissful place where time stood still. She wasn't alone anymore; they were two, soon to be three. It was the best feeling in the world.
Gasps pulled her back to the moment. Like everyone else gathered there on the lawn that sunny August day at Kindrogan Castle, she shaded her eyes and stared at the white-tailed sea eagle and its two offspring as they skimmed the waters of the loch and glided over the wedding party into the blue sky.
"Magical," Daniel said, craning his neck to follow the birds' path.
He was right. Life was magical with Daniel, and always would be. He'd given her everything she'd dreamed of and thought she would never have. He might be a Sassenach from the wrong side of the border, but he was willing to make his home here in the Highlands of Scotland with her. She couldn't wait for their baby to be born so they could start their life together as a family.
Epilogue
As the final hours of the year ticked away, there was no glamorous ball, sumptuous dinner, or fireworks for Daniel and Megan. Duncan and Blair were in London for the Royal Army Medical Corps New Year's Ball, but inside Eagle Cottage, on the banks of Loch Kinder, the young Fabian family celebrated quietly, content with their own company.
"Here you are, sweetheart." Daniel placed a cup of tea on the nightstand for Megan and climbed into bed beside her. She leaned back on a heap of pillows, breastfeeding their seven-week-old daughter, Heather.
"Thanks. Aren't you going to have a glass of champagne to see in the New Year?" Megan asked.
"As you can't drink at the moment, I thought you might prefer to share these." He laid a heart-shaped box of champagne truffles on the bedspread.
"Oh, Daniel, darling, you are the sweetest man." Megan leaned closer and kissed him.
Gently curving a palm around their daughter's back, he then pressed his lips to his baby girl's forehead. He wanted to hug and kiss his adorable little daughter all the time. He was almost jealous that he couldn't feed her.
He hadn't believed in love at first sight until he glimpsed Heather's squashed face and tuft of red hair. The first time he held the tiny girl in his arms and stared into her blue eyes, he was a goner.
He wanted nothing more than to spend all his time with his wife and his sweet daughter. Unfortunately he still had to work at the army institute, but not over Christmas and the New Year.
Megan finished feeding Heather. "There you are, my hungry little darling. Daddy's waiting for his cuddle." She passed the baby across.
Daniel took his daughter, cradled her downy head in his hand, and stared at her face, a sense of wonder and love swelling in his chest. "Who's the prettiest baby girl in the world?" He kissed the end of her nose and her cheeks, then held her to his shoulder and rubbed her back to bring up her burps.
Megan finished her cup of tea and put it back on the nightstand with a yawn.
"Are you going to wait up to see the New Year in?" he asked.
"Feed me some chocolates and I'll try to stay awake."
He chuckled as she pulled the wrapper off the box, popped a sweet treat in her mouth, and dimmed the lights.
With Heather cradled in one arm and his darling wife snuggled beneath the other, Daniel relaxed against his pillows, a satisfied sigh whispering between his lips. If someone had told him a year ago that this New Year's Eve he would be married with a baby daughter, he wouldn't have believed them. This was how life should be.
They had installed large windows overlooking Loch Kinder. Their view extended down the valley to the twinkling lights that marked Kindrogan Castle. The full moon glowed in the night sky, casting a rippling trail of silver across the water.
To the gentle music of his baby's breathing and the light display of a trillion stars sparkling in the dark sky, Daniel watched the clock tick around to midnight.
"Happy New Year, darling," he whispered to his drowsy wife as she stirred against his chest. He kissed her hair, grateful for this wonderful life God had gifted him. "Happy New Year, my precious little girl," he said to Heather.
He had been looking for a new direction and he'd found it. Megan and Heather were his future, the most important things in his life. He'd found the peace and fulfillment he'd been searching for.
His New Year's resolution was easy to choose this year, and it would never change—to love his wife and baby and keep them safe for the rest of their lives.
His darling wife and his New Year's baby were more precious to him than anything else in the world. He planned to spend the rest of his life loving them, and if they loved him half as much, he would be a happy man.
Thank you for reading The Army Doctor's New Year's Baby
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If you enjoyed The Army Doctor's New Year's Baby, you might also enjoy these other books by Helen Scott Taylor
The Army Doctor's Baby
After his wife betrayed him, Major Radley Knight dedicated himself to becoming the best Army doctor he could be, dedicated himself to saving soldiers' lives. When he returns on leave from Afghanistan he is ready for a break. Instead he finds himself helping a young mother and her newborn baby. He falls in love with Olivia and her sweet baby boy and longs to spend the rest of his life caring for them. But Olivia and her baby belong to Radley's brother.
Praise for The Army Doctor's Baby
"This is a sweet romance with a wonderful happily ever after. Highly recommend this read!" Luvbooks
*
"I loved this sweet, tender romance about a woman in need of a father for her baby and the man who falls in love with her..." Ruth Glick
*
"Loved the twists at the en
d of the book. Just the right amount of tension to keep me turning those pages! Totally recommend." Mary Leo
*
Read a sample or buy The Army Doctor's Baby HERE
The Army Doctor's Wedding
Major Cameron Knight thrives on the danger of front-line battlefield medicine. Throwing himself into saving the lives of injured servicemen keeps the demons from his past away. When he rescues charity worker, Alice Conway, and a tiny newborn baby, he longs for a second chance to do the right thing, even if it means marrying a woman he barely knows so they can take the orphan baby to England for surgery. The brave, beautiful young woman and the orphan baby steal his heart. He wants to make the marriage real, but being married to an army officer who's stationed overseas might do her more harm than good.
Praise for The Army Doctor's Wedding
"Grab a Kleenex because you are going to need it! This is one no romance lover should miss!" Teresa Hughes
*
"The book starts out with lots of action and holds the reader's interest through to the end. It's a great read!" Sue E. Pennington
*
Read a sample or buy The Army Doctor's Wedding HERE
The Army Doctor's Christmas Baby
After he loses his wife, army surgeon Colonel Sean Fabian protects his damaged heart by cutting women out of his life. He dedicates himself to his career and being a great dad to his twin babies. When he asks army nurse Kelly Grace to play nanny to his children over Christmas, he realizes how much he misses having a beautiful woman in his life and in his arms. Caring for Sean's adorable twin babies is Kelly's dream come true. She falls in love with the sweet little girls and their daddy, but she's hiding a devastating event from the past. If she can't trust Sean with her secret, how can she ever expect him to trust her with his bruised heart?
Praise for The Army Doctor's Christmas Baby
"…if you want to experience the true essence of Christmas, with the love and understanding that only being with family over the holidays can satisfy, you'll definitely want to experience, The Army Doctor's Christmas Baby." F Barnett
*
"The Army Doctor's Christmas baby is a sweet, heart warming story that will put a smile on your face." Ruth Glick
*
"Like all of Helen Taylor's Army Doctor books, this one is a feel-good read, that keeps you smiling all the way." Nancy Radke
*
Read a sample or buy The Army Doctor's Christmas Baby HERE
Love is All Around: Box Set of Three Contemporary Romances
Three highly rated contemporary romances in one box set—excellent value!
Praise for Helen's Books
"This is the type of book to snuggle up on the couch with on a slow Saturday afternoon to lose yourself in heartbreak, romance, and happily ever after." Sandy M, The Good, The Bad & The Unread.
*
"It was incredibly romantic and sweet, and I couldn't wait to find out how it turned out." Abbey, Wendy's Minding Spot
*
"You'll adore this romance with a charming hero who has such generosity of spirit and so much love to give the right woman. You'll cheer Maria on and hope she realizes that sometimes you just have to take a risk and follow your heart." Joan Reeves, Slingwords
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Read a sample or buy Love is All Around on Amazon HERE
About the Author
Helen Scott Taylor won the American Title IV contest in 2008. Her winning book, The Magic Knot, was published in 2009 to critical acclaim, received a starred review from Booklist, and was a Booklist top ten romance for 2009. Since then, she has published other novels, novellas, and short stories in both the UK and USA.
Helen lives in South West England near Plymouth in Devon between the windswept expanse of Dartmoor and the rocky Atlantic coast. As well as her wonderful long-suffering husband, she shares her home with a Westie a Shih Tzu and an aristocratic chocolate-shaded-silver-burmilla cat who rules the household with a velvet paw. She believes that deep within everyone, there’s a little magic.
Find Helen at:
http://www.HelenScottTaylor.com
http://twitter.com/helenscotttaylo
http://facebook.com/helenscotttaylor
http://www.facebook.com/HelenScottTaylorAuthor
***
Book List
Paranormal/Fantasy Romance
The Magic Knot
The Phoenix Charm
The Ruby Kiss
Dreamy Kisses: Paranormal Romance Box Set
The Feast of Beauty
Warriors of Ra
A Clockwork Fairytale
Ice Gods
Cursed Kiss
***
Contemporary Romance
The Army Doctor's Baby
The Army Doctor's Wedding
The Army Doctor's Christmas Baby
Love is All Around: Contemporary Romance Box Set
Unbreak My Heart
Oceans Between Us
Finally Home
A Family for Christmas
A Christmas Family Wish
A Family Forever
Moments of Gold
Flowers on the water
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Young Adult
Wildwood
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