Page 10 of Sweet Siren
Marianne pinched her husband's arm. "I did! All of it. Especially you carrying me down the aisle as if I were yourprize."
"You are! You will alwaysbe."
Killian turned aside as his daughter Lily and her husband Julian approachedthem.
"Good night,Madame la Princesse, Madame la Duchesse, et Monsieur le duc," Lily said with a flourish and kissed her cousin, then allowed Andre to kiss her on both cheeks. "Congratulations once more and thank you for a wonderful day,Madame la Princesse. We'll come visit you tomorrow before you both leave forArles."
Marianne looked like the cat that ate the canary. "But we were just telling your father that we're not going until nextyear."
"Why ever not?" Julian asked Andre. "I thought that was to be your weddingtrip."
"It was. However, we now have a reason to remain here for manymonths."
"Oh?" Julian asked him. "A new commission foryou?"
A broad smile played about Andre's face. "A new endeavor,oui.I am to be afather."
"So that's why Marianne looks so pale," Julian said with a grin and embraced his friend. "Congratulations!"
"Thank you. She hasn't been able to look at breakfast for weeks. She's been craving chocolate too. All odd. We should have known, but yesterday I called a physician and he arrived and confirmed it. Marianne is in shock, but laughing about itall!"
"Oh," said Lily with a blank expression on her face. "I neverthought—"
"What?" askedKillian.
Lily stared at her husband. "I've missed...um...well. You know andI—"
"What?"
She sagged, lookingstunned.
"What's the matter, darling?" Julian caught an arm around herback.
"I'm—I'm—" She put a hand to herforehead.
"Lily?" said Julian, Andre, Marianne and Killian as if inchorus.
"I'm pregnant,too."
"What?" Julian steadied her on herfeet.
"I should have known," she said in a daze. "No breakfast. No food. The smell of beef made meill."
Congratulations and laughter went allaround.
"We have to get you back to Boulevard Haussmann," Julian said. "Come on. We won't be going home tomorroweither."
"Oh,but—"
"No, if you're not up to it, we'll be fine here inParis."
"You will stay as long as you need to," saidKillian.
"And do come for luncheon," said Andre. "All ofyou."
"Why not?" his mother asked. "You'll stay for a long restful time in Paris and dine with ustomorrow!"
Killian couldn't believe the news. Two new babies soon to be in the family. When he'd sailed for Europe last year with Lily and Marianne, he'd hoped they'd find men they loved and who valued them. He hadn't planned beyond that. Not for children. A grandchild. A grand-nephew or niece. He was fortunate.Old.
