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Mister Foote appeared, a deep crease of worry on his forehead.
“She’s a determined one, that’s for sure.”
“Determined to bring me undone,” Jane said.
If Epiphany called for religious intervention, their entire stratagem would be exposed the moment the man of God held the Baron’s cold, dead hand.
“This is not all on your shoulders,” Mister Foote said. “It’s in all our interests to have the Jardines leave here, firmly believing that Baron E is still with us. Do not give up.”
His determination, and his encouraging smile were enough to bring Jane undone. The urge to weep overcame her, and he quickly wrapped her in his arms.
“There, there, my Lady, do not fret. This will blow over soon and we shall see them off.”
Mama placed a cloth over the bowl of pungent herbs and oils.
“I’ll get more smelly things from the garden. The gardeners here are amazing. They grow so many medicinal herbs, that must be why the Warners live so long!”
Jane kept her weeping to a low sob, as a full wail would give her completely away. Mister Foote’s arms around her gave such a feeling of safety and security.
“We will get out of this mess, my Lady, mark my words. It’s only drizzling now, so the rector may arrive still. How about we take this outdoors? That way when it starts properly raining, they’ll rush inside and all will be golden?”
It seemed like utter madness.
“We should have to cover him in blankets in that case, and surely they’ll see through that?”
“He spent most of the wedding looking at the ground and nobody really noticed.”
Jane pulled away, “But… he was alive then, was he not?” She thought back to the ceremony. He had been looking down most of the time… but he had spoken. And he had come to the bed… that had been the Baron. Of that she was sure.
If only it had been Mister Foote, perhaps she would be properly with child and would have nothing to worry about.
Oh dear heavens! Where had that utterly ruinous thought come from?
The problem was, now that thought had popped into her head, she could not pop it back out again. If anything, it seemed to offer an answer to their terrible situation. The only way out of this mess was to be with child, and the most likely man who could help with that was holding her right this very moment.
The Baron’s wheeled chair sat near a side table. Inspiration struck.
******
Less than an hour later, Mister Foote steered Baron Ealing along the path, Jane holding an umbrella over them both. Mama stayed inside to make sure that those newly beribboned items did not suddenly vanish.
Once they reached the folly by the lake, Jane dared to release a shuddering breath. They positioned the Baron, covered in blankets and scarves, towards the edge of the gazebo, downwind from all others. The stinky poultices packed with herbs made Jane’s eyes water. But they made a pretty picture, Jane sitting dutifully beside her convalescing husband with a trusty retainer steering him where the man wanted to go. Jane too had a blanket to keep herself warm. The last thing she needed at this point was to catch an ague herself and succumb.
“Mister Foote, I have a rather shocking request of you.”
Mister Foote remained standing behind the wheeled chair, ever the alert employee, ready to help his master.
“More shocking that perambulating a dead Baron through the gardens?”
“Quite,” Jane admitted. It was good being so far from the house, they could speak without anyone overhearing them. “It is about my need to get with child.” There was an uncomfortable silence, as Mr Foote looked at the ground. Heat rose over Jane’s neck and spread to her face. She cast a look back to the house, just to double check there really wasn’t anyone within earshot. “I have spoken with Mama, and from what she understands, it is increasingly unlikely that I am with child.”
“I- I am not an authority on the subject, my Lady.”
Goodness, he was blushing more than she. Time to get this out with, before Epiphany came back with the Parson.
“Well, Mama clearly has more experience than I, and it appears that in my naïveté, I did not realise we were unable to ah, have ah, a successful wedding night.”
Oh the shame that engulfed her at admitting such a personal failure!
