Page 69 of The Un-Apparent Heir

Sanne watched them pack off up the road, both skipping on either side of Paul. He towered over them, gentle as he had with Charlotte when she was only a toddler. They were mad for having two more, but Sanne knew this was her last pregnancy and these were her final babies. It felt right.

Today was the big anatomy scan everyone looked forward to. She dressed in a pair of maternity leggings and a pullover to wait for Paul to return from the nursery school to drive her to the surgery for her scan.

“Ready?” Paul gave Sanne another kiss.

“So ready,” Sanne beamed. “Let’s hope they’re okay. Fingers crossed for girls.”

“I would settle for anything,” Paul admitted. “But I know you want at least one.”

Sanne wanted a girl so badly. She would have done just about anything. It was part of the reason they’d tried again. She didn’t mind being the mother to boys as much as she worried she would. As a woman raised in an all-female household, some things had taken time to grasp, but she soon learned that boys were the same as girls with slightly different plumbing.

At the appointment, they waited with several other couples who paid them little mind. Sanne was over the fuss of London and its posh maternity wing. They might give birth in London, as they had with the two boys, but she was keen to stay close to home for now.

“Holmes-Nordgren,” a nurse called.

Sanne maintained her mothers’ maiden names in situations like this almost as an act of protest. Technically, as Duchess of Inverness, she had no name. Her boys officially went by Inverness, which was also on Sanne’s passport. However, on both their birth certificates she remained Sanne Holmes-Nordgren the Duchess of Inverness, something that inflamed the press. Paul could have cared less, nor did his family mind. Still, it felt like a nice punch for the damn, awful press that hounded her.

Inside the room where the ultrasound took place, Sanne pulled down her leggings and panties to expose her massive bump. She’d never been so big in her life, and she hoped after this, she could retire all the maternity leggings despite their glorious comfort. She was ready to get her body back for good.

The midwife pulled the babies up on the screen.

“Just confirming that I am handing this information on the sex of the babies off in a sealed envelope?”

Sanne nodded.

“And who will keep it?”

“I will." Sanne glared playfully at Paul.

“We don’t trust Daddy?” The midwife laughed.

“Unfortunately, no,” Paul said. “She thinks I will snoop.”

“And he will. I think the whole thing is ridiculous, but my sister-in-law insists on a reveal. She’s pulling for two girls. I think she believes she can will it into fruition.”

Paul laughed. “If anyone could, it would be Natalie.”

Natalie planned to do a simple reveal with a cake while the family gathered for Prince Elliot’s birthday. Elliot, or Eli, was the youngest son of the late Queen Margaux. Paul’s uncle didn’t live in the public eye. He and his wife never had children, lived in the country, and only came for informal family occasions. The King and Queen often visited the King’s baby brother, but he didn’t come “to the city” often. Elliot didn’t mind sharing with his great nephews or nieces. Sanne wasn’t about to tell Natalie no. She was so excited about this pregnancy. It was great to see her embrace aunthood so tirelessly. And, it could be fun and with an “American-style” cake.

“Both babies are measuring well. Not small. About the same size,” the midwife noted. “All looks good. I will take more photos and make sure all is well, but this will be routine.”

That gave both Paul and Sanne some relief. They were glad to hear things looked good. The babies rolled and kicked—often knocking one another in the head.

“See, that could have been Linny and I,” Sanne laughed. “She always claimed I kicked her in the head.”

“Oh, Natalie swears she spent the entire time abusing George, so it’s fine.”

The midwife snickered. “Are we excited for twins then?”

“I think so, yes,” Sanne said. “Very excited.”

17

ONLY BAD NEWS

Natalie and the rest of her family arrived at Windsor for a long weekend. She and Ed were beaming, happy to finally share some good news with the rest of the family. Their tests were all good. Everything was looking positive. They were ready to share their big secret. Natalie had gone whole-hog, bought a bodysuit, and was sharing it with her parents like any other mum might. Her goal was to bring the gift and deliver the news.

They arrived early, before everyone else, with that intent. Robbie wasn’t in the best of spirits, but he could sometimes be grumpy. Natalie hoped this would be a good cheer-up.

---