“I’d love to,” Kate said. “But first, I need to visit Oliver in his study. We haven’t seen each other since last night. And I need to have my tea. I missed breakfast this morning.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t disturb Oliver. He’s been awfully busy this morning. And I am so excited to try on some dresses after wearing black for weeks on end. Let’s have tea in my room. Then we can go to your dressing room and try on dresses the way we used to do in Yorkshire. It will be just like old times.”
Kate smiled. Emilia’s excitement was infectious. She supposed it would be best to let Oliver finish his work. She hated to disturb him in his study. Her stomach rumbled. “All right, you’ve convinced me,” she said. “I’ll request the tea to be brought to your room.”
They sat ata small round table on armchairs upholstered in pale blue. A tea tray laden with cakes, scones, and fresh fruit awaited them.
Kate reached for the teapot.
“Let me.” Emilia stood and picked up the teapot. She filled two cups and poured a dollop of cream in hers. You like sugar, don’t you?” She dropped two lumps of sugar into Kate’s tea and picked up a spoon, but it slipped from her fingers and landed on the soft white and blue rug beneath them.
“Oh, dear, I’m too clumsy today. Will you get that, Kate?”
“Of course,” Kate bent to retrieve the spoon, and when she sat up, she glimpsed Emilia slipping something into her pocket.
“What’s that?” She asked.
“What?” Emilia asked, handing Kate her tea.
“In your pocket. A little bottle.”
“Oh, this.” Emilia’s cheeks flushed pink as she pulled a small glass vile from her pocket. “It’s only a drop of lavender oil to calm my nerves, that’s all.” She sat down and drew her cup and saucer toward her. “It’s been trying since the accident. I wasn’t honest when I said I didn’t have any injuries. My body has ached ever since, but not as much as my heart. A dash of lavender always helps.”
“Oh, Emilia. I’m so sorry for you. You’ve been through such a terrible ordeal.” Kate sipped her tea and frowned. It tasted wrong.
“I put a dash in yours too. I hope you don’t mind. It smells divine, and it’s so calming.”
“I think it makes it rather bitter.”
“Silly me! I forgot you liked your tea sweet.” She stood and added two more lumps of sugar to Kate’s teacup, before Kate could protest that Emilia had already put sugar in her tea before dropping the spoon. Then Emilia reached for a slice of sponge cake laden with marmalade and took a bite. “The cake looks delicious!” Kate’s stomach rumbled furiously. “I’m ravenous,” she giggled, forgetting all about her tea as she reached for a slice of plum cake.
After eating two slices of cake and one large scone, Kate took another sip of her tea and pulled a face. “This tea tastes awful. I must speak to the maidservant about this.”
“Mine tastes perfectly fine,” Emilia said. “You know, I once heard that being with child can change the way things taste to a woman. Perhaps that is the problem.”
“I think you may be right. In these past few months, the smell of kippers makes me violently ill.”
“Well, there you go! You’ve always loved kippers. Now drink your tea. It’s good for you.”
Kate forced down another gulp of tea but felt herself grow nauseous. She put down the cup and rested her hand on her still-slim stomach. “All that food has made me sleepy,” she said, her eyelids suddenly feeling like two craters. It was impossible to keep them from closing.
“Here, you need to lie down. Let me help you.” Emilia put an arm around Kate’s waist, assisted her to stand, and then helped her walk to the bed.
Kate rested her head on the soft pillow as Emilia removed Kate’s shoes and covered her with a blanket.
“Sweet dreams, dear Kate.” Emilia’s voice seemed to float past her ears before she drifted into the darkness.
Oliver closed hisaccounts book and fished his pocket watch from his jacket. It was close to three o’clock. He’d worked through tea after the butler informed him that his wife and Miss Harrington were taking tea together upstairs in the latter’s room.
It pleased Oliver that Kate was feeling well enough to socialize with her friend. He’d been worried about her the night before. She’d seemed unusually perturbed and tired. He was concerned that she’d overexerted herself during her long day of shopping with Miss Harrington. And he was disturbed at how upset she’d seemed at the dinner table.
He’d decided that she’d needed rest, so he had slept in one of the spare bedrooms to ensure that Kate got a proper night’s sleep, and it seemed to have worked. She’d slept right through the morning. But he’d missed the warmth of her body next to his during the night. He’d missed caressing her silky soft skin and her sweet floral scent. This morning, he’d missed waking up next to her, kissing her upon opening his eyes, and breakfasting with her before retreating to his study. Now it was afternoon, and he hadn’t seen her since dinner yesterday. That was too long. Oliver pushed back his chair and stood up, smiling at the thought of holding Kate in his arms and taking in her scent. He needed to let her know how much he’d missed her last night.
“Kate,” Oliver called as he pushed open the door to their bedchamber. His heart momentarily sank when he saw that Kate was not in sight but lifted again when he heard a rustling noise coming from Kate’s adjoining dressing room. “Kate,” he called, turning to walk into the large closet.
Then he stopped, shock and surprise momentarily paralyzing him.
Emilia stood in front of the oval full-length mirror, turning from side to side as she admired her reflection. She wore the royal blue gown Kate had worn to Lady Ashworth’s ball. The ruby-encrusted diamond necklace that he’d given Kate as awedding gift hung around her neck, and the matching earrings dangled from her earlobes.
