For the Love of a Broken Marquess Bonus Scene

Owen

One Year Later

He paced outside the room, his whole body tense, and his heart thrumming with anxiety. Gabriella’s cries filled the air, each one hitting him like a physical blow.

How much longer can this take? She has been in agony for hours.

Had he known his wife would suffer so much pain in the process, he might have avoided getting her with child. He hated that he could not help her, banished as he was to pace the hall like a caged animal. At the very least his stepmother was in with his wife, but the thought still gave him little comfort.

“You must be patient, my boy,” his father, who sat in a chair across from the bedroom door, said with a slight chuckle. “Worrying will not bring that baby into the world any faster.”

“How did you manage to keep a cool head when mother went through this?” Owen asked, his father’s advice to calm down doing nothing to ease his nerves.

The Duke shrugged. “If I am being honest, I did not keep a cool head. I was standing right where you are, pacing as fear and anxiety burned through me. I had never felt so helpless in all my life. But, I can promise you, it will all be worth it when you are holding your child in your arms.”

Owen did not think anything could be worth the torture of hearing his wife in such pain and being unable to help her. However, he trusted his father more than anyone, save Gabriella. He would maintain his patience, clinging to it with his fingertips if he had to, so as not to cause his wife greater distress.

He listened to her screams for what felt like an eternity, but then, suddenly, everything fell silent. Owen froze, tensing as a fresh wave of fear coursed through him.

“What happened?” he demanded to know of his father. “Why has it gotten so quiet?”

“Just give it a moment,” the Duke said with a knowing smile.

The sound of a baby’s wail soon replaced his wife’s screams. And then, to his shock . . . a second baby started crying.

“Twins!” he gasped.

“Twins,” said his father as he laughed.

Owen moved to the door, waiting impatiently for it to open. He had been given strict instructions by the midwife not to enter until he received permission, but he was ready to throw caution to the wind and charge in there, risking the woman’s wrath.

Thankfully, he did not have to resort to such tactics. The door opened and his stepmother peeked outside, smiling widely at him.

“Impatient to meet your sons, I see,” she teased.

“Is Gabriella alright?” he asked, his mind barely registering that he had two sons.

The Duchess’ expression grew soft, and she nodded. “She is doing wonderfully. She is very tired, as is expected, but she is asking for you. You can come inside now.”

She stepped out of the way to allow him entry, and he did not hesitate to rush into the room. He made his way straight for the bed, where Gabriella lay with her dark hair sprawled out around her, her face red and covered in sweat from the exertion of giving birth.

She had never looked more beautiful.

He carefully sat on the bed next to her and took her hand. Though it took obvious effort, she opened her eyes and gave him a tired smile.

“Owen . . . look at your furrowed brow. Did I worry you, my love?”

He nodded. “I have never been so terrified in my life. Even the battlefields in France did not make me tremble with such fear as hearing your pain-filled cries.”

She raised a hand and cupped his cheek. “You should not have worried so. I was in good hands and perfectly fine.”

He gripped her hand and pressed it tighter to his cheek.

“I will always worry for you when you are in pain. You are everything to me, and if I lost you, I . . . I do not know how I could go on.”

She chuckled softly. “So dramatic.”

Her eyes shone with her adoration, however, and he leaned down to press his lips against her cheek.

“My Lord, would you like to hold one of your sons?” the midwife suddenly asked. Owen had nearly forgotten the woman was in the room.

Glancing her way, he found her holding a small bundle in her arms. His heart thumped as the reality that he was a father began to settle in. He silently nodded and the midwife approached him to hand him over the baby.

Owen stared down at his tiny boy in wonder.

“He . . . he is so pink,” he murmured.

Gabriella giggled. “He is. They both are. And such dark mops of hair already.”

“I would like to name this one Andrew, if you do not object,” Owen said, without taking his eyes off the baby’s face.

Gabriella’s eyes were full of understanding, along with pride for Owen, for having the strength to finally let the trauma of his past go.

“Of course, my love. It is a lovely name,” she said. “And how about James for our other little angel?”

“Well I was sure you would want James as a name. You always doted on my father,” Owen said chuckling. “I can’t wait to see his reaction when he finds out.”

The midwife fetched the second baby then and carefully placed him in Gabriella’s arms. Owen leaned over her to gaze down at his other son, and his whole chest tightened with more love than he would have thought possible.

“Hello there, James,” he said, still not believing that any man could be this lucky, to have such a wonderful family.

Moving his eyes to his wife, he could only stare at her in awe for the miracles she had brought him. Two healthy sons, and the most incredible wife a man could hope for. He was truly the luckiest of men.

“You are doing it again,” Gabriella muttered with a grin.

“Doing what?” he asked her, brow furrowed.

“Staring at me as if you think you are dreaming. You are not, you know. This is all very real. You are, in fact, this incredibly happy.”

He pressed his forehead against hers, completely baffled as to how he could deserve her. After everything they had been through, all their loss, all their pain, all their misunderstandings, she was still the center of his world. She was his rock, holding him down and keeping him grounded.

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he murmured, “I love you more each day you are with me. I cannot believe that you are mine.”

“I love you more each day as well,” she whispered. “I will always be yours.”

Sitting there with her, holding their newborn sons, Owen did not know how his life could possibly get any better.

And yet, in his heart, he knew that with Gabriella at his

 side, there was still so much more joy to come.

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