Thea watched a tear drop onto the cotton in which the baby girl was swaddled. It was absorbed immediately by the material, adding to the damp patch which slowly grew. The baby slept peacefully, and Thea put a hand on Frankie’s arm.
‘Mrs Phibbs has found a wet nurse in the village,’ she said quietly. Frankie only nodded and said nothing. ‘You know she can’t stay?’ asked Thea, worried that Frankie might get too attached, or expect Thea to raise the child as part of the family. She was relieved when Frankie nodded again. She was about to give them a little more time when Frankie spoke.
‘Let me take her.’
‘I’m sorry?’ asked Thea, not sure what Frankie meant.
‘Let me take her,’ said Frankie. ‘I must be sure of where she’s going. I can go with the wet nurse and ensure the honesty of her at least…’ she took a shaky breath. Thea knew she was all too aware of the difficulties that could be faced by orphans.
‘Annie said something about you having friends in London,’ she said, remembering their conversation. ‘Who needed a baby?’
Frankie looked at her, desperation in her eyes. ‘Yes. I spoke to Annie about it, and she was happy with it, but I don’t know how we’d get the baby there.’
‘Are they good people?’ Thea asked.
‘The best,’ Frankie said.
Thea nodded. ‘Then that sounds perfect,’ she said, trying to give Frankie any reassurance she could. ‘You will take her. Take whatever you need. This should do it.’ She passed Frankie the pouch to which she had added a little silver of her own. ‘I know you will do your best by her.’
Frankie nodded again and Thea touched the child on the head before leaving them. Once again, she left her staff to pick up the pieces after her entitled husband did as he wished.
Chapter 31
Thea slipped her arms around Martha’s waist and rested her chin on the familiar shoulder. ‘You look regal, as always, my love,’ she whispered, breathing in the scent of the woman so familiar to her.
Martha grasped Thea’s hands with her own and inclined her head towards Thea’s. ‘You are exquisite and will be the most incredible hostess.’
Thea knew she meant it, but Martha had been quiet recently. More so since Annie’s death and it wasn’t difficult to see why. ‘I’m sorry it’s hard,’ she muttered.
Martha turned around in her arms so they faced one another. ‘It was always going to be hard,’ she said in the pragmatic way Thea had come to expect. ‘You astonish me every day with your strength, you know that.’
Days like today – having to host fifteen guests for a weekend, at breakfast, tea and dinner – seemed harder with every week. The Royals had left without incident and the last four days had been spent preparing for this party and welcoming guests to stay. Now they were all in her house, her governess was dead,and Frankie was still in London organising a future for the baby that would be better than the start she had. To top it off, she had to be civil to a husband who was the cause of it all and more.
‘I don’t feel strong,’ said Thea, meaning it with every bit of her. ‘I can’t stand up to him, and I know it is becoming harder for you to be here.’ They both knew she meant as a mistress. George tolerated Martha for the weeks that she stayed, but Thea knew that Martha always felt on edge. Delighted to be with Thea, but never settled, and never feeling at home.
‘Your strength defines you,’ said Martha. ‘What you do every day, and how you live like this astonishes me. I simply hate to see it happen.’
‘There is little choice,’ said Thea.
‘You haven’t shot him yet,’ said Martha, attempting to lighten the mood. ‘That’s astonishing.’ It made Thea smile, and even more so when Martha tucked an errant hair behind her ear. ‘And you are different since the royal visit. You have that look back – the one which says you know what you want. And I love it.’
Thea smiled despite herself. ‘Perhaps a little,’ she said. ‘I hate that I must hear it from others to believe it, but knowing that Knatchbull is threatened, that Crumpacker recommended us and that the royals were impressed. It is very welcome.’
‘It is well-deserved,’ said Martha. ‘And it is completely natural to feel as you do. When others tell us that we are worth nothing, through words or actions, we start to believe it.’
‘I want more of it,’ said Thea, walking over to look out of the window. ‘You know I have always wanted to build the collection and hearing the recognition spurred me on. If I can be quiet and stay on the right side of George, I will continue to pursue it. And when Frankie gets back…’ she paused as a wave of nausea washed over her as she thought about Annie. She was getting used to feeling utter devastation and then battling through. ‘…when she gets back, we will try again for the protea. I would so love to be the one to beat Knatchbull’s radishes.’
‘And I will help as much as I can, while I am here,’ said Martha.
Thea’s heart sank at her words. ‘You have given up so much for me.’ She felt guilty, always, that Martha had given up her systematic study of plants. There just wasn’t the chance when she lived between properties and was never settled.
‘Nothing of importance,’ reassured Martha.
‘I know how important it is to you,’ said Thea. ‘I am sorry I can’t make you happy here. That would be my greatest dream.’
‘I am happy wherever you are,’ said Martha, moving to join Thea at the window and taking a hand in hers. Thea closed her eyes at the contact. Their relationship had suffered with the stress of it all, and whilst they still held one another at night, she knew they both struggled to rouse the passion they once had.
Thea planted a kiss on her lips and was delighted when Martha deepened it. ‘Thank you,’ she said as they parted. And she meant it.
