Kitabı oku: «Pregnancy Proposals», sayfa 6

CHAPTER SIX

ANDREA walked in her room ahead of Lance. After shutting the door, he leaned against it while she went over to the bedside table and took another pill with a glass of water.

“You deserve an explanation for what happened just now, and you’ll get it. Just hear me out before you consign me to hell for a second time.”

She rubbed her forehead where she could feel a headache coming on. “I’m listening.”

He began pacing, then stopped. “I had no idea Corinne had arrived. Thank God Henri told me he saw her head for the library. I had to get you out of there fast. There was only one way to do it. For once I was able to strike the death blow before she could see it coming.”

Andrea swung around. “It was a death blow to her,” her voice throbbed. “I’ve never seen anyone so crushed in my life. By now she has probably run to your father and told him everything.”

A cruel smile broke out on his lips. Only moments ago she’d felt them on hers and was still weaving from the effect.

“She would like to, but she won’t dare because she’s unsure of her ground at the moment.”

Andrea’s temper flared. “Perhaps you’ve forgotten I’m a guest in your father’s home. He has allowed me to sleep in this incredible room and use his library. Even if I’ve agreed to marry you, for you to draw me into some kind of intrigue that involves your stepsister is hardly the way to repay him.”

“Have no fear. He knows you’re the innocent here. My issue with her goes back years.”

Their eyes met. His had darkened until there was no more blue left to be seen.

“Lance—”

“Do me a favor and sit down while I talk to you?” he said emotionally. “After your emergency visit to the clinic the other day, this is all you need to suffer a relapse. If anything happened to the baby because of me—”

The fear in his eyes and voice drove her to obey his suggestion. In truth, since the ugly confrontation with Corinne, she felt drained.

After she sat back against the pillows, he leaned over to ease her legs onto the bed. Every touch increased her awareness of him.

Like before, he drew the chair close to the bed and sat down. She watched him run a hand through his hair in a gesture that could have meant resignation or defeat. Andrea had the impression he was tired, as if he’d been wrestling with the same nightmare for years.

It brought out her compassion, a reaction she fought against, yet she doubted he was aware of its effect on her.

His head reared. “Where to begin,” he muttered.

She moistened her dry lips. “Try the beginning.”

A nerve hammered at the corner of his mouth. “In the beginning, there was a happy family of three. I was halfway through my engineering studies at the University in Rennes where I was living in an apartment when mother came down with the flu. She had a low immune system, and it took its toll on her.

“Rennes is only a forty minute drive from here, so I moved back home temporarily. Papa and I watched her like a hawk, but we couldn’t prevent her from catching the pneumonia that took her life.”

“How awful,” Andrea whispered. A tight band squeezed her lungs to think Lance had come home from the military to discover his father suffering from the same condition.

“It was a hellish time.” His eyes had a wintry look. “Life wasn’t the same for either of us after that. I went on to finish up my degree, but Papa fell into a decline. When I graduated, his closest friends Helene and Yves Dupuis gave a party for me.

“It was there my father met an attractive divorcée named Odette de la Grange. She was from Paris. According to Helene, Odette’s husband had divorced her, but left her well enough off.

“Her daughter Corinne was reputed to have suffered from the divorce and had been in and out of several unsatisfactory relationships. A strong hand was what she needed. She was twenty-two at the time, two years younger than myself.

“Papa was lonely. In his vulnerable state both needy women brought out his protective instincts. So he married Odette who it turned out had no money left. Papa didn’t worry about that. He was much more concerned about taking care of them and being a good father to Corinne.”

“Your father’s a sweetheart.”

Lance grimaced. “Unfortunately he had no idea how much more his ambitious stepdaughter wanted from life.”

“You mean she wanted you.“

There was a sustained pause before she heard him say, “Yes.”

Andrea took a fortifying breath. “She’s a beautiful woman.”

A strange sound came from his throat.

She locked her arms around her knees. “What did Corinne do?”

“What didn’t she do—” he bit out. “Everywhere I turned, there she was. To please Papa, I made an effort to be her friend, but she had something else in mind. She was like my shadow. I couldn’t shake her. Before long she became repugnant to me, but of course I didn’t want to tell him.

“It had taken him so long to consider remarrying, the last thing he needed was to find out Odette’s daughter had problems only a psychiatrist could help her solve, mainly abandonment issues.”

Andrea nodded. “While we were downstairs, she mentioned that her father had left her early in life.”

Lance used the heel of his hand to rub his eyes. “About a week before my father’s wedding I was invited to spend a few days at Mont Saint Michel with a girlfriend whose parents ran a restaurant there. I needed the break and told Papa where I’d be if he needed me.

“The next thing I knew, Corinne showed up alone with her usual sob story of feeling left out. Could she hang around with us?

“To say I was shocked is putting it mildly. She was totally out of line, Andrea. A normal mother would have taken her daughter in hand, but Odette wasn’t normal, either.”

“Obviously.”

“My girlfriend couldn’t believe it, but she was great about it. She made Corinne feel welcome, which prevented the trip from turning into a complete disaster. But my aversion to Corinne reached a new low. I could scarcely abide her presence and avoided her whenever possible.

“After the wedding I assumed she would go back to Paris where she’d been living with her mother. But as my father was leaving for the South of France on his honeymoon he said, “Odette couldn’t afford to keep up her apartment, so I’ve told Corinne she can live with her mother and me for the time being.

“The news twisted my gut. I’d just graduated from college and had arranged to live in Rennes while I worked at a hydraulics plant there. But knowing Corinne would track me down and never leave me alone meant that idea was out.

“After the reception I went to my room in a complete funk. That’s where I found Corinne naked in my bed waiting for me.”

Andrea groaned.

“I was repulsed. When I told her to go to her own suite, she refused. The horror story had begun in earnest.”

She stared at Lance. No one could make up something so awful.

“There was only one thing to do. I packed my things and left the château. She chased after me all the way to my car wearing my robe. Do you know what she said to me?”

“I can’t imagine.”

“If you walk away from me, Lance Malbois, I’ll tell our parents you tried to rape me.”

Andrea was aghast.

“I told her to go to hell, then I drove away and stayed at Giles’s house. He’s my best friend. We talked everything over and came to the conclusion that the only thing I could do was leave the country for an indefinite period. That way Corinne couldn’t have access to me on any level, and she’d give up.”

“That’s why you joined the military?” Andrea cried.

He eyed her solemnly. “It was the only solution.”

“What a brilliant move on your part,” Andrea murmured. “You had a legitimate excuse for being gone where she couldn’t come after you. But it had to be the last thing you ever thought of doing in your life.”

“I was young, I needed to leave and it seemed like an exciting option,” his voice grated.

“Your father must have suffered terrible pain when he found out.”

“Except for the fact that he had a new wife and stepdaughter to keep him occupied. By the time their marriage ended he was used to my being gone.

“I must say that from the beginning he hid it well. Once he got back from his honeymoon, I phoned to tell him I’d decided to go into the service as a classified officer where I could use my engineering training. I half expected to hear that Corinne had carried out her threat, and he wanted an accounting. When he answered, I was prepared for the worst.

“To my astonishment, he said he was proud of me for choosing to serve our country. Then he confided what he’d learned from Corinne.

“Apparently she told him the two of us had gotten physically involved and were so attracted, I thought it best to leave for a discreet amount of time. On my next leave, we’d explore our emotional feelings and see if they led to marriage.”

“You’re right,” Andrea murmured. “She’s incredibly clever.”

“Clever like a psychotic vixen. I decided to let Papa go on believing her lie for the sake of peace in his new marriage. I hoped that in time Corinne would give up her impossible fantasy and move out.

“After my father’s second divorce she ended up in the hospital following a failed suicide attempt.”

Sickened by what she’d just heard, Andrea couldn’t lie there any longer and slid off the bed. “Did she really mean it?”

His hands curled into fists. “I doubt she intended to go through with it, but you never know. Her talent for manipulation is unexcelled. She’d claimed Papa for her new father and wasn’t about to let that relationship go.

“He felt sorry for her and brought her home. Slowly she began wrapping her tentacles around him. I’m afraid he allowed it because of the guilt he felt over his second marriage not working.”

“I can understand that. Guilt has a lot to answer for.”

“Indeed.”

“Yet while he suffered, her true intent was to lie in wait for you.”

“Afraid so. Father set up Odette in a new apartment in Paris, but Corinne stayed on with him, and never left the château except to travel.

“After I learned about my condition, I saw no point to my life except to stay in the service. I worked my leaves around her absences to visit Papa, but there were times when I couldn’t avoid her.”

“Ten years in exile is too high a price to pay.”

This time it was Lance who groaned. “When you don’t give a damn about anything, you don’t notice time passing. Not until I received a phone call from Henri telling me about Papa’s illness. It made me realize he needed me. That’s when I decided to come home for good.”

She took a fortifying breath. “Are you sure Corinne isn’t the real reason you asked me to marry you?”

His eyes turned to flint.

“If you can ask me that question, then you don’t know me at all and a marriage between us would never work.”

“Don’t go, Lance—” she cried as he started to leave the room. “I’m trying to understand. When you kissed me in front of her—”

“I did what came naturally,” he cut her off. “We’re going to be married soon. We’re having a baby. In private I’ll never ask you to do anything you don’t want to do, but in public I plan to treat you like my wife. If you have a problem with that, tell me now.”

She swallowed hard. “No, of course not.”

“Then let’s go downstairs.”

As they left her room, Andrea felt Lance’s fingers twine through hers in a tight grasp. When they reached the doors leading to the terrace, he turned and put his hands on her shoulders. His eyes held a fierce glint.

“You don’t have to do this if Corinne makes you uncomfortable. I’ll talk to Papa in private.”

“No, Lance. She’s part of your family. If not now, when?” Only a sick woman would hold him and his father captive with her lies all these years.

“Andrea—” his voice grated. She had the curious feeling he was about to kiss her again when Corinne opened the doors. She must have been standing there waiting for them.

The other woman flashed Lance an odd smile. “Geoff’s been counting the minutes.”

“So have we.”

He ushered Andrea past Corinne. They moved out to the patio where lunch had been served.

Geoff’s gaze fastened on Andrea. “Excellent. We’re all together. Where did Lance take you to dinner last night?”

“A little inn called Le Marronier d’Or. The bacon crêpe was out of this world.”

“That means he took you to Merlin’s trysting place as well.”

Andrea nodded. “We saw a magnificent stag.”

He smiled. “Were you able to get a picture?”

“No.” She let out a soft laugh. “Isn’t that the way it always goes?”

Lance put a hand on her thigh beneath the table. She felt the heat curl through her sensitized body. “I’ll take her another night when we’re more prepared.”

Corinne had seated herself next to Geoff. “I told him you had news of vital importance, Lance.”

“But I couldn’t pry it out of her,” Geoff admitted.

“I can always count on Corinne.” Lance sounded so sincere, Andrea wouldn’t have understood the double entendre if she hadn’t known all the facts. “In truth you’ve been such a good stepsister to keep my secret, I give you permission to tell Papa right now.”

It was obvious Corinne hadn’t been prepared for that sally, but she recovered with remarkable aplomb. She turned to Lance’s father with her fingers woven together around her wineglass.

“Would you believe Lance and Mrs. Fallon have fallen in love and are planning to be married right away? What has it been? All of three or four days since Lance came home?”

“I believe it.” Geoff smiled. “I watched it happen.”

Andrea decided Geoff was a great actor himself. His comment seemed to throw Corinne. She turned to Andrea.

“How long has it been since you buried your husband? Did I understand two months?”

“Three,” Andrea corrected her.

Her gaze flew to Andrea’s left hand. “It sounds like the fastest courtship in history. Is that the ring your deceased husband gave you?”

“It’s the one I bought for her,” Lance spoke up. He looked at his father. “Last night I asked Andrea to marry me, and she said yes.”

Andrea knew Geoff would always behave like the great gentleman he was, but she didn’t expect to see the illuminating smile that lit up his eyes. He studied both of them for the longest time.

“Except for Lance coming home in one piece, that’s the best news I’ve ever heard. Congratulations you two.” He stood up and walked around to Andrea. “Let me welcome you to the family.”

Lance squeezed her arm before she got to her feet to hug his father. He kissed her on both cheeks. She felt his happiness. It couldn’t all be pretense. The knowledge filled her with relief.

When he reached for Lance, the two men embraced with the kind of warmth between a father and son who loved each other without reservation.

Corinne held back. “You don’t honestly expect people to believe you’re in love this fast—”

“Why not?” Geoff took his place once more. “There’s no accounting for matters of the heart. Lance has asked Andrea to be his wife. We’ve got a wedding to plan.”

“But he can’t marry her—” Corinne blurted.

Geoff studied his stepdaughter for a moment. “Whatever do you mean, ma chérie?“

“They haven’t waited a decent interval. Her husband’s barely dead. What will people say?”

“Corinne?” Andrea addressed her. “Since you and I are going to be related through marriage, there’s something you should know.”

Her jaw hardened. “What else is there?”

“I’m sure you’re familiar with the old expression about a door closing and another one opening. It’s true my husband only passed away recently, but he left me a precious legacy.”

“I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.”

“I’m pregnant.”

The news must have stunned Corinne because she went perfectly still.

“For the sake of my health and the baby’s, Lance and I have decided to marry as soon as possible.”

“Did you know about this?” Corinne demanded of Geoff.

A little smile broke the corner of his mouth. “When Dr. Foucher came to see me yesterday morning, he told me Andrea had been to see Dr. Semplis at the clinic the other day. Naturally I was sworn to secrecy. But under the circumstances I can shout it to the world!”

“You’re going to get the grandchild you’ve always wanted, Papa.”

There was an undercurrent of excitement in Lance’s voice that let Andrea know she’d done the right thing to accept his proposal.

“Except that it won’t be a Du Lac.”

Andrea heard his sharp intake of breath. “It will once we say I do at the altar,” Lance informed her. “In fact it will be exactly like the way you became a Du Lac when your mother married my father.”

The strange expression in Corinne’s eyes sent a shudder through Andrea’s body.

“When did you first suspect you were pregnant?” Geoff wanted to know.

“I didn’t have a clue. The doctor had to tell me. No one could have been more surprised than I was.”

In the next breath she told him about her premature menopausal condition and the subsequent chain of events that had happened after Lance found her sick in the forest.

“Your son lived up to his name. He was a true knight who didn’t need anything but Tonnerre for his great deed.”

Geoff laughed. “Now I understand why Brigitte was so worried about you. She said you haven’t eaten anything while you’ve been here. My wife was like that in the beginning. She couldn’t keep anything down.”

“Obviously all that suffering was worth it,” Andrea said.

“Indeed it was.” He stared at Lance. “She gave me a most wonderful son.”

“I agree. You and Lance are blessed to have each other. I can’t wait till my baby’s born.”

“Have you thought of names yet?”

“Give her time, Papa,” Lance broke in. “She barely learned she’s enceinte.“

“Actually I’ve had names picked out for years,” Andrea interjected. “If you can believe, Richard’s great-grandfather was a French-Canadian named Geoffroi Fallon.”

“Incroyable!” Geoff exclaimed.

“I always planned to name a boy after him. When I first met you and learned your name, it took on even deeper meaning for me. Of course if I have a girl, I’ll name her Germaine. That was the middle name of Richard’s great-grandmother.”

The older man’s smile widened. “This calls for a celebration!”

“Not until after the bébé arrives,” Lance declared. “No alcohol for Andrea.”

Always the protector … She had to admit she liked being looked after by him. How did he know so much about a pregnant woman’s needs? It was a luxury totally foreign to her.

She put a hand on Geoff’s arm. “It’s a celebration just to be a guest in your fabulous home. To be honest, ever since I came to Brittany I’ve felt like I was in a beautiful dream.”

Lance’s lips twitched. “Except for the nausea.”

Andrea chuckled. “I suppose you have to accept a little bitter when you’ve been given something so sweet. A miracle has happened to me. I was reading in one of the parenting books Lance bought me. Do you realize that in three months my baby is already fully formed with its little finger and toenails and eyelids.”

A happy laugh broke from Geoff. “You must get a nursery ready.”

“Everything in order, Papa. First thing tomorrow I’m going to drive Andrea to Rennes. I want her to see Maman’s family home. I’ve decided to open it up and we’ll live there.”

Corinne didn’t move a muscle.

Geoff gave a happy nod of approval. “If your mother were alive she’d be overjoyed.”

“Once Andrea has seen the place, we’ll get going on the nursery.”

“While you do that, Corinne and I will get together with Helene and start planning the wedding reception won’t we.”

“Of course.”

Andrea didn’t trust the other woman. Nothing about her behavior was natural or normal.

“In case it rains, let’s do it inside, Papa.”

“I was going to say the same thing. We’ll open up all the rooms on the main floor. What date shall I tell Helene?”

“Andrea and I were thinking three weeks from now. Shall we say June 30? It’s a Saturday. For her sake I want it kept fairly small so she doesn’t have to be on her feet a long time greeting guests.”

“Excellent idea, mon fils.“

“I’ll phone Père Loucent at the St. Vierge Church in Lyseaux. I think a morning ceremony followed by the reception would be best.”

“So do I.”

“Don’t you have a voice in any of this, Andrea?” Corinne had finally ventured a question.

“Lance and I discussed everything in detail at dinner.”

Geoff burst into laughter. “You two remind me of my marriage to Lance’s mother. She got her way in private, but she let me direct traffic in public. I was the envy of my friends.”

“I wish I could have met her.”

“So do I, Andrea. So do I.”

Maybe it was the melancholy note in Geoff’s voice that prompted Lance to stand, bringing their lunch to a close.

“Andrea and I are going to run into the village for our marriage license. We’ll see you two at dinner. I’d like to hear about your trip to Australia, Corinne.”

“So would I,” Andrea echoed him. “I’ve never vacationed outside the States except to come here. According to Geoff you’re the world traveler. You’re so fortunate to be able to do that, I envy you.”

When there was no response Lance helped her to her feet, keeping a possessive grip on her waist.

His father smiled up at them. “You’ve made me an extremely happy man. Another daughter joining the family, and a grandchild on the way—what more can we say, eh, Corinne?”

Andrea admired Geoff. For his stepdaughter’s sake he pretended nothing was wrong. Yet they all knew their announcement had shattered her world.

Corinne pushed her chair back and stood up. She’d leveled her gaze on Lance. “Could I talk to you for a moment before you go?”

Andrea put a hand on his arm. “I’ll get my purse and meet you at the car.”

Lance pressed a brief and reassuring kiss to her lips. “I’ll see you in a minute.” After she disappeared through the French doors he turned to Corinne. “Why don’t you walk out with me.”

With a nod to his father he headed for the foyer with Corinne in pursuit. By the time he’d reached his car, she’d caught up to him.

“After what you’ve done, I’m going to have to tell him the truth.”

Lance opened the driver’s door and got in behind the wheel. “Which version of the truth, Corinne? That you and I got too close while he was on his honeymoon? Or that you offered yourself to me ten years ago and I said no thank you.”

“Lance—” She moved closer. “I’m prepared to be generous and forget everything if you’ll call off your wedding to her and marry me.”

It was chilling to come face-to-face with someone who wasn’t in her right mind. “You’re delusional, Corinne. You need help.”

“What I need is you.” There was a fanatical gleam in her eyes. “I’ve won the right.”

“Won the right?” he growled the question.

“While I’ve been waiting for you all these years, I’ve taken care of Geoff like a daughter.”

“Then you’ve already received your reward. You’ve earned his affection.”

“He expected us to get married.”

“No. That’s a piece of fiction you invented so long ago, you actually believe it.”

“I told him I’d give him a grandchild.”

“Then you need to find a man who wants to marry you.”

“I found the man I wanted a long time ago.”

“Those wants have to be mutual, Corinne.” Lance added gently, “I never wanted you.”

“You’ve never given us a chance, yet in four days you’ve decided you’re going to marry a perfect stranger.”

“That’s right.”

Her cheeks looked blotched. “I could have turned Geoff against you, but I never did.”

“Your cry of rape is a figment of your mind. Don’t lie, Corinne.”

She gave him a strange smile. “It’s your word against mine. Are you sure you want to risk his revulsion of you?”

He’d had enough of this conversation and started the car. She put her hands on the door.

“I suggest you listen to what I have to say, Lance. If you insist on going through with this travesty of a marriage, then I’ll have to go through with my plan for you.”

He shook his head. “I must admit I’m disappointed you’ve wasted all these years thinking up your revenge against me when you could have worked on becoming a decent human being.

“Going after me will earn you Papa’s loathing. Then where will you be? What will you have accomplished?”

Her question coincided with Andrea’s appearance outside the château. His pulse raced just looking at her.

“You’d be surprised,” Corinne muttered.

Without waiting to hear anything else he got out to open the door for his future wife. She was carrying precious cargo. He’d do whatever it took to see her safely through this pregnancy.