For the Love of a Woman

Chapter 12

It was morning. Connie and D'artagnan was eating breakfast in the ridiculously large dining hall. The table was longer than some tree trunks. The only time the thing was feasible was when D'artagnan had one of his royal banquets, the elite of Hampton in attendance; doctors, dentists, architects, and those who were anointed with a title and a grand home by D'artagnan for whatever reason.

One of the few good things about being in Hampton was the abundance of food choices. Thanks to the farmers, they ate eggs, bacon, and toast with orange juice to drink.

D'artagnan, who was sitting at the head of the table, wiped his mouth with a purple cloth napkin and looked at Connie. "Are you excited about the ball tomorrow night?" he signed. D'artagnan's signing was better than it ever was in the past.

"I am," she said.

"Connie, you are happy to be back with me, right?"

Oh dear. What have I done wrong? I smile and go about my business as I had done before.

"Of course," she said with confusion. "Why would you ask something like that?"

D'artagnan leaned back in the large, wooden chair that could double as a throne. "I ask because you've been back in my presence for a little over two months and you . . . have not requested to come to my bed."

Connie's mouth dropped open.

During the last three years they had been together, they slept in two different chambers. D'artagnan had said it was because he did not want to wake her when he came into the room late at night. But, Connie had known that was only one reason. The other was he had wanted to start bringing his concubines to his own bed. He didn't think Connie knew about his harem at the other end of the palace, but she did.

Kelly had been walking the halls late one night, not being able to sleep. She had seen two girls leaving his chambers. Kelly had followed them and found the harem. Connie had a feeling something was going on at the time, but she thought it was a mistress – not a harem. Looking back, she felt like a fool for not leaving him then. At the time, Connie had made excuses for him, thinking it was a phase and he would turn back into the kind, brave, caring man she had once known. The phase never ended and got worse; executing people for the mildest offenses, having people outside of the elite group on strict rations, and sleeping with any woman despite his claims of loving her. The truth was D'artagnan had to be this kind of man all along. He just hid it from her and her friends until he didn't have to anymore.

"I . . . I've just been taking time to settle back into my role and place. That's all," Connie signed.

D'artagnan studied her like he was trying to solve an equation. His gaze bore into her so much that she thought she was going to burst into flames. She held her breath, frightened about what he might say and do next. Her stomach rumbled like she was going to vomit again. Her nerves had gotten so bad that she either felt nauseated or threw up her breakfast or lunch.

"Your hands are trembling. I've noticed something different in your eyes, my dear," he signed slowly. "You're physically here, but sometimes it's like your somewhere else."

"Not at all," she signed quickly.

D'artagnan glanced down and back up again. "You were gone for over a year and a half – and you are a beautiful woman. Did you . . . meet another man in the community you were living in?"

"No," she answered quickly.

He started studying her again. "Well, either half the men were already taken and the other half were gay or you're lying to me. You know I don't like being lied to."

Connie urged her hands to stop shaking. "I . . . I don't mean to lie. It was just . . . meaningless in the grand scheme of this."

"So, there was someone," he said.

"Yes, but nothing really happened. Just a nice man who I befriended and is now a fond memory."

D'artagnan slowly nodded. "Well, if that's the case. I want you in my bed – tonight."

Connie literally wanted to upchuck at the thought of having sex with D'artagnan again. She willed the vile that wanted to come up her throat to stay down and signed slowly, "Nothing would give me more pleasure than to be with you tonight, but I am on my cycle. I would like to be at my best when we make love again. Can you wait a week?" The lie made Connie instantly question when the last time she had her period.

D'artagnan stood, pushing the large chair back with his thighs as he did. He walked over to her and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. "One week," he mouthed. "Period or not." He walked away and out of the dining hall.

Connie exhaled as a familiar wave of heat washed over her. It wasn't her nerves. It was symptoms of a condition she has had before. She was so distracted by her depression of being back in Hampton and with D'artagnan that she didn't put the pieces together until now. Then, she sensed movement. She thought it was one of the servants coming to clear D'artagnan's dishes, but when she turned her head it was Carol.

"He was talking out loud while he was signing. I heard what he said," Carol signed. Her sign language had improved some since they had arrived. When Connie mentioned it to her two weeks ago, Carol had admitted she swiped two books on sign language from the palace library. "Are you all right?"

Connie felt light headed. "Yes."

"No, you're not. You look like you're going to pass out," Carol said. "We need to get you back upstairs."

"No. I just need a minute for my head to clear. If I walk the stairs now, I'll pass out for sure."

"You think with all the trouble he went through to build this vast mausoleum he would have put in an elevator," Carol said snidely and sat down in the large chair next to her. She started rubbing Connie's back. "If you don't want to . . . go through sleeping with him, we can come up with something. I can come up with something that will send him away for a few extra days when the time comes."

Connie weakly shook her head. "No. I'll have to sleep with him eventually, the sooner the better, especially now."

"Why?" Carol signed without moving her mouth.

"Because I'm pregnant," Connie signed.

"What? I don't know that one?" Carol signed.

Connie pointed to her eye, then rounded a half circle above her belly.

Carol's brows furrowed for a moment, and then dawn struck, making her brows raise half way up her forehead and her eyes widened.