A serene, white light glowed around her as Lily slowly opened her eyes. Love seemed to surround her, wrapping her in its warm embrace. Was she in Heaven, then? "Welcome back, my lady. We have all been waiting for you to open those lovely eyes."

Lily frowned. God was a middle-aged man with a woman's voice? Forcing herself to focus, she concentrated hard. Another face slowly came into view. It was her mother-in-law, looking as grim as always.

Oh, no. Lillianna paled. She was not in Heaven at all. She must be in Hell.

"The angel is awake now!" another voice, that of a child, broke through her dread. "I told you God would keep her safe, my lady. He protects his own."

More conscious now, Lily looked toward the direction from which the little voice had come. The tiny child from the mill leaned against the countess' hip, patting her on the back. But she looked clean now; all traces of the soot and grime were gone. She was dressed in one of the dresses Lily had picked out for her, and she almost appeared a different child.

"So you did, you little cherub. Let us go and tell the earl. Maybe he will stop trying to get out of bed to check on Lady Lillianna, now."

"Can I tell him?" the girl asked shyly. Her little arm was tied up in a sling so it crossed over her chest, and a bandage now carefully covered the injured hand. Setting her down, the countess actually smiled. It was the first genuine expression other than gloom that Lily had seen since her arrival.

"Yes, my sweet Bess, but you must wait for me. I want to see his face when he hears the news."

The child grabbed the older woman's hand with her uninjured one and tugged her away toward the door.

Lily stared. "Bess?" she muttered, still feeling quite lightheaded. "Surely, I'm dreaming."

There was a knock on the door, and Winston put his head in. "A tray for my lady," he said, smiling. He brought it in and set it down at her bedside. "The countess ordered it."

"Thank you, Winston." Lily said softly. "It smells wonderful."

She watched as he bowed and moved away. "He smiled at me, Charlie. This makes twice! I remember thinking he never smiled, and now—"

But Darby was leaning over her, his hands cupping her face as if he could not believe she was finally awake. She reached up and moved his strong hand so it rested on her chest and stroked his jaw lovingly.

"Be it Heaven or a dream, it's perfect, so long as you're here with me."

Darby reached for her but was interrupted when another voice spoke from the doorway. "Don't touch the patient until after I examine her."

Lily peeked around her husband, seeing the doctor for the first time.

Darby completely ignored him and gathered her up in his arms. When she looked up, he was showing her the smile she'd come to love so much over the previous months. She glanced from one to the other, and the doctor chuckled. "Fine, my lord. Have your fill of your beautiful wife for a moment more, then kindly take yourself off so I can complete my task."

Darby sat down with Lily in his arms, but his reply was firm. "Sir, I refuse to let my wife out of my view for the next fortnight or more." He cradled her in his arms for a moment longer, before laying her back onto the bed. Gesturing for the doctor to go about his task, he grinned. "No more secrets, Lillianna. Do I make myself clear?"

Nodding, she snuggled deeper into the pillows, feeling life was perfect indeed.

The doctor, however, was not finished trying. "My lady, kindly tell your husband to leave the room? Surely, you can convince him that some of my…examination will be of a delicate nature."

Still lightheaded, Lily spoke without considering her words. "Sir, you know my husband has already examined every part of me. He knows my body better than I do, myself. I assure you, he won't be scandalized by anything you uncover."

An hour later, the doctor gave Darby a knowing grin. "I can see your husband is quite right about his suspicions of your—condition—my lady. Congratulations to you both. I shall leave you both alone to celebrate the joyous news."

"Before you go," Darby asked, gathering Lily back into his arms. "I have but one question."

The doctor turned and gave them both his complete attention. He had heard the same concern many times after husbands found themselves blessed with the news their brides were expecting. "Yes, Lord Darby, you and your wife are free to enjoy the pleasures of the marriage bed. Your heir is quite safe and in no danger of ill effects for many months to come. Ask me again, when she reaches her seventh month."

Lily blushed, but Darby gave a delighted chuckle. "That's nice to know, sir, but it's not the question I meant to consult you about."

Lily and the doctor both stared, and Darby grinned. "Is it all right to spank my wife in her condition?"

The doctor chuckled, while Lily groaned.

"Absolutely not!" she chided, her eyes wide and incredulous.

The doctor, however, nodded. "Absolutely. Especially if she goes running about in burning and collapsing buildings." He was murmuring unintelligibly under his breath as he left the room, only to plow into the countess as she came in. The little girl was nowhere to be seen.

Darby rolled his eyes at the entrance of his mother, and Lily grinned. For the first time, she thrilled at her mother-in-law's presence. Darby's inclination to address her transgressions would have to wait now.

The countess' expression, however, was grim. "Is the baby all right?" she asked, real concern etched across her face.

"Both the babe and my wife are well. Thank you for your concern." Darby gave his bride a wink. In a low whisper, he added for her ears only, "We will continue this discussion later, I promise you."

The countess failed in her efforts to push her son aside so she could better see Lily. In the end, she gave up the effort and went around to the other side. Lily noticed the tears, then.

"Countess?" she whispered, staring.

The countess was having trouble speaking. She gulped and took a breath. "I feared we almost lost you," she whispered. "You see, Jacob was doing my bidding those days when he offered to take you to the mill. He was keeping an eye on you for me. But today, when he came back and said it was on fire, I…" Her voice broke, momentarily. "I would never have forgiven myself if you had perished inside."

Her words and demeanor, however, left Lily speechless for a moment. She was unable to believe what she heard. "Excuse my bluntness, my lady, but I would have thought you would have celebrated my demise." She glanced toward Darby, who was frowning sternly down at her. Try as she might, however, Lily could not forget the weeks of indifference she'd suffered from his mother.

"I deserved that," his mother responded, holding up a hand toward her son.

Lily still felt guarded. "Where is the child Darby and I brought home with us?" The defiance stayed present in her voice when she continued. "I won't have her mistreated, my lady. She has already had such a harsh life."

"Indeed, she has," the countess said, taking a seat on the bed. "She and I have become quite close as we watched over you. She told me the woman who sold her to you was not her mother, by the by. Her own mother died when she was born."

"You called her Bess." The coldness in Lily's tone shocked even her, but she could not seem to control it.

It was the countess' voice that remained calm, as she tried to explain, "She's been called a multitude of names, from 'wretch' to 'orphan' and worse by her stepmother, since her father died. I offered to give her the name of my beloved, childhood friend, and she took to it instantly." She stared at Lily a long time without speaking, and Lily began to soften a little on the inside.

"Lillianna." The countess' voice was very quiet, as she continued. "May I share the story of my Bess with you? While it does not excuse my horrible treatment of you, it might help soften your heart to a foolish old woman's actions."

Lily nodded, mostly because Darby squeezed her hand when she remained silent too long.

"Bess and I grew up together, you see. We were closer than most sisters and promised to always be there for each other. Marriage split us up, but we still managed to see each other once in a while. I married the earl, who has been extremely good to me. Bess, unfortunately, was not so lucky as I. Her husband was a waster and a gamer, and he went through what little was left of the family's money quite quickly. The last time I saw her, she was swollen with her first child. She was sure she was carrying a girl. Since I had a son, we laughed together, and like schoolgirls in romantic daydreams, we decided our children would wed one day, insuring our bond would live on through the ages. I know it was a foolish notion, but we were both children, ourselves, not wise to the ways of the real world."

It was Darby who spoke. "Where is she now?"

The countess' tears trailed down her cheeks more freely. "Her husband moved her away and refused to let her write. We lost touch until she sneaked a note to me. I was overjoyed that we might get to see each other again." Her expression changed.

"Then, I found that she passed away. It was months before I knew of it. I did find that the child was a girl. I sent word to her husband offering to take her daughter as my own, but he, too, had perished. Someone told me they thought perhaps the little girl had gone to live in the orphanage at the convent. I searched a bit more, after that, but never found her."

Finally, the ice around Lily's heart started to melt. Her own tragic history was so like the one the countess shared of her friend. But England was full of orphaned youth, most ending up in factories like the mill, in hopes of surviving. Dared she share her own background with the countess?

She forced herself to speak. "My mother and father perished when I was a child, too." Her voice changed to one of sympathy. The defiance was gone now. "And you never located her daughter?"

"Never." Darby's mother pulled a handkerchief out and dabbed at her eyes.

The ice completely gone from her heart, Lily reached out and took the woman's hand, surprised when the countess reached out and clasped both of hers. "Perhaps, my Lady, Darby and I can help you in your search. Tell us about this child."

"She would be about your age," the countess said in a low voice. "Bess had the loveliest red hair. It was much like yours. I was told the child did, too."

Lily's eyes widened as Darby's mother shared more details. Ever so slowly, and one by one, she began to fit the pieces of the puzzle together—the location, husband's first name and tendency to gamble. Even dates were impossible to ignore.

Lily glanced up at Darby, who was studying her oddly, watching her face as her expressions changed rapidly.

"My lady, might I share a bit of my own background now?" Lily asked breathlessly, tears filling her own eyes. "My mother lost her own life when I was small. My father had a tendency to visit the gaming halls. He took his own life, after losing his fortune and wife. Countess, I know in my heart her daughter is alive, safe and happy right now, married to someone as wonderful as both you and Bess had hoped." Her voice faded as she said the last few words.

Realization dawned as the countess squeezed Lily's hand tightly. "What was your mother's name?" she demanded, her eyes bright with hope.

"Elizabeth Abigail Collingwood." Lily whispered. "They called her 'Bess'. I was named Lillianna Elizabeth, after my mother."

The countess blanched, and Lily nodded. "Yes, Lady Darby. I am her daughter."

Darby was completely at a loss when the two women he loved grabbed hold of each other and started bawling like newborn babes. He moved toward the opposite side of the bed and leaned forward, putting comforting arms around them.

"Both of you. Please calm enough so I can think," Darby said softly from between them. "Mother, I promise, I'll do my damndest to find Bess' child."

"But you already did, Charlie." His mother was laughing and crying at the same time. "You married her."

"And I feared I would never measure up to some perfect, refined lady…" Lily's voice trailed away, full of emotion.

"And I ended up hurting the very creature I had sworn to protect…" the countess replied sadly.

"Women," Darby mused aloud, as if slowly coming to realize the paradox unraveling before him. "Let me get this straight? I met the woman I was intended to marry since birth on a ship sailing to America and ended up returning the daughter of my mother's childhood friend to our home?"

"I'm so sorry I didn't find you when you were a lost child," the countess told Lily, mourning the lost time between them.

"I think it was all God's plan, my lady. Chloe, from the ship, told me that. And had I not been left to survive, I would never have gone to work in the mill, never have known the horrors those inside suffered…"

"Never have gone back to save those in need?" her mother-in-law finished. "That's why you kept returning to the mill?"

"Never have been in a position to help end the travesty taking place?" The earl stood in the doorway and wandered into the bedroom, joining his wife at the side of the bed. "No fussing, now," he admonished as everyone started objecting to his being up. "I feel like my old self again. It's time I take my beloved daughter-in-law's cause to those who can help ease this burden. Children who are forced to work should be guaranteed education, decent hours, and food and time to rest. Places like textile mills should be required to pay decent wages, to take care of the children they're entrusted with. There should be laws governing the number of hours they work and insuring their safety. The House of Lords needs to face up to the things these women and children have been suffering and do something about it. And one more thing. Mr. Fenwirth bears such guilt in his treatment of those women and children. I'll see him brought to justice if it's the last thing I do."

Later, when they were finally left alone, Lily looked up from her husband's protective embrace. "I love you," she whispered.

The old grin was back. "Ah. Trying to keep your backside safe from the promised correction, are you?"

"Who, me?" She tried to appear as innocent as possible.

"Yes, you little imp. You. However, you may rest well. Tonight, you're safe from my discipline, but only for a little while. Tomorrow, there will be a long discussion between us. I will talk, and you, my girl, will listen. And when we're finished, there will be no more running around and not telling me where you are. And no more keeping secrets and hiding the source of your nightmares from me. It scared the bloody blazes out of me, I tell you."

Her face grew rueful. "I apologize for thinking that you were the one who was spying on me."

He frowned down into her face, his eyes boring into hers. "I promise you, I would never do that."

"I know that, now."

"But," he said, tapping her lightly on the nose. "You will never run off like that again."

"Yes, sir."

"And no more entering burning buildings. Ever."

"Yes, my lord." A teasing tone from her caught his attention.

"And no more defiance from you, my girl."

"Yes, Earl." Her grin up at him was challenging, and he raised an eyebrow.

"You are asking for it, aren't you? And you will figure out what to call me. Brat." But his mouth was wide with a huge grin now. "Promise?"

"Yes, Commander." She was having fun now as she grinned up into his eyes. "I promise."

A pop from his hard hand landed on her bottom, and she squealed.

"And one more thing. If the baby is a girl, her name will not be Bess."

She broke out into giggles and leaned up, throwing her arms about his neck and whispering into his mouth. "Yes, Charlie. Whatever you say."