An 'Earl's Retreat' snippit (though it has more to do with the end of The Duke's Library):
Victoria to Emma
“Oh, I’m so happy, and excited, and every other emotion one could feel for you!” Emma exclaimed. “I imagine His Grace is over the moon.”
Victoria glanced over her shoulder and grimaced. “Andres doesn’t know yet, and he won’t for several weeks yet. We’re leaving for Spain in a fortnight and, after all the time I put in convincing him to allow me to accompany him, I’ll be damned if I get left behind to spend another frozen winter in London by myself.”
“If you are ill several times a day, how will you keep him from finding out?”
“He is so deeply involved with planning the trip and confirming last-minute details, that he is quite oblivious to my condition.”
Andres to Christian
“Your daughter will have a cousin soon, I expect. I am still waiting for Ria to gather the nerve to tell me, but the signs are all there.” Andres chuckled, taking a sip of his brandy.
“Congratulations, my friend. Though, I’ve never known my cousin to lack the courage to speak her mind.”
“Touché. However, I believe she thinks if she informs me, I won’t allow her to join me on my tour of Spain this fall. As if I would willingly suffer through a meeting with my family sans her tranquility to keep me grounded. Quite honestly, I am enjoying watching her dance around the news.”
