‘What?’ His expression was so shocked it was almost comical.
‘I’m pregnant.’
‘How do you know? Have you been to see a doctor?’
Her stomach plunged at the uncertainty in her husband’s tone. ‘Don’t you believe me?’
‘If you tell me it’s true then of course I believe you—but how do you know you haven’t made a mistake? That it’s not just some kind of tummy bug? I’ve heard there’s one going round...’
‘I bought a pregnancy test and it was positive. I’m going to have a baby, Hal. Do you mind? I know the news probably could have come at a more conducive time, seeing as you’re about to make your first mountaineering trip since the accident, but I hoped it might make you determined to be extra careful when you’re up on that mountain and to come home to me just as soon as you can so that we can celebrate.’
‘I’m going to be a father... We’re going to be parents!’
Lifting her high into his arms, Hal hugged her hard and swung her round in a circle with delight. Then he kissed her hungrily and passionately until she had to push against him to let her up for air. Dizzy with relief that he shared her joy that they were going to have a child, Kit cupped Hal’s chiselled jaw and smiled tenderly up into his eyes—eyes she now knew she’d lost her heart to from the very first glance.
‘I’m so glad that you’re pleased about it, Hal. For a moment there I was afraid you might not be.’
He gave her a bemused look. ‘Why on earth would you think that? I told you on the day I asked you to marry me that it was what I wanted most in the world—to marry the woman of my dreams and settle down and have a family. Don’t you remember?’
Kit sighed as Hal delivered her safely to the ground again. ‘I remember. But I don’t want you to settle down, my love. It’s never going to be in your nature to just be content with raising a family—and that’s not a criticism. I know you have to run the estate, but that’s no reason not to do the things you love as well...the sports and the challenges that give you pleasure. As long as you promise not to take too many unnecessary risks—because I want you to come home in one piece to me and our children—then that’s fine by me. You wouldn’t be the adventurous and brave man I married if I tried to change you in any way. I love you just as you are, Hal Treverne.’
‘And I adore you, Katherine Treverne. And I promise that from now on I will never take any dangerous risks that I don’t have to. You and our children will always be the most important things to me in the world. And talking of celebrating our good news...I don’t have to leave for Ben Nevis for a while yet, so why don’t we start our celebrations early?’
He was already lightly pushing her towards the vast king-sized bed that they shared and Kit didn’t have a single thought in her head to protest, no matter how ‘under par’ she felt.
Hal and their marriage meant everything in the world to her, and for as long as they lived she would happily take every opportunity she could to let him know it.