The Prince's Secret (Prince Harry Fanfic)

Part 60 - Welcome Home

Harry

Welcome home?

Nottingham Cottage was my home. And although Meg had been living there full time since November, it didn't feel like our home, especially since she had been gone for a month.

I stood there stiffly as Meg put her arms around me, trying to give me a hug, which I did not return. She stepped back and her hands dropped to her sides.

"I know I left under unpleasant circumstances, but I had time to think everything over while I was in Toronto. I've come back so we can make a new start and rebuild our relationship. I want to be the best wife and partner for you that I can be."

I briefly considered how to respond, and decided it was time to be brutally honest with Meg. I hadn't been totally honest with her before, when I told her that the Queen wanted us to give it more time. I had to make it clear that the future she was planning for us was not possible. To hell with what the Queen wanted for me. I was tired of playing games with so many lives. Right now it didn't matter what the Queen said and thought. This was between the two of us.

"Meg," I said, as gently as I could, "you were right when you confronted me before. I have been seeing someone else."

"It doesn't matter," she said quickly, caressing my arm. "We can put all that unpleasantness behind us. It's the future that matters, not the past."

"I don't think—" I began, then cursed myself inwardly for still being so damn wishy-washy in my wording. Just say it!

"There isn't going to be a future for us," I said sharply. "I'm sorry. But I can't marry you."

She took my harsh statement rather stoically, as if she had expected it and prepared herself for it. Sliding her hand down to take mine, she said, "But Harry...we're going to have a baby. I'm pregnant."

I pulled my hand away. "I find that hard to believe."

"I know it's a surprise," Meg said, smiling. "I was shocked when I found out! And so was your grandmother, when I told her. I've had some long talks with the Queen—"

"So I heard," I cut in.

"—and she thinks that we should marry as soon as possible. There's no point in postponing the wedding. It will be so much less of a scandal if we are married before news of the pregnancy gets out."

"There's not going to be a wedding, Meg. You might be able to win over my grandmother with baby news but you can't fool me. When did you get pregnant?" I asked.

"Before I left for Toronto, of course. After the holidays."

"Really?" I said. I remembered the exact day Samantha and I had met at the pub—December 14th. And I was equally certain that Meg and I had not slept together since then. "You had your period on New Year's Eve. I remember you bitching about it. So you weren't pregnant then."

Meg tossed her hair. "You must be mistaken."

"I'm not likely to forget you throwing a £7,000 evening gown in the trash because you happened to get a blood stain on it."

"We are going to have a baby, Harry. I know how much you want to have children, how eager you are to become a father. We need to raise this baby together."

I paced across the room, the dogs trailing behind me, happily oblivious to what was going on. "Can we just be honest with each other for once? You're not pregnant."

Dark eyes flashing, Meg flew across the room and stood in front of me. "I am being honest with you! I am pregnant. I can show you the test results."

"From a doctor in Toronto."

"I'll get tests done here if it will convince you! Any doctor you choose."

"I'll take you up on that offer."

Meg was breathing hard now, on the verge of tears. "You can deny it all you want, but it's true. And if you want me to be honest with you, I did stop taking my pills. I wanted to give you a baby as soon as possible."

"You wanted to make sure I would marry you," I snapped.

"I wanted to make you happy!"

I wasn't going to keep arguing the point. "I've always worn a condom. Even if you did stop taking the pills, you shouldn't have gotten pregnant."

"Well, you didn't that night you were out late drinking with your friends. You were all randy and in way too much of a hurry to be bothered," Meg said triumphantly.

I froze, my mind spinning. "I don't remember that."

"No, you probably don't. You were pretty drunk. Like the old days. I know exactly when it was because I made a note of it." She whipped out her phone and brought up her calendar. "January 11th." She held the phone out to me. After all her appointments for the day was typed Sex w/Harry! with a few love-hearts after it.

I stormed into the bedroom and opened the spiral-bound calendar where Colin kept track of all my engagements. And there it was, scrawled in my handwriting: Jan 11 - 10pm - meet Corrigan at Bunga Bunga.

I dropped the calendar on the desk. Fuck. Had I really been so drunk that night I didn't remember sleeping with Meg? And didn't bother to protect myself from this very situation? I couldn't be certain...and that doubt was enough.

And what if Meg was pregnant with my baby? The Queen would never let me out of my engagement. I would have to marry her.

I closed my eyes as a wave of pain swept through me at the thought. What would I tell Samantha?

Meg had followed me into the bedroom and stood in the doorway, a smirk on her face. "Well?"

"I want you to get a pregnancy test here in London, with the OB that Catherine goes to," I said, my voice thick. "And then we will have a paternity test done."

"You don't trust me? I'm not the one who's been screwing around!"

"I'm not going to be forced into marriage," I said evenly, staring her down. "And I'm not going to live here with you like everything is normal while this is being settled."

"We are still engaged," she said, toe-to-toe with me, her eyes just as steely as mine.

"Only in the eyes of the public and the Queen," I said. "I'll have Simon take you to a hotel—"

"I'm not going to a hotel," she informed me, spitting out the words. "Your father was kind enough to offer me a room at Clarence House if I needed it while we are settling things, as you put it."

Great. She'd spun her web around my father too. "Then Simon can take you and your things to Clarence House," I said.

"Are you planning on moving Samantha in here while I am gone?" she snapped.

Just the way she said Sam's name infuriated me. "That is none of your concern."

"I know where she lives. Everyone knows now," Meg taunted. "Maybe I will go and visit her. What will your girlfriend think when she knows you've gotten me pregnant and you're going to marry me after all?"

My fists clenched. "You'd better leave her alone."

Meg picked up her purse and smiled, and it was not a pleasant smile. "I'll let you know when my doctor's appointment is scheduled. I'm sure you'll want to be there to hear the news of your impending fatherhood in person."