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“Oh, thank goodness,” Sophia said, dropping her face into her hands. “I thought you were going to pretend it wasn’t so.”
“How long have you known?”
“I listened outside Ashley’s study, if you must know.” She smiled a fearless grin. “Old habits die hard.”
“So, Finn went to confess all to Robinsworth?” That could not have gone well.
Sophia nodded. “He fears for your safety, apparently. And so do I.”
Footsteps sounded in the corridor and Sophia raised a finger to her lips. “Shhh. Mother is coming.”
The door opened and Lady Ramsdale stepped back into the room. “I asked the servants to put together a tray.” Then her shoulders slumped in defeat and she groaned. “For heaven’s sake, Claire, please tell me you’ve told her. The suspense is killing me.”
“Told her what?” Claire asked innocently.
“Told me what?” Sophia jumped to her feet. “Someone will tell me right this moment what is wrong!”
Claire’s mother’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. Then both girls began to laugh. Sophia rolled onto the bed and held her stomach tightly, she was laughing that hard. “I already know, Mother. It’s all right.”
Lady Ramsdale picked up a pillow and tossed it at them. “The two of you should be ashamed. Teasing your mother like that.” Her eyes shimmered with what appeared to be delight. “Are the two of you close?” she asked as she sat down in the chair Sophia had placed beside the bed.
“I tolerate her pretty well,” Claire said. “When she’s not being shrewish.”
“I’m never shrewish.” Sophia put her hands on her hips and protested. “Now that I’m a duchess, I have to behave myself.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Claire said with a laugh.
But they both froze when they realized their mother’s eyes were misting with tears.
“We do like each other,” Claire said quickly at the same time Sophia said, “We’re great friends.”
“I just can’t believe I have you two back. And that I’m about to be a grandmother.” She wiped a tear from her cheek.
“How did you find out? About the baby?” Sophia asked of their mother.
“I sent for her last night, when things weren’t going well.”
Sophia almost looked hurt for a moment. “You could have called me.”
“I was afraid you would tell your husband.”
Sophia sighed heavily. “I probably would have.”
“But now you are relieved of keeping my secret since Finn is there unburdening himself already.”
A footman entered the room with a tea tray and set it up on the bedside table.
“Will you pour?” Claire asked Sophia.
“Of course,” she said as she picked up the teapot.
Claire reached for a biscuit.
“What went wrong last night?” Sophia asked, looking up from beneath lowered lashes as she poured tea. Their mother sat quietly at the bedside.
“Bleeding,” was all Claire said.
“Is everything all right?” Sophia put down the teapot to glare at her.
