“I knew you would want to know right away.”
“Is she… will she be all right?”
“She will be fine. She did not eat enough today, and that combined with the stress of the situation made her pass out. She came around long enough to talk with me and for us to ascertain that she has not had her monthly courses. So I did a more thorough examination.”
Hugh was uncomfortable with the doctor taking such liberties and seeing his wife intimately, but he pushed it aside. “You’re sure?”
“It is early days yet, but yes, I am sure. She will need lots of rest and hearty meals each day, and she may face some difficulties until the baby comes. But don’t smother her, either. She need not be confined to bed.” The doctor patted Hugh’s arm. “In my experience, women generally know their bodies and what they need, so listen to your wife, and all should be well.”
“May I see her now?”
“She may be asleep, but if awake, I think she will be happy to see you.”
Hugh instructed Hodges to send up a tray of food and then ran up the stairs. He entered her room and found her asleep in their bed. She looked untroubled.
He sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand.
She stirred and opened her eyes. “Hugh,” she said softly.
“How do you feel?”
“Better. Tired still.”
“There should be food here in a few minutes. Are you hungry?”
“Starving. I missed tea.”
“It’s nearly dinner time, but don’t feel like you have to get dressed to come down. I’d rather you rested.”
“I suppose Doctor Berkley told you the news.”
“That you are to have a baby? Yes, he did.” Hugh placed a careful hand on her belly.
“Are you happy?”
“Yes. Surprised. I wouldn’t have expected it so soon. But very happy. And you?”
“Yes.” She smiled. “I’ve wanted a child for so long, Hugh. I didn’t know how much until the doctor told me we would have one.”
Hugh leaned down and kissed her gently. “I was so worried about you.”
“I imagined you would be. I feel terrible for giving you such a fright.”
“No. It’s all right. It was my cousin who acted badly. Owen said you were quite brave before I barged into the room.”
“Whose idea was it for Beresford to lie about how little I mean to you?”
Hugh smiled and smoothed Adele’s hair away from her face. “Owen’s. Beresford has a reputation for being a terrible gossip, so we thought he’d be the most likely to be believed if he said I didn’t care about you. You know that was a lie, don’t you? I love you, Adele. I would have been lost if something happened to you.”
“I did know it was a lie.”
“The idea was to distract Collingswood so that Owen could sneak in the back door and get you out of there. I would have come in myself, but I was too distraught with worry for you, andLark told me I’d make a hash of it. If Owen failed, Lark brought a Bow Street runner to arrest Collingswood.”
Adele nodded. “I love you, too, Hugh. I’m sorry for making you worry. And it was Collingswood who hit you over the head.”
“I know. All is well now, my duchess. We know now who was putting us in danger, and that danger has been removed. So now we will have a beautiful baby, and we will love him or her with all our hearts, and we will live happily ever after.”
Adele laughed. “It can’t possibly be that easy.”
