Queen of Lost Stars (Dragonblade Series/House of St. Hever) (35 page)

“I am speechless,” he finally said. “I… I do not even know how to say what is in my heart. All I can seem to think of is to tell you how proud you have made me. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you. This child… my son… will be the most cherished child on this earth.”

Madelayne gazed up at him, tears filling her eyes. She remembered once when he had told her that he’d never longed for heirs, but she had known it wasn’t true. She’d always known it. Hearing the awe and reverence in his voice nearly undid her. She reached over and grasped one of his hands, watching as he lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed them.

“Aye, he will,” she said softly. “He has the greatest father in England and a powerful legacy to live up to. He will make you proud, Kaspian. He will be a great man like his father.”

Kaspian lowered himself onto the edge of the bed, watching the baby fuss. “I was thinking….”

“Of what?”

He paused a moment. “I was thinking of changing his name.”

“To what?”

“Kairn. We shall spell it with a ‘K’ so that it is spelled with the same letter my name is spelled with.”

Madelayne grinned, so broadly that it split her face in two. She had no thought about spelling, but it didn’t matter. She was deeply touched by his suggestion. “What a lovely tribute that would be,” she said. “Are you sure?”

Kaspian nodded. “Aye,” he replied. “I have been thinking… Cairn never had a son. And it was his tragedy that brought you to me. I would like to honor him if you are agreeable by naming our son after him.”

“I think it is a lovely gesture.”

“You do not think it strange to name our son after your first husband?”

She shook her head. “He was your friend, too.”

Kaspian nodded, his gaze on the infant. Then, he smiled. “He was, indeed,” he said. “I am quite accustomed to having a Kairn by my side. I shall look forward to little Kairn being my shadow.”

Madelayne simply smiled at him, thinking that his desire to name her son after Cairn to be one of the sweeter gestures she’d ever known. But, then again, Kaspian St. Hèver was one of the sweeter men she had ever known. A man who had grown so much over the past year that she couldn’t even remember the man he’d been before they were married. That man didn’t exist any longer. Taking his place was a man of great compassion, love, humor, and understanding.

Now, he had named their son after his dead friend in a touching tribute to the man who had given him everything in his life worth having – a beautiful wife and a healthy son. None of that would have existed had Cairn not become one of those lost stars in the heavens. Aye, it was a fitting tribute to the man who had given both Kaspian and Madelayne everything.

After all, all Cairn had ever wanted was for Madelayne to be happy.

Finally, she was.

*
 THE END 
*

Do you want to read more about the House of St. Hever and other related family groups? Here is the link to other novels in the House of St. Hever/Dragonblade Series:

Dragonblade

Island of Glass (House of St. Hever)

The Savage Curtain (Lords of Pembury)

The Fallen One (De Reyne Domination)

Fragments of Grace (House of St. Hever)

Lord of the Shadows

Medieval Just Got Real.

KATHRYN LE VEQUE is a USA TODAY Bestselling author, an Amazon All-Star author, and a #1 bestselling, award-winning, multi-published author in Medieval Historical Romance and Historical Fiction. She has been featured in the NEW YORK TIMES and on USA TODAY’s HEA blog. In March 2015, Kathryn was the featured cover story for the March issue of InD’Tale Magazine, the premier Indie author magazine. She was also a quadruple nominee (a record!) for the prestigious RONE awards for 2015.

Kathryn’s Medieval Romance novels have been called ‘detailed’, ‘highly romantic’, and ‘character-rich’. She crafts great adventures of love, battles, passion, and romance in the High Middle Ages. More than that, she writes for both women AND men – an unusual crossover for a romance author – and Kathryn has many male readers who enjoy her stories because of the male perspective, the action, and the adventure.

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