“When has fairness ever mattered to society, especially for women?” Helen said bitterly. “Those poor girls. To lose their mother so young, and now to have their father revealed as a monster…”
“Is there anything we can do for them?” Eliza asked. “Some way to help?”
“I don’t know,” Imogen said. “They’ve withdrawn from society entirely. Gone to live with relatives in the country, I believe. But perhaps, in time, when the scandal has died down…”
They fell silent, each clearly lost in their own thoughts about the innocent lives destroyed by one man’s cruelty.
“Did you ever receive word from your parents?” Imogen asked.
“Nothing,” Eliza said softly. “It is easier that way. From whispers, it appears they’ve gone to America of all places. I hope they… find happiness there.”
“Well,” Imogen said finally, clearly trying to lighten the mood. “Enough talk of all that. Tell me more about your travels. Vienna! Was it as magical as they say?”
Eliza let herself be drawn into happier conversation, describing the opera houses and palaces, the coffee houses and balls. But part of her mind remained with those two young women, carrying a burden they never asked for. She knew that feeling all too well.
As the afternoon wore on, they moved from the drawing room to the gardens, where the boys could run off their energy while the adults enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather that autumn. Morgan found Eliza standing beneath a flowering tree, watching Arthur and Philip chase each other in circles while Ambrose refereed their increasingly elaborate game.
“Happy?” he asked, slipping his arm around her waist.
“Very.” She leaned into him. “Though I confess, I’m exhausted. We’ve barely been back in London a week, and I feel like I could sleep for days.”
“Then we’ll go home soon. You should rest.”
“In a bit. I want to…” she paused, biting her lip. “Actually, there’s something I need to tell everyone. While we’re all together.”
Morgan looked at her, noting the nervous excitement in her expression. “What is it?”
“It’s time, Morgan.” She took his hand, squeezing gently. “Come on.”
She gathered everyone together, Ambrose and Imogen, Helen, even the boys, who were bribed into sitting still with promises of more sweets later.
“We wanted to share some news,” Eliza said, her hand tight in Morgan’s. “Something we’ve known for a few weeks now, but wanted to wait to tell you in person.”
“What is it Aunt Eliza?” Arthur asked.
“I’m pregnant,” Eliza said simply. “We’re going to have a baby.”
For a moment, there was stunned silence. Then Imogen shrieked, an undignified sound that made everyone jump, and rushed forward to embrace Eliza.
“Oh, my goodness! Oh, this is wonderful! This is…when? How far along?” Imogen asked.
“About three months,” Eliza said, laughing as Imogen squeezed her. “We wanted to wait until we were certain before saying anything.”
Ambrose clapped Morgan on the shoulder, grinning widely. “Congratulations. Both of you. This is extraordinary news.”
“Does this mean we’ll have a cousin?” Philip asked, his eyes wide.
“Yes,” Morgan said, kneeling to the boys’ level. “In about six months, you’ll have a new cousin to play with.”
“Will it be a boy or a girl?” Arthur wanted to know.
“We won’t know until the baby arrives.”
“I hope it’s a boy,” Philip said. “Then we can teach him to climb trees.”
“Or a girl,” Arthur countered. “Girls can climb trees too. Aunt Eliza said so.”
Helen embraced Eliza warmly, whispering congratulations, and even the boys, after a moment of consideration, seemed excited by the prospect of a new addition to their extended family. As the celebration continued around them, with servants bringing pastries and refreshments, Morgan pulled Eliza aside, his hand settling protectively over her still-flat stomach.
