“I can’t believe the marquess will ever be old,” Adam said.“He’s always been feisty.”
“He may never admit to being old, but his body is telling him a different story.I think his fourth wife robbed him of what was left of his energy.”
Adam and Derek started laughing, then Derek said, “Takes a lot of stamina to have one wife, much less four.”
“Amen,” Adam added.
“That’s my father, gentlemen.I could not hold a candle to him, nor would I try.Elizabeth will be enough for me,” Jonathan admitted.“It has taken me a long time to finally take the step.Once will be plenty for me.”
“Said by someone who already knows his place,” Adam teased.“Now let’s get some work done before my friend here goes back to daydreaming of his upcoming wedding.”
Finally,the week of her wedding arrived ...and Elizabeth’s euphoria ended.
Her nausea had returned—sometimes in the morning and sometimes at night.At first, Elizabeth tried to pass her unsettled stomach off as nerves.She was just overly excited about the wedding, she tried to convince herself.She also realized she was using that excuse more and more.
The only person who knew about her sickness was Sally.She had never commented, but she was always there to soothe Elizabeth and to assure her that everything would be fine.
A cloying uneasiness followed Elizabeth as she moved through the week.And again, she had the strange foreboding that something terrible was about to happen, something she wouldn’t be able to control.She’d always been able to control most things in her life and she felt safe and secure, but what if something happened that she couldn’t stop ...something that might change her happiness.The thought scared her.
Then reality struck.
The night before her wedding, Elizabeth was very sick.
“I’m so tired of feeling like this.What’s the matter with me?”
Sally held a cool cloth to Elizabeth’s brow.“Now don’t go gettin’ excited.It’s only natural.Some women don’t ever get sick, but honey, yo ain’t one of them.”
“Are you saying everybody gets this sick before their wedding?”
“Ain’t the wedding that’s makin’ you sick,” Sally said softly and looked at her with knowing eyes.“I’ve done seen this many times.”Sally nodded her head.“Let me go get you something cool to drink,” she said before she left the bedroom.
This time Elizabeth knew that she wasn’t sick due to nerves.It was something much more permanent.
She was pregnant.
Captain Lee had left her with more than nightmares.
She shut her eyes, hoping to stop the tears burning her eyes.What was she going to do?Standing up, she swiped at her tears and began to move about the room.
She hated Captain Lee and all the unpleasantness he’d caused her family.She wanted no part of his child.
Yet the child also belonged to her.
She had to tell Jonathan.But what would his reaction be?Could he accept another man’s child?Would he feel sorry for her and marry her out of pity?Or would he simply walk away?She remembered his words the other night:If another man ever touched you, I don’t know what I would do.Elizabeth sighed.She would have to tell him the whole ugly truth and hope for the best.
She couldn’t bear the thought that she might never see him again.He’d been so loving these last two weeks, and she couldn’t help thinking that she was responsible for easing his bitterness over his arm.
Elizabeth dropped down onto a green velvet chair.Just when she thought everything would be all right, this had to happen.She couldn’t bear to throw everything away.She had loved only once in her life and that man was Jonathan.Somehow, she had to keep him.
Finally, she stood and moved over to the wardrobe and took out her nightgown.She threw the gown on the bed and then started unhooking her dress.When Sally returned, Elizabeth took the drink and Sally finished helping Elizabeth undress.Then she dismissed her, preferring to be alone.
As she climbed into bed that night, she knew what she had to do.She would go through the ceremony, then try to convince Jonathan that the baby was his.It might be deceitful, but at the moment she couldn’t see any other way.
She couldn’t lose Jonathan.
When she finally closed her eyes, sleep was not peaceful.It was filled with nightmares of Captain Lee taunting her.
Captain Lee had finally gotten his revenge.
