Winning the Queen's Heart: Contemporary Christian Romance (The Brides of Belles Montagnes Book 2) (14 page)

She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I’m sorry I’m not up for going out tonight after all, Robert. And I’m sorry I got involved with you when I knew I’d had this one night thing with this other guy.”

“We still haven’t defined our relationship, Lizbeth. You shouldn’t feel guilty about that.”

His arms wrapped around her, and she buried her head in his shoulder. “I don’t know what I’m going to do,” she whispered. “Abortion is out, but if I have this baby, whether I keep it or give it up for adoption, my father will disown me. I’ll lose everything I’ve ever known. I’ll be pregnant and out on the streets.”

Robert tipped her chin up with one finger. “Marry me, Lizbeth.”

Before she could answer, he kissed her. A long, sweet kiss meant to convey feelings, but not passion. The passion was kept under tight control.

“I mean it,” he whispered when the kiss ended. “Marry me, and let me take care of you and the baby. No one has to know it’s not my baby unless you want them to.”

The thought rolled round and round in her head. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know if you want to marry me, or you don’t know about the logistics and telling your father?”

“The second.” She rested the side of her head on his chest again. “My father scares me.”

“Then we won’t get married here. I have a trip to Denmark next week. We can get married there quickly and quietly. It’s legal and everything, but the officials here won’t know unless we file paperwork.”

Lizbeth looked up at him through tear-filled eyes. “How do you know that?”

“I have a friend who eloped last year.” He kissed her again, softly. “Think about it. And tonight, instead of going out, why don’t we watch a movie and order pizza?”

She’d given him a weak smile and a week later, they’d eloped in Denmark, spending two nights there before returning home separately. Two months later, she’d learned the tragic truth. Her pregnancy had never advanced beyond the initial stages.

There would be no baby.

Here, now, she should be just days away from giving birth less than a week after Princess Jessabelle’s due date.

“When the time’s right,” Robert reminded her, kissing her shoulder. “I know it’s hard.”

He’d been looking forward to being a father. He’d bought pregnancy books and even a baby bedtime book or two. All online, of course. No sense inviting scandal by purchasing them publicly.

“Yvette’s going to need you this spring. As much as I wish the baby would be arriving any day, I’m glad you won’t be splitting your attentions.”

“I wouldn’t have agreed to work with Yvette if the baby was still coming.”

“I know. I also know she’s going to need you.” He kissed the side of her head. “I wish I could stay with you, but I have a flight leaving in a couple of hours. I promised my parents I’d come after Christmas.” He hesitated, and she knew why. Robert wanted to tell his parents. She’d always said no, but maybe there was truth to what he was saying. Maybe it was time to have another shoulder to lean on.

She met his eyes in the mirror of the window. “Is it too late to get me a ticket?”

* * *

Two weeks into the new year and life had yet to slow down for Christiana. She hoped, once they were back at the palace, things would settle into a routine, and they had. Of sorts. One where she rarely saw her husband. Where she tossed and turned. Where an upset stomach was the norm.

Diana sank into the chair across the desk from Christiana. “The doctor will be here later this afternoon, ma’am.”

Christiana looked up from the papers she was reading through. “The doctor? Why?”

“You haven’t been eating well in a month. I know you’ve thrown up at least five or six times in the last couple of weeks. It’s time to make sure nothing is wrong.”

Christiana did not think anything was
wrong
, per se, though she started to suspect something was not quite
right
either.

“Very well.” She continued working, straight through lunch, until Diana ushered the family doctor in. This man had been her parents’ doctor until her uncle had found someone else for her. Though the other doctor had been cleared of any wrong doing, Christiana felt it time to repay this man’s kindness and discretion. Besides being at the top of his field, he was someone her parents had trusted.

“Good afternoon, Your Majesty.” Doctor Chambers bowed his head her direction and took a seat in the same spot Diana had been. “I understand you’re feeling a bit under the weather?”

Christiana nodded. “Yes, though I believe I know why.”

Dr. Chambers raised a brow. “You do?”

She twisted her pen between her fingers. Such a huge statement to make, and the doctor should not be the first one she said it to. Too late now. “I believe I am with child, Doctor.”

The man blinked twice. Then a third time. “Congratulations, ma’am. I do believe that is the best news I’ve heard in some time.”

Christiana raised a hand. “I am not certain, but I do suspect.” She tapped her pen on the desk. “Everything I tell you is in the strictest confidence, yes?”

Dr. Chambers leaned forward until his forearms rested on her desk. “Your secrets go to the grave with me. I will share one, only because it will prove my point, and because it does no harm to be shared now. Not with you. Your mother miscarried several babies. One before you were born and three after, that we know of. Then Prince Nicklaus was born. There was at least one more after him. There are medical records for all of them. They were not turned over to the new doctor after your uncle had me removed as royal physician. Have you ever heard anything about them?”

Christiana shook her head. “No. I believe you. And I trusted you before, but I needed to ask.”

“Shall we go to the medical wing so I can do a couple of tests? How far along do you believe you are?”

She stared at the pen. “I can tell you the date of conception, if I am, in fact, pregnant.”

More blinking was the only sign of his surprise. “All right.”

“I was not engaged to Alexander the whole time,” she confessed. “Another man had captured my heart, or so I thought. It turned out, he had been plotting to kill me and take over as a distant relation and as my husband. In cahoots with my uncle, we suspect, though last I heard it had not yet been proven. Two weeks before the wedding, his duplicity was discovered. Alexander asked me to marry him. Ravenzario could not take another scandal of those proportions and a canceled wedding, plus the doubt it would instill about my judgment.”

Dr. Chambers thought for a minute. “I disagree what it says about your judgment, but I can see how it would be a concern.”

“Alexander is a good man. His family and mine have been acquaintances for many years, but he was instrumental in bringing down my uncle. I trust him implicitly.” Just not with her heart. “Ours is not a typical marriage, though I believe we both hold out hope that someday it will be.” A lone tear streaked down her cheek. “I know of the ancient law that says we must begin trying to conceive an heir as soon as possible. I also know the Prime Minister knows all of this and was not going to do anything about his part of the law with the confirmation of such activity.” She sighed. “The anniversary of my parents death, the dinner reception, the memories of my parents, all arranged by Alexander. It was overwhelming, and later that night...” She let him draw his own conclusions.

“So conception would have been about a month ago?”

Christiana nodded.

“If that is the case, you are about six weeks along. We could do a urine test to confirm and then an ultrasound to make sure everything looks good. With your mother’s history, I’d like to keep an even closer eye on you than usual. It may mean we decide to bring in a specialist, but I don’t think it’s necessary at this point.”

Christiana pushed back from her desk. “Shall we get this over with?”

Chapter 15

Something was going on with his wife, and Alexander had no clue what it could be.

She had visits from a doctor, though the man was always smiling when he left, so it couldn’t be too serious. The queen didn’t eat much but rather picked at their shared meals. He didn’t know if it was his presence or something else that induced her lack of appetite, but it was enough to concern him. It had been almost two months since that night. And it was Valentine’s Day. They’d been invited to a luncheon put on by the Romance Readers and ‘Riters of Ravenzario. He didn’t know who’d decided they would attend, but raising money for babies and children with heart problems was a worthy cause.

Alexander hadn’t seen his wife in a couple of days, except in passing. It ate at him. The distance and separation from his wife. He didn’t know how to fix it. In fact, they would arrive separately at the event. She had something going on that morning. If he could, he’d meet her after whatever it was, and they could go together.

Alexander pressed the intercom button on his desk phone. “Justin?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Do you know where the queen is this morning? Her schedule is blocked off, but it doesn’t say where she is.”

“I can try to find out. Any particular reason?”

“I’d like to meet her and go to the R-cubed luncheon together.”

He could almost see the wheels turning in Justin’s head. “I’ll see what I can do, sir. Can you be ready to leave shortly if you need to?”

Rather than answer, he walked out of his office into the outer reception area where Justin sat. “I’m going to go to the apartment now and change into something a bit more Valentine’s-y.” He had a heart tie, didn’t he? “Are the flowers taken care of?”

Justin confirmed, “I got a call from the florist a few minutes ago that they’d been delivered. Are you sure you don’t want to meet her there with them instead?”

Alexander considered that. “No. I’d rather go together and slip away for a few minutes to get them.”

He went to the apartment and found his black suit laid out for him, along with a red shirt and a black tie covered in shiny red hearts. Good. Just what he’d hoped for. As he straightened the tie, a knock sounded on his door. “Come in,” he called.

“Sir?” His valet, Martin, entered. “Do you require any other assistance?”

“No, I’ve got it from here. Thank you.” He flipped the tie up. “Did I already have this, or did you get it for me?”

“I found it at my brother’s clothing shop. You did have a tie with hearts on it, but I thought you’d like that one better.”

“You thought right. Is your brother’s shop here in town?”

“Yes, sir. It’s in the plaza just down the street.”

“I’d like to stop by there sometime soon. I need a few new suits, and I’d love to give him the business if he carries or can get what I need.”

“I’m sure he can, sir. The queen’s father did most of his shopping there. As a child, the queen loved to hide among the tie-racks. It would be an honor to serve another member of the royal family.”

Alexander grinned at him. “I’ll tell him you sent me.”

A minute later, a call came from Justin. His car was waiting to take him to meet the queen at the hospital.

Alexander couldn’t keep his mind from spinning a million directions as the car drove through the streets. Did she simply have an appearance at the hospital, or did it have to do with her recent appetite or something else?

They appeared to have timed things just right. As they pulled up to the portico, the queen and several others, including the royal doctor, walked out. Alexander exited the car and walked to her side.

Did her eyes light up? Or did she put on a front for the cameras clicking away in the distance? “Good morning.” He leaned over and brushed her cheek with a kiss before shaking hands with the good doctor. “Did you have a productive visit?”

Queen Christiana nodded. “I was able to spend time with the children who must stay here and had a productive discussion with Dr. Chambers about a few other health related issues I needed some advice on.”

Maybe the doctor was advising her. That was good.

Alexander extended his elbow. “It would be my honor to escort you to the R-cubed luncheon, Your Majesty.”

She slid her hand inside. “I would love that.”

* * *

Seated in the back of the day limo, Christiana fidgeted. She had not spent much time alone with Alexander since she discovered she did, indeed, carry his child. She wanted to tell him, truly she did, but the connection she felt with him that night, beginning with the stop at the memorial plaque, disappeared when she awoke alone.

She would put on a happy face, something she had always been good at faking, for the public. Enter on his arm, speak adoringly of him during her comments after lunch, perhaps even a kiss or two, but her heart remained shuttered.

Soon, she was seated in the place of honor, with Alexander at her side. The meal looked lovely, but she only managed a bite or two. As it neared its end, Christiana enjoyed her conversation with the president of the Romance Readers and ‘Riters Club seated to her left. It was time for her to speak, but as she walked to the podium, a wave of dizziness nearly overwhelmed her.