Epilogue #2
It was unusual, after all. A woman, keeping her name after marriage. She wasn’t sure it was even legal, in a technical manner. Perhaps on some legal paperwork in the Pernrith estate, she wouldn’t be Seaton. But she always would be everywhere else.
“As far as I’m concerned, you are Captain Phylis Seaton when you’re at sea,” Michael said quietly, though mischief danced in his expression. “And the Viscountess Pernrith when you’re on shore.”
Phylis groaned. “Don’t remind me!”
“You think I enjoy it!” retorted Michael with a shiver. “I still can’t believe my father actually did it. He’d threatened to do it before, but this time—well. At least he’s happy to let us travel.”
It was indeed remarkably sanguine of the Pernrith Chances, even Phylis had to admit it.
They had not appeared to be astonished in any way when she and Michael had sat them down and said that they would be traveling together around the world, as a wedded couple, just as she had done before she had ever met a person by the name of Chance.
In a strange sort of way, it was almost as though they had expected it.
“Besides, I like that you’ve kept a part of yourself, as it was,” Michael was saying from a long way off. Phylis blinked, and his handsome face came into view. “I fell in love with Captain Phylis Seaton. I don’t want to lose her.”
Phylis smiled, her whole body responding to his words in a way she could not fully relish until later.
Much later. When they were alone in their cabin, and Michael was kissing her on the—
“And I love you,” Michael said softly. “And being your husband… It is a far greater adventure than immigration could ever have been.”
And this, Phylis knew, was perhaps the greatest reason why she loved this man.
Not because he was handsome, although that helped. Not because he was masterful with his tongue, which definitely helped. Not because he was from an impressive family, or that he had a title, which in all honesty were detriments to her affection rather than encouragement.
No, it was because he saw her, and loved her, and chose her.
Above his family. Above comfort. Above the dream he’d had when they’d first met.
Above it all, he’d chosen her.
“So,” said Phylis with a nudge of her elbow, “what next?”
Michael waggled his eyebrows, then said, “Ouch!”
“You deserved that,” Phylis said calmly after whacking him on the chest. “I meant, where to next? We’ve not got any contracts ready to fulfill right now. We could take passengers.”
“I’m not sure the crew would like a stranger staying on board,” said her husband with a snort. “Another one, at any rate. One is probably enough.”
“You’re not a stranger!” Phylis protested.
“You know what I mean. No, I thought…” Michael’s voice trailed off and his cheeks pinked as he refused to say what she had known, from the moment they had boarded the Dreamer, he wanted to say.
It was so charming, having such a deep knowledge of one’s spouse that you didn’t need to hear them say it to know what they were thinking. Phylis could only have imagined such a thing with one person: her father.
But now there was another man who understood her so completely and was so utterly open with her that she could read his mind.
Not that this was a particularly challenging page.
“I want to—”
“See your family,” Phylis finished with a wry smile.
Michael’s arm dropped from her waist, not to step away from her but in seemingly pure astonishment. “How the devil did you know that?”
“You know, your language has really degraded since you came on board,” Phylis said conversationally, trying not to laugh at his stunned expression. “We’re going to have to improve your manners before you see your family again. They’ll accuse me of ruining you.”
“You did ruin me,” Michael said in a growl, pulling her into his arms.
“Michael!”
“But seriously,” he said with a sigh, releasing her but making it very clear with his eyes that she was going to pay for that later. “How did you know?”
“Well, I love you very much, but you’ve never left your family before,” Phylis said gently as Drummond berated a crew mate for not tying a knot properly. “I mean, this is the longest you’ve ever been without them. It’s natural that you miss them.”
It was one of the things she loved about him. Michael…he felt things so deeply. Good or bad, high or low, the waves of emotions soared up then sank to the depths, and she loved that.
He was a man who really felt everything.
And if she were any judge, he was about to feel a great deal…
“You don’t mind, do you?” Michael asked, a note of concern in his voice. “I mean, I know you don’t… We won’t have to stay long. I know you can feel sometimes a little anchored down.”
“I think going back to London to visit your family is an excellent idea,” said Phylis firmly.
Her husband’s face brightened. “You do?”
“Of course. See your family, pick up a few haulage contracts,” she continued, excitement bubbling in her as she readied herself to give the news she should have given days ago. “And make plans to be back for a month or two at least in…oh, next May, I reckon.”
For a moment, Michael just stared. “Why May?”
“Because,” Phylis said, trying to keep her voice level and absolutely fading, “because I think the heir to the Viscount Pernrith should probably be born in England. Don’t you?”
Her husband stared as though he had never seen her before in his life.
Phylis waited, but with each passing heartbeat, she started to worry he hadn’t heard her. Or was unwell. Or didn’t want—
“Oh, Phylis!”
Michael pulled her into a bone-breaking hug before he pushed her back and stared at her in horror. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Did I hurt you, either of you?”
“No, no—”
“It’s just—oh, Phylis! You mean it? You’re definitely…? I’ve been sick every morning this last week and it’s definitely not because I’m pregnant!”
“I think my seasickness days passed a few decades ago.” Phylis laughed, her mind whirling with joy at his so obvious delight. “No, I’m almost certain. I’m certain.”
Her flux hadn’t come and she had felt nauseous every morning, not that she would be admitting that to her crew. But it was the visit to the Belgian doctor that very morning that had sealed it.
“I am with child,” she said quietly, a nervous smile dancing on her lips.
Michael’s gaze flickered down to her stomach, then back to her face with more than adoration. “Oh, Phylis.”
The kiss was swift and reverential and Phylis never wanted it to end.
But if it didn’t, there wouldn’t be another kind of kiss, and another, and another. There seemed to be as many types of kisses that Michael could give her as there were drops of water in the ocean, and she wanted all of them.
All of them, for the rest of her life.
“I love you,” Michael said seriously, breaking the kiss and looking deep into her eyes. “Oh, this is—this is a chance in a lifetime. To raise our son—”
“Or daughter, I suppose,” interjected Phylis with soaring spirits.
“Our son or daughter on the Dreamer,” her husband continued, his devotion for her palpable. “I can’t wait. I can’t wait for this new adventure.”
Phylis placed her hand on her stomach and it was swiftly met with Michael’s own. “A new adventure. For the three of us.”