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Even a wife he did not want

Worry hammered Seth’s chest as he bathed Jane’s brow She looked the iunony He’d seen the face of death before On brave men cut down in their prime, vital one moment, refuse on the deck of a ship the next--the loud whistle of the bosun’s mate a sorrowful salute on the wind as their wrapped bodies slid to a watery grave

"How long have you been like this?" he de on the present, on Jane

Why had no one fetched hi rather than face hi Never had it occurred to hi her door, he had heard her terrible retching For no other reason would he have entered her room, too determined to avoid the temptation she presented

"For a while," she whispered, her voice a dry croak "Anna says it will pass"

"This is… norly ill-equipped He could stitch up a wound and dig out a bullet if necessary, but this…

The last ti twisted and still as stone aht he had killed her

"According to Anna, the sicker I feel, the healthier the babe" A tremulous smile curved her lips, as if she did not entirely believe such counsel

His gaze flew to her stomach, as if he could see the child within her His child Theirs Until this ine their child A little girl with Jane’s glossy brown hair and hazel eyes His heart constricted

"Perhaps we should send for the physician, just to be safe," he suggested, the protectiveness gripping hi to anticipate around her

"My lord? What are you doing here?" The sound of Anna’s voice brought hi to my wife," he answered

Anna studied hi cup and set it on the table beside the bed

"Your wife," she harrureat bosoiven her"

"Anna," Jane scolded, color washing the green tinge fro for the physician"

Anna snorted "What does a man know of female matters?"

"It’s unnecessary," Jane interjected, her weak voice firood hands with Anna"

"Perhaps," he conceded "But I’ for a physician"

Anna began to protest

He arched a broarning

Snapping her mouth shut, the maid nodded and motioned to the tea on the bedside table "See that she drinks"

Seth settled down beside Jane, stretching his legs alongside hers Nestling her head against his shoulder, he brought the tea to her lips

"I’ up at him eary, bemused eyes

"Hush," hehi shut

"You may leave us, Anna" He didn’t look up as theJane’s face as she fell asleep in his ar reht he slept alone in his bed

He squeezed his eyes tightly, struggling to forget what it felt like to have her, to sink hiles, it was a ht

Chapter 23

"Goodroohtened as she stared in Jane’s general direction "How lovely to have you up and about again Seth was beside hilanced Seth’s way Heat flooded her face at theup in his ar his paper, he watched her with unreadable eyes as she placed one slice of toast upon her plate, not yet ready to try her sto, Jane" He inclined his head, the sound of her na into the seat across from Julianne, she snapped her napkin free and ry thisif he had yet explained to his sister the reason for her illness, or, for that e

"Are you up for a drive in the park then, Jane?" Julianne asked, carefully reaching for her teacup

Closing both hands about it, she brought it to her lips for a ser for your coham Since we’re so close I insisted she spend a few days with her"

Seth grunted at this before taking a crunchy bite of his toast

"Seth is not pleased withso," Julianne added in a not so conspiratorial whisper

"I’m sure even the most loyal companion deserves the occasional time off," Jane volunteered

One of Seth’s brows cocked "Quite Only perhaps not when Julianne is in a house virtually unknown to her and requireswith concern to Julianne