she’d never discovered in Bath.
At least she was safe for now, but this refuge could only be temporary. Remaining here would put her too close to her husband’s reach. And that she could not abide.
CHAPTER 7
In the family dining room, Christian sat at the table, slowly drawing circles in his gravy with his fork. He glanced out the door in the direction of the stairs where he’d left Genevieve hours ago. The knots in his stomach left no room for his normally robust appetite.
His sister-in-law, Alicia, smiled gently, concern etching creases in her lovely face. “My word. I can’t recall the last time you failed to empty nearly every dish on the table. You must be coming down with something. Do you feel unwell?”
Christian let out his breath in a long exhale. “How long until she’s able to leave?”
Alicia drew back in surprise. “Leave? Well, the doctor said she needs a day or so to rest. One doesn’t recover from a near drowning in an hour.” Her voice quieted. “And the doctor said she was enceinte .”
“She’s with child?” Christian’s stomach clenched. Another man’s baby. It made her betrayal so much worse.
“Not anymore; she recently miscarried.”
“I see.” He couldn’t decide if her loss minimized her betrayal or not. He didn’t know what to feel about anything right now. Everything inside twisted into a tangled mess.
“I wonder if the loss of her baby is what drove her to throw herself into the river. I’ve heard sometimes after a woman loses her unborn child, she can fall into a terrible melancholy.” She looked down and rubbed her rounded stomach. “I hope nothing like that happens to me.”
“I’m sure it won’t,” Christian said numbly.
Alicia buttered her bread thoughtfully. “Odd that she wouldn’t give you her name when she woke. She was equally reluctant with me when I looked in on her. I wonder who she is. Her hands are fine and she speaks with the cultured tones of a lady, so she’s clearly not a servant.”
“No.” Christian wished he could sink into his chair rather than lie to Alicia.
“I suppose she could be a governess, but she’s awfully pretty for a governess. You grew up here, yet you don’t know her?”
Christian watched the fork leave tiny lines as he drew it across the plate. “I haven’t lived here in years, since before I went to Cambridge.” He wasn’t lying...exactly.
Alicia’s expression turned wistful. “It would simplify everything if she’d just tell us who she is. She’s hurting, frightened, and grieving her lost baby. We must be sensitive to her feelings.”
He nodded silently. Sensitive to her feelings. What feelings? Maybe she didn’t have feelings. She certainly hadn’t shown any last year.
When the fork in his hand bent under his white-knuckled grip, he set down his utensils and pushed away his plate.
Alicia’s voice broke into Christian’s thoughts. “We need to watch her carefully. I fear she may try to harm herself again. Or leave before she’s well enough.”
Voices traveled from the great hall and a mild commotion reached their ears. Christian jumped to his feet. He half expected Lord Wickburgh to blast his way in. As Cole’s voice boomed over the greetings of the servants, Christian relaxed. Alicia’s eyes lit up and her face glowed. Cole appeared in the doorway wearing a wide grin.
“You’re home,” Alicia breathed, her face infused with joy.
“I have an excellent reason to be here.” Cole’s grin broadened.
With long strides, he came to Alicia, knelt by her chair, and gathered her in his arms. Cole was all tenderness when he kissed Alicia and placed his hand over her rounded belly. As the happy couple locked in a prolonged embrace, Christian mumbled an excuse and left them alone.
He cast a glare upward to the room where Genevieve lay. Fate had a cruel sense of timing to bring the jilt back into his life on the anniversary of Jason’s death. The days’ events left him frayed and
At least she was safe for now, but this refuge could only be temporary. Remaining here would put her too close to her husband’s reach. And that she could not abide.
CHAPTER 7
In the family dining room, Christian sat at the table, slowly drawing circles in his gravy with his fork. He glanced out the door in the direction of the stairs where he’d left Genevieve hours ago. The knots in his stomach left no room for his normally robust appetite.
His sister-in-law, Alicia, smiled gently, concern etching creases in her lovely face. “My word. I can’t recall the last time you failed to empty nearly every dish on the table. You must be coming down with something. Do you feel unwell?”
Christian let out his breath in a long exhale. “How long until she’s able to leave?”
Alicia drew back in surprise. “Leave? Well, the doctor said she needs a day or so to rest. One doesn’t recover from a near drowning in an hour.” Her voice quieted. “And the doctor said she was enceinte .”
“She’s with child?” Christian’s stomach clenched. Another man’s baby. It made her betrayal so much worse.
“Not anymore; she recently miscarried.”
“I see.” He couldn’t decide if her loss minimized her betrayal or not. He didn’t know what to feel about anything right now. Everything inside twisted into a tangled mess.
“I wonder if the loss of her baby is what drove her to throw herself into the river. I’ve heard sometimes after a woman loses her unborn child, she can fall into a terrible melancholy.” She looked down and rubbed her rounded stomach. “I hope nothing like that happens to me.”
“I’m sure it won’t,” Christian said numbly.
Alicia buttered her bread thoughtfully. “Odd that she wouldn’t give you her name when she woke. She was equally reluctant with me when I looked in on her. I wonder who she is. Her hands are fine and she speaks with the cultured tones of a lady, so she’s clearly not a servant.”
“No.” Christian wished he could sink into his chair rather than lie to Alicia.
“I suppose she could be a governess, but she’s awfully pretty for a governess. You grew up here, yet you don’t know her?”
Christian watched the fork leave tiny lines as he drew it across the plate. “I haven’t lived here in years, since before I went to Cambridge.” He wasn’t lying...exactly.
Alicia’s expression turned wistful. “It would simplify everything if she’d just tell us who she is. She’s hurting, frightened, and grieving her lost baby. We must be sensitive to her feelings.”
He nodded silently. Sensitive to her feelings. What feelings? Maybe she didn’t have feelings. She certainly hadn’t shown any last year.
When the fork in his hand bent under his white-knuckled grip, he set down his utensils and pushed away his plate.
Alicia’s voice broke into Christian’s thoughts. “We need to watch her carefully. I fear she may try to harm herself again. Or leave before she’s well enough.”
Voices traveled from the great hall and a mild commotion reached their ears. Christian jumped to his feet. He half expected Lord Wickburgh to blast his way in. As Cole’s voice boomed over the greetings of the servants, Christian relaxed. Alicia’s eyes lit up and her face glowed. Cole appeared in the doorway wearing a wide grin.
“You’re home,” Alicia breathed, her face infused with joy.
“I have an excellent reason to be here.” Cole’s grin broadened.
With long strides, he came to Alicia, knelt by her chair, and gathered her in his arms. Cole was all tenderness when he kissed Alicia and placed his hand over her rounded belly. As the happy couple locked in a prolonged embrace, Christian mumbled an excuse and left them alone.
He cast a glare upward to the room where Genevieve lay. Fate had a cruel sense of timing to bring the jilt back into his life on the anniversary of Jason’s death. The days’ events left him frayed and
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