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Chapter Forty-Two
Jenny was bent over her rocks in her laboratory when Daphne walked in. The state in which she saw her immediately threw Jenny into great concern.
Daphne’s eyes were red and swollen. Like she’d spent the entire night crying. "Goodness! What happened, Daph?" Jenny took her hand and made her sit down in a chair.
"I found her, Jenny. The girl my father got with child is Vanessa Whittaker. Of all the women in England!" There was also anger in her demeanor.
Jenny was so confounded by the news that she did not know what to say at first. "Polly let it slip last night after which I confronted Papa and he finally confirmed it,” Daphne choked out.
"A–are you sure?” Jenny asked, still disbelieving.
"No. It is all but a dream I had and came all the way here just to share with you and have a laugh," Daphne cried.
Jenny wrapped her arms around her. “I don't know what to say, Daphne..." she trailed off, a thousand questions racing through her mind. If she had thought that things didn't make sense before, now she had no words to describe the situation.
Vanessa's sickly pallor. The retching at the ball. Her modified dress measurement. Even her comment to Daphne about her father's eyes… All the pieces began to fall into place. The question of her marriage could be answered and the gaping hole in her life filled…
She consoled Daphne and once she was in a better emotional state, she asked Jenny about the gossip about town. Jenny told her friend of the marriage document, confirming Nicholas’s marriage to Vanessa before gaining her feet and ringing for some tea, hoping to cheer her up with her favorite sandwiches.
The tea and sandwiches were brought along with slices of Jenny's favorite apricot crumble cake. She was glad to have them and when she offered Daphne some, she declined, preferring the sandwiches.
"I think she aims to trap Nicholas," Daphne said, having regained some of her composure.
"The document..."
"I don't believe it to be real. Not in the least. I reckon it is all part of her grand scheme to throw you out of the picture, have Nicholas raise my father’s child as his. She would be duchess, too, the cherry atop the pie."
Jenny gave it a thought and it made perfect sense. Hope ignited in her chest and she wished for Nicholas to return early so she could share this with him. "Nothing is certain until we receive news from Versailles.”
"You have to tell Nicholas, Jenny," Daphne implored.
* * *
Taking the stairs two at a time, he hurried to Jenny’s bedchamber. "It is almost unbelievable, Your Grace.” Bentley followed him. “She was fine this afternoon.”
His heart nearly stopped when he walked in to find her limp figure beneath the bed covers, beads of sweat dotting her pale forehead. "Her temperature seems to be rising," Mrs. Wells said to Dr. Jenson, her back to Nicholas.
"Your Grace," the doctor called when he noticed him enter, causing the housekeeper to turn around.
“Jenson, what is happening?”
“I-I cannot say, Your Grace. She has a fever but other than that, I cannot say. Your wife's condition baffles me."
He sat beside her and took her small hands in his. He was afraid. “How did this happen, Mrs. Wells?”
“She was well this afternoon. Sarah found her unconscious when she came to help her dress for dinner.”
Jenson gave the housekeeper some instructions and left a prescription. “We will observe her. Hopefully, she recovers without incident,” he said to Nicholas before taking his leave.
"Fetch me Bentley,” he said to Mrs. Wells. His heart broke at how lifeless her hand felt in his. "Forgive me, Jenny," he whispered, kissing her temple. "This is all my fault."
When Bentley arrived, he asked him to send word of Jenny’s illness to her father and Mrs. Atwood. It was important for them to know.
“Right away, Your Grace,” Bentley said, then proceeded to hand him a letter. “This arrived just now.” Nicholas instantly recognized the seal as one belonging to Maxime de Chauveau. He’d awaited his reply all week. He tore it open and read.
His friend was informing him that he had found the parson that had ostensibly married him and Vanessa. He was yet to speak with him, however, but when he did, he would persuade him to come to England to bear witness. Regarding the records, he could only view them through the parson, thus, he had nothing to report until he spoke with the man. Maxime also told Nicholas to expect a second missive detailing their travel date and schedule to England for he shall try his best to convince him to come with him.
He shut his eyes and sighed. The missive had nothing of note for him and his questions still hung unanswered. This frustrated him to no end and nearly crumpled the sheet in his hand. His life was unraveling in the worst manner imaginable.
