‘I’d better get on that treadmill,’ she groaned.
‘You’d better get on me first.’
His gaze drilled into her. His body invaded. Devastated. It was so good. It so wasn’t enough. So much for easy.
As soon as she’d recovered some energy she left him in the bed and went to maintain her routine. She would resist when she wanted to.
She was twenty minutes into her time on the treadmill when he placed an iPad on the stand in front of her.
‘My assistant has prepared a dossier on many of tomorrow night’s guests. Photos, names, positions.’
‘That’s useful,’ she puffed as she jogged and swiped the screen. ‘Thank you.’
‘I have other duties I must fulfil,’ he said, a hint of apology in his eyes. ‘I’ll be back later tonight.’
Already she understood that he meant very, very late.
Was this to be her future? To be left locked in the palace with nothing to do but pretty herself for a ball and grow a baby, and at night be a sexual plaything for her insatiable husband? Sure, she was every bit as insatiable as he, but this wasn’t the life she wanted. She wanted her control back.
So she’d control this. She knew how to fight. She just needed different armour from her usual. Antonio had been right—in part. At the very least she needed ‘the sapphire, a dress and a smile’ and the ability to remember a couple dozen names and faces.
Because she wasn’t going to fail.
As she ran on the treadmill she memorised the names and faces. Then she called Giulia and requested a beautician and a hairdresser to be summoned for later in the day. She’d damn well become the Princess San Felipe had wanted for so long.
‘Can you get Dr Russo to come and see me at his convenience as well?’ she asked Giulia, trying to sound as relaxed as she had when she’d asked for the beautician.
‘Of course.’
The doctor arrived within twenty minutes. Because of that swift timing, Stella was certain Giulia knew about her condition.
‘Is everything all right, Your Highness?’ Dr Russo bowed as he entered the private sitting room.
‘Please call me Stella.’ She gestured towards the chairs. ‘I’m sorry to trouble you, I just wanted to talk to you about my pregnancy.’
‘No trouble.’ He sat down. ‘What did you want to discuss?’
She curled her hands into small fists, hiding the dampness of her palms, and smiled. ‘It sounds stupid, but where are my symptoms? I haven’t had any morning sickness, I haven’t been particularly tired, I’ve got no cravings... It’s like it’s not real.’
What if it wasn’t growing properly? Shouldn’t she hate the smell of coffee or something?
To her relief, the doctor didn’t laugh.
‘Perhaps you’re one of the lucky few,’ he suggested calmly.
‘Or perhaps there’s something wrong.’
He regarded her steadily. ‘Why would there be anything wrong?’
She hesitated. Her throat tightened. But this was the one person she had to speak to. ‘My mother died a few hours after giving birth to me.’
His eyes widened and the professional smile faded.
‘I didn’t mention it on the island because I didn’t want to panic anyone,’ she added quickly.
‘Do you know any details?’ he asked carefully.
‘I think she had some kind of haemorrhage. My father doesn’t speak of it.’ He never spoke of her mother. He never spoke to Stella about anything personal or important. ‘I don’t know much else.’
Dr Russo remained calm. ‘You were born in San Felipe?’
‘The main hospital—yes.’
‘Then, with your permission, I’ll check the records there. And we will get a scan arranged for you as soon as possible.’
‘Please... After the ball.’ She needed to know. To understand and prepare.
‘Of course.’ Dr Russo suddenly lifted his case onto the table. ‘I brought a Doppler with me today. It’s a small device we can use to listen to your baby’s heartbeat. You’re far enough along in your pregnancy for us to be able to do that. Would you like to hear your baby?’
For a second Stella’s own heart stopped, then started pounding. ‘Okay.’
Fleetingly she wished Eduardo was there, but he was busy. And she didn’t want to tell him about her mother. Or her fears.
She lay on the sofa, her shirt lifted. The doctor switched the small machine on and held the wand to her stomach.
‘It sounds like hoofbeats,’ she said, her eyes filling.
‘It sounds strong.’ Dr Russo looked pleased. ‘And you are very strong. I will research, but what caused your mother’s haemorrhage probably isn’t going to be hereditary. You will be in the hospital here, with the world’s best specialists. The most important thing is for you to relax and enjoy your pregnancy and this special time with all the celebrations.’
Enjoy it? She was too scared.
‘Have you talked to Eduardo about your concerns?’ he asked quietly.
‘Of course,’ Stella lied.
‘Good.’ The doctor nodded. ‘Be assured, your baby is well. I’ll follow up soon. You will have the best care, Your Highness.’
‘I know.’ But her mother had been in the same hospital. She’d had the best care too. And she hadn’t made it.
After the doctor had left she sat down to look over the dossier about the guests once more. But in her mind those heartbeats echoed. The baby was real. And it was doing okay. But what would happen when the rest of the world found out?
Pretty pictures from the wedding wouldn’t be enough to stop people talking—they’d say it was a shotgun wedding. They’d say she’d trapped him into it. They’d say so much more, so much worse.
No matter what she did, it wasn’t going to be good enough. It never was.
Eduardo hated that Stella left their bed so early every morning. He tried to tease her into staying, but while she’d happily have sex with him again, she still left the bed immediately after.
He showered and quickly dressed. He had to attend the opening of a new football academy this morning. before another appearance in the afternoon. And then there
