Still, she managed well enough on the bough-like arm that extended from the footman. The trio made their way from the room solemnly. Her husband’s eyes followed her every step, but Lord Bradford gazed straight ahead and continued to cut the roast on his plate.
As they progressed down the corridor, Jillian heard Lady Bradford say, “Is she with child, Lewis? It is not even ten days since the wedding. She should not yet be so far along as to be as out of sorts as this. Unless… Is this why you married her?”
Jillian could picture Lewis bristling at the comment.
“Honestly, Mother!” His exasperation rang clear down the hallway. “It’s bad enough you believe me capable of seducing a young woman, but to think that Jillian would accommodate such advances!”
“Why, Lewis, I hardly know her or the effect she might have had upon you. She is hardly the sort of quality lady…”
Her words fell behind as Jillian, the footman, and the maid passed beyond reach of hearing them. Neither of the servants said a word of their own, nor would they, but Jilly burned with embarrassment.
The footman stood by as Jillian settled into a very expensive-looking upholstered chair. Of course, it would be. Everything at Oakwoods revolved around the outward show of things.
“Janet will see to you now, ma’am,” said the young man, his eyes soft, a small frown not quite hidden. “I must return to my duties.”
“Thank you,” Jillian answered before leaning back and catching her breath. She was starting to feel better here, away from the constant reminder that everything about herself was wrong—certainly in Lord and Lady Bradford’s eyes, anyway.
Janet stood quietly and waited. Her light-brown fringe was tucked neatly under her cap, but a few wisps had escaped in the nape of her neck. She had intelligent, brown eyes, which were only noticeable because Jillian caught her staring. She was probably wondering if there was any truth to her mistress’s suspicions.
Jillian hated that such implied indiscretion should hang over her head.
“I’m not… with child,” she told the maid. “Not yet, anyway.”
“It’s none of my business, ma’am,” answered Janet with the words she was no doubt expected to say. And then, perhaps because she felt Jilly needed some support, she added, “And even if you were, you wouldn’t be the first lady to marry so.”
“But I’m not a lady, am I, Janet?” Jillian sighed.
Janet sniffed. “Hasn’t stopped them sorts of folks from getting in the family way ahead of themselves, ma’am.”
Jillian smiled in spite of herself. “Why, Janet, you have opinions! How absolutely wonderful!”
Janet quickly looked over her shoulder, then leaned in toward Jillian a little. “Opinions ain’t popular when you’re a servant. But we have them all the same.”
Jilly pulled a face. “I don’t think they’re particularly popular when you’re a lady, either. It seems only the master and mistress of the house may utter their thoughts aloud. Poor Lewis! This is all he’s ever known.”
Jillian’s forthright manner must have let the little maid’s guard down, for Janet rapidly shared a host of her previously private thoughts. “Our Mr. Bradford’s not as bold as Miss Bradford,” she declared. “She’s a feisty one, that. He’s always been the quieter type. Bit odd for a barrister, I often thought. They talk in court all the time, don’t they? But here at Oakwoods, he was ever in Master Philip’s shadow.”
Jillian was silent for a while, mulling over the truth of these words.
“Janet…”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Do you think I have made things worse for him?”
“Oh,no, ma’am!” Janet’s eyes widened and her hand stretched out as if to stop the very thought in its tracks. “Ever since you came into his life a year ago, he’s been positively bloomin’! Everyone’s noticed.”
“But he is constantly sparring with his parents because of me,” Jilly said miserably.
“That ain’tyourfault. Their lordship and ladyship have always wanted thingsjust so. It didn’t matter if it made their children unhappy. They got lucky with Master Philip. He lapped it all up ’cos he was the heir, see? The only reason why Mr. Bradford hadn’t much argued with his parents before now is ’cos he didn’t care enough to make the effort. But you matter to him. It’s quite romantic, actually.”
“It doesn’tfeelvery romantic, I must say. All I can do is hope that the worst of it settles over time.”
“Don’t take it too much to heart, ma’am. They can’t help how they are any more than you can. It’s not personal.”
“It feels jolly personal tome,” huffed Jilly.
Janet must have had no answer to that because she lapsed into silence.
