She laughed and took hold of his other hand. ‘It would be hugely embarrassing, Kit, so don’t go getting any thoughts along those lines. We neither of us are ready for marriage. Least of all you.’
‘Perish the thought,’ he said, giving her hand a squeeze. ‘But why on earth would you even raise the subject?’
‘Because so far this week, since war was declared, there’s been a rush to the altar in the village; the Reverend Tate’s never been so busy. Which naturally means there’ll be a good number of babies born early next summer for him to baptise. And talking of babies, I can’t help but admire your cousin Allegra for her courage.’
‘Gosh, and there was me thinking you’d be shocked.’
‘Just goes to show how little you know me. But I think we can safely leave the element of shock to my mother. Naturally she’s appalled, but then she would be appalled by just about anything.’
‘I still can’t believe you heard the news before I did.’
‘You can thank Mrs Bunch for that. Apparently she had her suspicions, and since she lives next door to Cynthia Blackwood, Dr Garland’s receptionist, and therefore is more or less privy to the entire village’s every diagnosed cough, sniffle and bowel complaint, there was no chance of Allegra keeping the pregnancy secret.’
‘Do you suppose Dr Garland has any idea that his receptionist has such a loose tongue?’
‘I doubt it, and if he did suspect anything, he’d be too scared to confront the old dragon. She probably knows some terrible secret about him that means he’s firmly under her thumb.’
Kit shook his head. ‘I can think of no man less likely to have a terrible secret.’
She gave a short laugh ‘Come off it, Kit, we all have something we’d rather keep quiet about.’
‘I don’t,’ he said, turning to look at her. ‘Do you?’
‘If I did, I wouldn’t be telling you about it, would I?’
Kit smiled. ‘And there was I thinking you would trust me implicitly.’
‘Sorry to disappoint you.’
In a more serious voice, he said, ‘So meanwhile poor Allegra is the talk of the village. The only good thing is, if I know my cousin, she won’t give a tinker’s cuss.’
‘And that,’ said Evelyn, ‘is why I admire her. Do you suppose she’ll stay and have the child here?’
‘I have no idea what she’ll do,’ Kit said with a shrug. ‘Besides, how would I know? I’m always the last to hear anything important.’
‘Well here’s something else you might like to know, and I say this not as malicious gossip, but because I rather hope something comes of it.’
‘What have you heard?’
‘That Allegra and Elijah are seeing each other.’
‘In what sense seeing each other?’
‘Oh Kit, what a chump you are! Where do you think she was in such a hurry to go just now?’
He remembered back to dinner, when Allegra had excused herself before dessert had been served. ‘She mentioned something about needing some air and that she had a letter to post,’ he said.
‘And for that she had a rosy glow to her cheeks and her eyes were all lit up?’
‘I … I don’t know what to say.’
‘I’d say be happy for her, and Elijah. Goodness, Kit, I do believe you look as scandalised as a Victorian spinster. Do you need me to fetch you some smelling salts?’
‘I think a glass of brandy would be more effective. But how do you know all this? Oh, don’t tell me, Mrs Bunch?’
Evelyn shook her head. ‘In this case, no. Unlike you, I keep my ears and eyes open, plus I’m good at reading people. Something you could do with learning. For instance, what do you think I’m thinking right now?’
‘That I’m an idiot?’
