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Moments later, a particularly harsh scream came from above, followed by the thin, lusty wail of a child. Charles dropped his glass and bolted for the stairs, taking them three at a time as he sprinted to his wife's aid. In his wake, Gareth and Lucien merely exchanged amused glances. "A girl," said Gareth. "I'll bet you ten pounds on it." "No, no, Gareth. It will be a boy. It has to be a boy. I hope to God it's a boy, since it seems that the next heir to Blackheath is going to have to come down through Charles, not me." "Come now, Luce, you have plenty of time to marry and get an heir of your own." Lucien arched a brow. "What, and put myself through the hell that you two go through every time you become a father? I think not . . ." Upstairs, Charles was running headlong down the corridor toward the closed door of Amy's room. Nerissa stood just outside, arms folded, barring his way. She saw his panicked face, his wild eyes, as from behind the door, the baby's wailing intensified. "Really, Charles. Are you all right?" "Never mind me, are they all right?!" His sister smiled with infuriating sweetness. "Why don't you go in and see for yourself?" He lunged for the door. Nerissa grabbed the handle, laughing. "Ah! Sedately, brother dear!" He willed himself to calm down, his hands, his body, his very nerves, shaking. His throat felt dry and he feared his knees were going to give out and he had to take several gulping breaths to get himself under control. Nerissa, smiling, opened the door. And there was Amy, propped up on pillows, her face pale, wan, exhausted — radiant. Juliet stood beside the bed, sponging her brow and grinning as the midwife wrapped the tiny, squalling bundle in a blanket and placed it on Amy's chest. The old woman raised her head as she saw the lord of Lynmouth standing there, looking as though the gods had just struck him to stone with a bolt of lightning. "Congratulations, m'lord. You 'ave a little girl." Charles
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