AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 5
Eight Years Earlier
Seventeen-year-old Amelia Mason, swathed in her finest silk gown and with her hair perfectly coiffed, stepped into Almack’s, the hub of London’s elite, her body anxious, giddy with possibility. Mother directed her to the far wall, and she was glad of the vantage point it gave her to watch the bustling crowd full of swirling silk and sleek, dark coats.
A vibrant red curl fell into her eye, and she pushed it aside, searching the room for the tall, broad-shouldered man with wavy black hair who owned her heart. Her gaze fell on him, and her pulse began to race as he neared, his walk confident, his dark eyes set firmly on her.
She never believed she would be so lucky that such a handsome man would choose her in a sea of beautiful debutantes. That she had seemed to retain his interest over the past few months was beyond her wildest dreams. Covertly, she pinched herself on the wrist, satisfied when she did not wake. This was no dream—this was her life.
“Good evening, Miss Mason.” Henry Brown bowed handsomely, his dashing smile making her knees weak. “You are absolutely ravishing this evening. Might I claim the first set?”
“You may, Mr. Brown.”
He lowered his voice. “And the second? And the third?”
Amelia giggled, pressing herself closer to him. “You should not speak so. Not until the wedding has passed.”
He leaned close, his voice sending shivers down her neck. “After our wedding, I will reserve every single dance, and I will refuse to give you up to anyone.”
Her heart soared, anticipation skittering over her skin. Slipping her hand over his proffered elbow, she allowed him to lead her toward the dance floor. Happiness filled her chest, and she grinned unabashedly at the man she loved so desperately. Never could she have imagined she would be so lucky, nor so satisfied with her lot in life.
Amelia was a blessed woman, indeed.
* * *
Amelia knocked on Mrs. Halpert’s bedroom door, letting herself in upon hearing the woman’s voice bid her entrance. Andrew was perched on a chair at her bedside, a small notebook in his hand as he wrote with a pencil. Small lines creased between his eyebrows, a sign of concentration.
“I was coming to ask if there is anything you might need before we depart for the feast, Mrs. Halpert, but I can see that my brother was ahead of me.”
Mrs. Halpert nodded, a tired smile on her pale lips. In the short week since she’d come to Falbrooke Court, she had grown quieter, paler—a feat when one considered what her appearance had been to begin with. Was she not meant to improve by coming to stay with them? What more could Andrew or Amelia do to better the woman’s health? Amelia snuffed out the growing tide of anxiety in her stomach. She’d known too many women that had died from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth not to take this seriously. Mabel’s mother came to mind, and the blacksmith’s wife more recently.
“I am so very fortunate to be here.” Mrs. Halpert glanced between the siblings, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. “I cannot thank you adequately.”
“Nonsense,” Andrew said, bestowing a kind smile on the woman. “We are more than happy to help.”
“We truly are,” Amelia added. “Are you certain you don’t wish to join us at the feast?”
She shook her head, her voice wan. “I am much too tired, I’m afraid. But I thank you for your consideration.”
Andrew stood. He leaned over and slid the bell on the side table closer to the edge nearer the bed. That had been Amelia’s idea, for they couldn’t expect Mrs. Halpert to cross the room to the bell-pull whenever she found herself in need.
“Next year you will be able to celebrate Midsummer’s Eve and St. John the Baptist’s feast with all of Graton and your little babe,” he said compassionately. “For now, focus on resting and eating. You must gather strength.”
A grateful smile curved Mrs. Halpert’s lips. Andrew followed Amelia out into the corridor, and they made their way toward the front door and the carriage awaiting them.
“Do you think there is more we can do for Mrs. Halpert?” Amelia asked, fiddling with her gloves. “She does not appear any better than she was when we brought her home with us.”
Andrew helped his sister into the carriage before climbing inside and sitting opposite her. He glanced up at the house, worry on his brow. “There is no more we can do. I’ve written to a colleague of mine from Oxford who dealt with a similar situation a few years ago and asked for advice. It is strange, though. By this point in Mrs. Halpert’s pregnancy, the sickness ought to have eased not worsened.”
“Could it be something else that ails her? Something unrelated to her pregnancy?”
He shook his head, rubbing his fingers over his jaw. “I am not an expert on these matters, I’m afraid, but I do believe her illness is entirely owing to the child. I can find nothing else. Dr. Carr will be better able to advise me, though. I eagerly await his letter.”
Amelia swallowed, turning her attention to the window. “I feel quite helpless.” She didn’t like feeling as though there was nothing she could do—she’d always been so capable and strong. In this, her capability mattered little. It was out of her hands, and she hated not having control.
Andrew leaned across the carriage, squeezing her knee, his face screwed into a sad smile. “I understand. Rest assured, Amelia, we are doing everything in our power to help her. Illness is a natural aspect of what she is going through. It is the intensity of her symptoms that is worrisome and the length for which she has suffered. But this happens occasionally. We need to help her, to pray, and to remember that it is all in God’s hands.”
That didn’t feel like enough to Amelia, but she refrained from saying so. What other option did she have but to silence her worries? She’d learned long ago that many things were out of her hands.
