“Wherein the Greyston family goes from strength to strength.”

A little over six years later …

Crecy watched Gabriel cradling the tiny bundle in his arms as he sat on the bed beside her, and felt her heart swell. She had given him a son this time, and he looked about as proud as any man could. Though if anyone knew the way their little daughter, Hope, twisted the man around her tiny thumb, she doubted anyone would believe it.

He had proved himself to be a wonderful father and a devoted husband, though that wasn’t to say it was always plain sailing. He still had to fight against the desire to obsess over details, but mostly he had it under control enough so that it didn’t completely control him. He was still rather overbearing at times, and had a tendency to put his foot down over things that frightened him, like allowing his daughter a small pony so that she could learn to ride. Gabriel was horrified by the idea that she could fall and be hurt, and so he wouldn’t move an inch. So Crecy still hadn’t won that one, but she’d started early, knowing full well it would be a battle royale. She hoped by the girl’s seventh birthday, she’d have cracked him.

“What shall we call him?” Gabriel asked, looking up at her, his indigo eyes shining with happiness.

Crecy pursed her lips, and pretended to think about it. “Frank?” she suggested, sighing happily as she admired her handsome man cooing over their baby.

Gabriel scowled, looking up from his son and tutting at her. “We are not naming our child after that blasted book,” he protested. Crecy grinned, knowing full well he’d noticed that she’d been reading Frankenstein again. She always cried for the monster, which caused Gabriel to mutter that it explained a lot about their relationship. Crecy laughed as she saw him realise she’d been teasing him. Gabriel gave a huff of laughter, shaking his head.

“It’s my turn,” she reminded him with a smile. “I let you name Hope, didn’t I?” Gabriel nodded, turning his attention back to his son, who Crecy had to admit was handsome, just like his father. “How about Henry Edward Gabriel Greyston?” she suggested instead, watching as the idea took hold in her husband’s mind.

“Henry is a good strong name,” he said, nodding, as the little boy clutched at his finger. “He likes it,” he added with a grin. “And Edward would like that, too, I think.”

“He’ll be a playmate for Eli and Leo,” Crecy said, beaming as she reached to stroke her son’s downy head. “Belle’s boys have been praying it wasn’t another girl by all accounts.”

Gabriel grunted. “Well, better him than Hope,” he muttered, which made Crecy laugh. Her daughter had inherited every bit of her mother’s daring and curiosity and love of adventure and all the things girls ought not to like. The sweet-looking little girl adored her two male cousins, and constantly led them into mischief. Crecy still cringed as she remembered Belle screaming over the frogs in the fruit bowl. Indeed, little Hope frightened her poor father to death on a daily basis.

“Here,” he said, giving his son back into her arms with a look of regret. “Belle will be here soon.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to go, Gabriel,” she said with a sigh, though she knew it would make no difference.

“I know, but you’ll enjoy your visit more if I do,” he said, leaning over to kiss her before he got up off the bed. “Well done, my clever, beautiful wife, I was never more proud.” He straightened and paused to look at the picture of her holding his son with obvious pleasure. “Besides,” he said. “I have an engagement with a very beautiful young woman.” He left her with a smirk and she laughed with amusement, knowing full well he’d promised to play with Hope.

A moment later and Belle came in, cooing and delighted with baby Henry. It was strange, really, how Edward had given Gabriel a second chance, but how Belle was finding it the hardest. Belle simply couldn’t forgive him for the heartache he had brought her sister, and though she was always scrupulously polite, there was never more than that. She said she pitied him terribly for his past and wished him well, but no matter how happy Crecy was, Belle could not seem to let go of her anger.

After allowing her sister a generous cuddle with her son, Crecy decided she had one last trick up her sleeve.

“You should visit Hope before you leave, Belle,” she said, hiding a sly smile. “You don’t want her to think you love Henry more than her.”

“Oh, no, of course not,” Belle exclaimed, looking horrified. “And as if I would,” she added, her tone a little smug. “I have a present for her.”

Crecy nodded, beaming. “Well, you’d best run along and give it to her, then.”

With a smile, she watched as Belle left the room. If there was one thing guaranteed to melt the hardest of hearts, it would be the intimidating figure of Gabriel Greyston playing with his six-year-old daughter.

***

Hope sat patiently beside him as Gabriel arranged all of the tiny cups and saucers and plates, ensuring that each one was placed directly in front of the various dolls and wooden creatures that she had invited to tea. She never interrupted him when he was tidying or rearranging, and though it broke his heart, she would try and keep her toys tidy when she played, somehow aware that it distressed him even though he tried hard to hide it. Crecy, of course, was determined to help both of them overcome any tendency to worry, and encouraged her daughter to play in the dirt and climb trees and do all sorts of things that made Gabriel sick with worry all the same.

“It looks lovely, Daddy,” Hope said, beaming at him as he tweaked the teapot a little.

He looked up for a moment, thinking that he’d heard a footstep outside the half open door, but then turned to her as no one came in.

“Sorry it took so long,” he said, wishing he could overcome such foolishness. He was better than he used to be, but his compulsions were a hard thing to be rid of. He had not heard his father’s voice for over a year, though, and had finally been able to tell the man he forgave him and mean it. He had no desire to remember him, or to visit his grave, but he felt his anger at least had been buried in that grave along with his father’s bones.

“Good things are worth waiting for, that’s what Mummy says,” Hope replied, repeating faithfully a phrase he had heard Crecy say on a number of occasions. “Besides, Sarah Rotherford’s daddy doesn’t ever play with her. She didn’t believe me when I said you did, and even when I told her that you give the best tea parties, too.”

Gabriel cleared his throat, wondering if Sarah would repeat that to her mother, who was the biggest gossip in the county. With chagrin, he found he didn’t much care if she did.

“And what did you say when she didn’t believe you?” Gabriel asked with a little niggle of misgiving.

“I punched her on the nose,” Hope replied calmly as she lifted a tiny teacup to her doll’s mouth.

Oh, Lord.

Gabriel cleared his throat, straightening and attempting to give his daughter a stern look. It was a difficult thing to do. “You really ought not to hit other children, Hope, it isn’t nice.”

“I know,” she replied, her blonde ringlets bobbing as she nodded at him. He looked down at her, feeling such a swell of love and protectiveness as he looked into eyes that were just like his own that it quite took his breath away. “But she said I was a liar, and that’s not nice, either.”

“No,” Gabriel replied, wishing Crecy had unearthed this little nugget, as he didn’t know what to say. “But, it is perhaps a little hard to believe.” He paused, watching as Hope fed the dolls their imaginary dinner. “How about we ask Sarah to come to one of the tea parties?” he offered, wondering if he had completely lost his mind. God alone knew what they’d say about him if this got out. He found that didn’t matter, either, however, as Hope beamed at him and threw her arms around his neck.

“Oh, yes, please, that would be wonderful.”

Gabriel hugged her, making his voice stern again with difficulty. “But only if you promise that you won’t hit anyone else.”

His daughter sighed and scowled a little before giving a shrug. “All right, then,” she muttered, sounding as though it was a very unfair bargain to have struck.

“Good girl,” Gabriel said with a sigh, pleased to have cleared that hurdle. “Perhaps we’d better get it ready before she arrives, though,” he added as an afterthought.

“Yes, you’d prefer it if she didn’t watch you,” Hope said, getting back to her dolls.

Gabriel smiled, amazed and overwhelmed by his daughter as he always was. “I love you, monkey,” he said, getting a grin before she pulled a face at him.

“I’m not a monkey, I’m a wolf, grrrr,” she shouted, baring her teeth and turning her little fingers into claws. “And I’m going to eat you up.”

She threw herself at Gabriel, who pretended to shout in terror as she tickled him until both of them were crying with laughter, and then he became aware they were being watched.

Gabriel looked up to see Belle staring down at them, one eyebrow raised a little.

“Auntie Belle!” Hope cried with delight, rushing to hug her.

Gabriel cleared his throat, feeling a flush crawl up the back of his neck. “Hello, Belle,” he replied, feeling a little awkward as he got to his feet. He looked down at Hope with regret. “I’d better go, darling. Why don’t you invite your aunt to your tea party?”

He felt a stab of guilt at her obvious disappointment, but he knew Belle didn’t like him around. “Oh, but Daddy, you promised to stay.” Hope tugged at his hand and pouted at him, making him feel torn and unsure of what to do.

Gabriel looked at Belle and was surprised to see her looking at him with warmth in her eyes. “Oh, I’m sure Daddy will stay, if we ask him nicely, won’t you, Gabriel?”

Gabriel hesitated, wondering if he’d mistaken her look or her tone, but Belle reached out and took his hand, giving it a brief squeeze. “I’ve just met your son,” she said. “And Crecy looks so very happy.”

He smiled and nodded, and Belle gestured to the tea party as Hope was tugging impatiently at her hand, too, now. So the two of them got to the floor as Hope served them tea. Gabriel cast his sister-in-law a look of chagrin as he lifted the tiny tea cup obediently to his lips and pretended to drink it, but Belle just grinned back at him. She reminded him so much of his wife in that moment he could not help but chuckle.

“Oh, Hope, I almost forgot, I have a present for you,” Belle exclaimed, pulling a small wrapped package from her reticule. Hope bounced on the spot with excitement as she carefully opened the parcel, handing the paper to Gabriel to fold.

“A snake!” she exclaimed, waving the carved wooden creature in the air like a prize. “Look, Daddy, isn’t it wonderful?”

Gabriel looked at the carved and painted snake, with wicked black eyes and a painted red, forked tongue. Personally, he thought it looked a revolting creature. “Wonderful, darling,” he agreed with a grave nod.

“I’m going to show Mummy and the baby,” she shrieked, holding it above her head and running out of the door.

“I couldn’t resist it,” Belle admitted as she left. “It’s the sort of thing Crecy would have loved as a child.”

Gabriel nodded, his eyes full of worry all at once. “I know. She’s so much like her mother. I sometime worry that …” He trailed off, turning his attention back to folding the paper into a neat square, not wanting to voice the fact that he was terrified his daughter might be drawn to a man like him one day. He looked up in surprise as Belle laid her hand on his arm.

“Have faith in her, Gabriel. If she’s anything like my sister, she’ll be absolutely fine. Better than fine,” she amended with a smile, her voice warm. “She’ll be happy.”

Gabriel let out a breath, knowing that he’d been forgiven at last, and feeling that his future was full of hope, in every sense of the word.