Epilogue
Two and a half years later
They reached the small fishing village at dusk. Their caravan, though modest, caused a bit of a stir among the curious residents as they continued toward a house along the river where Aadesh stood at the door, awaiting their approach with a wide and easy grin.
Eleanor warmed at the sight of him dressed in the simple clothing of a fisherman instead of the black robes he’d worn when they’d last said good-bye on the London docks.
His black hair was longer and was secured in a loose queue at his nape.
A small child with loops of black curls around her head and bright eyes toddled at his heels as a lovely woman with kind eyes stepped from the house behind him.
Scents of roasted meat and savory spices wafted from within.
Welcomes and introductions were casual and genuine.
Within an hour, the tent Eleanor and Phin shared was set up near the banks of the river just beyond the house and Iago had his own temporary lodging set up.
The men unloaded the necessities from their traveling wagon while Eleanor lent a hand to Aadesh’s wife, Prisha, as she finished preparations for the evening meal.
Just before they all sat down to eat, the sound of another arrival had Aadesh grinning as he gave his wife a quick wink and teased something about surprise guests.
Drishti met them at the door, giving her brother a tight hug before greeting everyone else.
It appeared it had been some time since the siblings had seen each other.
And then a moment later, a great hulking Scotsman appeared in the doorway, made bigger by the packages he just managed to set down before Phin was there to greet his old friend with a broad laugh.
The six of them sat up for hours after Aadesh and Prisha’s daughter was put to bed.
They shared tales of adventures and homelife.
They laughed and reminisced and shared their plans and dreams for the future.
It was as if they all knew that such a gathering was rare and did what they could to fit in as much of their lives as possible.
When Phin and Eleanor finally retired to their tent and slid beneath the blankets of their pillowed mattress, it was well into the early morning hours.
But they agreed a sleepy tomorrow was well worth such an evening.
Intertwining their naked bodies, they listened to the flowing sound of the river nearby as they looked into each other’s eyes and whispered about their day.
It was a tradition her husband had started on their first journey together as he’d wanted to ensure she had no regrets about her decision.
“Favorite moment of the day,” he murmured warmly as his hand smoothed up her bare back.
Eleanor didn’t have to think about it. “Enjoying supper with our old friends.”
Phin smiled. “It was wonderful to see them all again.”
Eleanor hummed in agreement, a bit distracted by the tingling chills spreading over her skin as his fingers teased the fine hairs at her nape.
“Least favorite moment,” he prompted and Eleanor could already hear the humor he was trying to hold back in his voice.
“Oh…I don’t know,” she replied with obvious evasion. “Perhaps this morning when I was startled by that rude cow suddenly deciding she needed a drink of my bathwater.”
Phin chuckled. “Your shriek of outrage effectively changed her mind, I’d say.”
“Indeed,” Eleanor noted with exaggerated petulance.
In truth, she loved the unexpected experiences to be found in the different lands and cultures they visited.
Her husband’s chuckle deepened as he pulled her further into his embrace, curling his arm beneath her head and sliding his other hand along her thigh to pull her leg over his hip.
Eleanor sighed, soaking in his warmth and the familiar security felt in his arms. Her fingertips rested against the side of his throat so she felt the increasing speed of his pulse a moment before his erection started to harden between them.
She shifted to press her belly closer to his hard heat and hiked her knee higher along his side, opening herself to him.
He hummed low in appreciation before giving a subtle rocking of his hips. As he curled his arm around her head to bring her close enough for a kiss, she resisted.
“What about yours?” she asked.
With a sigh, he noted gruffly, “There was no worst part about today. It was all wonderful. And the best part is right now.”
Eleanor laughed, the sound a little breathless as he continued to rock his pelvis in a slow rhythm that eased his cock along her sensitive folds.
“You always say that,” she murmured, curling her hand around the back of his neck and brushing her lips lightly against his.
“It’s always true.”
“What if I told you that your favorite part of the day hasn’t happened yet?”
A low rumble issued from his chest as he adjusted his pelvis and angled his next rolling thrust to ease his hot cock into her slick channel. Their breath caught in unison as they looked into each other’s eyes, reveling in the power of the intimate connection that deepened and broadened every day.
“I’d never doubt you, my beauty,” he muttered hoarsely.
Though he began a deliciously languid rhythm of thrust and retreat and dropped his mouth to the side of her throat to tease her with fiery licks and suckling kisses, she forced herself to continue.
“What if I told you that in about six months, we’ll have another member joining our traveling party?”
It seemed to take a moment for her words to sink in as he executed two more pumps of his hips before he suddenly stilled, tension rippling through him.
Eleanor held her breath, hoping she wasn’t wrong and that this wouldn’t end up being the least favorite moment of his day.
When he finally lifted his head and met her gaze, she saw the stunning sparkle in his eyes. It took him three tries before he managed to speak in a raw whisper.
“Are you saying—? Are you—? Is there going to be a baby?”
Her throat suddenly tight with emotion, all she could do was nod with a trembling smile.
The whoop of joy that escaped him then startling a flock of birds nesting nearby and they took flight in a squawking panic.
It took longer for Phin to calm down than it took for the birds to circle and resettle as he wrapped his arms tightly around her and tucked his face against her neck to mutter, “Are you certain? Is this real?” He lifted his head to stare at her, “Oh my God, are you happy about this? Please tell me you are.”
“I am,” Eleanor replied quickly. “Am I to believe you are, as well?”
“I’m bloody ecstatic, princess,” he said before taking her mouth in a heavy kiss. When he pulled back, his expression was full of concern. “But how are you feeling? Oh my God, we’ve been traveling for months. You shouldn’t be sleeping on the ground—”
Eleanor laughed. “I’m not on the ground, I’m on a perfectly comfortable feather mattress. And honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever felt better.” She laid her hand against the side of his face. “I’m quite well, I promise.”
“We need to head home immediately,” he said.
“No, we don’t. We’ll find a proper midwife willing to travel with us for the next several months. Women have babies all over the world, not just England.”
“But—”
“No,” she interrupted firmly, before softening her voice. “I want to be here. Where my grandmother was born. Where our story began all those centuries ago.”
Phin stared back at her for a long moment. His features were tense with concern but his eyes were warm and full of pride and admiration and love. She knew it because she’d seen that look in his eyes more than a thousand times in the last two years.
A smile slowly tilted his mouth and he gave a gentle roll of his hips, pulling a gasp of delicate pleasure from Eleanor’s lips.
“I’ll be careful with you, I promise,” he murmured deeply.
Eleanor smiled. “I know.” Then, before he could take her mouth in another kiss, she asked, “Was I right? Was that your favorite part of the day?”
“My love,” he said gruffly as his lips moved over hers. “Since you became my wife, every part of the day is my favorite part.”
She smiled, then sighed, sinking into pleasure of his lovemaking. She didn’t press him further, because she knew it was true.