A Royal Christmas Proposal. Leanne Banks

and rushed toward her sister and gave Bridget a hug as big as her pregnancy. “So good to see you. You look great.”

      “I’ll look so much better in a few weeks. Look at Eve. She’s doing fabulously. Six months pregnant and she looks like she could deliver after a full day of plowing fields.”

      “I hope not,” Eve said, kissing Ericka on the cheek. “How’s our little boy Leo?”

      “Wonderful when he sleeps,” Ericka said. “Which doesn’t seem to happen at night.”

      “Oh, no,” Pippa, Ericka’s other sister said. “Hopefully, he’ll sleep soon.”

      Ericka felt Pippa search her face and wished she could hide her emotions.

      “You should call me for help,” Pippa said.

      “You’re busy with your own baby,” Ericka said.

      “Not too busy for family. Any news on treatment?” Pippa asked.

      “We’re still working with hearing aids, but we haven’t seen any improvement. Surgery may be in his future, but I want to make sure he’s ready for it. Even with surgery, I’ll teach him sign language. Of course, I’m learning it, too.”

      “You know the rest of us will be right there with you,” she said. “We’re happy to learn sign language. It would be good for the children. It would be good for all of us.”

      Ericka’s heart swelled and she felt her eyes fill with tears. “You’re so sweet,” she said, embracing Pippa. “So very sweet.”

      “Oh, stop,” Pippa said. “Let’s have a nice holiday lunch.”

      Ericka sat down with her sisters and sister-in-law and enjoyed a non-alcoholic cranberry spritzer along with a salad then a chicken crepe. Afterward, the women enjoyed chocolate mousse pie.

      “Delicious,” Bridget said.

      “I agree,” Ericka said.

      “Stefan says you’re doing a great job with the royal society conference,” Bridget said.

      Eve nodded. “He said the same to me.”

      “And me,” Pippa added.

      Ericka felt her cheeks heat with self-consciousness. “Thanks. Our colleagues have been very responsive.”

      “Good to hear,” Eve said.

      “I did receive an unsettling call this morning. You know that Sergenia is experiencing some unrest and the princesses and prince need a place to go. I think Chantaine would be perfect.”

      “But we’re such a small country. How could they possibly hide here?” Pippa asked.

      “Different identities and jobs.” Ericka said. “They’re amenable to such a plan.”

      “But would Stefan agree?” Bridget asked. “He has always wanted to remain neutral.”

      “Perhaps with the proper pressure,” Ericka said, then glanced at Eve. “I hate to ask you.”

      “Give me more details later and I’ll see what I can do. He’s a stubborn, but wonderful, man,” Eve said. “That’s why we all love him.”

      “True,” Pippa murmured then lifted her glass of soda. “To good health, happiness and the future of the Devereaux family.”

      “Here, here,” Eve said. Bridget echoed the cheer as did Ericka.

      “And next week, we meet publicly for the lighting of the royal Christmas tree,” Eve said. “Bridget excused.”

      “If I can be there, I will,” Bridget said, and then took another sip of her cranberry beverage. “In the meantime, we’ve just added a couple new goats to our zoo. Too many in my opinion. Do any of you want a goat?”

      Silence followed. No takers. Ericka nearly choked over her spritzer, but she swallowed hard to quell the urge so that Bridget wouldn’t mistake any sound she made as interest in taking on one of her goats.

      After hugs all around, the women headed out the door. Ericka waited for her sisters and sister-in-law to leave then strode outside. A crowd awaited her, taking her by surprise.

      “Hello,” she managed and Treat appeared by her side.

      Several people rushed toward her and Treat stepped in front of her. “Go to the car,” he instructed her. “It’s behind you.”

      Ericka rushed into the vehicle and Treat followed, driving her away from the crowd. “Next time, you won’t leave last,” he said sternly. “The crowd caught on after your sisters left.”

      “I was merely being polite,” she protested.

      “Next time you’ll leave at the same time they leave or before,” he said. “Think about it. If I hadn’t been there, you could have been crushed.”

      She wanted to argue, but she knew he was right. She had underestimated how much the people wanted to connect with the royals. Now that she was a mother, she had to think more carefully about her safety. Thank goodness Treat had been there to protect her.

      As he drove into her gated cottage, she felt a sense of safety settle over her. He helped her out of the car. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “I was so busy fighting for my independence that I didn’t realize I was sacrificing security.” She looked into his gaze and noticed a scrape and a trickle of blood on his forehead. “You were hurt.”

      He shook his head. “Someone just got a little pushy.”

      Horrified, she lifted her hand. “I’m so sorry. We need to bandage it,” she said.

      “It’s no big deal,” he said. “Trust me. I’ve suffered much worse. Are you okay?”

      “Me?” she echoed. “I’m fine. You took care of me.”

      “Good,” he said. “Go inside. Take a break or a nap. I’ll be in the guest room unless you want to go anywhere.”

      “Of course,” she said, standing on the porch as he walked away, wanting to put a bandage on his wound.

      She felt a bit stupid after fighting her brother and Treat. As much as she wanted to think she could walk around like anyone else, she just couldn’t. And she needed to face that fact for both herself and Leo.

      * * *

      The next day, the artificial pre-lit Christmas arrived outside her well-secured gate. Treat brought it inside. “Good news. There are only three pieces.”

      She looked at the mark on his forehead and pressed her lips together in concern.

      “Stop staring at my little mark,” he said, waving his hand in her face. “We need to get this tree put up for Leo. Where is the little sleep-stealer, anyway?”

      “I hate to wake him,” she said.

      Treat dropped his chin and shook his head. “Well, he sure doesn’t mind waking you. Besides, this will be a great visual experience for him.”

      “You’re right,” she said, clapping her hands as she strode toward the nursery and went against every motherly instinct by waking him. His sweet little eyebrows frowned as she lifted him from his crib.

      “Trust me,” she said. “You’re gonna love this.” Ericka was determined to continue talking to Leo even though he couldn’t hear a word she was saying. In a few months, if he got the surgery, he would be able to hear her, so she needed to keep talking to him. Shifting him slightly, she grabbed his infant seat and walked to the den. “We’re ready,” she said as she set Leo into his seat.

      “All right, all right,” Treat said. “Let’s rock and roll.”

      In a stunningly short amount of time, he put the tree up. Leo squirmed and sucked on his pacifier, but didn’t cry.

      Treat