Page 113 (1/2)

"Let nature be Rory's guide" Scollard took Julian's goblet, refilling it after he'd poured himself a drink "Your wife is an extraordinary woman"

"I know" Julian seized his glass with a nod of thanks

"Shall we have that toast?" The lighthouse keeper pursed his lips "Quickly, I think 'Twould be best if you downed that entire goblet before confronting Mrs Peters She's not entirely pleased with you" Abruptly Mr Scollard halted, shaking his head as if to refute his oords "No, I'll have to aered over my verbal tribute Partly because I have much to extol and partly because Emma will use these extra minutes to wash everyone up and then to usher both herself and Mrs Peters from the room That way you'll have but one other person to encounter when you reach Aurora's bedcha suspicion you wouldn't , Mr Scollard raised his glass, waiting unti

l the other two men had followed suit "To two splendid men, Slayde and Julian, and to their exceptional wives, Courtney and Aurora To Tyler—" He bowed solereen eyes "—whose welcome birth perpetuated the Huntley name in the most wondrous of fashions To all the Huntleys and Bencrofts, reunited after sixty years, yet united wholly for the first time this day And to the incomparable outcome of that ultimate union, an essential treasure conceived in love on a storaze swept fro overhead, clearly including the occupants of the second floor in his tribute "Welco his eyes An instant later thehis toast "Here's to all of you The joys will now abound, illu the hardships of the past—now and forever"

Tylersound and clapped his hands

Slayde and Scollard chuckled affectionately, then drank

Julian didn't "So just happened, didn't it?" he asked Scollard quietly "AWasborn?"

Scollard arched a brow "You haven't secured my toast with a drink Do so, and fulfill its prophecy"

Taking a dutiful gulp of brandy, Julian continued to scrutinize Scollard's expression "You haven't answered my question"

"No You have" The lighthouse keeper aze

Eyes da silent thanks to the heavens

"Your gratitude has been received and embraced," Scollard said with soleoblet You won't have time"

Julian co—other than Mr Scollard's tea—had ever tasted this good

"Julian?" Courtney hovered in the sitting-rooht with happiness "Your wife's patience is officially gone She says to advise you she has no intention of savoring this prize alone According to her, you eether you shall reap its rewards I'd suggest you go to her bedchamber posthaste"

Julian's eoblet struck the sideboard with a thud "Is Aurora well? And our babe…?"