Page 72 of Pregnant With His Majesty's Heir

‘What is it, Aurélie? Tell me.’ A chill enveloped him. ‘Is there some complication? Areyouin danger?’ The doctor hadn’t mentioned anything, but a nurse had just been in here. Maybe she’d seen something...

‘No, nothing like that. I’m okay.’

Solemn brown eyes met his and his racing heartbeat settled a little. He sank back in his seat, still cradling her hand.

‘The press know about our engagement. Did you have a press release ready? That must have been it—’

‘That’s what’s bothering you?’

‘Of course!’ She frowned. ‘It’s complicated everything. What if the baby...?’ Her mouth folded in tight at the corners and she swallowed. ‘What if I miscarry?’

‘Whatever happens I’ll be with you, Aurélie. I won’t leave you again.’

Lucien silently castigated himself. He should have stayed with Aurélie, despite her protests. She was fretting about things that didn’t matter.

‘Don’t you see?’ She sat up straighter, colour whipping her cheeks. ‘It complicates everything. With this news the media will be even more full of gossip.’

Lucien surveyed her taut features. Her distress was a danger, surely, to herself and their baby.

‘Don’t worry about the media, Aurélie. Your safety, and our child’s, are more important than any news story.’

For a moment those brown eyes met his with something like hope. Then her mouth crumpled.

‘If I lose the baby there’ll be no engagement. If only they hadn’t found out—’

‘They were going to find out soon anyway.’ Lucien drew a deep breath and folded his other hand around hers, cradling it in both of his. ‘I can’t apologise for releasing the news.’

It had been a calculated, deliberate action.

‘Youdid it?’ Shock etched her features. ‘But why?’

Grimly he acknowledged his timing hadn’t been ideal, but he’d had no choice. He hoped she’d understand and forgive. He’d gambled everything on that action.

The knowledge of what he stood to lose twisted his stomach in knots. He’d never been so frightened.

After months devoted to duty, to meeting the demands of his country, acting in the way his family would have expected and putting his own desires last, Lucien had rebelled. He’d acted selfishly. Yet he couldn’t regret it.

He was no saint. Self-sacrifice had limits.

‘Because I was desperate.’ He’d feared admitting it but now that didn’t matter. All he cared about was Aurélie.

She frowned as if he were a puzzle she couldn’t fit together. Not surprising when he hadn’t explained. Lucien gathered himself, sitting straighter.

‘Last night I was scared.’ Terrified would be a better description. Even now he was on edge, hyper-alert. ‘When you said you’d leave if you lost the baby, I panicked.’

Aurélie’s expression gave nothing away except shock. At least she hadn’t pushed him away.

Lucien shook his head. ‘That makes it sound like I acted without thinking, and yes, I made a snap decision. But I knew exactly what I was doing when I put through the call.’

‘I understand you were worried about the baby, but not why you told the press we were engaged.’

‘Areengaged.’ He paused, heart thundering, waiting for a confirmation that didn’t come. He forced himself to continue, despite the glacial chill around his heart. ‘Yes, I’m worried about the baby. I don’t want to lose it and I worry about how you’d cope if we did. But more than that, I don’t want to loseyou.’

Aurélie’s fingers twitched in his hand. ‘I don’t think there’s a big risk to my health from a miscarriage.’

‘I mean I don’t want you to go back to France. I want you to stay here, with me, no matter what happens with the baby.’ He paused, knowing she’d think his action arrogant, whereas in fact he’d been desperate. ‘I wanted to force your hand.’

‘Why would you want that?’ Her fingers curled around his so hard he felt the bite of her short nails.

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