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‘You do?’ asked Sia, relieved. ‘I’ve not asked before, because I was worried you might—’
‘I don’t need to see the painting. It...brought you to Seb, and to us, that was all I needed it to do,’ Maria said.
So much had changed in the last six years. Bonnaire’s had gone down in a hail of public scandal after several more dodgy deals had brought the attention of both Interpol and the British police. Abrani had been quietly removed from his position as leader of Shajarhere and the state had welcomed a new leader whose interest was focused on the betterment of his people.
Sia and Sebastian had made Siena their home, despite still travelling around the world to visit his hotels, but less frequently than he’d used to. Sebastian had taken a step back from his company to develop the vineyards at the back of their estate as well as working with a local architecture firm to explore eco-friendly social housing. He’d come to realise that he’d really loved the design aspect of his hotels and was enjoying exploring it in a way that could benefit the local community.
Sia felt a kiss pressed between her neck and shoulder and turned to find her husband’s lips, eager to feel them on her own.
‘Matthieu has invited us to Lake Lucerne next month.’
‘You’d like to go?’
‘Yes, I think he has a business proposal he wants my advice on.’
‘Of course. Though it may be my last flight for a while,’ she confided, one hand on his cheek and the other taking his and placing it on her stomach.
Sebastian’s eyes widened with excitement. ‘Really?’ he said, the joy beaming from his heart straight to hers.
‘Four? Four?’ Theo demanded, joining the table.
‘They’re like rabbits,’ teased Maria.
‘You can talk,’ Sofia teased Maria as Matthieu approached, looking like a giant with giggling children hanging off every limb.
‘Who are like what?’ he asked as everyone fell into laughter about him.
They sat, talked and ate long into the beautiful summer’s evening, Sia feeling not only at peace with the love in her heart and the child growing within her, but excited by it. Her life had become something wondrous, bright, bold and beautiful and unknowingly she glowed with it.
She caught Maria staring and nudging her brother. Sebastian turned to Maria and then to Sia.
‘What?’ Sia asked, unaccountably feeling goosebumps rise over her skin.
‘You look like her. Not physically, but there’s something about you,’ Maria replied with a smile, a glint in her eye both sad but full of joy.
‘Like who?’
‘A Woman in Love.’
Coming next month
AN HEIR CLAIMED BY CHRISTMAS
Clare Connelly
‘I will never understand how you could choose to keep me out of his life.’
Annie’s eyes swept shut. ‘It wasn’t an easy decision.’
‘Yet you made it, every day. Even when you were struggling, and I could have made your life so much easier.’
That drew her attention. ‘You think this is going to make my life easier?’ A furrow developed between her brows. ‘Moving to another country, marrying you?’
His eyes roamed her face, as though he could read things in her expression that she didn’t know were there. As though her words had a secret meaning.
‘Yes.’
For some reason, the confidence of his reply gave her courage. One of them, at least, seemed certain they were doing the right thing.
