Page 34 of Pregnant With His Majesty's Heir

‘His Majesty wants to see you. He asked that you do him the courtesy of waiting here.’ For the first time since she’d met the royal secretary he looked almost disapproving. ‘If you wouldn’t mind waiting, Ms Balland? The King won’t be long. He’s had a very busy morning.’

Naturally. He had a country to run.

As for her desire to leave immediately... What had she been thinking? She mightn’t want to face him and she hoped Ilsa wouldn’t be with him, but Aurélie owed him a goodbye. And thanks for his hospitality. Besides, they had to make arrangements for the baby.

‘Of course.’ She summoned a smile. ‘There are things we need to discuss.’

She looked at her backpack by the door. ‘I don’t suppose you know if there are any buses leaving for France in the afternoon, do you? I haven’t been able to get online to check.’

Last night she’d taken refuge in a long soak in the sunken bathtub, trying to relax. Unfortunately, she’d dropped her phone, seeing it crack on the marble then plunge into the water.

‘You haven’t been online?’

‘No. My phone is damaged. Does that mean you don’t know about buses?’ She frowned as she took in his arrested expression. Maybe people in palaces didn’t catch buses.

‘I’m afraid I don’t, but I’ll find out for you.’

He withdrew from her sitting room, leaving her with her thoughts. She hadn’t woken to nausea and, despite feeling miserable, had more energy than she’d had in days.

Because she’d made a decision? Because she was making a clean break, distancing herself from Lucien?

She didn’t want to think about that. It might be the right thing to do, but it felt terrible. Which was ridiculous. She barely knew the man she was already missing.

With ahmphof self-disgust she opened her pack, took out the textbook she’d brought and settled to wait.

When she didn’t respond to his knock, Lucien opened the door.

Aurélie was curled up in the corner of the sofa, eyes closed, a book open on her knees.

Lucien paused, his heart skipping as he took her in.

Given the high-octane tension gripping the palace, it seemed impossible that she slept.

Seeing her relaxed, her hair spilling across the cushions, reminded him of the morning he’d left her in bed. He’d had to force himself to leave. The temptation to stay and deny the demands of the real world had been so strong.

Now the real world intruded with a vengeance.

His mouth tightened as he thought of this morning’s work. The long discussions with Ilsa and others last night and today. The press release and its instantaneous results. The road in front of the palace jammed with royal-watchers.

And here was Aurélie, oblivious. With her soft curls escaping her ponytail, wearing jeans and a shirt of vibrant purple, her socks striped in different shades of purple, she looked about eighteen.

And innocent.

His gaze dipped to her abdomen where, even in sleep, one palm rested protectively.

Back in his office, dealing with one official after another, he’d had a moment of doubt. Most considered his actions crazy. But standing here, watching the woman who carried his unborn child, he knew with a deep certainty that he’d made the right decision.

Interestingly, both Ilsa and his secretary agreed, though the latter hadn’t said so explicitly. He, like the rest of Lucien’s personal staff, was too busy dealing with the ramifications of this morning’s announcement.

Lucien walked to the sofa and lifted the book from Aurélie’s legs before it slid to the floor. Psychology. Was that what she wanted to study?

He imagined she’d be good at it. He remembered her interest in other people at the restaurant. Her ability to read character and respond in a way that left customers smiling and, in one case, defused potential trouble.

‘Lucien?’ Her voice was husky with sleep, running up his spine like the brush of velvet.

He smiled at her, enjoying the warmth in her unguarded eyes and the supple twist of her slim body as she stretched. For this moment it felt again as if they shared that remarkable unspoken communion.

Till her eyebrows snapped down and she sat up, mouth flattening. ‘You wanted to see me.’

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