Then Came You (The Gamblers #1)(110)

“Yes, yes…” Sobbing uncontrollably, Lily rushed forward and snatched her up, holding the child’s precious weight against her. “Oh, Nicole…you feel so good, so good—” Crooning against the tangled black hair, she ran her hand over the small head, the frail length of her daughter’s spine. Nicole rested passively in her arms. Lily heard herself speaking in a frayed voice that didn’t seem to be her own. “It’s over now. It’s finally over.” She drew her head back and looked into the brown eyes so like her own. Nicole’s little hand came up to Lily’s cheek, then moved curiously to her forehead and the shining dark curls that dangled at her temples.

Lily tried to stifle her sobs as she pressed tearful kisses against her daughter’s dirt-smudged face. All at once the waking nightmare was gone. The icy stranglehold on her heart had melted away, softly, magically. Lily had never known such peace. She hadn’t remembered what it felt like to be free of bitterness and grief. All she had ever wanted in the world was here—the warmth of her daughter’s body, the pure, perfect love that could exist only between mother and child. For the moment, nothing existed but the two of them.

Alex watched them until his throat was uncomfortably tight. He’d never seen Lily’s face so tender, so maternal. It was a side of her he had never seen before, nor yet imagined. His love for Lily was suddenly altered by a depth of compassion he hadn’t been capable of until now. He had never suspected it would be like this, that someone else’s happiness would mean so much more to him than his own. Awkwardly he turned to hide his own emotions.

Nathan stood nearby, observing the scene with satisfaction. “Alex,” he said in a businesslike manner, “this seems a good opportunity to mention Lord Fitzwilliam’s new crime bill, which proposes the opening of three new city offices I’m in dire need of—”

“Anything you want,” Alex said hoarsely.

“The bill is facing great opposition in the House—”

“You’ll have them,” Alex vowed, his face averted. He passed his sleeve over his damp eyes and continued huskily. “If I have to twist every arm in Parliament, I swear you’ll have them.”

Chapter 14

Alex looked up from the newspaper in surprise as Burton announced the arrival of Mr. Craven. They had spent a pleasant morning so far, Alex reading the Times and occasionally joining Lily and Nicole on the parlor floor as they stacked wooden building bricks into precarious towers.

“Oh, do show him in,” Lily said to Burton, and threw Alex an apologetic smile. “I forgot to mention that Derek intended to call this morning. He wanted to allow us a few days of privacy before he came to see Nicole.”

Frowning slightly, Alex stood up from the sofa, while Nicole went to chase the baleful cat, Tom, around the room. Whenever the poor animal settled in a patch of sunlight, Nicole was drawn to the inviting flick of his tail. Lily gathered some of the toys that were scattered across the parlor floor. She thought with a rueful smile that Alex had bought too many toys, a multitude that would have overwhelmed any child. The sight of the pitiful knot of rags that served as Nicole’s doll had been too much for him. He hadn’t rested until he had bought every kind of doll available at the Burlington Arcade shop…dolls with real hair and porcelain teeth, dolls made of wax and china, complete with their own tiny trunks and trousseaus. The nursery upstairs was crammed full of toy theatres, a rocking horse, a grand doll house, balls, musical boxes, and to Lily’s dismay, a painted drum that could be heard throughout the mansion.

It had not taken long for them to discover Nicole’s disconcerting habit of playing hide-and-seek, spontaneously disappearing and then grinning at their anxious faces when she was found beneath a sofa or end table. Lily had never encountered a child who could move so stealthily. Alex would sit down at his desk in the library and work for an hour, and discover that at some point she had quietly crept underneath his chair.

Gradually Lily’s fears that Nicole might have been abused in Giuseppe’s care subsided. Although she was a cautious child, she was not fearful, and in fact possessed a sunny nature. With each day that passed she became more vocal, and soon her enchanting giggles and ceaseless questions, spoken in garbled Italian and English, rang through the house. She developed a particular attachment to Henry, frequently demanding to be held by him, yanking at his thick blond locks and gurgling with laughter at his reproving frowns.

Derek came to the parlor, his green eyes falling upon Lily. She rushed to him with a pleased laugh, discomfiting him with a quick embrace. “Here now,” he said in a mock reproof. “Not with your husband looking on, gypsy.”

“What marvelous h’s,” she observed with a grin.

Derek moved forward and shook hands with Alex. “Good morning, milord,” he said, smiling sardonically. “Quite a day for me. I’m not usually received in such high-kick parlors.”

“You’re welcome any time,” Alex said pleasantly. “Since you were so hospitable in allowing me the use of your apartments.”

Derek grinned at that, while Lily turned crimson. “Alex,” she protested faintly, and jerked at Derek’s arm to divert him. “Mr. Craven, I’d like to introduce you to someone.”

Derek’s gaze settled on the little girl, who was standing next to the sofa. Nicole peered at him curiously. “Miss Nicole,” Derek murmured. Slowly he sank to his haunches and smiled at her. “Come say ’ello to your Uncle Derek.”