‘Captain,’ she said, and reached for his hand.
‘William,’ he reminded, giving it.
Of course. She had called him by his old rank when first they knew each other. It had been a way of keeping him at a distance. But there was no need for that now. Now that they were married.
‘Here,’ she said and placed his hand on her belly.
His grey eyes went wide. His rare smile came. ‘The baby,’ he said. ‘It lives.’
‘He lives,’ she assured him.
HeEyes narrowed. Delight fled them. ‘Do anything,’ he said, ‘to survive.’
‘Never doubt it.’ She squeezed his hand hard. ‘And you do the same. Come back to us.’
He faded then, the grip of his hand, the look in his eyes. He was gone, but as Sarah woke she knew three things.
That William Coke still lived.
That she would obey him, as she had vowed at their wed
