Royals: His Hidden Secret: Revealed: A Prince and A Pregnancy / Date with a Surgeon Prince / The Secret King. Kelly Hunter

Чтение книги онлайн.

       Chapter Six

      HAVING Gabrielle and Luc back from their honeymoon and staying at Caverness while they made plans to restore the nearby Hammerschmidt house and vineyard brought both pleasure and sorrow to Simone. The pleasure lay in enjoying their company and in watching the love that flowed between them. The sorrow came when Gabrielle would speak to her of Rafael and what was happening in his fastchanging world.

      Rafael had gone to Maracey, Gabrielle had told her. Rafael and Harrison both, at Etienne de Morsay’s invitation, although Harrison had since returned to Australia. How it had all come about, Gabrielle never said, but apparently Etienne was making no secret of the fact that Rafael was his son and that, henceforth, Rafael would be an integral part of Etienne’s life.

      How the world did turn.

      Simone arrived early at the village café Gabrielle had chosen for their mid-morning distribution meeting, and quickly ordered mineral water and a slice of fresh-baked baguette, no butter, no accompaniments, just the bread. Gabrielle arrived moments later and added more bread and water to the order, along with a decaf skinny latte, no sugar and no cocoa on top.

      ‘Seriously,’ said Simone after the waiter had retreated with their order. ‘Why have one?’

      ‘Habit,’ said Gabrielle with a grin. ‘This pregnancy business is no fun at all when it comes to what you can and can’t eat. No soft cheese, no wine, no coffee, minimal tea, easy on the chocolate. There’s nothing left on my favourites list at all.’

      ‘I hear spinach is good,’ said Simone and chuckled when Gabrielle levelled her with a glance.

      ‘I noticed you took no wine at dinner last night,’ said Gabrielle, thumping her work folder on the table and making the cutlery jump.

      ‘Headache,’ said Simone briefly.

      ‘Or the night before.’

      ‘Two headaches,’ said Simone. ‘Two headaches and an unexpected yen for a teetotal life. Don’t tell my distributors.’

      ‘I hear you’re handing over more of your distribution work to your second in command, not to mention the stuff you’re handing on to me,’ said Gabrielle next.

      ‘If you didn’t want the work you shouldn’t have asked for it,’ said Simone, grateful for the sunglasses that hid her eyes from Gaby’s searching gaze.

      ‘I want it,’ said Gabrielle simply. ‘What does intrigue me these days is that you don’t. You spend every spare moment walking in your gardens or working in them. Luc’s worried about you, Simone, and so am I. If having a pair of newly-weds around you at Caverness is a problem for you, I want you to say something.’

      ‘It’s not a problem.’ Simone smiled and reached out her hand. Gabrielle covered it with hers instantly. ‘I love having you at Caverness. And I love seeing you and Luc so happy.’

      ‘Thank you,’ said Gabrielle with a warm smile. ‘Although it does leave me with this theory that I shared with Luc last night about the possible reason for your current life choices. He thought it a little far-fetched.’ Gabrielle shook her head. ‘Men.’

      The food arrived. Two glasses of water, the joyless coffee, and two half slices of bare bread.

      ‘I rest my case,’ murmured Gabrielle. ‘You’ve lost weight. You’re not eating the things you usually enjoy…’

      ‘I’m dieting,’ murmured Simone.

      ‘Well, you shouldn’t be,’ said Gabrielle bluntly. ‘Not in your condition.’

      Simone picked up her water and sipped.

      Gabrielle sat back, clearly frustrated. ‘You’re going to make me ask who the father is, aren’t you?’

      ‘Not at all,’ Simone murmured.

      ‘So you’ll tell me without prompting?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘I hate this,’ said Gabrielle. ‘I hate being right, and knowing I’m right, and knowing you don’t trust me enough to confide in me.’

      ‘All right.’ Simone took a deep breath and set her glass gently on the table. ‘I’m pregnant.’

      ‘Finally.’ Gabrielle did not look smug. She looked concerned. ‘Have you seen a doctor?’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘And everything is okay?’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘And how far along are you?’

      ‘Ten weeks.’

      Gabrielle sighed heavily. ‘God, I hate being right.’

      No more than Simone hated being proved reckless, and thoughtless and stupid. She’d thought her low-dose pills would protect her. They hadn’t.

      ‘You have to tell him,’ said Gabrielle next.

      ‘Tell who?’

      ‘Don’t give me that.’ Gabrielle shot her an icy reprimand. ‘My brother. Rafael. Used to give you head starts in running races and the occasional frog. CEO of Angels Landing Wines. Son of Josien. Son of Harrison. Son of Etienne. Heir to the throne of bloody Maracey. Oh, and father of your unborn child.’

      ‘It’s not Rafe’s fault that he ended up son of Etienne and heir to Maracey,’ Simone felt compelled to utter in his defence. ‘That one came as a complete surprise.’

      ‘And yet, strangely, I still want to strangle him,’ said Gabrielle. ‘Has he contacted you since the wedding?’

      ‘No.’ Simone looked away as her heart constricted. ‘I don’t expect him to. We shared СКАЧАТЬ