relieved he’s with her.”
“He’ll take care of everything. It’s good we hadn’t left for town yet.”
“She’s an excellent rider. I can’t imagine what happened.”
“We’ll find out soon enough. Shall I ask Brigitte to bring you some tea while we wait to hear?”
Andrea didn’t dare tell him the truth. She’d let his son explain. Thanks to Henri’s discretion, Geoff didn’t appear too upset.
“No, no. As long as we’re alone for a minute, I want to tell you something.”
“What is it?”
For the first time since she’d known him, Geoff seemed hesitant.
“When you’ve been a mother for a number of years, you’ll understand better what I’m about to say to you.”
“Go on,” she urged gently.
“Our children mean everything to us. We know their joys and their fears. We know what makes them happy. We know what brings them pain.
“Choosing you for his wife has made Lance happy, and that makes me happy. But Corinne is devastated. She fell in love with him when she first met him. There’s been no one else for her.”
“He told me he suspected as much,” she admitted.
“That’s good. There should be no secrets between the two of you. Corinne has always felt rejected. I’ve tried everything to help her feel secure, but nothing can completely make up for a bad mother and an absentee father.”
“You’re right.”
He lifted his hands. “It’s no one’s fault, and I’m not trying to hurt you. Heaven knows it’s been difficult for Lance who didn’t ask for any of this.”
He looked at her with a hint of pleading. She sensed he was going to beg them to postpone the wedding for an indefinite period.
Once again Corinne had manipulated Geoff, but this time Lance wouldn’t fall for it. By driving his horse to its death she’d done such an unforgivable thing.
“Would it be too much to ask if you and Lance got married in private right away?”
Andrea was so surprised, she almost fell off the chair. “You mean just forego the wedding trappings?”
He nodded sadly. “It would be the kindest thing you could do for Corinne. She’s told everyone we know that Lance was going to marry her when he returned from the service.
“Hearing you plan your wedding and the talk about the baby last evening was too much for her. If you get married quietly, it will save her the extra humiliation. I know my son. He wants to give you the wedding of your dreams, but more than that, he wants you.
“I realize I’m asking a great sacrifice of you. The two of you deserve to be feted. There’s nothing I’d love more, but—”
“You don’t need to say another word, Geoff. I already had a big wedding when I married Richard. I don’t need another one.”
“You mean it?” his voice trembled.
“With all my heart. Why deepen that hurt? When I see Lance later, I’ll convince him it’s the only thing to do.”
“If anyone can get to him, you can.”
Except Lance wouldn’t need convincing. If he were in love with Andrea, it would be different. But what he wanted was a son. He would be glad they didn’t have to wait three more weeks to go through a ceremony to make everything legal.
It would mean they could move into his mother’s house in the next few days. After this accident Andrea had no desire to be around Corinne.
“Geoff? Why don’t I go to the kitchen and bring us back some tea? I know I could use some.”
“That sounds good to me, too.”
“While I’m gone, why not call Helene back and tell her Lance and I have decided to get married now. Explain it’s because of the baby coming. The doctor wants me to take things easy. Something like that. I’m sure you’ll find the words so she doesn’t question the change in plans.”
“Bless you, ma chérie.“
Andrea hurried downstairs to the kitchen and started fixing the tea. While she was adding the honey, she heard footsteps along the back passage. Suddenly Lance emerged.
“Thank God you’re in here. We had to put Tonnerre down.”
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