Flowers in Bloom

Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

“You look amazing,” Georgiana said as she hugged Olivia. “Did you have a lovely time?”

“It was complete bliss.” Olivia had a faraway, dreamy look in her eyes.

Georgiana grinned. “That good, eh?”

“I know the doctor said it wasn’t good to fly at this stage of the pregnancy but I’m so glad we did. The villa was in the middle of nowhere and it was so beautiful. We didn’t want to come back.” She sighed and smiled to herself.

“If it hadn’t been for wanting our baby to be born here we would have stayed forever,” Sebastian said as he followed Olivia into the Manor. “It was very special.”

He dropped the bags, pulled Olivia into his arms and planted a gentle kiss on her lips.

“Oh God,” Georgiana groaned, and covered her eyes.” You two make me sick.”

“Just you wait,” Olivia laughed. “When the right man comes along you’ll feel the same.”

“She’s too young to settle down.” Sebastian was disapproving. There was a fifteen-year age gap between him and Georgiana. “There’s a whole world out there she needs to see before she ties herself down to some unworthy chap.”

“Oh, don’t you worry,” Georgiana grinned. “I have no intention of finding Mr Right. I’m having way too much fun for that.”

“I don’t want to know.” Sebastian shook his head and walked across the hall towards the kitchen.

“He’s only being protective,” Olivia whispered, making sure Sebastian was out of earshot. “So, what’s been going on while we’ve been away? Any gossip?”

“Dunno.” Georgiana shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve mostly been in London the last three weeks, two of those at Wimbledon.”

“Yes, we watched you every night. You were just brilliant. We’re both so proud of you darling.” Olivia’s eyes welled with tears. “Sorry, it’s the hormones. I’m crying at everything at the moment.”

“Well, we’ll have to see if we can get Sebastian a sponsorship deal with Kleenex then, won’t we?” Georgiana joked. “Let’s go and have supper. Hattie’s laid on a feast. I think she’s been missing having anyone to cook for, although I had noticed the dogs and horses are looking slightly more rotund than when I left.”

“Where is Hattie, anyway?” Olivia asked.

“She muttered something about needing some herb or another and dashed off,” Georgiana replied.

Sebastian was opening a bottle of wine when Hattie returned. “Hello gorgeous,” he crossed the room and kissed her on the cheek.

Hattie giggled and swatted him away. “Sorry. Had to get some rosemary from the farm shop, ours has some kind of disease. Well, don’t you both look well!” She smiled and gave Olivia a warm hug. “How’s the little one?”

“He’s fine. Cooking along quite nicely,” Olivia grinned and ran her hands over her swollen belly.

“She,” Sebastian corrected Olivia. “It’s a girl.”

“I don’t know why you don’t want to find out the s*x,” Georgiana said. “Everyone else does these days. Makes painting the nursery a whole lot easier.”

“We don’t want to know,” Sebastian said. “We want it to be a surprise.”

“Well we’ll find out soon enough,” Olivia rubbed her belly again and was rewarded with a kick from deep within.

During dinner Georgiana quietly took her family in. She loved being with them in her ancestral home - they weren’t together enough, she thought. There was so much laughter and joy that echoed throughout the ancient building these days that it was a wonderful place to be.

She was delighted that her brother and Olivia had found each other after experiencing such misery with their previous partners. Looking at them, she knew she wanted to find the same all-consuming love that they had.