to slither from on top of her.
“What is it Hannah? Can’t you see I’m ready for you? A chap could die of agony if his function isn’t fulfilled, you know.”
“But you might give me a baby and we’re not married. Jeremy, I would be mortified if I found that I was expecting.”
“Oh, do lie back, Hannah. Everyone knows you can’t have a baby the first time. And the next time we do it you’ll be bearing my name!”
She stretched luxuriously under the bedclothes next morning, as the early morning light filtered through the gap in the curtains. A small clock on the bedside table told her it was just after seven. A few minutes more and she would be attended by a maid.
It had always surprised Hannah when she had stayed at the Adshead’s before, that such a wealthy family had not modernised their living quarters. At Selwyn Lodge there was a very pleasant bathroom. Here, they relied on the maid to bring the washing water in a jug. Hannah ran her hands carefully over her body, as her mind relived the passion shared with Jeremy. She was tender in places, sore in another and she looked forward to a deep-filled bath when she returned home later.
But first she must dress and go downstairs to breakfast, there to see her betrothed one, who would probably announce over breakfast that they were to be married the following year.
The maid, who was called Milly, arrived ten minutes later and helped Hannah into the dark blue day dress that she had left in the room the evening before. Her hair was brushed and coaxed into glossy ringlets, which were pinned on top of Hannah’s head and ribbons threaded through.
Milly left and Hannah finished her ablutions, then slowly walked down the rather grand staircase into the morning room.
“Good morning, Mrs. Adshead, Cecelia, Florence. It looks as if we shall be having good weather today.”
“It certainly does, Hannah. It is a pity that Jeremy, Montague and your brother have had to return to their barracks. I’d a mind that they were planning to go shooting, get some practice in before they go. Help yourself to breakfast, you know where everything is. Is your father coming to collect you as usual, as we will be leaving for church at half past ten?”
Hannah felt deflated. She was certain that Jeremy would have made some announcement. It was too important not to have done.
She helped herself to kedgeree; the Adshead’s cook made a delicious one and Hannah usually had to control herself and not return for more. Today though, she played with the fish bits, pushing it with the rice around her plate. Perhaps Jeremy had told his father before he had set out? If he had, again there was no mention, except that Mr. Adshead had left the carriage for the ladies, as he wanted to walk the two miles to church.
“Did you enjoy yourself last night, Hannah?” inquired her hostess. “You seemed to be getting along very well with Jeremy. Pity Lady Lydiate and her daughter Catherine were indisposed at the last moment. We had high hopes of a match between Jeremy and Catherine, but I suppose they will write to each other while Jeremy is overseas. And he’s a little too young for marriage at twenty one.”
“I heard him telling Monty this morning that he was going to call on Catherine at Lydiate Hall before he goes away,” said Florence.
“I did too,” chimed in Cecelia and gave Hannah a surreptitious grin. Hannah went hot with embarrassment. Did Cecelia know what had happened between her and Jeremy? The girls’ bedrooms were on the same floor.
“I’m sorry Mrs. Adshead, I’m not feeling very well this morning. Perhaps it was something I ate last night, but I’ll gather my things up from the bedroom then wait for my father at the Lodge. It will give me time to take advantage of the fresh air.”
“Oh, I do hope it isn’t the same complaint that Catherine seems to have gone down with.”
So do I, thought Hannah, as she walked up the stairs.
What a fool she had been. Carried away
“What is it Hannah? Can’t you see I’m ready for you? A chap could die of agony if his function isn’t fulfilled, you know.”
“But you might give me a baby and we’re not married. Jeremy, I would be mortified if I found that I was expecting.”
“Oh, do lie back, Hannah. Everyone knows you can’t have a baby the first time. And the next time we do it you’ll be bearing my name!”
She stretched luxuriously under the bedclothes next morning, as the early morning light filtered through the gap in the curtains. A small clock on the bedside table told her it was just after seven. A few minutes more and she would be attended by a maid.
It had always surprised Hannah when she had stayed at the Adshead’s before, that such a wealthy family had not modernised their living quarters. At Selwyn Lodge there was a very pleasant bathroom. Here, they relied on the maid to bring the washing water in a jug. Hannah ran her hands carefully over her body, as her mind relived the passion shared with Jeremy. She was tender in places, sore in another and she looked forward to a deep-filled bath when she returned home later.
But first she must dress and go downstairs to breakfast, there to see her betrothed one, who would probably announce over breakfast that they were to be married the following year.
The maid, who was called Milly, arrived ten minutes later and helped Hannah into the dark blue day dress that she had left in the room the evening before. Her hair was brushed and coaxed into glossy ringlets, which were pinned on top of Hannah’s head and ribbons threaded through.
Milly left and Hannah finished her ablutions, then slowly walked down the rather grand staircase into the morning room.
“Good morning, Mrs. Adshead, Cecelia, Florence. It looks as if we shall be having good weather today.”
“It certainly does, Hannah. It is a pity that Jeremy, Montague and your brother have had to return to their barracks. I’d a mind that they were planning to go shooting, get some practice in before they go. Help yourself to breakfast, you know where everything is. Is your father coming to collect you as usual, as we will be leaving for church at half past ten?”
Hannah felt deflated. She was certain that Jeremy would have made some announcement. It was too important not to have done.
She helped herself to kedgeree; the Adshead’s cook made a delicious one and Hannah usually had to control herself and not return for more. Today though, she played with the fish bits, pushing it with the rice around her plate. Perhaps Jeremy had told his father before he had set out? If he had, again there was no mention, except that Mr. Adshead had left the carriage for the ladies, as he wanted to walk the two miles to church.
“Did you enjoy yourself last night, Hannah?” inquired her hostess. “You seemed to be getting along very well with Jeremy. Pity Lady Lydiate and her daughter Catherine were indisposed at the last moment. We had high hopes of a match between Jeremy and Catherine, but I suppose they will write to each other while Jeremy is overseas. And he’s a little too young for marriage at twenty one.”
“I heard him telling Monty this morning that he was going to call on Catherine at Lydiate Hall before he goes away,” said Florence.
“I did too,” chimed in Cecelia and gave Hannah a surreptitious grin. Hannah went hot with embarrassment. Did Cecelia know what had happened between her and Jeremy? The girls’ bedrooms were on the same floor.
“I’m sorry Mrs. Adshead, I’m not feeling very well this morning. Perhaps it was something I ate last night, but I’ll gather my things up from the bedroom then wait for my father at the Lodge. It will give me time to take advantage of the fresh air.”
“Oh, I do hope it isn’t the same complaint that Catherine seems to have gone down with.”
So do I, thought Hannah, as she walked up the stairs.
What a fool she had been. Carried away
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