Page 11 of Christmas Games
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ she demanded the moment the call connected.
‘That’swhat you’re leading with?’
‘Is that Rory?’ Brad said in the background. ‘Can I speak to him? I need to—’
‘Bradley!’ his mother barked.
‘Yes, Countess,’ he replied instantly. The sound was muffled as if Barbara was holding the phone to her chest, but Brad’s obedient tone reminded Rory of his army days.
‘Go to the room.’
Huh?
‘Yes, Countess.’
What the actual…?
Rory heard his mother’s heels clicking across the floor, then the sound of a door closing.
She sighed. ‘Rory, I want to apologise on behalf of my husband. I was out and Bradley rang Arnold to chat about fishing. Arnold thought we knew, and Bradley became overly excited about becoming a…’ she cleared her throat, ‘…about your pregnancy, and wanted to share that excitement with the world.’
Rory paused and gazed out of the truck window. Apologies were so rare from his mother he half expected to see a sounder of pigs soaring across the glen.
‘I wish you’d told me first,’ she continued. ‘So I could have handled him appropriately.’
‘Mum. We only found out this afternoon.’
‘Well, we’re very happy for you, dear, and looking forward to helping you run this pregnancy properly.’
‘What?’ Growing up, Rory remembered his mother being about as maternal as a cuckoo. Was she about to morph into Mary Poppins?
‘What is there to run?’ he asked. ‘Zoe’s growing a baby.’
His mother laughed. ‘My dear boy. Any fool can have a baby. Your wife is gestating the future Earl of Kinloch.’
Rory pinched the bridge of his nose. Once again, he wished he was just a simple carpenter.
‘Mother. There’s a fifty per cent chance it will be a girl.’
Barbara sniffed. ‘And, of course, that scenario would be delightful. Every child is a blessing.’
He rolled his eyes.
‘So,’ she continued, ‘we’ll have a press release drafted for you in the next few hours, and I’ll start compiling lists of the best doctors and researching the correct name. Tell Zoe not to worry about a thing. She needs to rest. I can take care of it all.’
‘Mum—’
‘You must give her my fondest regards. I know I may not sound it, Rory, but I’m extremely excited. Not in the same way as Bradley, of course. I’m not American. However, I’m thrilled for you all the same and looking forward to being a grandmother—’
‘Mum—’
‘Good grief! That makes me sound old. Thank goodness Honey Boo-Boo is arriving in an hour for my personal training session. She may have an absolutely ridiculous name, but she nearly beat Bradley at arm wrestling. An extraordinary woman.’
‘Mum! You need to back off and give Zoe some space. One in four pregnancies doesn’t even make it past three months.’
There was a pause.
‘That’s true, although he’s half MacGinley, so stronger than the common herd.’
