‘Of course. I’m not sure he’s up yet.’
‘He hasn’t been up to see you?’ Bella glanced at her watch, horrified. It was nearly 10a.m.
‘Don’t worry.’ A quiet pride wrapped itself around Lady Dorothy’s words. ‘I tested my blood sugar myself. And I could have called Oliver to help me with my insulin injection but I didn’t need to.’
‘Oh… that’s wonderful. Well done, you.’
‘Oliver might be having a swim. Or using one of those dreadful fitness machines he’s so fond of. Do you want to go downstairs and find him?’
Bella shook her head sharply. No way was she going to go downstairs. The last thing Oliver would appreciate would be having the conversation they had to have if he was dripping wet and probably half-naked.
She drew in a deep breath and clamped her lips together to stop them trembling, but it was impossible to hold back the sting of tears. She blinked hard and willed them away, dipping her head and pretending to fuss with the catch on the carry-cage.
‘You care rather a lot about Oliver, don’t you, love?’ It was an observation rather than a question.
Bella nodded, without looking up. Of course Lady Dorothy would know. She’d been aware of practically every glance happening. How embarrassing was it to know that the sexual frisson in the air every time she’d been in the same room with Oliver had probably been noticed by his mother?
Not that Lady Dorothy seemed to mind. Bella’s love for her welled up, and she had to look up and smile then. Lady Dorothy smiled back but her eyes were full of concern.
‘There’s something I should tell you before you talk to Oliver.’
‘Oh?’
Lady Dorothy looked embarrassed now. ‘There have always been a number of women who are interested in what Oliverhasrather than who heis. It’s probably contributed to how… wary he is with women.’
Bella’s jaw was dropping. Surely Lady Dorothy wasn’t suggesting that she was interested in Oliver’s money? But Lady Dorothy held up her hand to stop her protest.
‘A very long time ago, when Oliver was first at university, there was a girl who was determined to marry him. Determined enough to pretend she was pregnant.’
This time, Bella couldn’t stay quiet. ‘I’m notpretending,’ she said vehemently. ‘And I’m not a gold-digger. I don’t want his money.’
That Lady Dorothy could even suggest such a thing was astonishingly hurtful. She scrambled to her feet. ‘I can take care of this baby myself. Iintendto take care of it myself.’
‘Takecareof it?’ Lady Dorothy went pale. ‘You don’t mean…’
Bib jumped off her lap, sensing the tension.
‘No, I don’t,’ Bella said, not even trying to check the tears running down her cheeks. ‘Iwantthis baby.’
‘Oh, my dear. So do I. More than I could ever put into words.’
Bella changed her mind about fleeing the room. She stared at Lady Dorothy.
‘What I was trying to say, obviously clumsily, is that you might need to be patient with Oliver. Give him a chance?’
Bella bit her lip and scrubbed the tears from her face.
‘Whatever happens between you and my son is really none of my business,’ Lady Dorothy continued. ‘What I will say is that I think you’re a wonderful girl, Bella. You have so much love to give. So much joy that you bring to those around you. You need to know that you’ll havemyfull support, financial or otherwise.’
Bella’s chin rose at the repeated mention of money, but Lady Dorothy shook her head. She blinked rapidly a few times and looked, horribly, as though she might be struggling with tears herself.
‘You came to work for me because I reminded you of your nana, didn’t you?’ she asked softly.
Bella nodded slowly.
‘Well… this baby of yours will be my grandchild.’ Yes, there was definitely a tremble in Lady Dorothy’s voice. ‘Maybe the only one I’ll ever have and all I really wanted to say was that if this baby is anything like its mother, I will consider myself truly blessed.’
‘Oh…’ It was the only word Bella was capable of. She bent down and hugged Lady Dorothy tightly.
