She licked her lips nervously. “Remember you said if I brought you something really important, you would give me an extra shilling,” she reminded him, smart.
“Yes, is this something worth an extra shilling?” His voice was cool and calm.
“Oh, I believe it is, sir.” Again, she shot another glance back at the door.
He sighed inwardly as he pulled the coin out of his pocket and handed it to her, hoping it would move this along. She took it and smiled briefly before putting it away.
“Well?” he asked, feeling his patience once again leaving him.
She cleared her throat delicately, clearly preparing for the moment. He cocked an eyebrow, silently telling her that this drama was unnecessary. Smart girl picked up on it.
“Lady Elizabeth has been sleeping in later than normal,” she announced with flourish.
That was what he paid a shilling for? “That is the important news you wished to tell me? Clearly, you and I are of a different opinion on importance, my dear.”
She shook her head. “That is why she dismissed Jane in the morning.”
He glared at her. She licked her lips nervously before continuing. “She also no longer drinks her tea in the morning. Actually, she places it untouched outside her door, except for this morning.” His scowl deepened. “Also, during tea, she sits far away from the tea and asks for lemonade.”
Robert waved an impatient hand for her to continue, hoping that this was leading somewhere. “Her appetite is also gone. She only picks at her food now.”
He hadn’t missed that over the past two weeks. The few times they’d eaten together in the past, she’d had a healthy appetite, but during the times he’d seen her in the dining room these past two weeks she’d been pushing her food around on her plate. Was she unhappy? Sick? Upset about something? Was it possible that she was so preoccupied thinking about him that she was having a difficult time like he was?
That was almost too much to hope for.
“Anything else?” Robert asked, kicking himself for being taken in by a servant. Normally, he was smart when it came to money and didn’t part with it easily.
She nodded, clearly biting back a smile as she said, “Lady Elizabeth has been ill for the past two weeks.”
He froze. Surely, she wasn’t…
“And she’s missed her courses.”
Every muscle in his body froze. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, sir. I had to give Jane, her maid, a shilling not to tell anyone but me.” She softly cleared her throat. Robert automatically pulled out the coin and handed it to her. “Also, not too long-ago Lady Elizabeth ran into her room and became ill.”
His hands gripped the edge of the desk tightly until his knuckles turned white. “Is she…do you think that...”
Marie nodded. “She is most certainly with child, sir.”
“It’s so nice to have both of you join us for tea,” Lady Norwood said to James and Lord Dumford.
“Thank you, my Lady,” James said pleasantly while Lord Dumford looked decidedly unhappy about the younger man’s intrusion. It was clear to Elizabeth, at least, that the man came today with the intention of once again asking for her hand.
After the incident in her study, not to mention her queasy stomach, Elizabeth was in no mood to deal with Lord Dumford and his proposal that would no doubt consist of a half-hour sermon on God and her place to take a husband. Turning him away, unfortunately, was not an option if she wanted to keep her mother happy. Knowing that she was too lightheaded to do anything more than nod, she decided the only option she had was to invite him to tea, where she found James already waiting for her.
“Lady Elizabeth, I was wondering if perhaps you would do me the honor of a walk in the garden?” James asked.
Elizabeth had to stop herself from groaning. She’d been hoping to avoid this for as long as possible. When she was a little girl, nothing on earth would have made her happier than the prospect of marrying James. The conversation she’d overheard in the library hadn’t affected her decision in the slightest. She could never marry James.
Not when she was desperately in love with Robert.
“Ah, Lady Elizabeth, I believe that you promised me a walk in the garden,” Lord Dumford pointed out almost desperately.
Did the man actually think that she would say yes to the first man that asked? She had absolutely no intention of saying yes to either man. In fact, if she could manage it, she would very much like to sit perfectly still where she was since both her head and stomach were currently spinning.
“May I have another cup, dear?” her father asked, looking quite pleased with himself.
