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“Oh, he did. But I turned him down. I don’t love him, and he doesn’t love me. He admitted it. I just couldn’t marry one man when I love another.”
“You and Cameron are in love? That’s wonderful!”
“Not exactly.” Rose buried her face in her sister’s shoulder. “Oh, Lily. I don’t know what to do!”
“It’s going to be all right. I’ve already sent word to Dr. Blake. He should come out later today if he’s not too busy. We’ll simply have him examine you also, and then we’ll go from there.”
“Lily, no one can know.”
“Blake will be discreet, dear. I trust him. I will speak to him privately when he comes.”
“You can’t tell anyone. Not even Daniel.”
“Of course. You have my word.” Lily took a small handkerchief out of her pocket and wiped away Rose’s tears. “Now stop crying. We don’t even have any answers yet. It’s possible that you’re not with child. Neither of us may be.”
Rose sniffled loudly. “What will become of me?”
“If you are pregnant, I’m sure Cameron will do the right thing by you.”
“No,” Rose sobbed. “He won’t.”
* * * *
Dr. Blake’s examination had been humiliating. Only Cameron had seen and touched her intimate parts. Yet she could have borne it, had she been happily married like Lily. She had felt cheap and used. The doctor was a perfect gentleman, yet Rose felt soiled and ugly. Then the blow. The truth she already knew. She was expecting a child.
So was Lily. Rose hated herself for being in this situation, and hated even more the fact that Lily couldn’t rejoice in her own pregnancy because of Rose’s state of affairs. Instead, Lily sat in her private sitting room with Rose cradled in her arms, when she should have been running to tell her husband he was going to be a father.
“How can you ever forgive me for this?” Rose said. “I’ve ruined your good news.”
“Don’t be silly. I’ll tell Daniel later, and I’ll ask him to keep it to hims
elf for a little while. I…I’ll tell him that I’m afraid of losing the babe, that I want to keep it quiet for a bit. You know Mummy lost a few. And I might have lost one after my fall. He’ll believe that.”
“This is horrible. Just horrible. Wonderful for you, of course.”
“We’ll figure it out.”
“Papa, Mummy, and Thomas are arriving tomorrow. So are Evan’s brother and sister.” Rose wept quietly. “How on earth did I manage this? I was always the good girl.”
“Sleeping with the man you love doesn’t mean you’re no longer a good girl.”
“It was a terrible mistake. There’s only one thing to do.”
“What?”
“I…I’ll tell Evan that I changed my mind. I’ll tell him that I love him and I want to marry him. He’ll probably still have me. Then I’ll tell him I can’t wait and I want to go to Gretna Green. We’ll…consummate the union and no one will be the wiser.”
“Rose…”
“It’s the only way, Lily.”
“And what exactly are you going to tell Evan when his child is born with coal-black hair?”
“I don’t know. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. It’s just as likely that the babe will be blond.”
“I suppose so.”
“And if it’s not, I’ll remind him that you and Papa and Thomas are all dark. It could have come from there.”
