Barnaby felt sweat break out on his brow and he took his handkerchief from his pocket and mopped it. ‘I see,’ he muttered when he was able to speak again. ‘So what do you intend to do with it?’
‘I hardly think that’s any o’ your business,’ she spat as her glorious eyes flashed. She had no fear of him – after all, she reasoned, he would hardly want her condition to become common knowledge.
It was funny, he thought, as he stood there unsure what to say, he had always thought her attractive, but now dressed in decent clothes and with the glow of a mother-to-be about her she was beautiful and he suddenly realised that he had missed her.
He sat down heavily on the nearest chair just as Mrs Carter entered the room. Amber, she noticed immediately, was gripping the back of a chair and looked as though she could have been facing an opponent in a boxing ring. Placing the tray down, she asked, ‘Is this man bothering you, my dear? Would you like me to ask him to leave?’ She had become very fond and protective of Amber and had no intention of allowing anyone to upset her, especially now she was so close to giving birth.
‘No?.?.?. it’s all right, Mrs Carter. This man is Mr Greenwood, he is—wasmy employer and I was just surprised to see him, that’s all.’
‘I see. Then would you like me to stay?’
Amber shook her head. ‘No?.?.?. thank you. I’m sure Mr Greenwood won’t be stayin’ for long.’
‘Very well, I shall be just along the corridor if you should need me.’ Mrs Carter shot the visitor a scathing look as she swept out of the room in a rustle of stiff cotton petticoats.
‘So, would you like some tea afore you go?’ Amber asked shortly. It seemed rude not to offer and now she was curious to find out why he had come.
‘I, er?.?.?. yes, yes that would be very nice, thank you.’ Barnaby yanked at the collar of his shirt and watched as she waddled across to the tray and strained the tea into two china cups before adding milk and sugar.
She handed him his cup and saucer, and after taking a seat again she asked bluntly, ‘So why have yer come, Mr Greenwood? An’ how did you know where I was?’
‘In answer to your second question, your brother told me that you were caring for your sick uncle in Scarborough. And in answer to the first, I suppose I came to try and ease my conscience and apologise to you. I realise that I behaved shamefully towards you and I just wish that I could turn the clock back. I came to reimburse you for lost wages and to tell you that your job is still waiting for you when you wish to return. And, of course, to also assure you that I shall never act in such an ungentlemanly manner towards you again so you need have no fear.’
‘Huh!’ Amber tossed her head, her glorious tawny eyes gleaming in the sun that poured in through the window. ‘Well, you’ve done it now but I don’t want your money, Mr Greenwood, and I can assure you I shallneverwork for you again.’
His expression tightened. ‘May I just point out that all you had to do was say no if my advances were so abhorrent to you and I would have stopped,’ he said haughtily.
Amber snorted as her eyes flashed hatred. ‘Oh yes, of course I could have,’ she snarled sarcastically. ‘And you in a position to turn my whole family out of work! And anyway, why would I? You told me you loved me and that one day we would be together for always. And fool that I was I believed every word that you said.’
He looked as if he had been slapped but the conversation was stopped abruptly when Mrs Carter entered the room again after hearing their raised voices.
‘Is everything all right, dear?’ She glanced anxiously between the two of them and suddenly Amber’s shoulder’s sagged as she turned towards the window to hide the tears that had sprung to her eyes.
‘Yes, Mrs Carter, everything is fine. I believe that Mr Greenwood was just about to leave.’
Barnaby rose from his seat and he too was calm now as he said quietly, ‘Please allow me to stay a little longer. I want to help.’
‘How can you? What’s done is done.’ Amber’s voice held a wealth of sadness and she didn’t care if Mrs Carter knew who he really was any more. Only Nancy back at Greenacres knew who the father of her child was, but she trusted her uncle’s housekeeper to keep her secret.
‘I accept that,’ he said humbly. ‘But at least let me make things a little easier for you. I ask again what you intend to do with the child once it is born.’
‘I intend to deliver it to the poorhouse. At least it will be cared for there,’ she said dully. ‘There can be no question o’ me keepin’ it, can there? We’d both suffer. I’d be known as a fallen woman an’ the bairn would always be known as an illegitimate bastard an’ it don’t deserve that. Poor soul didn’t ask to be born, did it?’
Barnaby stood there looking thoughtful before saying, ‘Then let me be responsible for it. It is my child too, after all. I can arrange for it to go to a loving family and be fostered. Surely that will be better than being left to the mercy of the poorhouse. Everyone knows that many children left there rarely reach their first birthday because of lack of proper care.’
Mrs Carter intervened then when she addressed Amber to say, ‘It does sound like the best solution for the child, Amber. Won’t you consider it?’
Amber shrugged and remained silent before asking, ‘And how would we do that?’
‘If you could get word to me when the child has arrived, I would arrange for it to be fetched and placed with a family. And I promise that I would choose wisely. That way you can get on with your life safe in the knowledge that it has gone to a good home.’
She sneered. ‘An’ meantime you’ll no doubt be makin’ the most o’ yourotherbaby? The legitimate one that’ll be born wi’ a silver spoon in its mouth. I heard me an’ your wife are expectin’ our babies round about the same time.’
He had the grace to look embarrassed. ‘Er?.?.?. yes, I believe you are. But surely that is irrelevant. We obviously both want what is best for the child you are carrying.’
‘Just consider it, Amber.’ Mrs Carter shot a look of such disgust at Barnaby that he visibly cringed. But even so she could see the sense in what he was suggesting.
‘I’ll think about it,’ Amber murmured, still refusing to look at him. She wanted to run at him and rake her fingernails down his handsome face, but what good would that do? ‘An’ when I’ve made me mind up whether or not to take you up on the offer, I’ll write an’ let you know.’
