Christmas in Paris by Margaret Barker

Author:Margaret Barker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

ALYSSA stared at Pierre, deeply moved by his passionate outburst. She hadn’t expected him to believe so positively that a childless relationship between them would be enough for him.

‘Yes, I can believe, at this moment, that you think our relationship is worth more to you than having a family,’ she said slowly.

‘But it is! It’s all that matters to me.’ Pierre drew her closer in his arms, bending down so that his face was nestling against her hair.

By the pale light of the moon and the overhead lights from the riverside road, Alyssa could see a young couple walking hand in hand towards them. She could feel the trembling of Pierre’s body against her own. This wasn’t the place to discuss life-shattering problems.

Gently she released herself from Pierre’s arms. ‘Take me home, Pierre.’

He held her at arm’s length, looking down at her with a wistful expression. ‘Home? Where’s home?’

She gave him a sad smile. ‘That was a slip of the tongue. I think I meant your apartment…soon to be my apartment…for a little while. That’s where I feel most at home.’

Pierre drew her to him. ‘We’ll go up to the embankment and get a taxi.’

Alyssa curled her bare feet underneath her on the sofa, reaching up to take the glass of cognac that Pierre was holding out towards her.

‘Sip that slowly, until you feel warmer and stronger,’ Pierre said. ‘It’s purely medicinal—I usually find it works on patients who’re suffering from shock.’

Alyssa studied Pierre’s solemn expression. ‘Yes, Doctor. But I thought you were the one who’d had the shock.’

He sat down beside her, cradling his own brandy glass with both hands. ‘I’ve had a tremendous shock. But the full effect of your suffering has been delayed for eight years. I could tell you were reliving your traumatic experience down there on the footpath beside the river.’

Alyssa took a sip of her cognac, feeling strength flowing through her again as the fiery liquid revived her body.

‘I’ve relived the experience every day of my life since I lost the baby,’ she said slowly.

‘But it would have been so much easier for you if you’d shared it with me, Alyssa.’

She turned towards him. ‘I couldn’t do that, Pierre. You would have tried to persuade me that the fact I can’t have children doesn’t matter to you…just like you’re doing now. But I know that sooner or later you would have regretted being married to me. You want a family so much.’

‘We could have adopted a baby.’

Alyssa leaned back against the cushions and closed her eyes. ‘Do you remember that conversation we had eight years ago, when you said you wanted your own flesh and blood as family?’

Pierre was silent for a few moments. ‘Yes, I remember saying that.’

‘You were speaking from your own experience, weren’t you? Because you yourself were adopted?’

He nodded slowly. ‘Yes, that’s why I feel like I do. Because I was an adopted child myself.’

‘But you were born on the island of Ste Cécile, where your father was the doctor, weren’t you?’

‘I was,’ Pierre said quietly.

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