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But there was the baby to think of. And he was correct. What right had either of them to consider themselves first? ‘Yes, Alex, I will marry you.’
‘Thank you. Believe me, I will do everything in my power to ensure you never have cause to regret it.’ She looked at him and managed a small smile, not realising how pale and fragile she looked at that moment. ‘Circe… No, I must stop calling you that. Hebe, I think I had better have a quiet word with Starling and come up with some explanation as to why his future mistress is visiting here under an assumed name. I do not think you had better spend the night here, but the Dower House, where my aunt Gertrude lives, is only half a mile away.’
‘My aunt and uncle are expecting me in London by this evening. They will worry if I do not come. Perhaps if I could just wash my hands and face?’
‘Are you certain?’ He made as if to take her hand, then remembered and dropped his own. ‘I will call the housekeeper, Mrs Fitton, to take Anna and you to one of the bedchambers. Ask her for whatever you need.’
Anna was talking to a pleasant-looking woman in the hall. They both looked up as Hebe emerged, followed by Alex. ‘Mrs Fitton, please take these ladies to the best guest room and ensure they have everything they need to refresh themselves.’ He broke off as the sound of a carriage on the driveway sent the footman to the front door.
‘Lawyer Stone, my lord, just arriving, and it looks as though Parson is with him again.’
‘Please, you must attend to them,’ Hebe said, holding out her hand. After a moment’s hesitation Alex took it. ‘I am sure Mrs Fitton will look after us wonderfully, and then we must be on our way. I will tell Aunt and Uncle that you will be calling in a week or two: oh, I must give you their direction.’ She took a card from her reticule and scribbled on it. ‘There. Mr and Mrs Fulgrave, Charles Street. Goodbye my lord, and my apologies again for intruding upon you at such a time.’
Hebe and Anna followed the housekeeper upstairs and into a pleasant bedchamber. The woman tugged the bellpull. ‘I will just get hot water sent up, ma’am. Is there anything else I can get for you?’
‘Thank you, no, Mrs Fitton. I am sorry we were forced to intrude upon the earl at such a sad time, but I am afraid I had no choice, I had a very important message. What a terrible blow, so soon after the death of his father.’
‘That it is, ma’am.’ The housekeeper folded her lips tightly, then suddenly burst out, as though she had been bottling it up and could bear it no longer. ‘Two deaths and then that heartless madam! I do not know how poor Mr Alex—his lordship, I should say—I don’t know how he keeps such a pleasant way with him. Most men would be impossible, but, no, he looks severe, but otherwise he’s as kind a gentleman as ever was. Not a cross word, ever.’
‘You know about Lady Clarissa, then?’ Hebe ventured, earning a scandalised look from Anna.
‘Well, not at first, ma’am, but I was in the room when that letter came. He didn’t know I was there, I was bringing in the fruit bowl, quiet like, and he had his back to me.’ The housekeeper broke off as a maid came in with a pitcher of water and some towels, then resumed as the door closed. ‘He opened it up, and I thought there’d been another death, I did really. He said “Clarissa!” all choked like, then he screwed up the note in his hand and said, “My love,
oh, my love”, just like that.’
She began to smooth out Hebe’s pelisse which was lying on the bed. ‘Broken-hearted, that’s what, poor gentleman. Of course, we didn’t know what had happened at first, but, well, we heard bits here and there.’ She gave Hebe a sharp look. ‘I’m not one to gossip, ma’am, but we all love the Major—his lordship—and we care about him. And I can tell you are a friend of his. So I just tell you, so’s you know. Hope I haven’t spoken out of turn, ma’am.’
‘No, of course not, Mrs Fitton. You are quite right, as his friends, we all want to help him.’
Back in the chaise and heading for London, Anna burst out, ‘Hebe, what has happened? If you do not tell me, I will go mad!’
Hebe realised she had been sitting in silence since they had got into the carriage. ‘I am sorry, Anna. Well, Alex is determined to marry me, and now that Lady Clarissa has jilted him, he can.’
‘Oh, thank the good Lord and all the saints!’ Anna broke into Spanish until she could collect herself. ‘Oh, Hebe, querida, what a relief! You do not look very happy.’
‘How do you think Alex took the news of what had happened—how it had happened?’ Hebe asked bitterly. ‘And I have to tell him on top of that dreadful family tragedy, and, to crown it all, he finds himself feeling obliged to marry me immediately after the woman he loves has jilted him.’
They fell into a depressed silence. After a few miles Anna ventured, ‘But this is better for the baby.’
This received no more than an abstracted nod. After they had passed through Berkhamsted, she tried again. ‘Your mama and Sir Richard will be very pleased.’
‘Yes, an Earl. Who would have thought it.’ Hebe smiled ruefully. ‘That was unfair: they are genuinely fond of Alex, I know they will be happy for me.’
The chaise was making good time and had passed though Watford when Hebe gave a little gasp. ‘Hebe?’ Anna sat up sharply from the light doze she had fallen into. ‘What is wrong?’
‘My back has been aching all day, but suddenly, a pain.’ She put a hand to the small of her back and then gasped again as a cramp lanced though her stomach. ‘Oh, Anna, it hurts!’
Anna took one look at her white face and dropped open the window to lean out. ‘You! Postilion! Stop!’ The man reined in and twisted round in the saddle. ‘Quickly, the lady has been taken ill. Drive to the first respectable inn you come to!’
The man whipped the horses up and Anna sat next to Hebe. She touched her forehead, which was clammy with sweat. Through the pain Hebe heard her say, ‘Put on my ring, and remember you are Mrs Sersay. Yes?’ The warm metal band was slipped on to her finger, then Hebe’s hands clenched again.
‘Anna, what is it? Is it the baby?’
‘I am afraid so, querida. Try to hold on to my hand, we will soon be at an inn and we will get a doctor.’
The next half-hour passed in a haze. Hebe was aware of being helped from the chaise and into a house. Strong arms scooped her up and she was being carried and placed on a bed. A strange voice said, ‘Put her down there, Joe, gentle now, then go and get Dr Griffin, and hurry.’ There was more pain, Anna’s voice and that of the strange woman, both kind, both trying to hide fear.
Then a man’s voice, elderly, firm, reassuringly confident. ‘Give me some room, now. How far pregnant did you say, ma’am? Two months, hmm.’
