Chapter 12

"It feels like you are ganging up on me, and I cannot defend myself. Not now." Sitting back down when she felt the weakness invading her limbs, she faced her siblings. They had called her and said they were on their way over, and it had been too late to stop them.

She was not doing very well. The pregnancy, and yes, she was two months pregnant, as confirmed by Dr. Shelly Lancaster. The pregnancy was beating her. She could not keep down anything; even when she forced some tea into her stomach, it came back up. She still had not told Landen because he had too much on his plate.

The last thing he had told her was that the pharmaceutical company was being sued by a lawyer representing several clients.

"Do they have grounds?"

"Some bloody BS about the face cream bringing on hives. It's a damn shakedown, of course, but it has to be dealt with."

"And your dad?"

"Still in a coma. I am sorry, love. I thought I would be back by now, but things keep happening."

"I am fine." She had reassured him, even though it was a lie, and had decided not to burden him with what was happening to her. It was customary for pregnant women to go through things like these. It was just that she was going through more than her fair share.

"We just want to know what is going on with you." Karen's voice was light, but there was a concerned look on her face. "If I am missing my guess, you have lost weight, and honey, I don't have to tell you that you cannot afford to lose anything. You are pregnant-" She stopped as Tessa gave Brian a dirty look.

"Don't blame him. I am a nurse, and you looked peaky when I was here the last time. I asked Brian, and he confessed." She wagged a finger. "I should not have had to hear it from him."

"I was going to tell you," Tessa muttered, spinning around to walk over to the window.

It was summer, and the flowers were blooming. She had tried doing some gardening last Sunday afternoon, but the sunlight had made her faint, and she had to run for cover. She could not believe that Landen had been gone for almost three weeks.

"When?"

"Soon."

"Honey-"

"No, please." Turning around, she held up her hand. "I am not in the mood to be grilled."

"Are you in the mood to tell the guy you are carrying his baby?" Her brother asked her mildly.

"It's not a baby yet."

"Tess-"

"Okay, fine. It's not the right time."

"What the hell do you mean by that?" He demanded.

"He is going through a lot."

"And? The guy is a goddamned multi-billionaire; what the hell could he be going through that he cannot hear the news that you are carrying his seed?"

"In case you have forgotten, his dad is in a coma, and his company is in some trouble."

"I read about the pending lawsuit. Now, what does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't want to burden him any more than he already is."

"Burden?" Karen exploded. "He knocked you up, and you think he will see it as a burden? Tess, did you talk about having kids?"

"We did!" Closing her eyes, she leaned back in the chair. "I cannot tell him about the pregnancy yet. I am going to wait a week or two."

"What is that going to accomplish?" Her sister demanded. "And speaking of pregnancy, I can tell from this distance that it is not going well."

"What do you mean?" Brian asked Karen before turning to Tessa. "What does she mean?"

"It's nothing."

"Tess, we have been here for almost an hour, and you haven't touched anything. And you have been in the bathroom three times already. You came back out sucking on peppermints."

"So what?" She asked defensively. "I am sick. It happens to be one of the symptoms."

"How sick are you?" Karen gave her a suspicious look. "This happens to be late afternoon. What are you not telling us?"

"It feels like I have been called into the principal's office." Throwing up her hands, she told them. "I cannot keep anything down."

"By anything you mean-"

"Anything." She pressed a hand to her stomach. "The pregnancy is kicking my ass."

"And what does the doctor say?" Brian stared at her in concern.

"It's normal, and I should be over the worst of it in weeks. She gave me some pills and -"

"They are not working." Her sister finished the sentence.

"No." Tessa shook her head. "I will return to her in a couple of days."

They both stared at her for so long that she started to feel uncomfortable. "I am fine."

"You are not fine." Brian rose and came to sit on the arm of her chair. "You need to tell him, Tess, because you need him here. Stop thinking about his damn feelings and think about yours."

She nodded. "You are right. I will tell him."

*****

She looked up to see Genny standing just inside the doorway, a strange look on her face.

"What is it? Don't tell me the artist has decided to showcase his paintings elsewhere. If that's the case, I'll-"

"You have a visitor."

Her pulse leaped as she wondered if Landen had decided to surprise her.

"Who-"

"I am Lady Margaret Chapman."

Genny departed swiftly, leaving her to face the woman alone. Tessa had seen photos of her, but they did not do her justice. She had the same shade of ink-black hair as her son and the same shade of jade-green eyes.

She also had the regal bearing of a queen, her head lifted and her stance rigid. She was wearing a dark green wool skirt suit that startlingly contrasted her milky white skin.

"Mrs. - I mean Lady Chapman, would you like to come in?" Suddenly, the office she was so proud of looked dingy and accommodating.

"I think that would be best." Stepping inside, the woman closed the door and looked at the faded roses on the chairs as if deciding if she should risk sitting.

"Would you like something to drink?" Tessa looked around wildly and wondered if she should offer tea.

"No, thank you. I will not be here for long. You were involved with my son."

"Yes." Tessa stood behind her desk and wondered if the woman would sit.

"And you are aware of who he is."

"I am."

Jade green eyes wandered over Tessa's black pantsuit scathingly and she decided that the woman did not portray Landen's warmth, nor were her eyes as beautiful as his were. "This ends now, Ms. Chambers. I don't know what my son told you, but he will not marry you if that's what you are hoping for."

"Did he send you here to deliver that message?" Tessa lifted her chin, refusing to be intimidated. She was pregnant, miserable, and in love with a man who was thousands of miles away. She certainly did not need this woman coming here to warn her away.

"He has many responsibilities, and with my husband still in the hospital, he has taken his role as the man of the family very seriously." She looked down her nose at the girl standing behind the desk. "Did he tell you he has a paramour stashed in one of our cottages?

He has been footing her bill and giving her gifts—a common tavern girl from Scotland. We have not interfered because he is a man who needs to sow his wild oats. But he will not return to pick up where he has left off, Ms. Chambers, and I would like you to understand that."

Tessa felt as if the entire world was crumbling around her feet. She had no doubt the woman was telling the truth about the girl Landen had been seeing, but the problem was if he was still seeing her.

"You came to the States to tell me this? How kind you are to go to all the inconveniences of traveling the distance. I don't know whether to thank you or to tell you to go to hell."

Lady Margaret's lips pursed, her eyes flashing. Tessa watched the woman compose herself, a detached look settling on her lovely yet cold face. "I came here to ensure that you have no intention of shaking my son down for money.

You are not his type, Ms. Chambers, and whatever he told you-" Her lips curled in scorn. "While you were fornicating with him, it meant nothing. I wish you a good day."

Tessa stood rooted to the spot before sinking on the chair, her entire body trembling.

*****

"Hello, love. I was just-"

"This is Brian, Tessa's brother."

Landen felt the painful bump of his heart slamming against his ribs.

"What's wrong? Where is Tessa?"

"In the hospital."

Landen felt his heart slow, and for a minute, he could not breathe. Dismissing his assistant, he walked over and closed the door, his limbs weak and trembling.

"An accident?" He asked hoarsely.

The man on the other line swore softly. "She did not tell you."

"Tell me what?" He had to force himself to remain calm as he returned to sit on the edge of his desk.

"She is pregnant."

Landen felt his head spinning and his heart racing. "Pardon?"

"She is pregnant. More than two months, and it is not going well. She cannot keep anything down - I think the medical term is hyperemesis. This has been happening for several weeks, and she has lost a lot of weight. She fainted at work today and had to be rushed to the hospital."

"How is she?" He asked faintly.

"She is unconscious, and they are administering IV treatments to make sure she has something in her stomach."

"The baby?"

"Surprisingly, the heartbeat is strong. My sister is a nurse at the hospital, and she is monitoring her."

"I am on the next flight out. Please text me the details."

Landen hung up and sat there frozen. Tessa was two months pregnant and had not seen fit to let him know. His anger, which was on the verge of erupting, would have to wait. Right now, he was going to get to her. Picking up the phone, he called his mother and sister.

"You cannot leave!" His mother protested. "Your father-"

"I am not a bloody doctor; he is getting the best care. Did you not hear the part about Tessa being pregnant?" He was shoving things into his briefcase, impatient to be on his way.

"That woman is not important-"

"She is important to me, and if you don't want me to end this conversation prematurely, you will not say another word about her. Am I clear? I am going to be with her. Please let me know immediately if there is any change concerning my father."

He hung up on her and called the pilot.

*****

The flight seemed to take forever, and nothing was new to report. To his credit, the brother he had never met was concerned enough to keep him updated. The man had not condemned him for not being there. But Landen was having a hell of a time condemning himself.

He had planted his seed inside her and kept making promises, ones he had not kept. He was boiling over with rage that she had not seen fit to inform him right away of her condition, but he had left her.

He had made promises to her, told her he was in love with her, and he damned well was! But he had stayed in London, taking care of business and hoping every bloody day that his father would open his eyes and free him up to return to her.

"Anything else for you, sir?"

Lifting his head, he stared for a few seconds at the flight attendant as if he had no idea where he was.

"No." He curtly shook his head, dismissing her, and returned to his dark thoughts. Deliberately staying away from looking at his watch to monitor the time, he stared at the encroaching darkness.

They had flown out of the private hangar at noon and had been traveling for the past three hours. He calculated the time difference in his mind. He would get there sometime in the afternoon and could hardly wait. She was suffering. Had been suffering since the pregnancy started. And he had not been there for her.

That was haunting him. He had left her to face it alone and could not stop blaming himself. He should have used something and protected them both. He had not been thinking at all. Nothing was settled between them. He was living in a bloody different country and should have considered that.

Grabbing the glass of bourbon the flight attendant had brought him, he swallowed deeply, trying to wash away the bitterness inside his throat.

*****

Of course, his name created a stir, one that he used ruthlessly. He was a British citizen, but even in the States, he was recognized. Upon arrival, he was shown to a private waiting room where Tessa's siblings were seated.

"I was the one who called you." Brian rose and came forward to shake his hand.

"I am grateful you did."

"You must be exhausted. My name is Karen." The woman wearing the scrubs introduced herself.

"I am not thinking about exhaustion right now. I spoke to the doctors in charge, and there is still no change." He barely acknowledged the woman with a brief nod. "I would like to sit with her."

"You are going to have to prepare yourself."

He went rigid and stared at the sister. "Is she that bad?"

Karen nodded. "I think you should go and freshen up."

"No." He shook his head. "I need to see her now."

"Then I will take you."

"I am going to pop out for a few hours. I have some clients I need to see." Brian told them quietly. "Call me if there are any changes." He looked at Landen. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

Landen followed Karen from the room and along a passageway. "She is in a private room."

Pushing the door open, she nodded to the attending nurses. "This is her boyfriend-"

"Mr. Chapman. Of course." The nurse gave him a flirtatious smile, which was completely ignored.

"I would like to be alone with her."

Karen touched his arm briefly. "I will check in on her later."

He nodded curtly, his eyes drawn to the woman lying still on the bed. Her sister had told him to brace himself, but he was unprepared for what he saw. He had been told that she lost a significant amount of weight, and that much was obvious. She was skin and bone. Moving toward the bed, he pulled up a chair and felt a jolt as he stared at her.

She was still beautiful, of course, but she was emaciated, the bones jutting from her collarbone. Her arms were skinny, and her face was drawn. His heart constricted as he continued to stare at her. Picking up her hand, he pressed it against his hair-roughened jaw, closing his eyes at the feel of her skin on his.

"You should have called me," he whispered hoarsely. "As soon as you realized you were carrying my baby, you should have called me. We are going to have words about this love. I cannot understand why you did not inform me. We spoke almost every day and -"

He closed his eyes and fought to regain control of his emotions. "I am sorry as hell. I breezed into this country and was so bloody arrogant, so carefree. I did not think. I got you with child and just left." Turning her hand over, he kissed the palm and felt the emotions veering sharply inside him.

"I am here now," he told her wearily. "And I am never leaving you again. That's a bloody promise."

*****

"What's going on?" He demanded as soon as the doctors finished examining her.

"Her blood pressure is elevated." Dr. Sheffield told him, gesturing to Landen to follow him out of the room. Closing the door behind him, he continued.

"What does that mean?"

"We are trying to get the pressure down, of course, and the fact that she is dehydrated is another concern." He shook his head hastily as Landen opened his mouth. "We are taking care of that issue as we speak. She is being fed intravenously, and her heartbeat is strong. "

"What now?" Landen asked him tersely.

"She needs rest, which is what the medically induced coma is for. We are doing our best to get her strength back up."

"I hope you don't mind my asking, but do you know what you are doing?"

Dr. Sterling was used to the curtness and abrupt manners, or lack thereof, of the very wealthy and did not bat an eyelid or take offense. "We have the best obstetrics department in the city, and as I said before, we are providing around-the-clock service for Ms. Chambers."

"I hope you realize that money is no object."

"Of course." The man told him with a smile. "We will monitor her twenty-four-seven and inform you of the slightest change."

"You do that."

"Might I suggest something?"

Landen nodded.

"There will certainly not be any change for the rest of the night. I would suggest you go home and get some sleep."

"Are you trying to tell me that I look like hell?"

"Something like that." The man said with a twinkle in his smoky gray eyes.

"I think I will." Turning toward the door, he stared at it, his brow pleated.

"I just need to see her before I head out. And I would like your assurance that I will be contacted when there is any change."

"You have my word. Her sister is taking on another shift so that she can also be near her."

"Something I am grateful for. Thanks."

With a nod, the man stepped aside for him to go back into the room.

Huffing out a breath, he stepped in and closed the door behind him. It was hard to believe he had been here for five hours. Dusk was starting to fall, and the streetlights had come on automatically.

Pulling up a chair, he sat there, just staring at her. Her hair was brushed back from her face and secured in a ponytail. Reaching out a hand, he brushed back tendrils clinging to her cheeks.

A gentle smile touched his lips as he recalled their conversations, particularly the one where they had the picnic. He loved her unaffected laughter and the sparkle in her dark brown eyes.

"Oh, sweetheart," he whispered. "If you would just open your beautiful dark brown eyes and talk to me, you would make me the happiest man on earth. I need you to wake up, darling. I need you to be all right."

He turned swiftly at the knock on the door and watched as her sister came in.

"I thought you had left."

He shook his head. "I just wanted to see her before I go to my flat and get some sleep, or at least try to. I understand you will be staying?"

"Yes." She came over to stand next to him. "She has always been so damn strong and stubborn." Turning her head, she stared at the man seated there. "My brother and I had our misgivings about you."

"Oh?"

"After your mother came to see her." Her voice petered off in shock at the look on his face. "You didn't know?"

"When was this?" He asked tightly.

"Sometime last week. I thought Tessa told you. Oh, Lord."

"My mother came to see her. Where exactly was it?"

"At the gallery."

"Do you know what was said?" He shook his head, a grim look settling over his face.

"No need to tell me. I can hazard a guess. Do you have any idea why she would keep her pregnancy and my mother's visit from me?"

"She did not want to burden you."

His eyes flared at that. "I see." He rose and took another look at the woman lying on the bed, excused himself, and left the room.

Sinking on the chair he had vacated, Karen gave a shaky laugh. "I am afraid I just stirred up the ant's nest."