Epilogue
Six years later
Caroline held on tightly and she leaned over the rail of the ship and tossed up her accounts. Sterling rubbed his hand up and down her back in a soothing manner.
“How soon will we get there?” She had been vomiting daily since a month into their trip.
“The captain says we will be there by today. We just need to watch for the port.”
“It has happened again,” Livia observed.
“What’s happened?” her younger brother Joseph asked.
“We’re going to have another sibling.”
Caroline looked over her shoulder at her daughter, who was now eleven years old. How could she know? She was too young to know about these matters.
“She did the same before you came along, and before Lily,” Livia answered.
Lily was barely two years old and she was down in the cabin napping with the nursery maid.
“It could be sickness from being at sea,” Caroline said.
“Did that happen to you before?” Livia asked.
“No, it did not,” Sterling answered for her.
“See, I told you.”
“Is it better?” Sterling asked quietly.
Caroline nodded and he pulled her close so that she could rest her head on his chest.
“I promise that we will not leave until you are feeling better even if that means we have to wait until this child is born.”
She tilted her head and looked up at him. “Lord Wyndham, does that mean that we will stay away from Trade Wynd for nearly nine months because this child will not arrive for six and then it is a three-month journey back?”
“I have before and I will again. I find the best things happen to me when I am away from Southampton longer than intended. Maybe we will stay away for an entire year.”
“What do you think Damian would say?”
Damian was the brother who took care of the imports and exports leaving and arriving on ships and kept his offices near the warehouse.
“He will do well enough.”
“So you say but he has been rather preoccupied of late as well.”
“With the best of things,” he said before he kissed the tip of her nose.
“Your father would not approve,” she teased.
“And that is how I know that I am making the right decision.” He grinned.
“There it is,” Livia cried as she pointed. They both turned as the port came into view. Excitement built inside and Caroline could hardly contain herself as the ship drew closer until docked. She then grew impatient waiting for their luggage to be unloaded and then placed in a wagon.
Livia stood near and held tightly to her brother’s hand, especially when he wanted to stray toward the tall grasses.
Caroline glanced down at her daughter with concern.
“There are some things I remember very well from when we lived here.” She then shuddered.
She supposed that even though Livia had only been five that she would never forget coming face-to-face with a cobra.
When Sterling returned with the rented wagon, she helped the children after their luggage was loaded.
“Do you know what I want to do while we are here?” Sterling asked.
“What?”
“We need to take the children to Stellenbosch. It is their family and might be the very place where you stole my heart.”
“If I recall correctly, what you wanted had nothing to do with my heart.”
“In that, you are correct.” He chuckled. “You have made me a very happy man indeed, Caroline.”
She placed a palm against his cheek. “I love you.”
He turned to kiss her hand. “Let us go introduce our children to their grandparents and uncle.”
“You did tell them to expect us, did you not?” Caroline asked as Sterling helped her into the back of the wagon.
His blue eyes lit with mischief. “I may have neglected to do so,” he offered casually. “I decided that it might be more fun to show up without notice and see what happens. It did work out well last time I did so.”
“That is your opinion,” Caroline laughed. “Thankfully we have their grandchildren with us so your mother should not be too cross.”
“Nor your father.” He laughed and joined her. “In fact, I would not be surprised if my mother kept sending us off together, but this time so she could spoil our children without our interference.”
“You are likely correct.” Caroline looked into his eyes, her heart swelling with love. “And I would not mind at all.”