‘Margaret,’ she prompted pointedly, before they became side-tracked once again.
‘It was the conversation we had last night that made me realise a very good reason why Margaret wouldn’t actually meet me in person. She’s five months pregnant, Annie,’ he said flatly. ‘And it shows.’
Rufus didn’t love the other woman, he never had; he had just wanted to know, especially after she had written to him telling him she had left, exactly why she had done so.
‘We’ll have to help her, Rufus,’ Annie told him. ‘That child is your niece or nephew.’
‘We’ll help her, Annie,’ he assured her.
And she knew that they would. She also knew that they would care for Celia until she didn’t need caring for any longer.
As the years passed the two of them would grow closer, and Rufus would be able to talk to her about his childhood, his father, the mother he couldn’t even remember, and his never-the-love-of-the-century marriage. And she would be able to tell him about her loneliness as a child, the children’s home, the feeling of never belonging.
Because she belonged now. Belonged with and to Rufus.
How different her life was going to be. She would be a dearly loved, and loving, Diamond bride.
‘It’s bad luck, you know,’ Annie scolded affectionately.
Rufus lifted his head from the soft cushion of her satin-covered breasts, grinning down at her. ‘Another one of those old wives’ tales? The one concerning twins didn’t come true!’
‘Not yet,’ Annie warned. ‘But that’s probably because we haven’t fully made love yet,’ she reminded him with a self-conscious blush.
‘But we will. Very soon.’ he promised, resting on his elbows as he looked down at her. ‘The thought of you having even one of my children does the nicest things to my body,’ he murmured, moving closer to her as he began to kiss her.
Annie could feel exactly what nice things it did to his body, groaning low in her throat with the same longing.
The last three months had been the happiest Annie had ever known, loving and being loved by Rufus.
Jessica couldn’t have been more pleased when told that Annie was going to be her new mother, eyes agog at this very satisfactory answer to her prayer!
It had been a time of talking, laughing, sharing, discovering—their love for each other deepening as each day passed.
And today was their wedding day…
And Rufus, after flatly refusing Celia’s suggestion that he spend the night at a hotel, had brought Annie a cup of coffee up to her bedroom half an hour ago—and hadn’t left again!
His eyes were almost black now as he raised his head to look at her. ‘Annie, I—’ He broke off as a knock sounded gently on the bedroom door.
‘Annie, are you awake?’ Celia called softly. ‘It’s time to start getting ready.’
‘Oh, hell,’ Rufus said to himself and he sprang up from the bed, his unbuttoned shirt slightly crumpled, his hair ruffled from Annie’s caressing fingers. ‘Celia is sure to know the same old wives’ tale!’ He scowled at the lecture he was probably about to receive.
‘Rufus?’ Celia prompted suspiciously. ‘Rufus, are you in there?’ she added sharply.
Annie lay back on the pillows, laughing softly at Rufus’s hunted expression. ‘Come in, Celia,’ she invited lightly, receiving a glare from Rufus for her pains.
‘I thought I heard your voice,’ Celia scolded Rufus once she was inside the bedroom. ‘Don’t you know that it’s unlucky to see the bride before the church service on your wedding day?’ She looked disapprovingly across at him.
‘You see.’ Rufus turned to Annie. ‘I told you she would know that one, too!’ He shook his head. ‘It’s a lot of nonsense. The Diamond brides aren’t known for their luck anyway.’ He frowned. ‘I almost didn’t ask Annie to marry me for that very reason.’
‘Now that is a lot of nonsense,’ Celia told him briskly, coming further into the bedroom, still extremely fragile to look at, although at the moment her condition seemed not to have deteriorated any further. ‘I’ve already explained to you about your mother’s death, and Joanne’s death was just an unfortunate accident. Besides, Rufus, I was a Diamond bride, and, despite what you may have thought to the contrary, David and I had thirty happy years together!’
Annie had watched with pleasure, over the last three months, as these two stubborn Diamonds had become quite good friends. And Celia certainly couldn’t have been more helpful concerning the wedding arrangements, helping Annie shop for her dress and Jessica’s bridesmaid’s dress, the little girl absolutely thrilled at being asked to be her only attendant.
Anthony and Davina’s wedding had taken place almost a month ago, Anthony continuing to visit his mother here, albeit keeping well away from Rufus and Annie. Anthony’s plans to make those visits alone were neatly foiled by Davina, as she continued to accompany him every time he came. In fact, Davina’s helpless-little-girl act—and the breathless voice, much to Rufus’s amusement—seemed to have vanished overnight, and in her place was a woman even more domineering than Celia had been. Anthony had met his match where he’d least expected it!
And Anthony’s ceremony neatly out of the way, his future very definitely decided, Celia had turned all her attention to Rufus and Annie’s wedding. In all honesty, Annie had been grateful for her help, had come to realise, over the last few months, that a lot of Celia’s imperious manner was, in fact, a barrier put up to protect herself from being hurt. The past having finally been put to rest, that barrier was no longer necessary, and as a surrogate mother to Rufus, and indeed Annie, Celia had proved more than capable. They were all going to miss her when the time came for them to say goodbye.
‘I’m sure you did.’ Rufus gently squeezed Celia’s shoulder. ‘Just as I’m sure Annie and I are going to have many happy years together.’ He turned to her, his love for her blazing in the dark blue of his eyes.
Annie was sure they were too, the last three months spent with Rufus more than enough to reassure her of their future happiness together.
She couldn’t possibly have guessed how it would turn out when she’d decided to work as part of a family—but she really was part of a family now. She and Rufus were their own family, with Jessica and Celia drawn into that loving fold.
The Diamond bride was to become the Diamond wife and mother.
Utter and complete happiness.
For ever.
ISBN : 978-1-4592-6223-2
THE DIAMOND BRIDE
First North American Publication 1998.
Copyright © 1998 by Carole Mortimer.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
All characters In this book have no existence outside the Imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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The Diamond Bride Page 16