Come the Dawn (45 page)

Authors: Christina Skye

Tags: #Romance

Alexis gave a contented sigh as she smoothed the doll’s silk floss hair. She studied India and Thorne’s shadowed figures through the greenery. “They are so happy together. It is almost as if every good dream I’ve ever had has come true.” She hugged Josephine and smiled a secretive little smile. “Of course, there is one dream that they don’t know about yet.” She looked over her shoulder, where a beam of sunlight spilled over the grassy bank. “This is Ryan. I thought you might like to meet him, Josephine.” Her eyes widened. “And he’s brought someone else with him this time. A new friend. She is going to be his baby sister, you see.” Alexis turned and studied the laughing couple beyond the hedge. “Yes, they are going to be very happy.
We
are going to be very happy,” she added softly.

She moved away toward the house, old doll in tow. “And if you are very good, Josephine, I’ll let you go with me to Uncle Ian’s workshop. Do you know, he can whittle frogs and all kinds of wonderful things out of wood…?”

~ ~ ~

In the rose garden in the shadow of a pergola dark with damask roses, Thornwood pulled his smiling wife against him. “And now, my
sauvage…”

“But, Dev, you’re
sure
your arm isn’t too sore?” India looked anxiously at Thorne. “You really shouldn’t exert yourself so much.”

“It must be the duchess’s restorative jelly,” the earl murmured huskily, tugging at her sash.

“And, Dev, about the child. About Ryan, I mean. Sometimes I can feel him close by. I almost hear him laughing. I know it’s silly, but—”

“No.” His finger touched her lips. “It’s not silly. And I’m very glad you do, my heart. But maybe it’s time we gave him a brother.”

India smiled slowly. “Or a sister.”

Dev looked skyward and rolled his eyes. “God help the rest of us poor, benighted males then.”

But he didn’t look at all unhappy when his wife pulled him down beside her beneath a lush bank of roses and climbing lilies. In their urgent intensity, neither seemed to notice the wind rustling through the great, sweeping willow tree, nor the whisper of the flowers.

The sound was
almost
like the soft laughter of a very young child.

Did you miss Book 1 of
The Dangerous Delameres’ adventures
,
Come the
Night
? It’s available
now. Find it and other of Christina’s books at:
http://www.amazon.com/Christina-Skye/e/B000AQ764M

Steel Magnolia Press is publishing more of Christina’s backlist
in new digital editions
! Sign up for
Fresh Leaves
, the SMP monthly newsletter, to find out when new books are released, most at special introductory prices:
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website.)

About the Author

Christina Skye is the
New York Times
bestselling author of thirty-three books. She is
a pushover
for Harris tweed, Scottish cashmere, Chinese dumplings, French macarons and dark chocolate.

Not necessarily in that order.

A classically trained China scholar with over two million books in print, she has appeared on national television programs including
ABC Worldwide News, Travel News Network
, the
Arthur Frommer
show,
Geraldo, Voice of America, Looking East
, and
Good Morning, Arizona
.

Christina loves being a writer and savors quirky historical research. Most of her first drafts are written by hand, while her white Siamese helps with the “editing.” While she writes, she usually has her knitting right beside her. But don’t expect speed. “The sheer pleasure of colors and texture running through my fingers helps me concentrate on the mystery of my characters taking shape before my eyes. Researching a period draws me into a sense of place, and then knitting pulls me to a quiet place where a story can unfold at its deepest level. It’s my best writing tool.”

Visit her online at
christinaskye.com
for a glimpse into new books, strange research tidbits, great recipes and some of her all-time favorite knitting patterns.

~ ~ ~

If you enjoyed this work, please leave a review to help other readers decide if it’s a story they too would like to read. A couple of sentences are all you need to write. Thank you!

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Ebooks by Christina Skye available now or coming soon to Amazon (from Steel Magnolia Press)

Regency Romances

Come the Night, Book 1 of The Dangerous Delameres

Come the Dawn, Book 2 of The Dangerous Delameres

Defiant Captive

The Black Rose

East of Forever

Victorian Romance

The Ruby

Paranormal Romances
(Draycott Abbey Series)

Hour of the Rose