Freedom in Marriage: A Southern Historical Romance ✅

Chapter Fourteen

**This has not been edited or proofread.**

Catherine

Quietly, I stepped out of Evangeline's room, shutting her door behind me with a barely audible click. Turning, I gasped, running right into my husband's broad, hard chest. My cheeks pinkened as I stumbled, but he quickly reached out and steadied me with his hands on my waist.

He was dressed down today in simple clothes, and his smile was relaxed—happy. He was happy to see me, and that always made my heart race and my soul light up.

Who knew I could make a man like him happy?

"Easy," he quietly soothed. "Can you spare me a moment of your time?"

I smiled and nodded. "Of course. I can spare all the time in the world for you."

He chuckled and released my waist, only to grab my hand in his. "How's the nausea today?" he asked.

"There hasn't been any." A couple of months had passed since we found out about my pregnancy, and the nausea, as the doctor promised, seemed to be disappearing. Today was my first day not even at least feeling sick, and it was glorious. I was hoping the sickness would now stay away.

"Well, thank God for that," he murmured as we made our way down the staircase. "I'm assuming my mother is MIA again?"

I sighed. "Unfortunately. The girls are getting to the point that they're not even asking where she is anymore. It breaks my heart."

Easton gently squeezed my hand. "At least they have you, Catherine. Hopefully, with you in their lives, they won't miss her too much."

"I'm doing my best."

He smiled down at me. "I know you are, sweetheart." Pushing open his study door, he dropped my hand and placed it on my lower back, gently nudging me inside. Frowning, I walked inside and turned to face him, wondering what was on his mind. He gestured to a stack of books. "For you."

He swallowed nervously. Stepping forward, I ran my fingers over the cover of the book on top, my eyes becoming wet with tears. "They're educational books," Easton quietly told me. "I know you wanted to go to college, and maybe we can figure something out further down the road when you're not pregnant and the baby isn't an infant, but I figured for now, you could teach yourself, and if you have any questions, you can ask me."

My lips trembled. A tear ran down my cheek. Turning to face him, I croaked, "Easton..."

He drew me into his arms. I curled my fingers into his shirt. "No one has ever done anything like this for me before," I cried. "It means so much."

Easton tightened his arms around me. "I want to give you the world, but until I can do that, sweetheart, I'll give you things like this."

I sniffled and leaned up, pressing my lips to his. "This is... this is amazing, Easton. I don't need the world." I cupped his cheek. "I just need you."

His lips tilted up into a soft smile, his eyes holding nothing but adoration for me. "You're incredible," he whispered.

Curling my arms around him, I rested my head on his chest, inhaling the scent of him. "I love you," I whispered.

A breath shuddered out of his lungs, and he buried his face in my hair, holding me so tightly, I almost couldn't breathe. But as long as he held me, I wasn't sure if oxygen was needed.

"I love you, too," he rasped.

~*~*~

FOUR MONTHS LATER

"We'll publish her book, Mr. Easton, but unfortunately, we cannot publish under her name. It's just not... suitable for a woman of her status to publish books, you see."

I looked away from the editor in front of me, my shoulders slumping. Even though I'd written a novel that so many publishers wanted to get their hands on, none of them would sign me since I was a woman. And now that we found one that would despite my gender, I had to take a male pen name.

It just wasn't fair. And with one look at my husband's clenched jaw and steely-eyed gaze, I knew he felt the same way.

Reaching over, Easton grabbed my hand in his. "What do you want to do, sweetheart?"

I sighed. "This sucks. And it's not fair," I grumbled. I didn't care about etiquette right then. My feelings were hurt, and I was angry. Upset.

His thumb brushed over my knuckles. "I know it's not, but this is the last chance you have."

Blowing out a soft breath, I finally nodded my head. "Okay." I looked at the editor. "Please forward the contract over to our family attorney so he can look over it. If the terms are agreeable, I will sign and have him send it back over. And if it's not, then we can discuss again, if you're open to that."

He smiled at me. "Of course, Mrs. Abernathy. And for the record," he said as Easton began to help me out of my chair, "I really wish it wasn't like this. But the company will never let it happen otherwise. It's out of my hands."

I rested my hand on my swollen belly. "I understand. Thank you for your time today."

Once I was settled in the carriage, Easton wrapped an arm around me and pulled me against his side. "I'm sorry it had to be like this, sweetheart."

I rested my head on his shoulder. "I know, just as I know if there was another opportunity, you would have taken it for me." I pressed a kiss to his cheek. "But at least I can sign with someone and focus on writing my next book now before the baby gets here."

He caressed my swollen belly. "Lottie is bringing by Carter later."

I looked up at him with a beaming smile. "Really? Oh, I've been dying to see that sweet baby." Lottie had given birth to Carter a month ago, and Easton had given that baby a huge gift by giving it the Abernathy name. Lottie had cried so much, she'd soaked the shoulder of my dress. But she was so grateful to Easton for not treating Carter as a bastard child, no matter his origin.

Easton had even offered for her to move into our home, but she'd declined and promised she would instead bring Carter around as much as possible once she was feeling better and had acclimated a bit to motherhood. But despite her not moving in with us, that hadn't stopped Easton and Ethan from hiring a full-time live-in nanny to help her.

"Ethan will fetch her and Carter once you've had your nap."

I sighed. "Do I have to nap?" I grumbled.

Easton chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "Yes, sweetheart, you have to nap. Rest is vital at this point in your pregnancy, remember?"

I huffed. "I will be just fine."

Easton hummed. "No arguments, sweetheart. When it comes to your health, I will always win."

Groaning, I rested my head on his shoulder. "Fine. You win. But that means you get to read the bedtime story to the girls."

He chuckled. "Deal."