The Billionaire's Secrets (29 page)

"Sounds like a great idea," Chloe said. They were going to Paris for their honeymoon. It was only for a week, but Chloe felt badly about leaving
Sophia
behind with Windy.

They kissed goodbye, and Chloe watched
Gaelan
drive out of sight. She was glad he was only going to Puffin's Cove. He would be back by dinner, and she looked forward to spending a quiet evening with him. Last week he had gone to
Montreal
for two days
,
and to Chloe it had seemed a century.

It was something she knew she would have to get used to. While she could sometimes accompany him
on
business, she knew it wouldn't always be possible
, especially when she had Sophia to care for
. She would have to get used to spending at least some time away from him.

She touched her lips where he had kissed her and felt a shiver of expectation for the evening ahead when they would end up in his bed - their bed - and find new ways to delight each other until they fell asleep in each other's arms.

She murmured another prayer of thanks for all the happiness that had befallen her.
Gaelan
as her husband,
Sophia
as her child, Widow's Cliff as her home.
And there was one other thing. She touched her flat stomach with her hand and prayed too that it was true. Her usually regular period was now four days late. She would know for sure by the wedding day. It would be her wedding present to
Gaelan
. The best one she could possibly imagine.

* * *

It rained for
more than a week
. Rain and wind and fog so thick
they
could
be
cut with a knife. And while the day of the wedding dawned clear, the forecast was for snow.
Snow - on the last day of May.

Chloe took a long hot bath, wrapped herself in a bathrobe, and sat at her dressing table drying her hair. Not in the
master bed
room
suite
she now shared with
Gaelan
, but her old one, the one she
had
stayed in when she first arrived at Widow's Cliff. She glanced at the full-length mirror and remembered how she had stood in front of it in her long black neglig
é
e, thinking how she would sacrifice everything to have one night in
Gaelan's
arms. Back then, it
had
never crossed her mind that she would stand at the same mirror in her wedding
dress. Not one night but
until
death do us part
. And she was not sacrificing anything but rather gaining everything.
Gaelan
, a home, a daughter, and, she thought, placing her hand over her stomach,
this new life
, conceived on the first night they
’d
made love. She had found out for sure yesterday. She had gone to the clinic in Puffin's Cove, and her heart had leapt with joy when the doctor congratulated her on the test findings. It had been so hard not to call
Gaelan
right then and there, but she was determined to keep this as a surprise for the night of their wedding.

Downstairs, caterers were busy preparing food in the kitchen, flo
wers were being delivered,
last
-
minute decorating was taking place while Renee went around giving orders with military precision. But despite all this activity, it was strangely quiet. Windy and
Sophia
had gone to
Windy's
sister's house where they were getting ready. They could have prepared just as easily at Widow's Cliff
,
but
Sophia
was so excited
she was constantly in the way.

Gaelan
had flown to
his
San Francisco office
a couple of days before to deal with an emergency. She had been disappointed he had to leave so soon before the wedding.
Just think
, he had said,
the next time you see me
I'll be waiting for you to come down the aisle
. It was a lovely image
,
and she comforted herself with it as she lay in the big empty bed at night. His trip had one practical element. He promised to
arrive in his private jet at the same time as her parents’ flight was due in from Boston
via Halifax
and drive them in his Rolls. Chloe glanced at the clock on the dressing table. They would
be more than halfway to
Puffin's Cove
by now
. Renee had booked a bed and breakfast for
Gaelan
and
Chloe's family, and they would dress there before
heading
out to Widow's Cliff.

The three hours before the wedding stretched ahead of her like an eternity. She didn't need any longer than twenty minutes to get dressed. Twenty minutes to do her makeup, and another ten for her hair, which she had insisted on doing herself. Renee had told her to be ready at 1:30 sharp when Marcus's girlfriend, Kathryn, her maid of honour and only bridesmaid, would join her before they came downstairs together. She still had two hours to kill.

Her dress was hanging on the front of the wardrobe. Unlike the elaborate fairy-tale creations in
Sophia
's pictures, it was simple and elegant in creamy silk. She knew she looked wonderful in it
,
and she couldn't wait for
Gaelan's
reaction.

Chloe heard a knock on the door and called out for
whoever it was
to come in. She had expected Ren
é
e, but the woman standing in the doorway
in a long fur coat and tall black boots
was a complete stranger. About thirty-five, tall,
rail
thin, and
while she looked to be naturally blond
,
her hair
was
bleached almost white from the same sun that had left her looking too tanned for a Newfoundland spring.
Marcus's girlfriend?
She had not yet met her bridesmaid
,
and she had no idea what she looked like
, but she hadn’t imagined her looking like this
. "Kathryn?" she asked hesitantly. She approached the woman, ready to hold out her hand and introduce herself, but the woman shook her head.

"No, I'm not Kathryn," she said a little impatiently. "Who's Kathryn?" Chloe felt the woman look her up and down
,
and she held the dressing gown tightly around her.

"My maid of honour.
I've never met her before.
So I thought…
"

"Isn't that that a little unusual? Having a woman you've never met before as your bridesmaid?" The woman closed the door behind her, and Chloe caught the heavy scent of her perfume.

"She's the best man's girlfriend," Chloe explained. She wanted to say that it was none of
this woman’s
business
,
but she didn't want to offend one of
Gaelan's
business associates. At least she assumed this woman was one of his business associates. She couldn't imagine him having a friend this rude.

"I see," the woman said without any particular interest, her
icy
blue
eyes now taking in the room around her.

Chloe didn't know why, but the woman immediately unsettled her. Perhaps it was because wealth hung around her like an aura, and Chloe felt suddenly like the poor country cousin. Strange, really, she should feel this way when she was about to marry one of the wealthiest men in
North America
. But then, it wasn't his wealth she had fallen in love with, and she still hadn't quite grasped the idea of being rich. Sometimes she wished
Gaelan
didn't have any money - at least then he wouldn't have to go away as often on business.

"I almost thought that French woman wasn't going to let me see you. She's pretty possessive of this whole affair," the stranger said with a sudden hint of humour. She looked much more human when she smiled.

Chloe attempted a smile. "Ren
é
e's our wedding planner. She just wants everything to be perfect."

"Well, the dress sure is perfect," she said, examining the wedding gown with an experienced eye.

Chloe nodded, feeling irrationally pleased that this unknown woman approved. She held out her hand to the woman and introduced herself. At least she had someone to talk to for a
while. It would make the time go faster.

The woman took her hand briefly. Her hands were manicured to perfection
, and she wore
a large opal on her ring finger.
"Cassandra
Belcaro
."
  Chloe didn't remember the name from the guest list
,
but then there were
so many unfamiliar names on it
she was hardly surprised.

"How do you know
Gaelan
?" Chloe asked.

"Oh,
Gaelan
and I go a long way back," she said with a dismissive wave. "I must say, I was surprised to hear he was marrying again. How long have you two known each other?"