“Perhaps we should hire her,” he said, holding her away from him to look at her.“It is a dangerous time for a woman.You must do everything possible to assure your safety.Promise me.”
Eleanor looked up into warm brown eyes.It was so dangerous to allow herself this, for she knew their problems had not disappeared.She would pay in pain for these moments, and yet it was so wonderful.
“Certainly I will,” she assured him.“That’s an easy promise to make.”
“Good.”
He frowned slightly, as if searching for words, and then said softly, a little desperately, “And things will get better.”
With that he swung her up into his arms and carried her over to her bed.He laid her there gently and drew up the covers.He placed a soft kiss on her brow, extinguished her candles, and was gone.
His leaving did not dilute her happiness.She missed his kindness more than his passion, and that at least had returned to her.She sank into contented sleep.
And things did get better.He still spent little time in Lauriston Street, but, perhaps because of the presence of Amy, when he was at home he would seek their company and relax.The gay, teasing tone was produced for both of them, and sometimes for Eleanor it approached the best times there had ever been.
With tact Amy would occasionally excuse herself to give them time alone.Even then he did not cool and would even sometimes hold her in a tender way and kiss her gently.There was never anything of passion in it, and she was careful never to try to take these moments further than he wished.Life was not perfect, but it was so very sweet that she would not risk destroying it.
It was destroyed, however, one day in late June.
Chapter 9
It was time for Amy to leave to join her mother and her sisters in Weymouth, all danger of infection now being over.Fresh sea air had been prescribed for the convalescent.Nicholas and Lord Middlethorpe were both there to see her off, and Lord Stainbridge happened to be in the house at the same time.
Nicholas gave Amy a light kiss.“We will miss you, Amy.We will be dull here now, two old married people.”
“That makes you sound like elderly, indigent relatives.”
“You make me feel like an elderly indigent,” he replied.
“Eleanor is not so old yet,” Amy replied as she gave Eleanor a warm hug.“I will write often.”She chuckled as she looked down at Eleanor’s slightly-rounded abdomen.“I suppose you will soon have to give up going into Society.Will you go into the country?”
“Will I have to go into purdah, then?”said Eleanor.“I think I shall continue to go about ‘big-bellied like the wanton wind.’Will that shock people?It has certainly shocked Kit.”She gave him a satirical glance.If Lord Stainbridge chose to invade her home she felt entitled to prick at him.
Nicholas stepped in.“Kitiseasily shocked,” he said calmly, but it was a reproof.“And you shouldn’t break such important news to him so casually.”
Eleanor had forgotten that the earl had no idea she was confirmed to be pregnant.Now, in company, she had no choice but to suffer Lord Stainbridge’s awkward congratulations and fussing before she could wave goodbye to Amy and Francis and escape to her room.She saw Nicholas take Lord Stainbridge into the library.
She supposed the twins were cozily discussing their pregnancy and felt an unusual urge to smash something valuable.Goodness, she was likely to turn into a termagant at this rate.She wondered if it was just the strange effects of pregnancy or if she was undergoing a permanent change of personality.
Nicholas had not liked the way she’d sneered at his brother, and she did care for his good opinion.He loved his brother despite his weaknesses, and she supposed she should try to bury the past in the interests of family harmony.Eleanor decided she would go down and allow them both to assuage their consciences by being concerned and considerate and making grandiose plans for the child.
As she approached the study she realized the door was slightly open; she could clearly hear their voices.They were discussing the child and she wished to hear what was said.A quick glance assured her there was no servant in the hall and so she stayed where she was, unashamedly eavesdropping.
“You have no right to this child, Kit.”As usual, Nicholas’s voice was level and calm.
Not so Lord Stainbridge’s.“It may be mine.It will certainly be my heir.”
“You have forfeited any right you might have had to it.If you want an heir, you are free to get one for yourself.”
“What sort of life can you give to a child?What sort of life are you giving Eleanor?It must be raised at Grattingley where it belongs.”
“And Eleanor?She might have something to say to that.”
“She will be with the child, of course.”Lord Stainbridge sounded thoroughly exasperated.“For heaven’s sake, Nicky.You can’t expect her to stay here alone.”
“Then perhaps it is my place to stay here with her,” said Nicholas calmly.“Or am I welcome to establish myself at Grattingley too?”
There was a silence.
