Then she would alarm Sebastian, and she desperately didn’t want to do that.
“Eleanor?” Olivia hurried after her. “What is the matter?”
“I—” Eleanor found a screen and ducked behind it, finally allowing herself to give in to the nausea. Olivia’s hand pressed against her back.
“Are you unwell? Should I call for Mama? Sebastian? I can—”
“No! I’ll be well again soon. I just—” The sickness struck again and she heaved. “It should go away in a moment. It usually does. I’m sorry I’m ruining your day.”
“You are not ruining anything,” Olivia said firmly. “Did you say that this has happened before?”
“Yes, but it is not something to fret over, I promise.”
“Oh, dearest, I’m not worried. At least, not in that sense.” Olivia sat beside her. “Before my marriage, Mama sat me down and talked about the different things a body can do. She also discussed, in far too much detail if you ask me, the means of conceiving a child.”
Eleanor’s eyes widened. “A child?”
“She explained to me that my monthly cycles will stop and that I may feel nauseous, as you are doing now. Tell me, dearest. When was your last bleed?”
“I—” Eleanor blinked, trying to think past the haze in her mind. Whenhadher last bleed been? She had been so busy, she hadn’t thought to keep track of it. It was an inconvenience, but it didn’t always come at the same time of the moon, and she had more than enough to be getting on with.
Margaret had never explained to her what might happen when she was with child. She understood that her stomach would start to swell and she would grow a babe inside her, but she didn’t know that she would feel likethis.
Her last bleed had been sometime in the spring. Perhaps two moons ago.
Heavens. Did that mean… Could this truly be happening?
Yet, she had been feeling odd in herself. Not quite the way she had been. Before, she hadn’t even thought to consider that it might be this, especially as she had not grown thick with child, but now the suggestion had been posed, she felt in her heart that it was right.
“I don’t know,” she said slowly. “I think possibly—I think it might have been some time ago.”
“Oh, then perhaps this is a symptom of something greater.”
Eleanor pressed a hand against her throat. In secret, she had wished for a child, praying that every time she lay with Sebastian he might give her one. It seemed that her prayers had been answered, if Olivia could be believed.
So far, in her relationship, Olivia had not led her astray.
She sat back on her haunches. “I hope it is,” she said dazedly. “A child—I have dreamed of one.”
“Then this is perfect!”
“Sebastian. I need to—” She needed to think clearly. If she wasn’t with child after all, then what should she do? Would it be cruel to tell Sebastian, only to risk his disappointment if she wasn’t, or she lost the babe? That happened too, she knew.
But how could she keep this knowledge inside her now she knew?
No. They had promised to tell each other everything, and if she lost the child, then he could grieve with her.
“Take me to Sebastian,” she said firmly. “I have something to tell him.”
Olivia took a damp cloth from a maid and dabbed Eleanor’s face with it, wiping her mouth. “There. You look as good as new. Go and tell your husband.”
“I am so happy for you and Luke,” Eleanor said, taking her friend’s arm and pulling her into an embrace. “This is not how I intended your wedding breakfast to go.”
“Are you serious?” Olivia laughed, freckled face filled with mirth and genuine joy. “This has made the day all the better. We are friends, Eleanor, and that means we celebrate each other’s victories. To have two happen on the same day—it only doubles the joy of both.”
“I love you.”
“And I love you. Now go and tell your husband your family is expanding. I’ll find my husband, but fear not, I’ll keep this information to myself for the time being.”
