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A knock rapped on her door. Assuming the footmen had arrived with the tub, she rose and said, “Come in.”
Instead of a footman, a sour-faced Regina entered the room. “What is this about you having a tray in your room?”
“Regina, I am exhausted. I just need a bath, some food, and a soft bed. I am afraid your little scheme to get Jack and me back together will have to wait until tomorrow.”
“Oh my dear girl, I have no intention of you and Jack restarting your ‘friendship’. I only wanted to see if my grandson has finally accomplished the great task of having an heir. You are last person who should marry Jack.”
She was? “And why exactly is that?”
Regina smiled smugly. “You are far too much like me and would drive the man mad.”
“Oh. Then you have no reason to be upset that I am not coming down for dinner tonight.”
“I am not upset but only worried that you were not feeling well after our long drive.”
The woman was up to something but Tessa couldn’t determine exactly what it was right now. Perhaps in the morning when she was fresh, she could figure out Regina’s plans. A loud scream broke the silence between them.
“It appears I am about to be a great-grandmother soon,” Regina said. “Enjoy your peace and quiet, although it might not so peaceful with Georgiana in labor.”
“Goodnight, Regina.”
Before she could close the door, the footmen arrived with the tub and steaming buckets of water. Marianne trailed behind them a bucket in her hand and a frown upon her face.
“Can you imagine they asked me to bring up the water too?” She placed the bucket near the fireplace. “As if they do not realize what a lady’s maid does in a household.” Once the men filled the tub, her maid placed some scented oil in the water and then proceeded to help Tessa undress.
Once her maid left the room, Tessa stripped off her chemise and sank into the steaming water. She felt as if she had layers of dust on her. Slowly, the warm water eased her tense muscles allowing her to relax and think about what she would do and say when she faced Jack tomorrow. What could she say? The man had sent her to prison. She could never forgive him for that, could she?
“No,” she whispered. He had gone too far. He had lied to her. He had betrayed her trust. He had taught her how wonderful making love could be with the right person. No! She must purge all thoughts of what they shared in bed from her mind. If she contemplated just how amazing those nights had been, she might forgive him in order to have him one more time. But they had been amazing nights, she thought wistfully.
Tessa quickly sat up and vigorously scrubbed her body and hair. She refused to think upon him any longer. As she toweled herself dry, Marianne returned with her tray of food.
“Have you heard anything regarding her ladyship’s progress with the birth?” she asked her maid.
“Only that it was going slow, ma’am.”
“The poor woman,” Tessa said softly. Yet, she still felt a stab of envy, for Lady Bideford had the one thing money could not buy.
“Yes, ma’am. Her maid, Ellie, said it was the same with the two girls.”
Many nights after her time with Jack, she’d lay awake wondering if she could possibly be with child. While he had taken precautions most of the time their first and last night together he had not been careful. Like clockwork, her monthlies started right on time, crushing her dream of motherhood. Hearing the occasional scream from Lady Bideford’s bedchamber only brought back the reality that Tessa would never experience childbirth.
After the footmen carted away the tub and her tray, she lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. No matter how tired, she would not get sleep tonight.
CHAPTER 25
Jack watched his brother clutch the arm of his chair with every faint scream from upstairs. He wouldn’t wish this agony on anyone, especially not his brother who worried over the health of his young wife. What women endured to bring a child into this world made him wonder how anyone thought they could be weak when most men would never be able to bear such pain. He rose and poured more brandy into his brother’s glass.
“It is going to be a long night.”
“Yes,” Neville said before taking a long gulp.
“Slow down, Nev. You don’t want to meet your son when you’re deep in your cups.” Nor did Jack wish to have a drunken soon-to-be father on his hands. He couldn’t blame him, waiting for a babe to arrive wrecked even the hardiest of men.
“Just wait until it is your turn to go through this hell.” Neville chuckled as he took a sip
of brandy.
“That moment might never arrive,” Jack quipped.
