She Will Rejoice (20 page)

             
He stepped back, “You know?”

             
“I wanted her from the moment you told me she existed.”

His eyes widened; he stumbled backward.

“She is a part of you.”

             
Finn felt the strength leave his legs. He moved to sit down on a nearby log, but he ended up on the ground next to it instead.

             
“Are you hurt?” she laughed as she knelt beside him.

             
He ignored the question, “How are you not furious? Or humiliated at the thought?”

             
“It occasionally gives me pain that I am not the only woman you have. . .”

             
He waved a hand in irritated dismissal.

             
“But I am not so petty that I would take that out on a child, Finn. We can raise this child as one of ours. I need not share her blood to do so.”

             
“What will we tell people?”

             
She shrugged, “Whatever you wish. We can say we have adopted her,” she started but then looked wide-eyed at him, “you have begun a process to make sure nobody takes her away from us?”

             
He nodded, “I have sent word to Perdue, my solicitor. He will take care of the details.”

             
She sighed in relief

             
“There is no danger of anyone taking her, however. Nobody wants her.”

             
“Except us,” Naomi reminded him. “We want her.”

             
Finn leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers, “I am so lucky to have you.”

             
She draped her arms over his shoulders, “We are blessed, my love.”

             
He agreed just before his lips captured hers.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Naomi had no problem losing herself in her husband’s embrace, but they were, after all, outside.

             
“Finn,” she pulled away with a laugh.

             
He groaned, “I know.”

             
She rose first and dusted herself off. He followed suit immediately.

             
“Did you resolve what you went to town for?” she dared broach the subject as they continued their walk. “Or was this the issue?”

             
“No,” Finn blew out a puff of irritation. “That was regarding my brother.”

             
Finn then relayed all that had occurred with Rowan since their father’s death. It was almost too much for Naomi to take in. She was aware of the gambling, but she hadn’t realized about the poor management of the estates.

             
Something was not adding up.

             
“But how was your mother controlling your inheritance if it was passed on to you because of an entail?”

             
“She wasn’t,” he scowled. “I have had full control of all that was my father’s since his death.”

             
“You said she was forcing you to marry.”

             
He nodded, “She was still in control of my brother’s property.”

             
“Why did that matter to you?”

             
Finn helped her step over a puddle, “I bought a piece of land on the Isle of Wight.”

             
“The piece that your father sold to Mr. Shelser?”

             
He looked surprised at her understanding of the matter.

             
“I put the puzzle together myself,” she explained without being asked.

             
“There were some conditions connected to that first sale that made my purchase of it rather precarious. My mother was the only one with the ability to press the matter.”

             
Naomi stopped walking and frowned up at him, “You married for a piece of land?”

             
He didn’t answer.

             
“For one piece of land?”

             
He nodded, “There was also the condition that she would relinquish her hold on my brother’s estate.”

             
That surprised her, “Why would you bother?”

“
I was under the foolish assumption that if he had complete control over his own finances, he would behave more responsibly.”

             
Naomi wondered if Rowan had any idea what his brother had done for him.

             
“After I married, thereby ensuring I would provide an heir to my father’s estate, she signed the island property to me and her father’s estate over to Rowan.”

             
“But it did no good.”

             
He shrugged.

             
“I am sorry I was not more understanding of what you were going through.”

             
He pulled her to himself with a laugh, “No woman could be more understanding than you.”

             
She rested her head against his chest.

             
“I talked with George last night.”

             
She left her cheek against his chest where she could hear his heartbeat.

             
“We talked about Jesus again.”

             
She was silent.

             
“I believed on Him last night, Naomi.”

Did she dare believe her ears?

“You are such an example of a godly woman, and I could see the change in you since you believed..”

             
Her throat closed up, and she could not speak.

             
“I love you,” he pressed a kiss to her hair.

             
She pulled away, wishing for a handkerchief. Finn must have been expecting it because he pulled one from his pocket.

             
They rounded the pond and saw that Missy was still playing in the garden with Eloise.

             
“We should get to know our daughter, Finn,” she forced herself to speak slowly.

             
He nodded, “She seems a compliant child, but I have never spent much time with children.”

             
Naomi would have assumed as much.

             
"There is no time like the present to begin learning.”

EPILOGUE

One Year Later

“He has the most marvelous little legs,” Tessa cooed over her nephew as the ladies sat with the children on the lawn.
“So fat and soft.”

             
“I hope you are speaking of your son,” a deep voice heralded the men’s return, “and not of your husband.”

             
Naomi looked up at her husband, “He was actually speaking of your son, dear.”

             
Tessa poked at little George’s rolls, “Conrad’s legs were much thinner than that, even before he began crawling.”

             
The men sat down on the blanket next to their respective wives.

             
“Papa,” Eloise climbed instantly upon Finn’s lap, “is Grandmother coming down?”

             
“She will in a little bit. She is just finishing packing the food that Missy and Liz are taking in to the village.”

             
Eloise jumped up, “Can I help?”

             
Naomi rose, “I’ll take her in.”

             
Tessa watched her brother’s wife leave, “It is so amazing how Eloise has taken to mother.”

             
“More amazing,” Finn picked up his son, “is that mother can accept her.”

             
“Your wife has had quite an impact on our family,” Tessa eyed the man her brother had become.

             
“She would say it is Jesus, Tess.”

             
Nicholas spoke up, “She would be right.”

THE END

Cover art by Viola at
www.estrellacoverart.com
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