"So Grandma, when did you realise you were pregnant?"
"About three weeks later. Rupert and the boys were still away and I was beginning to feel very nauseated and couldn't keep my morning meals down, so I went to see the doctor. After asking a few questions and running a few tests, he gave me the news, 'Congratulations,' he said, 'There is to be another heir to the Genovian throne!'
My mouth dropped, 'Are you positive?' I asked.
'98 sure,' he replied.
I was shocked. I knew it wasn't Rupert's child. He hadn't touched me for months. I couldn't exactly just say to him, 'Rupert, darling, guess what, I'm pregnant! Oh and guess what else, it's not yours!'
I had no idea what I was going to do so I told the doctor to keep quiet.
I decided that I would sleep on it, and then decide how to handle the situation.
When I got home, Joseph was waiting for me out in the front garden. He asked how I was and if there was anything he could do for me. I didn't say a word. I tried to escape from him, but the task seemed impossible. I could sense that he knew something was wrong. I couldn't speak to him, so I ran as fast as I could up to my suite. He was very good at keeping up with me, 'What's the matter?' he would say, 'What did the doctor say?'
I tried to ignore him as I made my way through the door and locked it behind me.
Finally, I was alone. I let the tears come out and paced the room. I then collapsed on the floor and cried some more.
A little bit later, I felt a hand on my shoulder, 'You forgot to lock the secret door,' Joseph said. He asked me again what was wrong and I threw myself into his arms. I then made it clear to him that I didn't want to talk about it and he left it at that.
I had a hard time getting to sleep that night. Joseph didn't want me to be left alone so he comforted me while I thought about what I was going to do."
"And when did you decide?"
"A few days later. It was the hardest decision I ever had to make. I decided that I would see my good friend (at the time), Doctor Robert Stanmen, to arrange a time for him to initiate the procedure and remove the child. I chose the following Monday and that was that! I told him that what happened in that room was never to leave it, Rupert and the boys came back two days after and I felt I had nothing to worry about. And that is the whole story."
"Wait a minute, what happened with you, Joe?"
"Eventually, Clarisse informed me that we should stop being lovers because we were bound to get caught. She then suggested that we should remain friends. After that I told her that if she ever became available, I would woo her once more. And I succeeded in my task, several years later…"
"So," Clarisse started, "now that you know the full story, you can stop hassling us and go to bed now."
"Stop hassling you? You want me to stop hassling you? Grandma, you are such a hypocrite! Do you remember a few years ago when you were yelling at me for being in a closet with Nicholas when I was engaged to Andrew? Well that's nothing because you were married and you slept with someone else! And Joe, I thought you were a decent, honourable man, but boy was I wrong…"
Mia stormed out of the room and headed towards her suite.
"MIA!" Clarisse yelled from the door.
"I'm beginning to think we shouldn't have told her," said Joseph.
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it. She'll be over it by tomorrow…"
"I hope you're right. I'm not used to her being angry at me."
"Consider yourself lucky, she's absolutely furious with me."
A little later, Joseph walked over to the stereo which was on top of the dresser, "I know what will ease your troubles," he said, pressing the play button.
Music began to play, "Oh, Joseph, I'm not in the mood. I've just spent the last half hour talking continuously and I didn't get much sleep last night."
"So you're not feeling up to dancing the Wango?"
She smiled and watched him as he started dancing with her bathrobe.
"Well you've got me all jealous now…"
She joined him and the two danced together, deep into the night.