Sweet Surrender

~Hell hath no fury~

Adrian stood at a distance from the door watching Eva restfully sleep. It was a long hair raising journey back but after she insisted that she wanted to go home, he could not deny her.

"Please Adrian! I want to return home," she pleaded.

He took in the sad gaze.

"I know you do love, but what of the baby? What of the danger?"

"I feel fine. The baby is not due until another couple of weeks," she insisted.

With a physician in tow they boarded ship and sailed home.

Relief gripped her after that long journey they made it safe and she finally rested.

Rosie was surprised and elated to see her return. Penniford became her staunchest servant in anything she needed. Caroline kept her company while Adrian attended to the estate and the family business. Tonk and his father visited often which made her extremly happy.

After a while Montgomery began to visit. And it was then that Eva learned of her fathers demise and that it wasn't because of his gambling that he disappeared, it was because he had died. It was no news that although she felt upset that his gambling ruined her life she did feel very sad.

But, the immense love Adrian has for her, he comforted her as she lay on his arms that night crying. For the loss of her mother, her father the melancholic feeling of leaving her uncle and her cousin. Although they promised to visit when the baby was born, she still wept.

He caressed her and kissed away her tears.

The very next day she sat up beaming with a gorgeous smile staring up at Adrian.

"I know what I want to do with my home in Dower," she caressed his cheek.

"What?" he mumbled nuzzling his nose to her cheek then her neck.

"I want to turn it into a foundling home," she whispered.

He slowly leaned up and stared down into her eyes. The love he had for her was evident in his gaze.

"I think that my peach is a marvellous idea," he lowered his lips and kissed her.

As she settled into his side he listened with rapt attention about what she wanted. His eyes mesmerized by her beauty absorbed the sudden radiance she had making his heart swell.

********
As the days went by they fell into normal routine as usual preparing for the babies arrival. Her room would be the nursery. The task to fix it up was a debate between Arlington, Caroline, Tonk, Brendan and Adrian. They laughed as Penniford stepped forward and insisted he help as well.

Among the array of things needed to finish the room. Evangeline took her time getting aquainted with the colors of paint they were going to use.

Impatient as she was she put on a smock and slowly began to paint. Enjoying the solitude and her work she never saw the loving grey eyes that observed her from the door.

"I thought you were strictly forbidden to get out of bed," his voice broke her from her musing as she glided the paint brush up and down.

Slowly she turned and looked at Adrian leaning against the door.
A determined gaze mirrored her own.
"I could not lay in bed all day," she gave small pouty look before lowering her gaze.

Slowly he pushed away and walked towards her closing the distance and stood before her. Long black lashes lowered and took in her paint streaked smock, then the light yellowish smudge of paint on her nose. A deft finger raised up and cleared a few tendrils of hair from her face.