Page 92 of Ravishing Camille
She lifted her cup and drank. “From the Macfarlanes?”
“Lee writes that they’ve decided to return to England in September. They think that traveling will be easier for Brianna and the baby by then. They plan to return to Shanghai three weeks later. They’ll leave from Southampton.”
Lee and Brianna had discovered she was pregnant last November while they were in the United States. Brianna had had a difficult first three months and so they decided to remain in New York until she had her baby. The child, a boy and the heir to the Macfarlanes’ vast fortune and international company, was born two weeks ago.
“Finally,” Camille said, “they’re going home. Will they come to Paris?”
“I doubt it. Lee divested himself of all involvement with the French and Germans. He prefers to deal only with the British and the Hannifords, I’m proud to say.”
“That means that we should go to London when they arrive. We need to coo to all the new babies.” She longed to see Brianna and her child. Ada had given birth to twin daughters last September. Marianne had had another girl that same month. The next baby to arrive in the Hanniford clan was to be her own and Pierce’s.
“I’ll go to London but if you’re not fond of traveling, you need not go, sweetheart.”
“I want to,” she said when another pain shot through her and she doubled over the tray.
Pierce was there beside her. One hand to her back, one to her wrist, he bent down and captured her gaze. “This is stronger than the ones you’ve had previously.”
She licked her bottom lip. “They are.”
“They?” His voice rose. “How long have you had them?”
“Just as you came in the room.”
He scowled at her. “Not before? You’re sure?”
“I am.”
“I’ll send a messenger to the doctor.”
She grabbed his hand. “No, don’t. Monsieur Lavare and his wife are looking forward to seeing the Eiffel Tower.”
He clamped his hand over hers and squeezed. “Monsieur Lavare will not be seeing the tower today, my love.”
“He said not to send for him until the pains are one minute apart.” She smiled just as a red hot spiral of pain shot through her hips. She gasped. “Oh, my.”
“That’s enough for me.” He strode to the bell pull and yanked at it.
When a footman appeared, Pierce gave instructions for one messenger to go to Rue Haussmann to fetch Camille’s mother and another to go to the offices of her physician, Monsieur Lavare.
“What can I get you?” Pierce returned to her side, took the tray away and urged her to recline.
“Nothing. Nothing. I’m to sit up. It is better, I was told, for the pain.”
“Do you want to eat?”
“No.”
“Tea, perhaps?” He looked as if someone strangled him, his complexion gone white.
She laughed and clutched her stomach in another pain. “Ice. Just some ice.”
He lifted her hand and kissed her there. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go away.”
“Oh, to be sure, I think I’ll stay.” She laughed but the next pain shocked her with its force. She gulped, happy and breathing again when it ended and she felt at peace. “Ohhhh, that was…strong.”
Then she looked up at him. He hadn’t moved but stood nailed to the spot, luminous eyes wide in shock.
“You’d better send a message to your staff whom you’re to meet later this afternoon that you won’t be available today because…”
