Slowly he shook his head. “After that didn’t work, the men from the group kind of backed off for a bit. They were sending letters and emails, and they got up to some minor mischief. But then came the—the bombing ...” He looked positively sick as he swallowed. “Ma’am, I told them about that. Where you would be, I mean. I overheard Serena talking to someone about you being away for the weekend, and I let the group know. They’d asked me to inform them about anything to do with your work at first, but then they began to want to know your movements, too. Your plans.”
I couldn’t speak, but it didn’t matter, because Rick was still talking.
“I’ve felt awful since then. Like the worst person in the world. If anything had happened to you—and I’m sorry about Prince Nicholas, too. I didn’t know about that, but when I heard all the news, I put two and two together.”
“But you never came forward.” I heard the accusation in my own voice. “You could’ve helped, but you stayed quiet.”
“I did, and I’m sorry.” He hung his head. “I tried to lay low and hope they’d gotten good and scared. I hoped that they’d scattered. But then yesterday ... I was contacted for the first time in months. The man who was arrested in Wales had come up with a plan to take you from here, from the office. But he wanted the time to be right. When he was taken into custody, the next man down on the chain of command decided we’d act now. Since I was here, already in place as it were, they wanted my help.” He paused. “No, they demanded my help. They threatened me. I didn’t know what to do. I was positively sick about the whole thing, and then I saw your news.” For the first time, Rick looked me in the face. “Ma’am, I knew at that moment that I could never do anything that would put you in danger. I understand I’ll probably go to jail, and I deserve it, but I would never do a thing to harm you or your family.”
My heart was thudding painfully against my chest. Slowly, I nodded. “Thank you, Rick. I appreciate that. I’m very grateful that you’ve told me all of this now. It’s helpful.” I lifted my phone. “I’d like to call in my security officers, so that you can tell them everything you told me. Would that be all right?”
Rick closed his eyes. “Yes. I expected this.” His eyelids opened suddenly, and he smiled at me. “But ma’am, for some reason, I feel much lighter and better now. I know I’ve done wrong. I know I was in with the wrong crowd, and I deserve to pay for that. But for the first time in months, I’m free.”
Somehow, I knew exactly what he meant.
“I still can’t believe that man was there, working in your office, with access to you nearly every day.” Sitting across from me at our table, Nicky glared in my general direction. “That’s just preposterous.”
“Hey.” I lifted my hands. “Don’t blame me. I didn’t hire him. The people who did hire him vetted him, and so did the Palace security. He slipped through the cracks.” I paused. “But in the long run, he may be instrumental in helping to bring down this group once and for all. Between Gorman and Rick Lester, Scotland Yard has tons more information now than they did a month ago. They’ve warned us not to expect everything wrapped up in a perfect ribbon any time soon—but this is a start.”
“True,” Nicky admitted. “Still, when I think about what could have happened ...”
“But it didn’t.” I got up and moved over to sit on his lap, winding my hands around his neck. “It didn’t happen, and here you are, and here I am ...” I lifted his hand and flattened it against my rounded stomach. “And here is the best of both of us. If you sit quietly and still, he or she just might kick you ...”
Nicky smiled and leaned his forehead against mine. “It’s still fairly miraculous to me that you’re carrying a human inside of you. I’m not sure I can wrap my mind around it.”
At that moment, that human being chose to move or kick—whatever it was at this early stage—and Nicky’s eyes went wide. “Was that really him? Her?”
“One or the other,” I laughed. “Yes. He or she wants to remind you that there is indeed a human in here, and that human expects to be born into a family that is calm and loving—and living in its new home.” I brushed a kiss over Nicky’s lips. “That’s my subtle way of segueing into a discussion about when we’re planning to move. Right now, I’m feeling feisty and energetic, but those wiser than me have advised that I will want to be settled before I’m nine months along.”
“I checked into it today. Renovations are moving well, and we should be set to move by late July, which will give us six weeks to be happily ensconced in our new digs before baby Kendal joins us. How does that sound?”
I snuggled against him. “Wonderful. Absolutely brilliant.”
“Just like your husband?” Nicky teased, his fingers moving over my ribs.
“Exactly that,” I giggled. “Wonderful. Brilliant. Handsome. Sexy. Hot. Talented. Smart.” I peeked at him from one eye. “Strong enough to carry his preggo wife upstairs and give her hours of lovin’?”
Nicky threw back his head. “That was a challenge, my love, and it’s one that I’m more than up to accepting.” Standing, he scooped me against his chest. “With pleasure.”
“JUST HOW DO YOU THINKwe’re going to get all of that baby stuff across the ocean to Chiswick Hall?”
Nicky cocked an eyebrow at me, challenge and humor mixed in his eyes as he waited for me to answer his question.
I wasn’t in any hurry to respond. The late-afternoon Florida sunshine was bathing me in warmth, while a cooler sea breeze danced off the ocean to counter the sun’s effects. Chilly ocean water rushed over our bare feet every few moments. We were wandering here on the beach, hand in hand, completely alone.
It was perfection.
We’d arrived in Florida five days before for our last hoorah prior to the baby’s arrival. Yesterday, my grandmother, my mother and my sisters had all thrown me a huge baby shower, and our friends and family had been extremely generous in their gifts for this yet-to-be born little one. Our nursery would be completely outfitted.
Which brought me back to my husband’s question.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “The same way we got all of my stuff across the ocean when I moved in with you? It shouldn’t be that difficult. You’re a freakin’ prince, after all.” I waved my hand. “Summon your minions.”
“My minions.” Nicky shook his head. “We’ve been married for over a year, and you still believe I have minions? Do you think I’m hiding them from you somewhere, Ky?”
“You could be,” I remarked darkly. “You could be holding out on me.”
“Never,” he vowed. “Remember? I promised to share everything with you—good, bad, sad or fun, and everything in between. I’m not hiding anything. Including minions.”
