‘I, er .?.?. don’t actually knowthembut I know their grandson, Hugo,’ Abi told her as she ate another piece of chicken. It was very juicy and tender. ‘It was him I went to see but he won’t be in until this evening.’
The woman nodded and just for a second she looked worried before fixing a smile back in place and saying knowingly, ‘Ah .?.?. I see. And would thees young man ’ave anytheeng to do with the child you are carrying?’
Abi’s blush told her all she wanted to know and she shook her head. ‘You ’ave come to tell him about the child, yes?’
Abi nodded miserably. It was clear she wasn’t going to be able to pull the wool over this lady’s eyes.
‘Then let us ’ope he does the right thing by you,’ the woman said soberly as she gathered the dirty pots on to the tray and quietly left the room, leaving Abi to her thoughts.
Abi spent the rest of the afternoon in her bedroom. The nights were drawing in now but she waited until it was really dark before venturing back downstairs where she found Madame Bissett’s other boarders about to sit down to their evening meal.
‘Do you wish to dine?’ Madame Bissett appeared from the kitchen with a loaded tray as Abi headed for the door.
Unable to meet her eye, Abi shook her head. ‘Thank you, but no. I’m going to see if Hugo is in yet.’ She let herself out on to the still busy street and turned in the direction of the Medvilles’ chateau.
The journey seemed to take twice as long now that it was dark and every so often an animal noise from the woods made Abi glance about nervously, but at last she reached the drive leading to Hugo’s grandparents’ home and once again her heart began to hammer.
The same little maid she had seen earlier in the day answered the door. ‘Could you tell me if Master Hugo is home yet, please?’ Abi asked.
The girl turned to say something in French to someone behind her and a second later the housekeeper appeared again.
‘Yes, he is home,’ she informed Abi. ‘Please wait there, mademoiselle, and I will see if he is available.’ She closed the door firmly in Abi’s face, making her flush with humiliation.
There was nothing to be heard but the sound of the night creatures and the wind in the trees and as she stood there Abi’s teeth began to chatter with a mixture of nerves and cold. But at last the door opened again and Hugo almost erupted on to the steps. Closing the door firmly behind him and taking her elbow, he began to haul her on to the drive.
‘What the hell areyoudoing here?’ he demanded, sounding none too pleased to see her.
Abi’s eyes gleamed with tears as she was dragged unceremoniously around the side of the house until they were out of sight of the windows at the front.
‘Well?’ He drew her to a halt and let her go so quickly that she swayed.
‘That’s hardly the greeting I was hoping for,’ she told him in a wobbly voice. ‘You didn’t write to me so I had no idea when you were coming home.’
‘So?’
‘Well, I-I had to come as it happens!’ Abi was beginning to lose her nerve completely now. This reunion wasn’t going at all as she had hoped. She had imagined that he would be so thrilled to see her that he would drag her into the chateau to introduce her to his grandparents as his future bride, but instead it appeared that he was trying to hide her from them as if she was someone to be ashamed of.
‘And why would that be? Surely whatever it is could have waited until I got back to London?’
Abi stood straight and glared at him now. ‘I’m afraid it can’t. You see .?.?.’ She gulped deep in her throat and before she could lose her nerve completely, told him, ‘I’m going to have a child!’
He looked momentarily shocked but then quickly pulling himself together he shrugged. ‘Oh! And why would you come all this way to tell me that?’
Abi gasped, the colour draining from her face like water from a dam. ‘I came because it isyourbaby I’m carrying!’
His lip curled as he stared at her with contempt. ‘What you mean is you wish itweremy baby,’ he spat at her. ‘But how can I believe that? You’re nothing but a dirty little hostess whore from a backstreet club that entertains gentlemen. I’ve no doubt your bastard could belong to any number of the men you’ve entertained.’
‘Hugo!How could you evensaysuch a thing? You’re the only man I’ve ever lain with!’ she told him in a strangled voice. ‘Youmustknow that .?.?. you were my first and my only lover.’ Arms outstretched she took a step towards him.
He knocked them away with a growl and stepped back. ‘Justgo,’ he snarled. ‘And try and palm your brat off on some other mug!’
With tears streaming down her face Abi drew herself up to her full height and glared at him. ‘You won’t get away with it that easily,’ she warned. ‘This isyourbaby and one way or another you’re going to take responsibility for it even if I have to come and tell your grandparents about it!’
Now she could see the rage flashing in his eyes and for the first time she felt afraid as he caught her arm in a vicious grip and swung her about so abruptly that she almost fell. ‘You do that and you’ll wish you’dneverbeen born!’
She could see he meant every word he said as he pushed her again.
‘Nowgetout of my sight. I never want to see you again.’
