Peter watched with no small amount of pride as Ana—hiswife—ate a larger amount of food than she had managed in many weeks.She then settled back into bed with a sigh of relief and contentment.Her spiraling hair was somehow contained in a braid that looped over her shoulder.He found the arrangement to be most becoming, particularly when the depth of her black hair contrasted with the deep scarlet of the wrapper she wore.
“I’m proud of you,” he said.
“Por qué?”
He tilted his head at her breakfast tray.“You’ve managed to eat a great deal of food this morning.”
“Ha!It is like I am a little child.You are so proud that I eat all my food!”she laughed, the sound bouncing musically about the room.
Peter could not help but chuckle along until she suddenly doubled over, clutching at her stomach and covering her mouth with a hand.He sprang into action, scooping up a clean chamber pot from beneath her bed.
“It provesdifícilto hide my...”her hands went to her midsection.
“I know.I understand it is somewhat of a delicate business...Perhaps I can ask Cook if she knows of any remedies.”
“I would love to have some...remedies.”She sounded out the new word slowly, rolling therin a telltale sign of her accent.“But it would tell of my condition, no?”
Peter’s eyes darted to her hands, and his neck heated.“Of course.I understand it is somewhat of a delicate matter.Particularly when your ‘temporary illness’ will not subside.But I can assure you that you have no need to be worried about any of the staff.And as for the timing of it all, I feel confident they will believe that we have...that you are...that the child is mine,” his voice finally finished, his cheeks reddening further.“And properly so.”
“Entiendo.”
“Right, good.”
Peter’s gaze brushed back to her midsection, trying to imagine the tiny miracle of life growing there.He was still coming to terms with the fact that he was a husband and also a soon-to-be father.He had never anticipated becoming a father, not when he was given such a horrible example by his own father.The reality of his impending fatherhood still felt entirely fictitious, just as it had felt when the words had come racing out of his mouth, claiming responsibility for Ana and the child.
When Ana had revealed to him her condition, they had just recently landed on the border of England, with soldiers, travelers, and immigrants swelling around the coast.Peter had felt relieved to have his feet on English soil again, but Ana had looked more distressed as the day went on.Then she had revealed to him the reality of her situation.They had argued fiercely that night as they scoured their minds for solutions.
“You do not deserve the fate of the other women in San Sebastián,” he had protested, a very real panic searing his mind.
“But I am no better than they.I going to fight formí, andmi bebé, how these women do.”
“That is not what I meant to imply.”How could he make her understand?“I only wished to say that...well, you know the complicated nature of being an unwed mother.It could put you in a position of grave danger, particularly given the...history of the events we have just survived.If we can make an arrangement for the babe...”
“I will not leavemi bebéwithout a mother.I cannot.”
“She would have a mother, just not...”
“Nothermother.It would be agran error.”
Her gaze was fiery, her jaw set, and her nose scrunched in disgust at the suggestion.But beneath her firm facade, Peter did not miss how her lip trembled.Some other women would consider it a welcome solution to give up their child to a wet nurse or to a family in want of a baby so that they could return to society and their life before.Clearly it was not so for Ana María.
He blew out a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair.“Very well.Then what do you suggest we do?”
“I come to London.You say there are good physicians there, no?”
“Yes, true, but you cannot simply come...”
“¿Ypor qué no?”
Because it was entirely unacceptable and improper for him to arrive at home with an unmarried woman, particularly one who would begin to show signs of pregnancy in the coming months.And then there was the issue of their countries being tangled in war.How would his friends and neighbors view her heritage after news of the battle reached them?What would his family think of her?He shook his head.This was all much more complicated than he had imagined it would be.
“I’m sorry, it simply wouldn’t do...”
But how could he rescue Ana María from San Sebastián and then turn her out to survive on her own in even worse circumstances?Doing so when he had every reason and every resource to be able to rescue her would be a sin.He would be no better a man than his father had been.
Peter rotated toward Ana María until he faced her completely.“Look at me.”Reaching out a finger, he lifted her chin, raising her gaze from where it had been trained on the floor.Apprehension coursed through him, tightening the muscles in his shoulders and neck.He would protect her in the only way he knew how.It had to be done.
“I know that you likely have no desire to be involved with an Englishman ever again after what they did,” he said, unable to meet her eyes.“But I hope that you would harbor some measure of trust in me for coming with me this far.And now I only see one way to continue to protect youandyour child.If you would accept, I would make you my wife.”
