“It is good to see you,” Prince Louis said.
“I am ashamed to face you,” Jean Pierre admitted.
“Don't be, I should thank you.”
Jean Pierre raised his eyebrows. “Thank me, for what?” he asked. What Jean Pierre had done was unforgivable. Had this been a different century, he would have been killed for it.
“Because of this situation, I was able to marry Macee,” Prince Louis replied. Jean Pierre was not sure what to say. It was a twisted situation.
“You are welcome, I guess,” Jean Pierre said, as Prince Louis laughed.
“Have you been to see Liane yet?” Prince asked.
Jean Pierre sighed heavily before he replied. “I met all three of them,” he said as he pulled a face.
“What happened?” Jean Pierre told him everything that had happened as Prince Louis laughed. He was not surprised that Macee had taken his head off. He knew that his wife was quite feisty. It was one of the things that he found attractive about her. He found it even more amusing that Francesca had joined in.
“It was a battlefield in there and I believe that was only the beginning,” Jean Pierre said. Prince Louis laughed.
“You will be fine. The sisters are not that bad once you get to know them.”
“Your wife was ready to have my blood. You should have seen the look in her eyes.”
Prince Louis laughed. He knew all too well, what Jean Pierre was talking about. “But you and Liane, how did that happen?” he asked. He was still curious about that. He knew that they attended the same country club but he had not expected them to get along because of how they argued the night he introduced them to each other.
“It was at the country club and we had had a few drinks.”
“Liane is not the type to get drunk.”
“She was not drunk but perhaps the champagne had gotten to her a little bit. Before that night, I was pretty sure she disliked me. In fact, I’m sure that she still does.”
“Yes, I remember the heated debate the two of you had over King Henry the Eighth.”
Jean Pierre grunted. He too still remembered it. They both were highly opinionated and determined to be right. Neither one of them was willing to back down. In the end, it was the prince who stopped it.
“She was always arguing with me. Something about me ruffled her feathers.”
“Jean Pierre, you are like that with many women.” The prince raised his eyebrow. How did his cousin not know how much he offended women?
“Yes, they start to hate me once they realize that they can’t have me. She had a different kind of hate.”
Prince Louis shook his head. His younger cousin was the same as ever. “So what happens now?” he asked him.
“I have no idea. I guess my mother is not going to take it lightly when she finds out.”
“Bridgette will be the hail storm that falls upon us all.” The Prince knew that Bridgette was not going to like this at all. She had disliked the LeBlancs from the moment she met them and it was she who outted Liane to the world. Little did she know that the pregnancy she was so quick to reveal was her own grandchild.
***
The queen called Bridgette back to the palace. Jean Pierre wanted to tell his mother in person but the queen had summoned her back to the palace before he had the opportunity to go see her and tell her. The queen was sitting with Bridgette in the courtyard when Jean Pierre and Liane arrived.
They approached the queen and her sister. As they both greeted the queen, Bridgette made a face. “Why is she here?” she demanded. Liane bit her tongue. She still had much to say to Bridgette.
“That is what we need to discuss,” the queen said.
“Let me tell her,” Jean Pierre interrupted. It was better if he was the one to tell his mother. The queen nodded and allowed him to speak.
“What is going on?” Bridgette demanded.
“Mother, the child Liane is carrying is mine,” he said.
“What?” Bridgette was not sure that she had heard correctly.
“I was responsible for getting her pregnant.”
Bridgette was silent for a moment. She let the sickening news sink in. Had she heard correctly? Her son had gotten the crown prince's fiancée pregnant. After six months, she was only now finding out? She was not sure whether to cry or yell.
“Mother?” Jean Pierre asked. He had never seen his mother that quiet. A tear rolled down her face. That was definitely not the response he was expecting.
“You slept with the Crown Prince's fiancée and then got her pregnant?” Bridgette spoke so quietly.
“I am sorry.”
Bridgette slapped him across the face. “What is your cheap apology going to achieve now?” Bridgette shouted. She turned to face Liane, “I thought you were the most decent one in your family but then you seduced my son, WHORE!” she screamed.