Page 34 of An Accidental Elopement

“Why did you come to talk to me? Did you have another errand than bringing up... my condition?”

Cecilia stared blankly at Hester as she tried to remember why she had sought her out. Why she had brought up the pregnancy in the first place.

“I... I wanted your advice,” she said and tried to steel herself. “About... well, what happens between men and women.”

“From me?” Hester exclaimed and Cecilia could tell that she had to catch herself before she laughed. “But you are already married?”

“Nevertheless,” Cecilia muttered and sent her a pleading look. If Hester could not help her, she would have to wait until they travelled to London in a couple of weeks. But to tiptoe around Archie seemed just as disquieting as the thought that he might not mourn her death at all.

“I don’t know how much I can tell you,” Hester said pensively and walked away from her. Cecilia could feel her heart sinking in her chest. “But before my first season, my mother gave me this pamphlet.” She took a large brown leather-bound book from the bookcase and opened it. From within, she withdrew a dark purple pamphlet. “I hope you might be able to find some answers in there.”

She handed the pamphlet to Cecilia who turned it over to read the title: “A Guide of Marital Relations for the New Bride.”

Cecilia doubted that it contained information on how to guard your heart while consummating your marriage, but she placed it in the pocket of her dress any way, thanked Hester and hurried to her room.

Sixteen

Archie had only managed to rid himself of his hat and gloves and hand them to a footman before he heard determined footsteps coming in his direction. By their softness, he could tell that they were that of a woman. He prayed to God that it was neither his wife nor his mother. Not Cecilia because he had no idea how he should act around her with the news that he had just received, and not his mother because she would be able to sense his distress immediately and not cease harassing him until she had received a satisfactory answer.

He almost sighed with relief when Hester entered the entrance hall as he handed his overcoat to the footman. Even though Hester’s strides were fairly determined, there was no reason that it was him that she was walking towards. Hope was shattered a moment later when she exclaimed:

“There you are! I have been waiting for your return all day.”

Archie thanked the footman and walked the last paces towards her. He had no time to time to speak before she took hold of his upper arm and started dragging him towards the stairs.

This was just what he needed, being dragged on an errand by Hester after the day he had just had. At breakfast, he had received a letter from Lavinia stating that she was staying in the inn in the village and that she needed to speak to him immediately. Out of fear that she would come to Great Farleigh Hall, he had departed immediately, annoyed that he had to tell her in person that their dalliance was over.

“You need to go see Cecilia immediately. She has been in her room since this morning.” Hester had to pause to catch her breath as they were making their way up the stairs. “Mother checked on her and she said that she was fine. But she cannot be.”

Archie willingly let Hester steer him in the direction of his room since it was where he was going anyway. He needed a bath and to change for dinner.

“Is she unwell?” he finally had the sense to ask.

“No, it’s...” Hester halted in her tracks and bit her lip as she looked up and down the deserted hallway. “I accidentally disclosed to her that Flint only chose her because... well, because he would not be devastated if she died.”

Archie looked at his sister incomprehensibly for several heartbeats as his mind was flooded with questions. First of all, why would Hester even say such a thing to Cecilia? It was not something that came up in a normal conversation. Then: How could Flint be so blind, so morosely stupid that he thought Cecilia was a safe choice? Someone that he could have a companionable marriage of convenience with without the risk of having his feelings hurt. Archie knew that Flint loved Hester, and he appreciated that greatly, but the man had to be both dumb and blind if he was not able to see what an incredible person Cecilia was.

“I’m not even going to ask how that came up in a conversation,” Archie drawled and could not hide his anger completely. Hester’s head reared back a little as if she wanted to take a step back but did not allow herself to do so. “I will go see her immediately.”

“Thank you,” Hester exhaled and closed her eyes for a moment. Archie could tell how much she regretted her words in whatever form they had come.

“You owe her an apology,” he began. Hester nodded eagerly, a relieved smile playing on her lips. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

He turned on his heel and walked the rest of the way to his room on his own while trying to think of a way to console Cecilia. He understood that Hester’s words could be unsettling to her, although it was also a mental punch to the gut that Cecilia would hide in her room all day because of a matter that Flint had done. Archie had thought she was not in love with him, but the fact that he had probably been wrong tasted bitter in his mouth.

He entered his own room first and walked a couple of rounds in there while trying to compose himself. What would he say if he was merely Cecilia’s friend and not her husband? After deciding that it was probably best to keep his distance once again, he made his way through their shared dressing room and gently knocked on the door. Cecilia bid him enter a moment later.

For some reason, Archie had assumed that she would be in bed. Probably crying or at least with clear evidence on her face that she had been. He was momentarily stunned when he found her sitting in one of the chairs by the fire. She rose as he entered and seemed to look a little flushed.

“Hester told me what she had said to you,” Archie began, hoping that she would not break down and declare her undying love for Flint to him.

“Yes, well, that was not pleasant,” Cecilia muttered. She hid her hands behind her back and put her weight on one foot as the other drew a little half circle on the carpet in front of her. For a moment she seemed much younger than her one and twenty years.

“I understand why you are upset,” Archie said and tried not to grit his teeth.

“You do?” Cecilia looked up at him now, her eyes wide.

Archie nodded and gulped as he tried to think of a thing to say. He wanted to take her into his arms and promise her that everything was going to be okay, but of course, he could not.