An Arranged Marriage (CR 1) by Beverley Jo

Author:Beverley, Jo [Beverley, Jo]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, Regency, General, Historical, Fiction
ISBN: 9780821764015
Publisher: Zebra Books
Published: 1999-11-01T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

It was time for Amy to leave to join her mother and her sisters in Weymouth, all danger of infection now being over. Fresh sea air had been prescribed for the convalescent. Nicholas and Lord Middlethorpe were both there to see her off, and Lord Stainbridge happened to be in the house at the same time.

Nicholas gave Amy a light kiss. "We will miss you, Amy. We will be dull here now, two old married people."

"That makes you sound like elderly, indigent relatives."

"You make me feel like an elderly indigent," he replied.

"Eleanor is not so old yet," Amy replied as she gave Eleanor a warm hug. "I will write often." She chuckled as she looked down at Eleanor's slightly-rounded abdomen. "I suppose you will soon have to give up going into Society. Will you go into the country?"

"Will I have to go into purdah, then?" said Eleanor. "I think I shall continue to go about 'big-bellied like the wanton wind.' Will that shock people? It has certainly shocked Kit." She gave him a satirical glance. If Lord Stainbridge chose to invade her home she felt entitled to prick at him.

Nicholas stepped in. "Kit is easily shocked," he said calmly, but it was a reproof. "And you shouldn't break such important news to him so casually."

Eleanor had forgotten that the earl had no idea she was confirmed to be pregnant. Now, in company, she had no choice but to suffer Lord Stainbridge's awkward congratulations and fussing before she could wave goodbye to Amy and Francis and escape to her room. She saw Nicholas take Lord Stainbridge into the library.

She supposed the twins were cozily discussing their pregnancy and felt an unusual urge to smash something valuable. Goodness, she was likely to turn into a termagant at this rate. She wondered if it was just the strange effects of pregnancy or if she was undergoing a permanent change of personality.

Nicholas had not liked the way she'd sneered at his brother, and she did care for his good opinion. He loved his brother despite his weaknesses, and she supposed she should try to bury the past in the interests of family harmony. Eleanor decided she would go down and allow them both to assuage their consciences by being concerned and considerate and making grandiose plans for the child.

As she approached the study she realized the door was slightly open; she could clearly hear their voices. They were discussing the child and she wished to hear what was said. A quick glance assured her there was no servant in the hall and so she stayed where she was, unashamedly eavesdropping.

"You have no right to this child, Kit." As usual, Nicholas's voice was level and calm.

Not so Lord Stainbridge's. "It may be mine. It will certainly be my heir."

"You have forfeited any right you might have had to it. If you want an heir, you are free to get one for yourself."

"What sort of life can you give to a child? What sort of life are you giving Eleanor? It must be raised at Grattingley where it belongs.

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