reports that you two are in love, engaged and getting married any minute.’’
‘‘Don’t believe everything you read in The World Tattler.’’
‘‘But he was there, right? Staying with Mom, hanging around with you on a daily basis?’’
‘‘Yes.’’
‘‘And I—’’ Brit cut herself off. ‘‘Okay, okay…’’ Her voice had grown slightly fainter, as if she’d stopped speaking into the mouthpiece. She must be talking to Elli. Then she spoke into the receiver again. ‘‘Hold on.’’
‘‘Liv?’’ Suddenly it was Elli’s voice in her ear. ‘‘Are you okay? Brit says…there’s a baby.’’
Liv’s throat felt tight. Maybe it was the pregnancy. She’d be a walking waterworks if she didn’t watch herself. ‘‘I’m fine. And yes, I’m pregnant. Barely.’’
‘‘Oh, Livvy…’’ It was all there in Elli’s voice. Joy. Anxiousness. Just a hint of envy—after all, Elli was supposed to be the first one to get pregnant.
‘‘Ell?’’
‘‘Um?
‘‘How are you?’’
‘‘Wonderful. Truly. The happiest woman alive.’’ Even over the phone, her joy in her new life with Hauk came across.
‘‘I’m glad for you.’’
‘‘Thank you—and about Finn.’’ Elli’s voice was all business again. ‘‘Let me tell you what I know. Hauk was sent to meet him at the airport with orders to escort him to Father’s private chambers. Evidently it didn’t go well. Hauk was summoned again, along with two guards that time, to take Finn to Tarngalla.’’
‘‘But why?’’
‘‘Livvy, we don’t know. Not for certain.’’
‘‘What do you know?’’
‘‘That Finn displeased the king. Greatly. And I think…’’ The sentence trailed off in the middle.
Liv prompted, ‘‘What? Tell me.’’
‘‘Well, it has to be about you. Hauk met Finn at the plane. Why would father summon him like that, at three in the morning, if not to grill him about you and the baby and you two getting married? Which reminds me…’’ Elli hesitated, delicately.
Liv made a growling sound. ‘‘Oh, go ahead. Ask me.’’
‘‘Are you marrying him?’’
‘‘No.’’
‘‘But why not?’’
‘‘Ell, you are such a complete romantic. He lives there. I live here. Until he found out I was pregnant, we both knew we’d never see each other again. He’s not ready for marriage. I’m not ready for marriage. We did a stupid thing and now there’s a baby on the way and a baby on the way is not reason enough for two people with nothing in common who would otherwise have just walked away from each other to decide they have to spend their lives together. Enough said?’’
‘‘Do you love him?’’
Liv cast her gaze ceilingward. ‘‘I knew you’d ask that.’’
‘‘Love changes everything.’’
‘‘I’m sure, for you, it has.’’
‘‘You haven’t answered my question. Do you love him?’’
Did she? And did love even matter in this case? She shook her head. ‘‘It’s not the issue.’’
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