by Linda Ladd
"Oh, my God, this is it. I'll never touch Carly again, I swear it! I'll never put her through anything like this again," Chase muttered hoarsely as Carlisle jerked spasmodically in his embrace, her face twisted with effort. He put his arms around her shoulders.
"You've got to help, querida," he whispered. "You've got to try to push so Tyler can get hold of the baby. Carly, can you hear me?"
"Yes, yes, I'm trying!" She moaned again, teeth gritted, every muscle straining as she bore down.
"That's right. That's good," Chase murmured, wiping more sweat off her face. But as soon as her agony faded, it began afresh.
"God in heaven, Tyler, how long does she have to suffer like this!"
"Just a little more, and I can help her. Push, Carly, dear, you have to. Try again."
Carlisle strained until her face turned dark, crimson red.
At the foot of the bed, Tyler cried out in wonder, "Oh, Chase, it's a boy!"
As Tyler quickly wrapped the baby in a soft blanket, Chase looked down at Carlisle, so relieved he could barely find words. A weak, gurgling cry filled the room, and he smiled, gently wiping Carlisle's tears.
"It's over, querida. We have a son."
"Is he all right?" Carlisle whispered, wetting parched lips.
"Yes, he's fine," Tyler answered as she laid a tightly swaddled bundle in Carlisle's arms. Carlisle opened the blanket, smiling weakly when she saw the little face.
"He's got red hair like me, Chase. Look at him, he's beautiful."
Chase looked at the beet-red, wrinkled face of the wriggling infant, thinking his son looked like a tiny old man. But the wonder of what he'd witnessed began to sink in. He reached down to touch the tiny fingers, and the small hand squeezed hard upon his fingertip.
"Chase? Tyler! Something's wrong!" Carlisle gasped, and when she succumbed to another spasm, every ounce of color drained from Chase's face. Handing the child to Juana, he took Carlisle's hands again as Tyler ran to the end of the bed.
"My God, there's another one!" she cried in disbelief. "It's coming now, Chase! Help her!"
"Another what? Another baby?" Chase shouted stupidly.
"Yes, of course! Tell her to push!"
"Oh, God, God, I hate this. If we get through this. I'll never let her have any other children, I swear it!" Chase mumbled, then leaned over Carlisle, his voice softening. "Carly, mi amada, I'm sorry, just hang on. There's another baby coming. We've got to do it again." He groaned himself. "Push, love, you can do it. It'll be over soon."
Five minutes later, the high-pitched cry of another infant joined the shrill wailing of the one in Juana's arms. Carlisle collapsed again into Chase's embrace, totally exhausted, and Tyler laughed and held up the child. "It's another boy, Carly! You have two sons, beautiful twins!" While she worked to clean the baby, Chase held Carlisle tenderly.
"It's over, sweetheart. You can rest now." He stroked her hair gently, looking over his shoulder as Juana, Hildie, and Tyler exclaimed over his screaming sons.
"Hush now, sweetings," Tyler was crooning soothingly to one of the babies. "I know, you're a hungry little boy. You just want to meet your mama, don't you?"
At that point, Charles Bond rushed through the bedroom door, Gray on his heels.
"Don't worry, everyone! I'm here!" he cried, then looked astounded as he heard the crying infants.
Carlisle smiled weakly, and Chase and Tyler both laughed at the doctor's tardy reassurance. While the two newborn boys continued to yell loudly across the room, Chase let the others take care of the babies as he sat on the edge of the bed. He lifted Carlisle's hand to his lips.
"You made it look almost easy," he lied, smiling as he pushed back damp, curling tendrils of golden-red hair.
"I think I was made to have babies, lots of them," Carlisle whispered. But she was tired, so tired she could barely move.
"You should sleep now. You've certainly earned it, giving me two sons in one day."
Carlisle smiled, then reached out her arms as the doctor came forward with one of her children.
"He's healthy and hungry as a hunter," Dr. Bond decreed, handing the squalling child into her arms.
Carlisle took the child and opened her gown. The baby nuzzled frantically at her breast, then found her nipple with greedy, suckling noises. As she nursed her son, her husband hovered over her with a proud smile, and the most wonderful contentment descended over her. Thank you, God, she said inside her heart. Thank you for giving me these tiny little boys.
At once, her gaze went across the room to Tyler. Gray stood beside his wife, watching as Tyler wrapped Carlisle's other son in a soft white receiving blanket. The baby was still bawling at the top of his lungs, but as Tyler picked him up and snuggled him
close, he quieted. Gray put his arm around Tyler as if to comfort her, but Tyler looked only at the baby, a gentle smile on her face. After a moment, she walked across the room. Beside the bed, she hesitated as if reluctant to give the baby up, but as it gurgled a protest, she sighed and looked down at Carlisle.
"They are so beautiful," she murmured, placing the child in Carlisle's other arm.
Carlisle held her two sons, pleased and happy, but her heart bled with compassion when she saw a sheen of tears in Tyler's eyes.
"Would you help me, Tyler?" she whispered. "I'm so very tired, and I'm not sure I have the strength to hold them both right now."
Tyler wiped at her eyes, then leaned low and kissed Carlisle's cheek. Her murmur was close to Carlisle's ear.
"I should have known you'd have two, just so I'd have one to hold."
As Tyler took the child at Carlisle's breast, Carlisle looked into her brother's azure eyes. He thanked her and told her he loved her, without uttering a word. Then, when Tyler moved away with the crying baby, he leaned down and squeezed Carlisle's hand.
"Thank God, you're safe," he muttered thickly. "I was afraid for you."
As her second child began to suckle at her breast, Carlisle watched him join his wife on the sofa in the sitting area of the bedroom, draping his arm around Tyler while she cuddled the tiny babe.
"I love you," Chase said, reaching to touch his son's soft cheek. "I love you and our little ones."
"And I love you," she whispered, her heart full of joy. Their life had just begun, as had their sons'. And as she closed her eyes and welcomed her husband's gentle kiss, she knew it was going to be a wonderful life, one filled with love and warmth and wonder.
Epilogue
June 1872
Chicago, Illinois
The LaSalle Street Station was bustling with every conceivable kind of coach, dray, and freight wagon. The farewell party stood next to one of the hissing, southbound trains, and Carlisle hugged Tyler one last time.
"I wish you and Gray would change your minds and come to Mexico with us right now," she said, gazing imploringly into Tyler's eyes. "You've helped me so much these past three months, I don't know what I'll do without you."
Tyler laughed. "We'll follow within the month, I promise. But I'm worried about you and the babies. You're a born mother, just as you always said. And look at Chase—he absolutely dotes on those boys."
Carlisle followed her gaze to where Chase held their children. Both her sons slept soundly in the crooks of his arms as he and Gray said their good-byes.
"He's particularly partial to them, I must agree. That's one reason we're going home. He can't wait to show them off to his mother and Thomas." Her eyes searched Tyler's. "I hope you won't be lonely without them."
Tyler's lips curved. "I guess it's time I told you." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I think I might be pregnant again. I haven't told Gray yet, because I want to be sure first."
Carlisle laughed and hugged her, delighted with the news. "That's wonderful! Gray will be thrilled!"
"Yes, your boys made him want his own. But wait, I've got a present for you." Tyler gestured to their driver, and Carlisle smiled as Johnny walked forward carrying Tyler's blue rocking horse.
"You might as well take it along. It's not fair for Esteban to have one when Enrico doesn't. With two, they won't fight over it."
"But you'll need it soon," Carlisle protested.
"Then you can send it back. We'll make it a family tradition, trading it back and forth each time we have a baby."
The women laughed and embraced affectionately. Then Carlisle went up on her tiptoes to hug her brother. "Take care of yourself and Tyler, and be sure and write if you hear anything else from Stone and his nun," she said, smiling. Then she grew more serious. "And thanks for being there when I needed you."
"I always will be," he answered simply. "You take care of those little boys. I've grown rather fond of them, you know."
As the train whistle sounded, shrill and impatient, Carlisle joined Chase on the outside rail platform of Gray's private Pullman coach. He'd already placed the children in the double wicker buggy, and as the train began to chug, Juana rolled the babies into the car.
Carlisle and Chase stood together, waving to Gray and Tyler until they could no longer see them, then walked inside to join their children. Juana was placing them in their matching bassinets in the guest bedroom.
Once satisfied that both boys were sleeping soundly, Chase took a firm grip on Carlisle's arm and led her purposely through the brown velvet portiere of the master bedroom. He turned her around and began unbuttoning the front of her gown.
"You're certainly wasting no time," she murmured as he impatiently tore at her bodice.
"It feels like ten years since I've been able to make love to you, and I've waited as long as I intend to. Damn these stays you wear. When we get to Mexico, I'm going to buy you some gypsy clothes. They're easier to rip off."
Giggling, Carlisle helped him with the offending garments, eager to join him beneath the bedcovers.
Naked, they lay close together, sliding their hands over each other's skin, re-exploring the familiar, precious planes and hollows.
"I've missed this," Chase muttered. "God in heaven, you feel good."
Carlisle smiled and pressed closer, moaning as his touch began to inflame her.
"I thought I heard you say, the day the boys were born, that you weren't ever going to touch me again," she whispered weakly. "You swore it, if I remember right."
"I must have been out of my mind to say such a thing," he murmured breathlessly, as the train roared south toward Mexico and the Hacienda de los Toros.
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 1991 by Linda Ladd
Cover design by Open Road Integrated Media
ISBN 978-1-4976-3103-8
This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
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LINDA LADD
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