Kitabı oku: «Pregnancy Proposals», sayfa 3

CHAPTER THREE

WITH a feeling of déjà vu, Lance knocked on Andrea’s door, but there was no answer. After leaving her at the lake yesterday, he’d gone into Rennes on business and hadn’t returned until late.

This morning his father felt well enough to ask if Andrea could join them for breakfast. But after trying to rouse her for the last few minutes, Lance decided she’d already left for the forest.

Andrea Fallon was one woman independent to a fault. The females of his past had shown a different tendency altogether.

He left the third floor for the kitchen, hoping one of the staff would enlighten him. After several inquiries, it turned out no one had seen her. Henri reminded him she was an early riser.

Frowning, Lance went down to his father’s room and told him he’d bring her back for lunch.

Not particularly hungry, he reached for an apple and left the château under an overcast sky. The elements portended rain. Being summer it wouldn’t last long, yet Andrea would be soaked if she got caught in it.

No telling where she’d wandered to this morning, but it didn’t matter. On horseback he could cover the grounds much faster in his search for her.

After reaching the stable, he climbed on Tonnerre. In case she was still waiting to spot an animal near a watering hole, he set out for the lake first.

In no time at all he’d circled it without seeing any sign of her. Perhaps she’d tried to find the fountain of youth his father had told her about, and she’d gotten lost.

Lance urged his horse on toward it.

Not finding her there, he rode swiftly to the top of a nearby hill overlooking the Val Sans Retour where his voice would carry.

It was just the place Andrea probably would have come to take pictures. Lance called to her. Again no response.

Maybe she hadn’t come to the forest at all. It was possible she’d walked to the village of Lyseaux, taking the main road.

As he rode his horse down the other side of the grassy slope, one raindrop then another began to spatter him. Intent on returning to the château for his car, he didn’t see a woman’s body curved on its side near the base until he was almost upon her.

Turning Tonnerre aside abruptly to avoid trampling her, Lance jumped down from his gelding and rushed over to her. One of the hooves had smashed her camera. He shuddered to think what damage might have been done if it had come six inches closer.

“Andrea—” he cried in alarm, getting down on his haunches. If she’d fallen and had hurt her neck or spine, he didn’t dare move her yet.

He heard moaning sounds. To his relief she turned on her back seemingly without a struggle, but she exhibited a pallor that told him she was ill.

“Lance—” she said his name on a shaky whisper. After the way they’d parted yesterday, she wouldn’t have responded like this unless she was in trouble.

His body helped shield her face from the rain, which had started to come down hard. “What happened to you?”

“During my walk I felt sick so I lay down, but it hasn’t passed yet. I think I must have the flu after all.”

“Then you’ve been ill before today?”

“Yes,” she admitted in a faint voice.

When he saw the beads of perspiration beading her hairline and brows, he swallowed hard. “You must have caught father’s bug. It’s a nasty one.”

Without hesitation he lifted her in his arms and carried her over to his horse. “I’m taking you to the doctor in Lyseaux. If you’re too ill to sit up against me, I’ll lay you across Tonnerre.”

She shook her head. “I—I can sit—I think—”

He knew she felt like death, but she hung in there long enough for him to climb on behind her.

“Just rest against me and let me do the work.” With one hand around her waist, he used the other to guide the horse.

The rhythm of the gallop molded their bodies together. After yesterday’s experience when he’d felt her rich curves, he’d longed to repeat the experience.

At the moment she lay helpless against him. Though he was worried for the reason that had put her in this state, he had to confess he enjoyed her needing him like this. After the way she’d lit up for him at the lake, he hadn’t expected to get this close to her again.

Once they reached the canopy of trees, they escaped the worst of the rain. Lance knew a shortcut that would bring them around the rear of the château where his car was parked.

“Am I going too fast for you?” he murmured into her fragrant hair. It smelled of apricots. She’d pulled it back like the day before.

“No,” came the half-moaned word.

That was good. He wanted her examined as soon as it was humanly possible.

Before long they came out of the woods onto the gravel. He led the horse to the passenger side of the car. Luckily the downpour had turned into drizzle.

In a quick movement Lance slid off Tonnerre. Carrying Andrea in his arms, he opened the door and put her inside. After lowering her seat so she could lie back, he shut the door.

With a pat to the horse’s rump, knowing it would return to the stable, Lance jumped in the driver’s seat and started up the engine.

Lyseaux was only four miles away. Andrea didn’t try to talk. Lance’s gut clenched at the thought of her lying out there in the rain all alone.

If he hadn’t been home, his father would have sent someone from the château to look for her. But under the circumstances Lance was glad he was the one who’d discovered her body lying there inert. The idea that someone unscrupulous might have come upon her didn’t bear thinking about.

He pressed on the accelerator, heading straight for the clinic. If the doctor said she needed to be in a hospital, he would drive her to Rennes.

The next few minutes became a blur of activity. As soon as the surprised receptionist saw him carrying Andrea through the main doors, she jumped up and showed him into one of the rooms down the hall. “I’ll get Dr. Semplis.”

“I don’t want anyone but Dr. Foucher looking at Andrea.”

“I’m sorry, monsieur, but today is Dr. Foucher’s day off.”

Lance muttered an imprecation. He didn’t know Dr. Semplis and hated the idea of a stranger taking care of her, but it couldn’t be helped. She needed immediate attention. “She’s very ill.”

“Dr. Semplis will be right in.”

At the sound of the woman’s voice, Andrea’s eyes opened. Lance looked into them as he lowered her onto the examining table. “Help is coming, chérie.“ The endearment came out unsolicited from someplace deep inside, surprising the hell out of him. “We’re at the doctor’s office.”

“Thank you,” she murmured.

It sounded heartfelt, which meant she was even sicker than he realized, otherwise she wouldn’t be speaking to him.

Soon after the receptionist left, a nurse entered the room. “If you’d please step out, monsieur.“

The last thing Lance wanted to do was leave, but he had no choice. “If you need me, I’ll be right outside the door, Andrea.”

She gave a barely perceptible nod before her eyes closed again.

The last time he’d left a wounded buddy at the field hospital in a near unconscious condition, the poor devil had never recovered. It was the stuff that had made up part of Lance’s nightmares for the last ten years.

He drew in a ragged breath and exited the room. While he waited in the hall, he drew the cell phone out of his jeans’ pocket and phoned the stable.

After learning that Tonnerre had returned safely, Lance phoned his father and told him he and Andrea had decided to drive to Lyseaux before coming back to the château. They’d all have lunch together another day.

His father seemed fine with it, particularly since a good friend of his had dropped by.

Lance told him he’d see him at dinner and hung up, relieved his parent was still in the dark about Andrea. Now that he was rallying from his bout with pneumonia, Lance didn’t want any setbacks.

His main concern was to find out what was wrong with Andrea and make certain she recovered. For some inexplicable reason he felt responsible for her. He grimaced to think about anything that could have put her life in jeopardy.

“Monsieur?” Lance wheeled around to see a younger doctor coming down the hall. “I’m Dr. Semplis.”

“Grâce à Dieu someone’s on duty! Andrea became ill in the forest. She couldn’t sit up, let alone walk out on her own. I had to carry her in; I think it could be flu.”

The other man eyed him curiously. “I won’t have any idea until I examine her, but don’t worry. We’ll know soon enough. Why don’t you take a seat out in reception.”

“I’m staying here,” he declared.

“Suit yourself, but it could be a long wait.”

His jaw hardened. “So be it.”

Andrea drifted in and out of sleep, haunted by dreams of Lancelot braving the elements to carry her to safety on his marvelous steed.

In her waking moments the doctor told her she was dehydrated. He’d ordered an IV. Soon a lab technician drew her blood.

She fell asleep again. Later she became aware of Lance’s presence. He’d pulled up a chair next to the examining table.

Other than asking her if he could do anything for her, he didn’t force her to talk. By his brooding silence however, she could tell something serious was on his mind.

Even if Geoff had prevailed on Lance to stay with her, she found it rather touching that such a fierce, dominant male who probably hated confinement like this more than most people, was keeping a constant vigil at her side.

It made her feel guilty that instead of being with his father who needed him, Lance had to worry about her.

She felt a little stronger and turned her head to look at him. “I should have gone home yesterday.”

He leaned forward, eyeing her narrowly. “To what? An empty house full of memories?”

“A condo,” she corrected him, wondering at his savage tone.

“Who would take care of you?”

“I have a friend, who’s the wife of one of my husband’s colleagues.”

“No family?”

“When my parents were killed, my mother’s sister Aunt Kathy and her husband Rob raised me along with their two daughters. They still live in New Haven, but they’re very busy. I wouldn’t want to bother them, not after everything they’ve done for me.”

Lines darkened his handsome face. “Then let’s be thankful you remained here. You could have collapsed on the flight over.”

Since the possibility was patently true, Andrea couldn’t deny it. “I’m sorry to take you away from your father.”

“He’s on the mend. You’re the one I’m worried about.” She saw that his hands had formed fists. “I can’t figure out what’s taking the doctor so damn long to give you a diagnosis. Dr. Foucher should have been here.”

“I think you’ve been on the battlefield too long where everything happens fast, and decisions have to be made in a split second. Things go more slowly back in civilization.”

He rubbed the back of his bronzed neck. “You’re right.” His probing gaze roved over her features. “There’s more color in your cheeks.”

“I’m feeling a little better. Must be the IV.”

“Dieu merci.”

“I’d like to tell you something,” she whispered.

A stillness seemed to envelop him. “Go ahead.”

“You redeemed yourself today.”

“I thought there was no redemption,” his voice grated.

“I was wrong. You rescued a damsel in distress. That’s what heroes do, even if their crown has slipped.”

“I never had one,” he bit out in what sounded like self-abnegation. “You’re imagining things.”

“No. I’m awake, and I was with you when it happened. No one, and I mean no one else could have pulled off what you did unless his name was Lancelot Du Lac. I must confess I’m in awe of you.”

“All right, Andrea—” The doctor swept in the room, bringing Lance to his feet. “I finally have confirmation of what’s wrong with both of you.”

“Both?” Andrea’s anxious gaze flew to Lance’s. “Are you ill and you didn’t tell me?”

Dr. Semplis laughed. “You’re going to have a baby, maman.” He turned to Lance. “Congratulations, papa.”

“A baby?”

“But that’s impossible!” Andrea cried, trying to sit up. “I mean I can’t be pregnant!”

“I’m afraid you are,” the doctor interjected before she could say anything else. “Twelve weeks along in fact.”

“Twelve—” Her cry resounded in the tiny room.

The doctor eyed both of them with amusement. “I’m surprised neither of you recognized the symptoms. Under the circumstances I’ll leave you two alone for a minute, then I’ll be back in to talk to you.”

“Wait—”

“Thank you, Dr. Semplis,” Lance said, taking charge as if he was used to dealing with her. He put his strong hands on her shoulders to ease her back. “We do need some private time.”

The door clicked shut.

Overwhelmed by emotions bombarding her, Andrea broke down sobbing. Once she got started, she couldn’t stop.

Lance said her name in alarm several times and handed her a box of tissues. “Andrea … tell me what’s going on,” her urged.

“You wouldn’t understand.” The words came out in another gush of tears. How could he when she could hardly comprehend it herself.

“You said it was impossible. Does that mean your husband isn’t the father?”

Her breath caught. “No—Yes—I mean I’ve never been with another man, so it has to be my husband’s. But I was told it would take a miracle.”

“Why?” he demanded softly. His hands were kneading her upper arms, but he didn’t seem to be aware of it.

She raised drenched brown eyes to him. “Because I went through premature menopause several years ago, ruling out pregnancy. It happens in a certain small percentage of women. My specialist told me that in my case, the chances of ovulating were so astronomical, I should never count on conceiving a child.”

Andrea wondered if a trick of light was the reason his eyes suddenly darkened.

“She’s been helping me experiment with herbs and hormone therapy to keep my heart healthy. I assumed the physical changes to my body were a result of the hormones. My hands have been so swollen, I left my rings at home.”

“So that’s the explanation,” Lance murmured.

She nodded. “Since Richard’s death I’ve been more tired than usual, and have experienced quite a bit of nausea. But I thought the symptoms had to be the fault of depression and the hormones.

“To think I’m almost through my first trimester of pregnancy and didn’t know it! I—I’m in shock.”

She looked at him through blurry eyes. “Oh, Lance—Richard wanted a baby so badly. Now he’s gone, and he’ll never know our child or be able to help me raise it.”

He remained silent while another explosion of tears poured out of her, more profuse than before. When they finally subsided she said, “In the beginning we had such plans for a family. He was an only child. We wanted two or three so they could be friends. It’s wonderful when siblings have each other.

“Then we found out I couldn’t have any. We were both devastated. I—I wanted to have his baby. Once we heard the awful news, he was so crushed,” she said on another sob.

“When I buried him, I thought it was the end of everything. I came to France so empty, and now—”

“Now everything’s different,” he murmured in a thick-toned voice. She felt him rub the arm that didn’t have the drip in it.

Andrea wiped her eyes. “Except that my baby will grow up without its father. I was deprived of both my parents. I—I can hardly bear to think of history repeating itself. Every child needs a daddy.

“Why did Richard have to die—” Her sorrowful wail rang in the room.

Wordlessly Lance put his arm around her back. She found herself sobbing against his broad shoulder. After a time she realized she was getting him all wet and pulled away embarrassed.

She reached for some tissues and sniffed. “I’m sorry for breaking down like this. You must think I’m insane.”

“I think Richard was a damn lucky man. With you as his child’s mother, his legacy will be carried on. Maybe there’s a future professor growing inside you. Do those motherly instincts tell you if it’s a boy or a girl?”

“What instincts?” she challenged, clearing her throat. “I didn’t even know a baby was living inside me until a few minutes ago. I still can’t believe I’m pregnant!”

“Thank God the diagnosis is one of joy,” Lance exclaimed. “When you were lying there in the grass so ill, too many negative thoughts ran through my mind.”

“I was frightened, too.” Her eyes glazed over with fresh tears. “Thank you again for helping me. I–I’m sorry the doctor assumed you were the father. When he comes back in I’ll explain.”

A half smile broke the corner of Lance’s sensual mouth. “Hearing the news with you made me feel like I’m the father. It’s an experience I wouldn’t have missed. Do you know my heart leaped when he told us?”

She bit her lip. “So did mine.”

His expression sobered. “If I’d realized you were pregnant, I wouldn’t have asked you to follow me to my underwater treasure yesterday.”

Andrea recalled the experience, particularly the moment when he’d clasped her body against his to take her to the surface. The baby had been pressed against his hard muscled physique.

“It was a unique experience,” she admitted softly. “Someday when my child is old enough to swim on his own, I’ll have to bring him to France so he can dive in the lake and discover its secrets for himself.”

“So you’re thinking a boy.” Lance flashed her another rare half smile that transformed his features and made her heart kick.

“I guess I am.”

“Wait another month and we’ll find out if you’re right about the gender,” the doctor inserted.

Andrea hadn’t heard him come in the room.

“I knocked, but you two didn’t hear me. Would you like to listen to the heartbeat?”

He put on his stethoscope and found the spot on Andrea’s stomach, then let her listen. It sounded like horse’s hooves galloping across the prairie.

“I don’t believe it.” All this time her child had been growing inside her and she hadn’t been aware of it.

“Your baby’s approximately three and half inches long, and is developing nicely.”

Lance reached for the stethoscope so he could listen. A slow smile broke the corner of his mouth, once again accentuating his striking features. When he relinquished the instrument, his gaze still clung to hers.

“After not knowing what was wrong with her earlier, Doctor, your news has made me a very happy man.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Heat crept into Andrea’s face. She looked over at the doctor. “There’s something you need to know. You’ve misunderstood the situation. I’m a guest at the Château Du Lac. Monsieur Du Lac isn’t my husband.”

He wrapped her arm to take her blood pressure. “What’s stopping you two from getting married?”

“You don’t understand. The baby isn’t his.”

The doctor did a double-take. “Then the birth father should be told.”

“I can’t tell him.” Her voice trembled. “On the morning I must have conceived this baby, my husband left for work. By evening he’d died of a brain aneurysm. That was three months ago.”

“Andrea …”

The compassion in Lance’s tone caused her eyes to close.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” the doctor said, “however he’s left you with a marvelous legacy.”

Lance’s exact words.

“I know, but I can hardly take it in.”

“Miracles tend to affect a person that way. I’m pleased to announce you’re a healthy woman. If you’ll start the nausea medicine I’ve prescribed, you should be feeling much better before long. Take them three times a day before meals. Pick it up at the front desk.

“I’ve also written an order for vitamins, which you need to start taking. I want to see you in a week to make certain all is going well. We’ll do another blood test in case you’re still a little low on iron.”

“I’ll be returning to the United States in the next few days, so let me thank you now for all your help.”

“In that case, be certain to get in touch with your doctor immediately.”

“I will.”

He paused at the door. “You can leave as soon as the nurse takes out your IV. Remember to stay hydrated, eat whatever appeals and get plenty of rest over the next couple of days.”

“She’ll do it,” Lance proclaimed. Andrea tried to hide her smile. He couldn’t help who he was, but she didn’t mind.

Once the doctor had left the room the nurse came in, preventing Andrea from talking to Lance until the other woman had removed the needle and had gone.

Without being told anything, Lance opened the cupboard and pulled out the sack containing her clothes. He turned to her. “Do you need help getting dressed? I can ask her to come in again.”

“No. I’m able to manage, but thank you anyway.”

His gaze played over her with concern. “Then I’ll see you at the front desk.”

After Lance closed the door, she removed the clinic gown and felt her stomach, which had filled out and was hard. Why hadn’t she realized a baby was growing inside her?

When her jeans were too tight, she should have guessed at the reason, even if the specialist had told her getting pregnant would require a near miracle.

Over the last few years Andrea had given up all hope of having a child from her own body. The news that she was pregnant was fantastic!

At the moment she felt suspended between two worlds where nothing seemed real, yet the proof was there she was carrying Richard’s baby. To her consternation however it was Lance Malbois who’d first heard the news with her. If it weren’t for him, she could still be lying there in the forest too sick to move.

How would she ever forget it was his eyes that had flickered at the incredible news, almost as if he’d been the one to father her baby and was pleased about it. Even the doctor had thought they were a couple.

Andrea couldn’t understand Lance’s reaction. She meant nothing to him beyond being his father’s guest. Yet that was probably the reason why. He felt responsible for her. Under the circumstances she’d be wise to leave France as soon as she felt well enough for the flight home.

Knowing she would be a mother in six short months changed the way she felt about returning to New Haven. Maybe she could work part-time for her old boss at the photography studio. If not, maybe the literature department at the university could use her services. The rest of the time she would start getting a nursery ready for her baby.

So many things needed to be bought. A crib, a playpen, one of those adorable little swings, a stroller … All the items available for modern day mothers. Now she would be a mom, too!

Whether it was a boy or girl didn’t matter. She loved her baby already. The knowledge she was carrying a life inside her filled that empty place in her heart.

Though she would always be grateful for her aunt and uncle who’d raised her with their children after her parents died, she’d never really belonged to them. To think she would have a child of her own to love and cherish.

After the baby came, she would make the small amount of insurance money left to her stretch so she could be a stay-at-home mom. Through her various university contacts, maybe she could arrange to do word processing at the condo to bring in some income.

A fatal car accident had deprived her of her parents, and now a blood clot had taken the life of her baby’s father. Andrea was determined to be there for her child and not miss a minute of its upbringing if she could help it.

If the nausea medicine worked the way it was supposed to, she’d be feeling well enough again in a few days to fly home and get busy. With a new sense of purpose in her life, she felt able to cope with her physical state.

Once she’d finished dressing, she made a stop to the rest room, then hurried out to the reception area. Lance stood in the crowded waiting room near the door. His hard-boned face and physique drew the eye of every woman including the medical staff. In thigh molding jeans and a black pullover, he was the most spectacular looking male Andrea had ever seen.

She could feel their envy as she approached him. “Do you have the prescriptions?”

His concerned eyes intently took in her features with an intimacy that made her heart race. “Yes. Shall we go?” He opened the door for her and escorted her outside to his car.

Without saying anything, he helped her in the passenger seat, then walked around to the driver’s side and took off for the pharmacy in the center of the village.

“Stay where you are,” he ordered. “I’ll be right back.”

Long before he’d gone into the military, Andrea was in no doubt Lance Malbois had been a man meant to be in charge. His service there had only refined those instincts, protective and otherwise. Right now she wasn’t complaining.

He’d come across her in the forest and—in his unorthodox way—had seen to her needs faster than she’d been able to breathe. If she had to choose one person in this world to help her survive a difficult situation, she’d choose Lance, no questions asked.

This Frenchman more than lived up to his legendary name, which had to be unique among men. In fact Andrea had a feeling the military couldn’t have been happy to learn he was retiring. Not so for the woman planning to marry him.

Andrea could understand a stepdaughter who was no blood relation being infatuated by Geoff’s son. As Andrea was coming to find out, there was no man to compare to him.

In a few minutes he’d rejoined her. “Here.” He undid the cap and handed her a pill. “You’re to take this now with water.” He produced a bottle of mineral water. “The vitamins you can start tonight so they won’t upset your stomach.”

“Yes, Doctor,” she teased before swallowing the medicine. “That water tastes good. Thank you.” She put the pill vials in her purse.

His darkly lashed eyes met her gaze. Their faces were only inches apart. “Let’s hope your appetite improves by tomorrow. Before we drive home, is there anything you need to buy?”

Andrea averted her eyes. “I can’t think of anything.”

“I can. A new camera. Tonnerre’s hoof smashed yours. After I get you settled, I’ll take a trip into town and purchase a new one. I’m afraid the film was ruined.”

“Don’t worry about it, Lance. I put in a new cartridge this morning, so no pictures are lost. As for the camera, I don’t need another one right now. I’ll wait till I get home and arrange to buy one through my old boss. He’ll get me something wholesale.”

Lance started the car and they took off for the château. Since the downpour earlier, the greenery bordering the road looked wet and fresh. He drove with an economy of movement.

“Where did you work?”

“At a photography studio.”

“Did you like it?”

“As jobs go, it was fine. I started working there part-time during my high school days. After graduation I increased my hours to full-time to save money for college.”

“Did you attend Yale like your husband?”

It appeared Geoff and Lance had been talking.

“Oh, no,” she scoffed. “I was a mediocre student and couldn’t have afforded it. I took a few night classes at a local college before meeting Richard. After that I sort of became his unofficial assistant.”

“And wife,” Lance interjected.

She nodded. “Yes.”

“No more school?”

“No. One day I’ll go for a degree in something, but now that a baby is on the way, that will have to wait until my child is in school full-time.”

“In other words, you don’t plan to let someone else raise it.”

“There are jobs I can do at home. I’ll try anything in order to be there for my son or daughter,” she vowed.

“That sounds final.”

“It’s the way I feel.”

She heard him take a deep breath. “Then your child will be lucky. Until the day she died my mother was always there for me.”

“Geoff told me she passed away while you were at the university.”

He slowed down to negotiate the turn into the Du Lac estate. “That’s right. Looking back I had an idyllic upbringing.” His head suddenly turned toward her. “How early did you lose your parents?”

“At four years of age. Pictures are the only things I have to remember them. Knowing I’m going to be a mother makes that my first priority, no matter what it takes.”

“At the moment it requires bed rest.” He brought the car to a halt and levered his long legs from the front seat to help her.

She could have managed on her own, but he cupped her elbow to assist her inside. The minute they reached the foyer, she found herself in his arms once more. Her ponytail swung back and forth.

“You don’t have to do this,” she protested, but he ignored her cry and carried her up the two flights of stairs as if she were light as air.