"The getting me angry part was not part of my plan, " she answered dryly, reaching out to undo andhelp remove hishose.

Daniel's body tookinterest in being disrobed.

"Oh, that." He shrugged slightly as he stepped out of the stockings, then straightened, his linen shirt dropping down to cover hisbody's reaction.

"Aye, that" Valoreesaid, tuggingat his shirt, urging him down to her level. When he knelt accommodatingly before her, she captured his face in her handsand pressed asweet kiss to his lips.

"Aye, that, mylord husband, "she murmured, breaking the kiss before he could deepen it. "Thank you for recognizing my weakness and helping me to overcome it."

"Fear is not weakness, Valoree, "he responded."Only afool does not feelfear."

"Then thank you for being my strength today, for helping me to do what had tobe done." shesaidsoftly. Her fingers slippedfrom hisface tofall to his shoulders, and Daniel claspedher face in his much larger hands.

"Today and always, Valoree. Whether dead or alive. I love you."

Her eyes filled with tears athisgentle proclamation, and she tried to turn herface away.

"Nay, donot try to hide fromme, " he murmured, holding her face firmlyin his hands andcatching the first tear that slidfrom one eye with the tip of his thumb. "Please. Never hide your feelings from me. Not your fear, not your pain, and not your love."

She went stillat thelast word, and he sighed and lowered his own head. "You give me your passion, Valoree, and it is beautiful.Your anger, your laughter.Your lovemaking isfreer andmore impassioned than that ofany woman Ihave known, but I want more. I loveyou."

Valoree felt guilt swampher at those words.She had known for some time that sheloved Daniel, buttheopportunity to say so hadneverreallycome.

Ah, whowas she kidding? The truth was that she had been afraid to saythose words. Some part of her had feared that if she admitted herfeelings shemight lose this man as she had lost her mother, her father and herbrother. Until today, she hadnever feared dying or being injured; she had feared living. She had fearedcaring and losing those she cared for.It wastime to stop being a coward, time togiveDaniel what he so freely gave her.

Love.

She opened hermouth todojust that, then paused to bite her lipin pain. Herstomach had suddenlycramped. Itwas notthe firstspasm she had suffered through today, but it did seem a lot more violent than those that had been tighteningher stomach sincethe Bastardo had beenspotted.Of course, that distraction might have madethose earliercontractionsseem lesssevere....

She forgotthe pain briefly as Daniel raised his head and caught the expression on her face. She knew at once he was misinterpreting her reaction. He probably thought she was unsettledby the thought of voicing herlove for him.

When he started to pull away, she caught at his shirt, determinedtotellhim what heneeded tohear. Hisexpression turned hopeful asshe opened her mouth, but all Valoreemanaged toget outwas agarbled, "I-ugh-oh, " asshe was struck by another cramp.She couldfeelher blood draining from herface, and she bit her lip viciously to keep from cryingout with the pain.

"Well, good Lord, "Daniel said snippily."There's no need to looksopained atthe idea."He tried topull away. "Iamgoing to change and go back on deck, make sure everything isall right."

"Nay, " Valoree gasped, refusing to let him go. Seeing his building impatience, she felt her own snap. Suddenly she was furious athim, both for the painshewas suffering thanks to his child, and at the fact that he somehow hadn't yet grasped the situation. "I - oh!"

"Do not trouble yourselfover my feelings. I shall be fine, " he said icily, trying to disengage herfromhis shirt.

That only managed to makeValoree morefurious. "Daniel!"

she snapped asthelabor pain finally eased.

"What? " he snapped back, though they were noseto nose.

Valoreeglaredat himbriefly, then snarled, "Oh, forheaven's sake!I love you. Allright? I love you! Are you happy? "

He stopped trying to removeher hands. "What? "

"What? " she repeatedwitha shriek as another spasm came.

"Areyou deafnowas well? Youwanted me to say it, andIsaid it! Now - " She paused on an indrawn breath as another contractionstruck. Groaning, shesankback down onto the bed.

Rolling into afetal position away fromhim, shefacedthe wallin misery, herconcentration taken up by the pain.

Her husband immediately crawled ontothesmallbed behind her, molding himself to her spoon-style andwrapping hisarms about her. He pressed a kiss toherneck. "Iam satisfied.And I am suresomeday you mayeven say that without sounding so angry about it. But for now, an angry admission will do." He whispered that by her ear, then nibbled gently at the lobe.

Nudging himself against her, he said, "I cannot wait until this babe is born and wecan make loveagain. Itfeels likeforever since Ihavefelt yourwarmth wrappedaround me."

"Aye? Well, it won't be muchtoo long, "she said archlyand felt him stiffen.

"Do you not missmy lovemaking? " he asked with a bit of pique.

"My lord, at this moment, I loatheyour lovemaking."

He stiffenedatthat, his mouth droppingopen. "Youwhat? "

Reaching back, she grabbed his hand and pulled it around, pressing itflat to herstomach.Daniel went stiff ashe felt her stomach shift and tighten.

"What is that? What - "

"Iam in labor, mylord, "she explained dryly.

"What? " He was off the bed in a heartbeat, and Valoree glanced overher shoulder at him with apained laugh.

"It isa bit latefor that, my lord, " she pointed out. "You should have donea little more leapingout and a little lessleapingin several months ago to avoid this."

Daniel gapedather. "How longhas this been goingon? "

Sighing, sheshook herhead. "I felt a bit odd when Igot upthis morning, but thought it would go away. It didn't. It justgot a little stronger andharderas timepassed. But it didn't reallyset in until alltheexcitementwas over."

"You mean youwere in labor thewhole time the pirates were..." He paused at her nod and stared around blankly fora moment, then shook his head.

"Well, makeitstop. You cannot have the baby hereona ship with abunch of pirates. We need amidwifeand - "

"Oh, aye, of course, " Valoree snapped, then peered downat her stomach. "Did you hear that, little Jermina? Yourfather says to stopnow.You should waittill we reach Ainsley and hecan find a midwife." She paused, cocking her head slightly, then nodded."I see." Turning, she smiledat Daniel. "Shesays to sod off. She's coming now."

Daniel's eyes widened inthe horror of a sudden realization.

"Oh, God. I amgoing to have two of you on my hands!"

"Aye. Lucky you. Now do you think you could go call the women in here? Maybe one of them wouldbe a bit moreuseful than yourself at the moment, " she suggested.

Valoree'shusbandwas outthe door inaheartbeat, bare-arsed inhis linenshirt, shrieking at the top of hislungs that she wasin labor and forMeg tocome quickly. There was aroar as the men andwomen all exclaimedin mingledexcitement and horror, then the sound ofa stampede aseveryone raced acrossthedeck, eager tobe in on the action. There was nodoubt in Valoree's mind that Henry and therest ofhermen would insiston being in on this.

Anywhy not, she thought. They had been a partof everyother aspect ofher life. No doubtthey would all try to vote on what to name the babe, too.

Sighing, Valoree rubbed her belly soothingly. "You shall love your father, Jermina.Mayhap almostas much as I do." Then she laid her head onthebed and triedto relax as she awaitedthe arrival of the people who loved her. This was such a large family to replace the few she had lost, she thought. And with that, Valoree suddenly realized that sometimes curses created blessings.