Page 47 of A Countess of Convenience

“My lord, this just arrived.” Barr had appeared bearing a silver salver with a letter.

“Thank you.” John plucked it up, looked at the handwriting, and stilled. “It’s from Blanchard.”

A quiver of dread raced down Judith’s spine. She’d thought the court case would have taken more time to determine. Was it good or bad that it had been finished so quickly? “Open it, John.”

“Shall we go somewhere private?” His eyes were kind, but he had tensed as well.

“No. Do it now. I must know…one way or the other.” Praying as hard as she could, Judith wrung her hands, waiting for the verdict.

John broke the seal, read the message, and turned to her, his face blank. “They have denied your petition, my love, and decreed Anna will remain in Lord Downing’s charge until she comes of age or marries.” The pity in his eyes was unbearable. “Judith, I am so sorry.”

The great roaring that filled her head was almost comforting as Judith spiraled down, grateful to sink into the darkness of oblivion once more.

Chapter 19

Swimming up into consciousness, Judith became aware of two things. She lay on a soft bed, cradled in a feather mattress, and she was alone. For a moment, that was enough, and she simply lay there, enveloped as if in a cocoon, safe and warm. Then the events of the afternoon crashed back around her. Her wedding, the wedding breakfast, and the devastating decree from the courts. She sobbed and burrowed her head into the pillow.

“Judith? Are you awake?

Not alone after all.

Kitty, now her sister-in-law, came toward the bed. “How are you feeling, dear?”

“Awful.” Tears continued to flow until Judith made an effort to stop them. “Oh, Kitty, what am I to do?”

“Here, dear, take this.” She thrust a handkerchief at Judith.

Blotting her face, Judith turned over and sat up in the bed. Afternoon light still streamed in through the window, so she hadn’t slept for long. Perhaps she should return to her slumbers where her myriad cares would simply disappear.

“John was here until about half an hour ago. He summoned his solicitor, and they are now downstairs, trying to decide what is to be done next.” Kitty sat on the edge of the bed, patting Judith’s arm sympathetically. “I’ll ring for some tea, dearest. That will help fortify you.”

Shaking her head, Judith threw back the cover and sat up. “No. I’m going downstairs. If there is still some way to regain custody of Anna, I must be part of the planning.”

“John is not going to like it, Judith. He said you have to rest. He’s worried at all the fainting you’ve been experiencing.” Kitty frowned and rose from the bed, but apparently knew better than to try to stop her.

“Had I not had shock after shock this past week, I daresay I’d have not been swooning at all.” Judith shook out her gown, a deep purple she’d elected for the wedding. No one wished to be married in black, so she’d made that much of a compromise. Fortunately, the dark material did not show creases. “Hand me that shawl, please.”

Still shaking her head, Kitty gave it to her. “Allow me to walk down with you, at least. If you feel faint, I can keep you from tumbling down the stairs.”

“You are a good friend, Kitty.” Judith embraced her in a brief hug. “Both my sisters-in-law have proven to be staunch friends. Come, let us go down.”

They met with no misadventure, as Judith could have predicted, and arrived swiftly at the door to the small receiving room. Indistinct voices gabbled behind the door. Judith put her hand on the latch. “You need not come in with me, Kitty, unless you wish to. Should John say anything about your allowing me out of the bed, he will quickly find his wife has a mind of her own that no wedding vow will ever change.”

Grinning, Kitty said, “I’ll leave you to it, then.”

Putting on a pleasant smile, Judith opened the door and slipped inside.

John and Mr. Blanchard sat across from one another, so deep in conversation they did not at first realize she had entered.

“That is the whole of it, my lord. I was in the gallery and wrote everything down verbatim. There is nothing else to tell you.” Mr. Blanchard sounded winded, as though he’d been speaking for some time.

“There is a great deal more to tell me, Blanchard. Beginning with what to do next. Surely there must be some recourse to the court’s decree?” John’s anger shone in every tense line of his body, though he controlled it admirably. “I cannot tell my wife that there is no hope at all of her ever seeing her daughter again. There must be something, anything we can try.”

“Can the character of Lord Downing be brought into question, Mr. Blanchard?” Judith came forward, and the gentlemen leaped to their feet.

“My dear, what are you doing down here? Kitty was supposed to make sure you were resting.” John led her to an elegant cream-colored Queen Anne chair and assisted her to sit as though she were made of glass.

“Thank you, my lord. I believe Kitty served her purpose for as long as was necessary.” She would speak to John later about who could and could not make her do anything. “Mr. Blanchard, thank you so much for coming.”