Jane nodded, unable to return Penelope’s smile with one of her own but feeling encouraged regardless.
“All right... thank you.” She replied quietly.
The carriage came to a stop before the doors of the church, and Jane felt her stomach tighten anxiously. Before her fears could threaten to consume her once more, Penelope pulled her into her arms, her embrace lulling her buzzing nerves into silence.
“Do not forget; we are to meet later tonight at the Grey inn. It is quite close to my estate, so once everything has settled on my end, I shall come find you. Once you leave, ride through the woods, heading north until you reach Miller Street. Godspeed.” Penelope said quickly as she stroked Jane’s hair.
Jane nodded, trying not to cry again.
“I won’t forget. Thank you.”
Penelope tightens her hold on Jane for a moment, before she released her and exited the carriage. Jane quietly watched as Penelope approached the earl and countess of Highclere whoglanced in the direction of the carriage as they asked her a question.
Penelope’s voice was just barely audible as she spoke to them and Jane caught a few bits and pieces of the dialogue that had been drafted as a necessity of their plan.
“... quite fine, but I felt rather dizzy the whole ride here... oh. Oh dear. Is the world spinning or have I taken leave of my senses?” Penelope moaned as the wind started to pick up around her.
Harriet glanced between the duchess and her husband for a second before she reached for Penelope, gasping as the duchess stumbled forward.
“Y-Your Grace? Are you all right?”
Arthur looked as though he was more irritated by the distraction than anything else.
“We do not have time for this. He is already –”
“I am sorry, Lady Highclere. I do not mean to take away the attention from Jane’s special day, but I am feeling quite ill all of a sudden. To be honest, I have had a few bouts of light headedness and nausea – especially in the mornings these days. I thought it had passed because I awoke this morning without incident,” Penelope said earnestly, cutting Arthur off and addressing Harriet only.
Jane watched her mother’s eyes widen and a flush fill her cheeks as she looked around, as though the conversation was far too much for her. Still, she kept her arms out, as though she was ready to catch the duchess if she were to slump.
In an effort to reward her efforts, Penelope did tilt back and forth in an unsteady manner before she nearly dropped to her knees. Harriet screamed for her husband to catch her but Arthur was too confused to jump into action like his wife expected. It was Penelope’s coachman who had quickly stepped forward to ensure his mistress did not actually end up on the floor, much to the obvious amusement on Penelope’s face before she committed to her task of fainting.
“My goodness, I feel so faint and breathless,” Penelope panted as onlookers began to swarm around her.
As more people gathered, the duchess began to groan, saying her head and stomach hurt.
“Should we send for a physician?” a man asked in concern, clearly out of his depth.
A woman beside him shook her head. “She is possibly… with child and is unaware of it. We only need to let her rest for a bit. If her condition doesn’t improve then she can be seen by a physician.”
“Water,” Penelope panted, her dramatics so greatly believable that even Jane forgot herself with how impressed she was. “I need water. The sun is… so hot out here. I need shade.”
The whining of a woman whose rank outweighed practically everyone else around and the possibility of what her predicament was caused the people to assemble quickly.
“Let us get her inside. Quickly now. You, find some water. Ladies, if you have fans with you, let us help grant her some air for relief,” the woman who had spoken earlier instructed.
Everyone began to move, gingerly lifting Penelope up and taking her into the church. In mere moments, the entire area was clear.
While their attention was occupied and Jane carefully disembarked from the carriage and quickly moved to the horses. But as she began to undo the brace that connected the horse to the carriage, a drop of water landed on her nose.
Confused, Jane looked up and another drop landed on her forehead. Soon, it began to rain.
“This must be a sign,” Jane mumbled as she continued to fuss around with the horse’s restraints. “This marriage would be cursed if I went along with it. I must leave, now.”
It took longer than she had hoped but she managed to get one free and she led it away from the front of the church.
Jane mounted the horse and rode it into the woods by the church, heading north like Penelope had advised.
It was hard to move because of the rain and she couldn’t clearly see what lay ahead of her. The further away she got from the church, the more worried and anxious she grew.
