I drew a breath and let it out slowly.Godmersham. Bravo Jane for thinking of it. That could work well if Edward and Elizabeth agreed to have us stay. Their involvement would be risky, but it would mean an added layer of comfort and protection. Yet they still had to agree to take us in and for Lucinda to give birth there. It was a huge imposition. And would Seraphina ever agree to her daughter travelling so far away from home with me as her companion? Especially as she considered me persona non grata? There were a lot of unknowns and factors to consider. But whatever the outcome, I was glad that Jane now knew and was rallying to our cause.
Jane’s letter had arrived at breakfast, the morning of our meeting with Mr Chadwick. The timing of it meant that I could not discuss anything with Max as he took his lawyer off for a brief turn around the garden before the meeting. He deemed it safer to bring him up to speed out of doors (and out of earshot of the servants).
There was nothing for it but to wait in the parlour and chew things over in my mind. Just before ten, Lucinda entered with Seraphina and sat down next to her mother on the opposite sofa, hands clasped in her lap. Her eyes were fearful when they met mine. I smiled, wanting to convey my reassurance that everything would be all right. But Seraphina scowled at me, as if to say ‘Do not attempt to curry favour with my daughter. Haven’t you done enoughalready?’
I swallowed and clutched Jane’s letter in my pocket to instil me with courage and to remind myself that Max and I raising the child was the best thing to do.
The door opened, and the gentlemen entered with serious, businesslike expressions. Max made the introductions. ‘Mr Chadwick, may I present my wife, Mrs Felicity Fitzroy. And this is my sister-in-law, Mrs Seraphina Fitzroy, and my niece Miss Lucinda Fitzroy.’
Mr Chadwick bowed to each of us in turn. He was a short, stout gentleman with rosy cheeks and wispy fair hair. But despite his equanimous appearance, his green eyes were shrewd, and I knew Max trusted him implicitly with his legal matters and had done so for many years. He was invited to sit in a presiding armchair while Max joined me on the sofa.
‘Ladies, I have been duly informed of the ... unfortunate ... circumstances in which you find yourselves. But it seems to me the matter is quite cut and dried. Max has made his wishes clear about raising Miss Fitzroy’s child. So I have no doubt that we can sort the particulars as quickly and as painlessly as possible. I can draw up a contract of guardianship while I am here.’
Seraphina smiled at him impassively. ‘Excuse me, Mr Chadwick, but I beg to differ. The matter is not as cut and dried as you may think. I have come up with an alternativearrangement, one that does not involve my brother and his wife.’
Max’s eyes widened. ‘Pardon?’
Oh no,I thought.Trust Seraphina.But I was not surprised in the slightest that she had decided to change tack and impose her own agenda. It was her way.
‘We all know Felicity is against having children,’ she said with a disparaging shake of her head. ‘And I don’t want to burden my brother with a child that is not wanted—’
‘But Itold youI wanted it,’ cut in Max, sounding annoyed. ‘We have not discussed any alternative arrangement, Seraphina.’
‘Perhaps we should let Mrs Fitzroy tell us what her idea is first,’ Mr Chadwick said quietly.
Max nodded curtly at Seraphina. ‘Very well, go ahead.’
‘There is a married couple on our staff, a maid and underbutler, who have been trying to have children for years and have not managed it yet. I think it is him, something wrong with his virility.’ She shrugged. ‘They wish to go to London, so when the child is born, they would take it with them and raise it as their own. There is a nunnery not far from York. Lucy can stay there for her confinement.’
Max made a disgruntled noise to express how much he hated the sound of that, and Lucinda looked positively ill.
‘A nunnery ... and never to see my child or know how theyfare ...’ she whispered, and my heart bled for her.
I could see why Seraphina thought that this was a better solution. But it was better only for her as the child could be brushed under the carpet. She wasn’t taking Lucinda’s feelings or Max’s into account at all.
Mr Chadwick cleared his throat. ‘Thank you, Mrs Fitzroy. It is not a bad idea. In fact, it is very wise. Not only would it benefit a childless couple, but it would also keep your daughter’s reputation intact.’
Seraphina inclined her head.
‘But I can see that there are at least two people in the room who object to it strongly.’
‘I object to it strongly as well,’ I said making up my mind on the spot and ignoring Seraphina’s eye-rolling. I sat up straighter and said firmly, ‘Of course Lucy must see her child. It is unthinkable that she should not. To that end, I agree with Max—weshould raise the child as our own. Lucy can visit as often or as little as she likes. You too, Seraphina.’
‘Well, I suppose that could work,’ Seraphina said grudgingly. ‘And since I am outnumbered as per usual.’ Lucinda heaved a sigh of relief.
Max gave my hand a squeeze and murmured in my ear, ‘Well done, Fliss.’
Buoyed by his support, I turned eagerly to Mr Chadwick. ‘I also have an idea for how to handle the confinement, sir.My friend Jane Austen has suggested that Lucinda travel to Godmersham in Kent, where she will be under the protection of her brother Edward Austen and his wife, Elizabeth, whom we stayed with in Bath. Lucy knows and likes them, and it is preferable to a nunnery. I am sure the nuns would be kind, but really, it is not ideal.’ I raised my eyebrows at Seraphina. (What was she thinking sending her daughter to a nunnery?) ‘Of course, I will have to go too and pretend to be with child.’
Seraphina let out an exclamation of annoyance. ‘Oh, so Miss Austen knows about our misfortune now, does she? That is just wonderful! I suppose we are all going to be characters in her next novel! It is bad enough that she is encouraging Lucy to write one of her own! Mark my words,thatobjectionable journal will be going straight into the fire!’
‘Mama, please,’ said Lucinda. ‘Aunt Jane only wishes to be helpful, and it is a good idea.’
‘I agree,’ said Max. ‘No one knows us in Kent.’
Seraphina humphed and folded her arms, muttering that she did not like it, but it couldn’t be helped now since I had let the cat out of the bag.
‘But I am assuming that the Austens know nothing yet and will need to be informed? And they could still say no?’Lucinda asked me.
