“From Ellen! Her son has arrived!”
“A son?”
Thomasin handed Giles the letter.
“Well, thanks be to God; this deserves a celebration. I shall have that haunch of venison sent up to the kitchen.”
Thomasin flinched and glanced at Lettice, then back to her husband. “Actually, I would rather send it to Ellen, if you don’t mind.”
Giles reset his expression. “Well, of course, yes, that is a far nobler idea then mine. I will have it dispatched to Norfolk at once. We still have some of the pork left, I believe, for our table? And perhaps there will be fruit cream?”
“I will enquire in the dairy.”
“Excellent. A son for Harry Letchmere. The fellow is blessed indeed.”
Thomasin’s heart dipped as she walked away, despite her smile. She must visit Mother Lacey at Dedham again and tell her the herbs weren’t working. Perhaps she would have some other remedy to suggest, in order to help Thomasin conceive a child.
“Violets?” asked Lettice, breaking into her reverie.
“Sorry? Oh yes, violets to make a cordial. Do you know where any are growing?”
Lettice rolled her eyes. “Of course I do. Come on, follow me.”
TWO
The dusk was deepening over Green Hollow, laying down blue shadows along the paths and softening the corners of the trimmed hedges. They had celebrated Easter only a few days before, returning to St. Luke’s to attend a service with the Marwood parents, but since then, the days felt to be growing a little longer, a little lighter.
Twilight had become one of Thomasin’s favourite times of day. She loved to watch the colour and heat drain out of the afternoon light and the cooler air steal in. Wrapping a shawl about her shoulders, she stood on the back terrace of the house, waiting patiently, looking out at the distant hills. Among the trees on their boundary, there were families of bats, who often put in an appearance about this time, dancing, swooping down low, sometimes coming close to the house. Thomasin liked to watch them, enjoying their acrobatics in the sky.
“Coming in to dinner?”
Giles had emerged from the bright interior to stand behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders.
“Yes, I was just watching for the bats.”
“Have you seen any yet?”
“Not one. I think they know I am watching.”
“I’m sure you’re right. As soon as you come in, they’ll all be out, filling the skies.” He placed a kiss on the side of her neck. “We’re happy here, aren’t we?”
“Oh yes.” Thomasin turned to him in surprise. “Very much so. It’s quite the perfect place for us, isn’t it?”
Giles smiled, but she recognised a little mote of doubt in his eye.
“Why do you ask? You’re not happy?”
“Oh, I am,” he said, turning her round to kiss her lips. “Blissfully happy. I hope you know that.”
“You’d tell me if you weren’t?”
“Of course. We agreed to tell each other everything.”
“Then what is it? And don’t say nothing, because I can see it in your eyes. It’s our wish for a child, isn’t it?”
“Well, of course that would be a blessing, but even if we never had one, you and I would still be happy together. No, it’s not that. I was just thinking.”
“What?”
