Page 34 of Sweet Siren
Chapter 8
“And I’m delighted, Olivia,"said Pierce, hoisting a wine glass toward her, "that you've agreed to Father's proposal. I know he'spleased."
Liv grinned at Killian'sson.
"And if Pierce is pleased," Killian said with a smile wreathing his face, "I know we all will dowell."
"Pierce has become Papa's watch dog," Ada said as she raised her wine glass and lifted it in honor of her olderbrother.
"Wise to have two heads on a project," Lily offered gaily, her hands over her large pregnant belly. "Papa always needed a second he could trust. Pierce is that man," she turned to Liv next toher.
"He's done wonders for me," said Julian. "I would not have considered the threshers at the high price they were if not for Pierce'sinsights."
"Now, stop. I'm going to blush," Pierce said with a charming hint of pink to his cheeks. "It's what we're all about, isn't it? Making us allprofitable."
The six sat at a circular table and the butler and footmen had just come in with the brandy for the gentlemen. The ladies did not get up toretire.
Different from the usual custom of separation of the sexes after dinner, this family practice of remaining together pleased Livimmensely.
"We ought to make it the ordinary thing to ask you about everything we plan to buy, Pierce." Julian gazed at his brother-in-law withfondness.
"Provided he has the time," Ada said. "And that he's here and not in Paris or Berlin orCalcutta."
Pierce shook his head. "No, not Calcutta. I'm out of those negotiations. Decided I won't do the import-export business with MastersCompany."
"Oh?" his father asked. "This is new. Whynot?"
Pierce glanced down the table, his eyes dark. "You must not let this getout."
Julian said, "Oh, dear. You've gotten hold of a secret. I can tell. What's gone wrong with Bernard Master's shippingline?"
"I hear they're overextended. They've lost about five to six percent of their China trade to an Americanline."
"Ohhhh!" Lily cried. "Oh, oh, no!" She pushed back her chair and struggled to her feet, her horrified gaze on thefloor.
Julian shot up, one hand round her back, another to her wrist. "What's wrong?Sweetheart?"
"I'm...I'm—"
Liv looked down at the carpet and knew at once Lily's problem. She rose and took the young woman’s other arm. "You're fine, Lily. This is normal. Your waters have broken. Time to greet yourbaby."
Julian scooped his wife into his arms. "Get Perkins. We need to fetch the doctor inAshford."
Killian strode to the doors to fling them wide forJulian.
"I'll get him," Pierce said and pulled the service bell in thecorner.
"Come with me," Lily called over Julian's shoulder to Liv. Before dinner, they'd had a few minutes in the parlor to discuss birthing methods. The discussion cemented a friendship that had begun when they'd met at Marianne and Remy's wedding lastOctober.
Liv smiled at Lily as she followed them to the hall. "Ofcourse."
Julian, his handsome brow lined with concern, took the grand staircase withspeed.
Liv ran to keep up. "I saw you picked at your dinner, Lily. Were you not hungry?" She had to know if she should expect Lily to have digestive problems duringlabor.
"I had those contractions you said were false. But they were strong. So I couldn't think of food,Liv."
"That's fine. Good, in fact. When did you last eat a full meal?" The young woman needed strength for the hoursahead.
