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Authors: LISA CHILDS
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actually been relieved to learn that; it had explained so much. It wasn’t just that she was so unlovable her own mother hadn’t been able to love her. The queen hadn’t been her mother. But then her biological mother hadn’t loved her either since she’d so easily given up her baby.
“The queen couldn’t have any children,” she continued. He undoubtedly already knew this, but she needed to say it aloud—needed to bring the secrets to light since she had been left in the dark too long. “So the king had his mistress give him another baby—one he intended to claim and make the queen pretend was hers. Unlike Charlotte, whom he never claimed.”
“He has now,” Whit said, as if it mattered.
The king had denied the paternity of his eldest for thirty years. And for twenty-four years he’d denied Gabby a relationship with her sister and her aunt. Gabriella would never be able to forgive him that—let alone having traded her from one fiancé to another like livestock. But, as things had turned out, he had been right to break her engagement to Prince Linus. Despite her friendship with him, he hadn’t been the man she’d thought he was.
Even if he hadn’t masterminded the kidnapping plot, he had gone along with it. He’d put Charlotte’s life and the life of Gabby’s future niece or nephew at risk. But he hadn’t done it out of love. He’d done it so he could make a claim on her country.
Nobody in her life had actually been the person she’d thought he or she was.
As if on cue, Lydia Green stepped through the doorway and entered the hut. Her gaze went immediately to Gabby, as if surprised to find her still there and emotionally intact.
Gabby was surprised, too. But then if Whit hadn’t caught her, she might have been halfway to the airport by now.
“Did the call go through?” Whit asked.
Gabby held her breath, hoping that it hadn’t. She didn’t want the royal jet being sent for her—because she knew there was only one place that jet would bring her. Back to St. Pierre.
But Lydia nodded. Her gaze still on Gabby, her eyes filled with regret. She knew this wasn’t what Gabriella wanted. She was the first one who actually cared what Gabby wanted.
“When are they going to send the royal jet?” Whit asked.
Her aunt still wouldn’t look at him, continuing to stare at Gabby—much as she had the first time Gabriella had shown up at the orphanage. When her sister had signed off her parental rights to her youngest child, Lydia had thought she would never see the baby again. She had been elated when she’d realized who Gabriella really was.
Gabby had been devastated. Her biological mother had basically sold her. Unlike Lydia who’d followed her parents into missionary work, Bonita Green had resented never having material possessions. She’d spent her life conning people out of theirs until one of those marks had cut her life short.
Gabby would never have the chance to meet the woman—not that she ever would have wanted to. The queen and a former con artist were her only maternal examples. Gabby rubbed her belly, silently apologizing to her baby. It wasn’t really a question of if she would screw up; it was more a question of how badly.
“Are they going to send it?” Whit anxiously prodded Lydia for a reply.
Her aunt continued to focus on Gabby. “They already sent it—several hours ago actually. It should be here soon.”
She obviously wondered if Gabby still wanted to go. Gabby had actually never intended to go back there. But she wasn’t going to put Lydia in the awkward position that Charlotte had when she’d sent Gabby here. So she nodded her acceptance and forced a smile.
Her aunt released a soft sigh, but Gabby couldn’t tell if it was of relief or disappointment.
“Before you leave for the airport, come say goodbye,” Lydia said, “again.”
“We will,” Whit answered for them both.
Once her aunt had gone, Gabby admonished him, “You shouldn’t have spoken for
“The queen couldn’t have any children,” she continued. He undoubtedly already knew this, but she needed to say it aloud—needed to bring the secrets to light since she had been left in the dark too long. “So the king had his mistress give him another baby—one he intended to claim and make the queen pretend was hers. Unlike Charlotte, whom he never claimed.”
“He has now,” Whit said, as if it mattered.
The king had denied the paternity of his eldest for thirty years. And for twenty-four years he’d denied Gabby a relationship with her sister and her aunt. Gabriella would never be able to forgive him that—let alone having traded her from one fiancé to another like livestock. But, as things had turned out, he had been right to break her engagement to Prince Linus. Despite her friendship with him, he hadn’t been the man she’d thought he was.
Even if he hadn’t masterminded the kidnapping plot, he had gone along with it. He’d put Charlotte’s life and the life of Gabby’s future niece or nephew at risk. But he hadn’t done it out of love. He’d done it so he could make a claim on her country.
Nobody in her life had actually been the person she’d thought he or she was.
As if on cue, Lydia Green stepped through the doorway and entered the hut. Her gaze went immediately to Gabby, as if surprised to find her still there and emotionally intact.
Gabby was surprised, too. But then if Whit hadn’t caught her, she might have been halfway to the airport by now.
“Did the call go through?” Whit asked.
Gabby held her breath, hoping that it hadn’t. She didn’t want the royal jet being sent for her—because she knew there was only one place that jet would bring her. Back to St. Pierre.
But Lydia nodded. Her gaze still on Gabby, her eyes filled with regret. She knew this wasn’t what Gabriella wanted. She was the first one who actually cared what Gabby wanted.
“When are they going to send the royal jet?” Whit asked.
Her aunt still wouldn’t look at him, continuing to stare at Gabby—much as she had the first time Gabriella had shown up at the orphanage. When her sister had signed off her parental rights to her youngest child, Lydia had thought she would never see the baby again. She had been elated when she’d realized who Gabriella really was.
Gabby had been devastated. Her biological mother had basically sold her. Unlike Lydia who’d followed her parents into missionary work, Bonita Green had resented never having material possessions. She’d spent her life conning people out of theirs until one of those marks had cut her life short.
Gabby would never have the chance to meet the woman—not that she ever would have wanted to. The queen and a former con artist were her only maternal examples. Gabby rubbed her belly, silently apologizing to her baby. It wasn’t really a question of if she would screw up; it was more a question of how badly.
“Are they going to send it?” Whit anxiously prodded Lydia for a reply.
Her aunt continued to focus on Gabby. “They already sent it—several hours ago actually. It should be here soon.”
She obviously wondered if Gabby still wanted to go. Gabby had actually never intended to go back there. But she wasn’t going to put Lydia in the awkward position that Charlotte had when she’d sent Gabby here. So she nodded her acceptance and forced a smile.
Her aunt released a soft sigh, but Gabby couldn’t tell if it was of relief or disappointment.
“Before you leave for the airport, come say goodbye,” Lydia said, “again.”
“We will,” Whit answered for them both.
Once her aunt had gone, Gabby admonished him, “You shouldn’t have spoken for
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