Читать книгу Expecting the Prince's Baby - Rebecca Winters - Страница 9

CHAPTER THREE

ABBY REELED.

For Vincenzo to put it so bluntly meant he and his mother-in-law had exchanged harsh if not painfully bitter words. But he was a realist and had decided the only thing to do was meet this situation head-on. He expected Abby to handle it because of their long-standing friendship over the years.

“You haven’t answered my question, Signorina Loretto.”

At the queen’s staccato voice, Abby struggled to catch her breath and remain calm. No wonder she’d felt tension from him last night when he’d brought up this morning’s meeting. Michelina’s omission when it came to her mother had put a pall over an event that was helping Vincenzo to get up in the morning.

He was counting on Abby being able to deal with his mother-in-law. She refused to let him down even if it killed her. More time passed while she formulated what to say before focusing on the queen.

“If I had a daughter who came to me in the same situation, I would ask her exactly the same question. In my case, I’ve done it for one reason only. Perhaps you didn’t know that the prince rescued me from certain death when I was seventeen. I lost my mother in that same sailboat accident. Before I was swept to shore by the wind, I’d lost consciousness.

“When the prince found me, I was close to death but didn’t know it.” Abby’s eyes glazed over with unshed tears. “If you could have heard the way my father wept after he discovered I’d been found and brought back to the living, you would realize what a miracle had happened that day, all because of the prince’s quick thinking and intervention.

“From that time on, my father and I have felt the deepest gratitude to the prince. Over the years I’ve pondered many times how to pay the prince back for preventing what could have been an all-out catastrophe for my father.”

The lines on the queen’s face deepened, revealing her sorrow. Whether she was too immersed in her own grief to hear what Abby was saying, Abby didn’t know.

“The prince and princess were the perfect couple,” Abby continued. “When I heard that the princess had had a third miscarriage, it wounded me for their sake. They deserved happiness. Before Christmas I learned through my father that Dr. DeLuca had suggested a way for them to achieve their dream of a family.”

Abby fought to prevent tears from falling. “After years of wishing there was something I could do, I realized that if I could qualify as a candidate, I could carry their child for them. You’ll never know the joy it gave me at the thought of doing something so special for them. When I told my father what I wanted to do, he was surprised at first, and yet he supported my decision, too, otherwise he would never have approved.”

She took a shuddering breath. “That’s the reason I’m doing this. A life for a life. What I’m going to get out of this is pure happiness to see the baby the prince and princess fought so hard for. When the doctor puts the baby in the prince’s arms, Michelina will live on in their child, and the child will forever be a part of King Guilio and his wife, and a part of you and your husband, Your Majesty.”

The queen’s hands trembled on the arms of the chair. “You have no comprehension of what it’s like to be a mother. How old are you?”

“I’m twenty-eight and it’s true I’ve never been married or had a child. But I won’t be its mother in the way you mean. I’m only supplying a safe haven for the baby until it’s born. Yes, I’ll go through the aches and pains of pregnancy, but I view this as a sacred trust.”

Her features hardened. “You call this sacred?”

“I do. During my screening process, I met a dozen different parents and their surrogates who’d gone through the experience and now have beautiful children. They were all overjoyed and agreed it’s a special partnership between them and God.”

For the first time, the queen looked away.

“The prince is a full partner in this. He and the princess discussed it many times. He knows what she wanted and I’ll cooperate in every way. If you have suggestions, I’ll welcome them with all my heart.”

Quiet reigned.

Realizing there was nothing more to say, Abby glanced at Vincenzo, waiting for him to dismiss her.

He read her mind with ease. “I’m aware the limo is waiting to drive you to your office.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

At those words Michelina’s mother lifted her head. “You intend to work?” She sounded shocked.

“I do. I am passionate about my career as an attorney. After the delivery, I will have my own life to lead and need to continue planning for it.”

Vincenzo leaned forward. “She’ll stop work when the time is right.”

“Where will you live after the baby’s born?” The pointed question told Abby exactly where the queen’s thoughts had gone.

Nowhere near the prince.

She couldn’t blame the older woman for that. How could Michelina’s mother not suspect the worst? Her fears preyed on Abby’s guilt, which was deepening because she’d found herself missing Vincenzo more than she should have while he’d been away. He shouldn’t have been on her mind so much, but she couldn’t seem to turn off her thoughts. Not when the baby growing inside her was a constant reminder of him.

For weeks now she’d played games of what if? during the night when she couldn’t sleep. What if the baby were hers and Vincenzo’s? What would he or she look like? Where would they create a nursery in the palace? When would they go shopping for a crib and all the things necessary? She wanted to make a special baby quilt and start a scrapbook.

But then she’d break out in a cold sweat of guilt and sit up in the bed, berating herself for having any of these thoughts. Michelina’s death might have changed everything, but this royal baby still wasn’t Abby’s!

How could she even entertain such thoughts when Michelina had trusted her so implicitly? It was such a betrayal of the trust and regard the two women had for each other. They’d made a contract as binding as a blood oath. The second the baby was born, her job as surrogate would no longer be required and she’d return to her old life.

But Abby was aghast to discover that Michelina’s death had thrown her into an abyss of fresh guilt. She needed to talk to the psychologist about finding strategies to cope with this new situation or go crazy.

Queen Bianca had asked her a question and was waiting for an answer.

“I plan to buy my own home in another part of the city in the same building as a friend of mine. My contract with the prince and princess includes living at the palace, and that ends the moment the baby is delivered.”

Vincenzo’s eyes narrowed on her face. “What friend?”

That was probably the only thing about her plans the three of them hadn’t discussed over the last few months.

“You’ve heard me speak of Carolena Baretti and know she’s my best friend, who works at the same law firm with me. We went through law school together at the University of Arancia before taking the bar.”

If a woman could look gutted, the queen did. “This whole situation is unnatural.”

“Not unnatural, Your Majesty, just different. Your daughter wanted a baby badly enough to think it all through and agree to it. I hope the day will come when you’re reconciled to that decision.”

“That day will never come,” the older woman declared in an imperious voice. “I was thrilled each time she informed me she was pregnant and I suffered with her through each miscarriage. But I will never view surrogacy as ethically acceptable.”

“But it’s a gestational surrogacy,” Abby argued quietly. “Dr. DeLuca says that several thousand women around the globe are gestational surrogates and it’s becoming preferable to going with traditional surrogacy, because it ensures the genetic link to both parents. Think how many lives can be changed. Surely you can see what a miracle it is.”

“Nevertheless, it’s outside tradition. It interferes with a natural process in violation of God’s will.”

“Then how do you explain this world that God created, and all the new technology that helps people like your daughter and Vincenzo realize their dream to have a family?”

“It doesn’t need an explanation. It’s a form of adultery, because you are the third party outside their marriage. Some people regard that it could result in incest of a sort.”

Tortured by her words, Abby exchanged an agonized glance with Vincenzo. “What do you mean?”

“As the priest reminded me, their child might one day marry another of your children. While there would be no genetic relationship, the two children would be siblings, after a fashion.”

Naturally Abby hoped to marry one day and have children of her own, but never in a million years would she have jumped to such an improbable conclusion. By now Vincenzo’s features had turned to granite.

“There’s also the question of whether or not you’ll be entitled to an inheritance and are actually out for one.”

Abby was stunned. “When the prince saved my life, he gave me an inheritance more precious than anything earthly. If any money is involved, it’s the one hundred and fifty thousand dollars or more the prince has paid the doctors and the hospital for this procedure to be done.” She could feel herself getting worked up, but she couldn’t stop.

“I’ve been given all the compensation I could ever wish for by being allowed to live here in the palace, where my every want and need is taken care of. I’m so sorry this situation has caused you so much grief. I can see you two need to discuss this further, alone. I must leave for the office.”

Abby eyed the prince, silently asking him to please help her to go before the queen grew any more upset. He got the message and stood to his full imposing height, signaling she could stand.

“Thank you for joining us,” he murmured. “Whatever my mother-in-law’s reaction, it’s too late for talk because you’re pregnant with Michelina’s and my child. Let’s say no more. I promise that when the queen is presented with her first grandchild, she’ll forget all these concerns.”

The queen flashed him a look of disdain that wounded Abby. She couldn’t walk out of here with everything so ugly and not say a few last words.

“It’s been my privilege to meet you, Your Majesty. Michelina used to talk about you all the time. She loved you very much and was looking forward to you helping her through these coming months. I hope you know that. If you ever want to talk to me again, please call me. I don’t have a mother anymore and would like to hear any advice you have to help me get through this.”

It was getting harder and harder to clap with one hand and the prince knew it.

“Again, let me say how sorry I am about your loss. She was so lovely and accomplished. I have two of her watercolors hanging on the wall of my apartment. Everyone will miss her terribly, especially this baby.

“But thankfully it will have its grandmother to tell him or her all the things only you know about their mother.”

The queen stared at Abby through dim eyes.

Abby could feel her pain. “Goodbye for now.” She curtsied once more. Her gaze clung to Vincenzo’s for a few seconds before she turned on her low-heeled sandals and left the room. The limo would be waiting for her. Though she wanted to run, she forced herself to stay in control so she wouldn’t fall and do something to hurt herself.

The queen had put Abby on trial. No wonder Vincenzo’s wife had been frightened to approach her mother with such an unconventional idea. Only now was Abby beginning to understand how desperate and courageous Michelina had been to consider allowing a third party to enter into the most intimate aspect of all their lives. Facing the queen had to be one of the worst moments Abby had ever known.

But this had to be an even more nightmarish experience for Vincenzo. Here he was trying to deal with his wife’s death while at the same time having to defend the decision he and Michelina had made to use a surrogate. He had to be suffering guilt of his own.

Abby blamed no one for this, but she felt Vincenzo’s pain. How he was going to get through this latest crisis, she couldn’t imagine. Probably by working. That was how she planned to survive.

* * *

Twenty minutes later Abby entered the neoclassical building that housed her law firm and walked straight back to Carolena’s office. Her friend was a patent attorney and had become as close to Abby as a sister. Unfortunately she was at court, so they’d have to talk later.

Both Carolena and Abby had been hired by the well-known Arancian law firm after they’d graduated. Abby had been thrilled when they’d both been taken on a year ago. She had planned for this career from her junior-high days, and had been hired not only for her specialty in international trade law, but because she was conversant in French, English, Italian and Mentonasc.

Since the Mentonasc dialect—somewhere between Nicard and a dialect of Ligurian, a Gallo-Romance language spoken in Northern Italy—was currently spoken by about 10 percent of the population living in Arancia and its border areas, it gave her an edge over other applicants for the position, which required her particular linguistic expertise.

Abby’s parents had cleverly directed her studies from a very young age. Thanks to them her abilities had taken her to the head of the class. However, this morning Abby’s mind wasn’t on her latest cases.

She felt disturbed by the revelation that Michelina had kept her mother in the dark about one of the most important events in her life. Abby had done her research. Since the death of King Gregorio, Queen Bianca become the ruler of Gemelli and was known to be rigid and difficult. Abby had felt her disapproval and didn’t envy Vincenzo’s task of winning his mother-in-law over.

Hopefully something Abby had said would sink in and soften her heart. At the moment, Abby’s own heart was breaking for all of them.

* * *

Six hours later, Abby finished dictating some memos to Bernardo and left the building for the limo. But when she walked outside, she noticed the palace secret service cars had parked both in front of and behind the limo. One of the security men got out of the front and opened the rear door for her. What was going on?

As she climbed inside and saw who was sitting there waiting for her—in sunglasses and a silky claret-colored sport shirt and cream trousers—the blood started to hammer in her ears.

“Vincenzo—”

His name slipped out by accident, proving to her more and more that he filled her conscious and unconscious mind.

* * *

The tremor in Abby’s voice made its way to every cell of Vincenzo’s body. After she’d bared her soul to his mother-in-law that morning, he’d realized not only at what price she’d sacrificed herself to make their dreams of a baby a reality, but he’d been flooded with memories of that day when she’d lost her mother.

Abby had been a great swimmer and handled herself well in the sea. As some of his friends had pointed out years ago when they’d seen her in the water offshore, she wasn’t a woman yet, but she showed all the promise.

By the time she’d turned seventeen, he’d found himself looking at her a lot more than he should have. She was one of those natural-blond American girls with classic features, noted for their long, gorgeous legs. At that point in time Vincenzo had already been betrothed to Michelina. Since the marriage wouldn’t be for at least another ten years, he’d had the freedom to date the women who attracted him.

Abby had been too young, of course, but pleasing to the eye. She’d turned into a very beautiful girl who was studious, intelligent and spoke Italian like a native. He enjoyed every moment he spent with her; her enthusiasm for everything surprised and entertained him.

But even if he hadn’t been betrothed, Abby had been off-limits to Vincenzo for more reasons than her young age or the fact that she wasn’t a princess. Her parents had become close friends with Vincenzo’s parents. That was a special friendship that demanded total respect.

Though her periwinkle-blue eyes always seemed to smile at him with interest when they chanced upon each other, there was an invisible boundary between them she recognized, too. Neither of them ever crossed it until the day of the squall...

As Abby had told Queen Bianca earlier, she and her mother, Holly, had been out in a small sailboat off the coast when the storm struck. Nothing could come on as rapidly and give so little time for preparation as did a white squall.

Vincenzo had been in his father’s office before lunch discussing a duty he needed to carry out when they’d noticed the darkening sky. A cloudburst had descended, making the day feel like night. They hadn’t seen a storm this ferocious in years and felt sorry for anyone who’d been caught in it.

While they were commenting on the fierceness of the wind, a call came through informing the king that the Loretto sailboat was missing from its slip. Someone thought they had seen Signora Loretto and her daughter out sailing earlier, but they hadn’t come back in yet. Several boats were already out there looking for them.

Abby—

Vincenzo was aghast. She was out there?

The sweet girl who’d always been there for him was battling this storm with her mother, alone?

Fear like Vincenzo had never known before attacked his insides and he broke out in a cold sweat. “I’ve got to find them!”

“Wait, son! Let the coast guard deal with it!”

But he’d already reached the door and dashed from the room. Driven by fear, he raced through the palace. Once outside, he ran to the dock, where a group of men huddled. He grabbed one of them to come with him and they took off in his cruiser to face a churning sea.

The other man kept in radio contact with the rescue boats. Within a minute they heard that the sailboat had been spotted. Vincenzo headed toward the cited coordinates, oblivious to the elements.

The rescue boats were already on the scene as Vincenzo’s cruiser came close to the sailboat. It was tossing like a cork, but he couldn’t see anyone on board. “Have they already been rescued?”

“Signora Loretto was found floating unconscious in the water wearing her life preserver, but there’s no sign of her daughter yet,” replied his companion.

Vincenzo’s heart almost failed him.

Abby had drowned?

It was as though his whole life passed before him. She couldn’t have drowned! He couldn’t lose her! Not his Abby...

“We’ve got to look for her! She knows to wear a life jacket. The wind will have pushed her body through the water. We’re going to follow it. You steer while I search.”

“It’s too dangerous for you, Your Highness!”

“Danger be damned! Don’t you understand?” he shouted. “There’s a seventeen-year-old girl out there who needs help!”

“Tell me where to go.”

He studied the direction of the wind. “Along the coastline near the caves!” Vincenzo knew this coastline like the back of his hand. When a low pressure over the Mediterranean approached the coast from the southeast, the weather could change quickly for the worse and its clear sky change to an east wind. If Abby had been knocked unconscious, too, she could have been swept into one of the caves further up the coast.

When they reached the opening of the largest cave, Vincenzo dove in and swam through to the three hidden grottoes, where he’d been many times with his friends. In the second one, his heart had leaped when he saw Abby’s body floating lifelessly, like her mother’s. Quickly he’d caught hold of her and swum her out to the boat, where he took off her life jacket and began giving her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. At first there was no response. Her face was a pinched white. Though terrified she was too far gone, he kept up the CPR.

At the last second there came sounds of life, and her eyelids fluttered. He turned her on her side while she coughed and threw up water.

“That’s it, my precious Abby. Get rid of it.”

When she’d finished, she looked up at him, dazed. “Vincenzo?”

“Sì,” he’d murmured in relief. “You were in a storm, but I found you in one of the grottoes and you’re all right now.”

Abby blinked. “My mother?” she cried frantically. “Where is she?”

“With your father.” It wasn’t a lie, but since he didn’t know the whole truth of her condition, he kept quiet.

“Thank God.” Her eyes searched his. “I could have died in there. You saved my life,” she whispered in awe. In a totally unexpected gesture, she’d thrown her arms around his neck and clung to him.

“Thank God,” he’d whispered back and found himself rocking her in his arms while she sobbed.

Vincenzo had never felt that close to another human being in his life. She’d felt so right in his arms. When they took her to the hospital and she learned her mother had died of a blow from the mast, she’d flung herself into his arms once more.

That was the moment when he knew Abby meant more to him that he could put into words. Their relationship changed that day. His feelings for her ran much deeper than he’d realized. To imagine his life without her was anathema to him.

She’d been too inconsolable for him to do anything but let her pour out her pain and love for her mother. His only desire had been to comfort her. He’d held her for a long time because her father, overcome with grief, had to be sedated.

In front of the queen today, they’d both relived that moment. Abby’s outpouring of her soul had endeared her to him in such a profound way, he could hardly find expression. Though he knew it was wrong, he’d decided to break one of his own rules and pick her up from work.

Bianca had put Abby through a torturous session. Despite his guilt in seeking her out for a reason that wasn’t a medical necessity, he couldn’t let it go until he’d seen for himself that she was all right.

“I came to find out how well you survived the day.”

The picture of her in that yellow dress when she’d walked in the room had made an indelible impression of femininity and sophistication in his mind. Bianca couldn’t have helped but notice how lovely she was, along with her moving sincerity. It hadn’t surprised him his mother-in-law had been so quiet after Abby had left the room to go to work.

“My worry has been for you.” She sat down opposite him and fastened her seat belt. “For me, work is the great panacea. But it’s evident the queen has been in absolute agony.”

“She’s flown back to Gemelli with a lot to think about.”

“The poor thing. We have to hope she’ll let go of her preconceived beliefs so she can enjoy this special time.”

There was a sweetness in Abby that touched Vincenzo’s heart. “You’re the one I’m concerned about. It hurts me that you no longer have your mother to confide in.” Until now he hadn’t thought about how alone Abby must feel. Bianca’s castigations had been like a dagger plunged into her, bringing out his protective instincts.

She flicked him a glance. “But I have my father, and I have you and the doctor. Who better than all of you to comfort me when I need it?” Except that Vincenzo wanted to do more than comfort her, God forgive him.

He held her gaze. “I’m sorry if anything the queen said has upset you, but I promise everything’s going to be all right in time.”

“I believe that, too. Did she say anything else?”

“No, but her son Valentino and I are good friends.” When he’d gone with the queen and his brothers-in-law to visit Michelina’s grave once, they’d eaten lunch before he’d accompanied them to their jet. “He’s promised to keep in close touch. Now let’s change the subject.”

“You’re taking too great a risk, Your Highness. We mustn’t be seen out together like this.”

“The limo protects us.” Even as he said it, he was trying to tamp down his guilt over pressuring her when it was obvious she was afraid to be seen with him. He ought to be worried about that, too, but something had come over him.

“Please, Your Highness. The fact that there are so many security men will cause the locals to speculate about who is so important, driving around in the crowded streets. Have the car turn around and take me back to the office.”

“It’s too late for that.” Vincenzo had no intention of letting her go yet.

“After my audience with the queen, surely you understand my fears.”

“After the way she went after you, I have my own fears where you’re concerned. You didn’t deserve that and I want to make it up to you.”