Proserpina
I would have leapt out of the car and cuddled little Paddy. The little fellow was jumping up and down in his rather awkward way to greet us.
But Lucien gripped my hand painfully and when I turned to look at him, he shook his head, grey eyes cold and warning.
I slumped slightly but I did not demur. Lucien knew what he was up to; I had found that out the hard way on many occasions and I was not going to put us all in danger.
He barked an order to Beston who was riding with us.
‘Let her and the boy enter the grounds.’
He glanced at me, an eyebrow going up quizzically and I dimpled at him. The twins yelled from the back seat but quietened down immediately when they felt their father’s cold gaze on them.
The drive from the main gate through the wooded land to the house was also a couple of miles. Lucien had zealously bought up the surrounding land so we lived in a mini forest in what was almost a fortress, guarded day and night.
I hid a smile. Lucien shot me a look and I looked up at him and tugging his head down, regardless of Claude who would never leave my lap when we were traveling, I kissed my husband. Claude gave an exasperated wail but Lucien pulled him onto his own lap and there was a sudden silence.
My husband’s mouth devoured mine and then he moved away. Unlike my face which was undoubtedly flushed with passion, Lucien looked as cool and in control as ever. But when he looked at me, I saw the hot fire lurking in the depths of his grey eyes.
As I made to take Claude, he said roughly,
‘Wife, I can hold him. He is my son and you need to sit comfortably.’
I gazed up at him in pretended wonder and then giggled,
“In that case, I think I want to be carrying your children all my life!’, I said without thinking.
The look of momentary horror that crossed his face and was quickly hidden made me dissolve in peals of laughter.
Immediately, Ria popped her head over the seat in concern,
‘Pappa…?’ she said worriedly.
I was helpless with laughter and trying to control myself.
Lucien smiled consolingly, ‘She’s having another Crazy Mumma episode.’
Ria tapped her cheek and said,
‘What’s an.. Epi…efis…?’
Piers’ tousled head appeared too.
‘Silly Ria. It means like a FIT right Pappa?’
I felt, rather than saw Lucien’s surprise. He nodded his head slowly.
Then he gave his son an appraising look as he said, ‘Yes, that’s right. ‘
And then,
‘How do you know?’
Piers looked bored as he cupped his chin and watched Ria who was tugging Claude’s hair,
‘I read it in a book and asked Mumma for the meaning cos I did not know.’
Claude clutched Lucien’s shirt and looked up at him, the baby’s big blue-grey eyes full of wonder.
“What is HE doing on your lap, Pappa?’ demanded Ria imperiously.
‘She was jealous of anyone who received more attention than herself.
“He is my son and your brother too, poppet.”‘ Said Lucien, smiling tenderly at his daughter, and then he gently chucked the baby under his chin.
The expression of comical disbelief on Claude’s face was outrageous. Lucien had never done something like that to him ever!
But he continued to sit on his father’s lap, importantly. He turned to look at Ria, thumbing his nose at her in their eternal game of trying to be Top Dog.
I gave a hiccup and sat up. The car was almost at the house. Piers gently stroked my head and said in a soft voice,
“Mumma, are you all right now?’
I kissed the small hand and nodded tenderly. The child did not display his emotions as blatantly as his twin. But I knew the deep intelligence within him was evolving. It sometimes frightened me. He was a deep one, my eldest son.
I sighed.
Lucien placed a hand on my jean-clad thigh and squeezed gently. Ria and Piers had settled back in their seats and were discussing what they would play when they got home.
‘I think Ria will be my successor.’
He said it lightly, and I spun around to look at him in horror.’
Had I really heard it right, I thought in shock and disbelief. Lucien silenced any outburst I might have made with a warning finger laid on my lips.
“Claude will make a good UnderBoss…’
I struggled to sit up and hissed at him.
“Now look, Lucien Delano.’ I said in my fiercest whisper.
‘We are NOT playing Mafia-Mafia here. My children are not going to grow up and become…gangsters.’
He smiled coolly, his amused gaze taking in my flushed cheeks and flashing angry eyes.
‘Oh?’ he drawled’ But I thought you wanted me to keep breeding you so that…’
I shifted in my seat fully to face him. My chest was heaving with passion.
‘NO!’ I snapped and he gripped my wrist,
‘Softly, Woman.’ He growled, but his grey eyes were dancing with mischief.
‘I am not about to furnish you with an entire army of little mobsters.’ I spat, although I sank back. His eyes were on me, and I blushed.
Ria and Piers had appeared behind us and had obviously, with Ria’s penchant for eavesdropping, caught the tail end of the conversation.
“Mumma, can I become a Don like Pappa?’ she asked, enviously tugging at Claude’s curls. He gave a whimper and turned his great blue-grey eyes at her. Then he turned to his father, his lower lip trembling.
The little fox, I thought with a grin. He was behaving like a wronged saint because he was with his father, perched comfortably on his lap.
Predictably, his father kissed the little head lovingly, holding him close to hi s deep chest and I smiled
That was when Ria’s question sank into my brain, and I whirled around in alarm.
“No, you will not.’ I snapped.
Unfazed, she said, ‘Why not? Philippe says…’ and then hurriedly, as she heard the warning rumble coming from her father,
“He says that Pappa is a great Don and everyone is afraid of him.”
And she stuck her lower lip out mutinously.”I want to be like my Pappa, and not like you, a boring… acadeic.”
She was trying to get the word ‘academician.”
Lucien cut in smoothly, to soothe any ruffled feathers I might have, I thought drily.
“Poppet, you can decide when you are older,’ I said firmly before Lucien could respond.
Piers was humming softly and he said in a quiet, determined voice,
“I want to become like Mumma. She does a lot of work. And goes to countries like Japan.’
The discussion ended abruptly when we swung into the driveway and stopped before the house. But it lingered in my head as I went about my work later. What would my children grow up to be?
I knew that the only constant in our lives is the moment we are in, now. But the thought hung there, above my head…
***
Sophie
She was dropped at the door by one of the security guards. Lucien the Great Delano had refused to allow her to drive up to the house in her tiny vehicle. Although she was furious at him, a part of her marveled a the man’s complete devotion to his family. She had seen the deep love the man had for his wife and his children but she only felt envy and bitterness at being deprived herself…
Paddy was already hobbling up the steps to greet his friends who were dancing with glee on seeing him
“Come on in, Paddy! We need to show you something!’ yelled Ria in excitement as the children took his hands and raced inside.
Sophie stopped and looked around slowly.
Again, the feeling that she was contributing to the pain this family would have in the future weighed heavily on her. But she steeled herself. She had to do this for Sondra, she told herself, and marched up the steps.