We walked to the cottage in silence. Edward had been in his study this entire time, but Elizabeth informed him that Mr Hart had arrived from London and would be staying the night. There was some confusion as he thought she meant Dorian and became upset that he had come to cause trouble. But he calmed down when she explained it was his brother, Harrington, and not the rogue himself.
Of Dorian, Mr Hart had yet to mention a word. I did not feel it was my place to enquire what had become of him, even if I was curious.
When we reached the cottage, I said, ‘I will go in aloneso she can ready herself for your visit.’
It was highly unlikely she was indecent at this hour, but a girl likes to be given warning that she has a gentleman caller.
I rapped on the door, opened it, and quickly slipped in, not giving Mr Hart a chance to see into the room. She was not in the parlour. Had she gone for a walk?
‘Lucy?’ I called. ‘Where are you?’
‘In here, Aunty Fliss’ came her plaintive voice from the bedroom.
I found her in bed with a book propped on her belly and her hair still in its plait.
‘Dearest, you must get dressed and pin your hair,’ I said, not wanting to alarm her, but time was of the essence. If Mr Hart grew impatient, he might barge in unannounced.
‘Why should I?’ she asked, sounding grumpy. ‘No one came to see me, so I went back to bed.’
‘Because you have a special visitor—a gentleman.’
Her eyes widened. ‘Not Harry?’
I nodded, and her cheeks flushed with pleasure. ‘He’s really here at Godmersham?’
‘Yes. Oh, Lucy, why did you write to him? That was not wise.’
Lucinda heaved herself upright. ‘It was only a short note,’ she said defensively. ‘I had to let him knowI wasn’t in York. Otherwise, he would have written to me there. I asked Mrs Busby to post it. I did not see the harm.’
‘Yes, dearest. But now he has turned up and is desperate to see you. He is outside the cottage right now with Jane and Elizabeth.’
Lucinda’s face fell. ‘Outside?’ she whispered. ‘Oh, I want to see him, but I cannot. If he finds out I’m with child, he won’t want anything to do with me.’
‘He has come all the way from London, dearest, and I sense that he cares for you a great deal. I think he can be trusted not to abandon you in your hour of need.’
Lucinda looked thoughtful.
‘Give me ten minutes. Knock and come in,’ she said at last.
‘Very well.’
I went back outside and relayed the information that Lucinda would receive us shortly.
We waited in silence, and Mr Hart kept taking his watch out of his waistcoat to check the time.
When ten minutes had passed, we entered the cottage to find Lucinda sitting on the sofa wrapped in her eiderdown. As the fire was burning merrily in the grate, she looked uncomfortably hot, but the disguise was effective. You could not tell she was pregnant. She was obviously still trying to conceal it from him so that he would leave nonethe wiser after his visit.
Lucinda smiled happily at him. ‘Harry, what a surprise!’
He walked over and knelt by her side, grasping the small hand that was visible outside the eiderdown. ‘My dear Lucy. But why are you staying out here in this cottage? Are you ill?’
Her gaze dropped to their linked hands. ‘Of sorts.’ A droplet of sweat ran down the side of her face, and I held my breath.
He placed a hand lightly on her forehead. ‘Is it a fever? Did the doctor tell you to wrap up like this?’ He shook his head. ‘These country doctors are quacks. You need to—’
He tugged at the eiderdown, and she clutched at it, but it was too late—her swollen belly was revealed.
Mr Hart sucked in his breath and quickly covered her again. Lucinda immediately burst into tears.
