"Jeez, Kate, you scared the life out of me. Are you all right?" he asked, his eyes wide in panic. She glanced around and saw Roley standing with the horses a few feet away looking worried.
"Fine, stop worrying. Full of the bloody flu and nothing more," she mumbled as she tried to sit up. Her head swam, and she rested her chin on her knees until the ground leveled out and she could lift her head again. "Sorry, I thought that I would be okay today after all that sleep yesterday. Don't tell Tilly, or I'll never hear the end of it."
"You sure you're going to be okay, girl?" Roley asked as he eyed her. "You sure do look kind of pasty around the face."
"Thanks, I'm sure," Kate snapped back. "Pass me that water bottle please."
She took a long drink and dribbled the water over her face in an attempt to cool herself. Carefully she got to her feet. When she was sure the ground wouldn't rise to meet her, she climbed back on her horse. Kate sat still in the saddle until she was sure she wouldn't pass out again. It took a little more time to reassure the guys that she would be fine. She would just take the rest of the day at a steady pace. If she felt faint again, she would let them know in advance so they could help her before she fell from the saddle.
They managed to talk her into going back, and she had another early night, rising the next morning, feeling a little tired but overall much better than she had for days.
* * *
Magnus opened the door and led her into the kitchen. She could sense the tension in the air and wondered what was pissing him off today. Kate perched on one of the bar stools at the kitchen bench and waited for him to offer her a glass of wine. Instead he pushed a brown paper bag over to her.
"What's this?" she asked, nervously looking into his stormy, dark eyes.
"Open it."
She slipped a shaky finger under the tape and unfolded the flap, her gaze on his face. She was scared now; he was acting weird, and she couldn't understand why. Kate slid the box out of the bag; and her stomach clenched in agony.
"No," she said, shaking her head, "no."
"Prove it, then," he bit out, looking at the pregnancy test box in her hand
"It's not possible. I won't do it," she said, throwing the box down and wrapping her arms around her middle.
"You are not leaving this house until you do." His voice was cold and angry.
"You can't keep me here."
"Kate, listen to me. You are constantly tired, you passed out, and even I've noticed the changes in your body. Christ, I shouldn't have let you be the responsible one, but I did. Now I want to know if you are pregnant."
"I only fainted because of the flu."
"That was over two weeks ago, Kate. You should be over that now. Look at you. You are more tired than you have ever been. Your nipples have suddenly become swollen and full. You're pregnant, aren't you?"
"I take the pill," she said in a small voice.
"Every single day without fail?"
Kate looked away, too embarrassed about how slack she had been, how careless she was with her routine. "You can't make me."
"I can, and I will," he said. "I will stand over you until you go to the toilet, and I will know before you leave this house if you are pregnant."
"Even if I am and it's not remotely possible, you don't need to worry about me. I can take care of myself," she said.
"Is that before or after you make it public and go after me for all you can get?" Magnus demanded, a dangerous, cold edge to his voice that made Kate's stomach churn. "Just go and do it, Kate, and let's get this over with."
She stood on shaky legs, snatched the box from the bench, and headed to the bathroom. She sat on the toilet seat and read the instructions, the sinking queasy feeling in her stomach making her more than certain that he was right.
Kate took the test and sat on the lid again, her gaze locked on the stick in her hand.
Magnus paced back and forth in the kitchen. How could she do this to me? The last thing I want is a baby. Better schemers than Kate had tried to catch him out and not succeeded. How a small-time country girl was going to do better than them was laughable.
He made himself coffee to give her time to take the test and to calm his nerves. It wasn't that he didn't want kids eventually, just not right now and not necessarily with Kate.
The phone rang in his office, and he picked up the extension in the kitchen.
"Hi, Rolf," he said recognizing the caller ID. "Is Nell okay, the baby?"
"Just fine. Everyone is okay. I just wondered if we could all come down for a few days to get out of town for a while. Nell is giving me hell about working so much as you already know, and if I stay at home, you know what will happen."
"You know you don't have to ask. Do you want me to pick you up in the helicopter, save you the trip in the car?" He was suddenly looking forward to seeing his best friend.
"Only if you have time. I don't want to take you away from the farm if you're busy," Rolf said.
"I have the time for you guys, you know that. Just let me know the day before, and I'll be there."
"Thanks, Magnus. I'll talk
