by Monica Burns
“Yes, Grandmother,” Jamie said quietly. “She’s standing between Mother and his lordship.”
“I don’t understand. Why is she here? The keep wasn’t her home, Foxbury Manor was home.”
“She said this is going to be her new home.” Jamie leaned forward and kissed the dowager’s cheek. “She asked me to give you a kiss until she can do it herself next year.”
“Next year?”
Startled, Aurora stared at her adopted grandson in amazement, and behind him Lucien heard Constance release a soft cry that she immediately strangled into silence. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw her sway on her feet.
“Bloody hell,” he growled. Lunging forward, he wrapped his arm around Constance’s and ushered her to a nearby chair. “You’re not well. You should be in bed.”
“I’ll be fine. It was just a dizzy spell.”
She didn’t look at him as she spoke. Instead she stared at Jamie for a long moment before shifting her gaze to Lady Lyndham’s astonished expression. The look the two women exchanged made Lucien straighten slowly.
“Jamie,” he murmured as he studied Constance’s expression with an odd sensation in the pit of his stomach. “Exactly what does Isabel mean when she says this is going to be her new home?”
His question made Constance’s face pale further, and she jerked her gaze upward to meet his. He didn’t look away from her as he waited for the boy’s answer. Silence filled the room until Constance shook her head in a gesture of defeat. She stood up with an unsteady lurch, and he grasped her waist to keep her from falling. What the hell did it mean that Isabel wanted a new home? Once again he noticed how drawn Constance’s features were. He’d have to send for Dr. Coburn to ensure she didn’t have a relapse. His thoughts came to an abrupt halt. Sweet Jesus. She was pregnant.
“You’re with child,” he rasped.
His hands biting into her shoulders, he struggled with the knowledge that she was carrying his child and hadn’t told him. This was her secret. Why hadn’t she told him? The answer sucked all the air out of his lungs as if he were drowning. She carried a child she didn’t want. Beneath his fingers he felt her shudder, and he released her as if he’d been burnt. He didn’t know what to say to her. Hell, he didn’t even know what to feel. Air. He needed fresh air. Suddenly feeling trapped, he wheeled about on his heel and strode from the room. He heard his grandmother’s angry cry and Constance’s soft sob, but he ignored the sounds. She’d hidden the truth from him, and that wasn’t something he could easily accept without some time to gather his thoughts.
Constance sat in the window seat of her bedroom looking out over the rolling landscape that surrounded the keep. Lucien had stormed from his grandmother’s room over two hours ago. Lady Lyndham had ordered her to go after him, but it had taken her several moments to gather the nerve to follow him. When she’d reached the main hall, Jacobs had informed her Lucien had already headed toward the stables.
This was exactly what she’d feared would happen. He didn’t want the child. She understood why he would find the thought of a child alarming. For years he’d believed he would go insane. Then to suddenly be told another family member was to blame for so many murders had been an enormous relief. But it had still left niggling doubts about his family’s bloodline.
She stretched out her hand and pressed it against the cool glass. He’d been so angry when he’d left. His scar had stood out a stark white against the darkness of his anger before he’d left his grandmother’s room. The memory made her flinch. He despised deception, and she’d deceived him in the worst possible way. She should have listened to Lady Lyndham over a week ago when the dowager had voiced her own suspicions.
Now Constance had only made matters worse. She’d erected a wall between herself and Lucien. One that would require time to remove. And how could she blame him for feeling the way he did, especially when she’d questioned her own feelings about the baby? But in those moments when Jamie was telling them about Isabel, she’d come to realize her fears were unfounded.
Growing up, she’d viewed her gift as something to hide, and she’d been teaching the same thing to her son. She should have known better. Instead of denying her son’s gift, she should have been teaching him that if one used discretion the gift they possessed could help others.
The fact that she’d helped numerous people with Lucien’s blessing since their marriage only made her denial of Jamie’s gift that much more foolish. She should have been showing him how to use his gift wisely. But then Jamie already seemed to know that. He’d helped the dowager by reassuring her that she wasn’t to blame for Isabel’s death. She looked down at her stomach and pressed her hand against her belly. The sudden sensation of a fish flopping over in her stomach made her gasp.
Isabel.
Warmth spread its way outward from her belly into every part of her body. It was a comforting sensation that told her everything would be all right. She smiled slowly. Somehow she’d make Lucien see that this child would help them overcome their fears. Isabel’s birth would only serve to bring them closer together. She leaned back against the window frame, longing for Lucien to come home. She needed to feel his arms around her. Needed his love.
The quiet sound of the bedroom door opening made her scramble to her feet. Heart pounding, she watched as Lucien entered the room. For a long moment, his gaze met hers before he looked away from her.
“You should have told me.” The flat statement was devoid of emotion and it sent her heart plummeting to her stomach.
“I…didn’t…know how.” She took a quick step toward him then stopped as he turned to look at her. The expression of betrayal in his blue eyes sent a physical ache pulsing through her.
“How long have you known?”
She hesitated for a moment then averted her gaze. “Almost two weeks. Dr. Jacobs mentioned it was a possibility when I started feeling unwell after Jamie’s illness.”
“And you couldn’t tell me?” he bit out sharply. “You had to keep it a secret from me? Your husband?”
“I know. I was wrong not to tell you.”
“Then why didn’t you? Why didn’t you tell me about the baby?” His harsh words scraped across her heart until it bled, and she spread her hands in a gesture of despair as she turned to face him.
“I couldn’t. I didn’t know what to say,” she cried out in anguish.
“Bloody hell, Constance, when have I ever done anything that would make you think you couldn’t tell me something? There are no secrets between us—at least there weren’t until now.”
“You told me you didn’t want any children,” she whispered in the lull of his roar.
“What?” He sent her an incredulous look and her heart skipped a beat. Had she misunderstood him?
“You said you were glad we didn’t have any children, that a baby would only make things difficult for us.” She watched his amazement slowly change to pained regret and she took a step closer to him. “You’ve never said it, but I thought you were worried Oliver’s madness was a trait you might pass on to our child. I thought a baby would drive a wedge between us.”
In two giant strides, he closed the distance between them and gathered her up into his arms. “Never, yâ sabāha, I would never let anything come between us. I love you more than I ever thought possible to love someone. Nothing will ever change that.”
He kissed her hard, before pulling her tight against him to hold her in the quiet. With their arms wrapped around each other, they stood in a silent embrace for a long time. She was certain he’d been as fearful of losing her as she had him. Although he never mentioned it directly, she knew Lucien had never forgotten how she’d left the keep the month after Oliver’s death. She knew because whenever she left him, he was reluctant to part, and always demanded to know when she’d return. Lucien’s grasp eased slightly, and with one hand, he lifted her head to stare down at her.
“I adore you, Constance,” he whispered in a voice filled with emotion. He cupped the side of her face with his hand, and she covered it with her smaller one. “I said what I did because I knew how much it upset you that Jamie inherited your gift. I didn’t want you to carry that burden with our child.”
“So you’re not unhappy about the baby?” She bit her lip as she searched his expression for any hint of regret or resignation.
“No, of course not,” he exclaimed softly. “And you? How do you feel about the baby?”
She saw his eyes darken with concern and she slowly shook her head. “I didn’t know how I felt about it until just a little while ago. But Isabel made me see how much I want this baby.”
“Isabel.” Lucien frowned. “Something tells me I already know the answer, but what does she have to do with this?”
“She’s chosen us, Lucien. She wants to come back.”
“I see.” A disconcerted look furrowed his brow, and he looked decidedly uncomfortable.
“It will be all right, Lucien. It’s the way things work. Some spirits cross over, others choose to return and live again.” She lightly stroked his face with her fingers.
“Well, it’s a damned bit unsettling,” he growled.
“I’m afraid you’re going to find it a great deal more unnerving trying to make her toe the line. Something tells me she’ll have your grandmother’s iron will. Not to mention her talent for thievery.”
“What?” His scowl deepened, and she laughed.
“When you left the keep, I returned to your grandmother’s room. Jamie said Isabel has been taking personal items from us for some time now.”
“Exactly how greedy is she?” he asked with a hint of irritation. His response tugged another laugh from her. The man had no idea how fast he would lose his heart to their child.
“Do you remember the hairbrush and brooch that went missing before we were married?” When he nodded, her smile widened as she eyed him with mischief. “Then there’s the diamond bracelet you gave me for our first month anniversary, and apparently the gold pen you lost several months ago is something she’s particularly fond of as well.”
“Damnation, do you mean to tell me the imp took my favorite pen?” His deep growl reflected intense exasperation.
“I’m afraid so,” she murmured with more than a hint of amusement.
“So what do we do now?”
The disgruntled expression on his face made her smile. “We let nature take its course.”
“And what about the possibility she might be born with your gift?”
“I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Jamie’s survived quite well with his unique ability, and something tells me Isabel will be up to the task as well.”
“You sound remarkably sure of yourself,” he muttered with an expression that reflected his reluctant acceptance of Isabel’s presence in their lives.
“I’m not sure of anything except my love for you.”
His cerulean eyes grew dark with hunger as he lowered his head to capture her lips with his. She reveled in the kiss, matching his passion with her own. The fervor with which his firm mouth plundered hers was an expression of his relief born out of desperation. Their misunderstanding had put a huge chasm between them, and she didn’t want to think about how terrifying such a rift would have been if they’d let it go unchecked.
Lucien’s mouth slid off hers and blazed a trail across the lower portion of her jaw. Her heart lighter than it had been in days, she breathed in the scent of leather and fresh air off his skin. She loved him so much.
“It seems Cairo will have to wait.”
Although she didn’t hear the slightest hint of disappointment in his voice, she knew searching for Sefu’s treasure was something he’d dreamed of for a long time. She shook her head and sniffed with amused disgust.
“I’m far from an invalid, Lucien.”
“Perhaps, but I don’t wish to take any chances where you’re concerned.”
“I thought living dangerously appealed to you.” She pressed her body into his with an intimate swivel of her hips. “Have you forgotten all the dangerous moments we’ve enjoyed since we first met?”
“No,” he groaned softly as she brushed her hand over his quickly growing erection.
“Then take me to Cairo, and I promise you more danger than you can possibly imagine.”
“I can imagine quite a lot,” he rasped as he swept her off her feet and into his arms. Striding to the bed, he kissed her hard before he laid her gently on the mattress.
“And Cairo?” she whispered as she stretched out her hand to press against his chest.
“Do you really think I can deny you anything, yâ sabāha? If you have your heart set on coming with me to Cairo, then so be it.”
Love and passion made his handsome features all the more striking, and his ardent display of emotion filled her heart with happiness. Wickedly handsome, his expression brought to mind that fateful night at the Clarendon. No sooner did the memory of their first meeting flit through her head than another collection of images swirled through her consciousness.
The sight of Lucien striding through the sand toward her was quickly followed by a vision of him holding an infant in his arms. The visions sent a pulse of joy through her, but it was the sight of their bodies entwined in passion that made her heart race. Like that night in the Clarendon, Isis would not be denied her lover.
“I love you, Lucien,” she whispered, her gaze locking with his. “And the only thing my heart is set on at the moment is having my husband show me how dangerously wicked he can be.”
About the Author
Monica Burns is a bestselling author of spicy historical and paranormal romance. She penned her first romance at the age of nine when she selected the pseudonym she uses today. Her historical book awards include the 2011 RT Reviewers’ Choice Award and the 2012 Gayle Wilson Heart of Excellence Award. She is also the recipient of the prestigious paranormal romance award, the 2011 PRISM Best of the Best.
From the days when she hid her stories from her sisters to her first completed full-length manuscript, she always believed in her dream despite rejections and setbacks. A workaholic wife and mother, Monica is a survivor who believes every hero and heroine deserves a HEA (Happily Ever After), especially if she’s writing the story.
You can find Monica on her website, www.monicaburns.com, Facebook, Pinterest, and Tsu. You may also reach her via email at [email protected]. To remain up to date on Monica’s latest news and releases, sign up for her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/kwpQP.
Look for these titles by Monica Burns
Now Available:
Mirage
Don’t miss this other title by Monica Burns
A sheikh without a country. A woman without fear. A love hotter than the Sahara.
In his heart, Viscount Blakeney will always be Sheikh Altair Mazir, but a deathbed oath to his English grandfather forces him to divide his time between Britain and his beautiful Sahara. A victim of prejudice from both cultures, he has learned a bitter lesson. Trust no one.
Yet when he witnesses firsthand the British Museum’s rejection of Alexandra Talbot’s request for assistance in finding the lost city of Ramesses II, he finds himself not only compelled to help, but donning his desert robes to hide his identity.
Alexandra is all too familiar with men who equate her sex with a lack of intelligence. But the mysterious Altair isn’t like other men. He never questions her ability to find the lost city, only her resistance to the sinful pleasure of his touch.
Bound by a Pharaoh’s prophecy, desire flares between them under the desert stars. But murder and betrayal turn their quest into a deadly game, pushing their fragile trust to the breaking point. A trust that must be reforged if they are to survive.
Warning: Contains a half-blood prince of the
desert whose tortured Bedouin heart beats beneath a proper English cravat. And an American archaeologist who’ll go a long way to fulfil her dreams.
If you loved this book, then you’re sure to love these Samhain favorites as well!
Never steal a heart unless you can afford to lose your own.
Lively St. Lemeston, Book 2
Through sheer force of will, Ash Cohen raised himself and his younger brother from the London slums to become the best of confidence men. He’s heartbroken to learn Rafe wants out of the life, but determined to grant his brother his wish.
It seems simple: find a lonely, wealthy woman. If he can get her to fall in love with Rafe, his brother will be set. There’s just one problem—Ash can’t take his eyes off her.
Heiress Lydia Reeve is immediately drawn to the kind, unassuming stranger who asks to tour her family’s portrait gallery. And if she married, she could use the money from her dowry for her philanthropic schemes. The attraction seems mutual and oh so serendipitous—until she realizes Ash is determined to matchmake for his younger brother.
When Lydia’s passionate kiss puts Rafe’s future at risk, Ash is forced to reveal a terrible family secret. Rafe disappears, and Lydia asks Ash to marry her instead. Leaving Ash to wonder—did he choose the perfect woman for his brother, or for himself?
Warning: Contains secrets and pies.
Once he broke her heart, but now he’s wickedly tempted…
Alexander Ramsey, the youngest son of a duke, has returned to England with a barely healed wound and a war-torn heart. He hopes retiring to a life raising horses near his family’s estate will bring him some peace.
If only it was that easy. The girl he’s done his best to forget has grown into an enticing woman. A woman who despises him, if their accidental encounter in his new house is any indication.