Breathe Me Smith and Belle (Royals Saga #11) - Geneva Lee Page 0,26
his father everyday. “She doesn’t even like to shop.”
“Neither do you,” I reminded Clara. She really had changed. It hit me every day that I came here, and I’d been here most days since our return from Sussex. Not only did she live in the heart of London and wave from the balcony for state events and host garden parties on the lawn, she was a wife and a mother.
“I like buying tiny baby things,” she admitted with a wink. “I can’t help it. It makes me happy.”
Happiness was something that seemed to be in perpetually short supply around here of late. Clara and Alexander adored each other—anyone could see that. But their love came with its own problems. Loving him had proven to be nearly deadly for her in more ways than one. Little William, sitting on her lap now the picture of health, had already required surgery for a heart defect in his short life. Money and power might have bought them guards and security, but it couldn’t protect them from fate. Nothing could.
Clara stood, lifting William higher on her shoulder, and nodded toward the nursery.
“That’s my cue,” Georgia said, holding up a tabloid. “I’ll be in here, learning the Royal Family’s most devastating secret.”
“Be sure to let me know what it is later,” Clara told her, and they shared a laugh. I did my best not to stare at them like they were aliens. Something twisted in my chest, and it took a moment for me to recognize what it was: jealousy.
They’d bonded. Of course, they had after everything Clara had been through and how much time they spent together. It wasn't that I wanted to be closer to Georgia. Somehow I was certain we’d always lock horns. But I missed the days of living with Clara, gossiping over too much wine, thinking the biggest decision I had to face was what flowers to carry for my wedding. That had been before Alexander and Smith and the insane world we found ourselves in now.
As soon as we entered William’s room, Elizabeth rushed over, grabbed my hand, and dragged me down to her own room. “I have a new tea set.”
She still lisped as she spoke and my heart leapt. I didn’t bother to remind her that I had given her the tea set for her birthday a month ago. It hardly seemed important. Elizabeth pretended to pour both of us cups, and I took mine, sipping daintily to her delight. A few years from now, she’d be here with my daughter, playing together. I almost couldn’t wait.
If Smith didn’t keep us locked away in Sussex, that was.
She laid a tiny warm hand on my stomach, scrunched her nose, and said, “Kick!”
“I’m not sure she’ll do it on command, darling,” I warned her.
She turned a look so purely Alexander on me that I couldn’t help but giggle, which resulted in a kick, after all.
After a few minutes, I finally managed to convince Elizabeth to return to William’s room.
“My room is more interesting,” she informed me, only missing about half the syllables as she spoke. “We should stay here.”
“I want to see your brother, too.” I suspected she might be a little jealous herself.
“Fine.” She shrugged. “But he’s boring.”
Judging from the scene that greeted me when we finally made our way back into the nursery, William had ceased being boring and finally done something interesting.
“Clever boy,” Clara cooed, camera trained at him while he stuck his toes in his mouth.
We stepped inside and his head turned, sensing the movement—and then he rolled over.
“Oh!” I clapped, feeling as though I’d won the lottery. Elizabeth looked up at me before joining in. I guessed even she was impressed by this milestone.
Clara straightened up, letting Wills do his tummy time, and smiled but I caught her eyes wandering over me like she expected I might burst any moment. “I wasn’t sure we’d see you today.”
“I’m going to serve the baby a vacate notice.” I waddled over to the chair across from her and lowered into it, feeling instant relief. “I feel as big as a house.”
“You look gorgeous.” I could tell she meant it, which made the compliment stick even if I was feeling about as attractive as hippopotamus.
“I’m just ready to meet this little one.” I rubbed the spot where she’d been kicking me moments earlier.
Clara looked at her phone, her eyes flickering over the video. I heard myself exclaim and clap. She swiped something and sighed.