Harvest of Thorns (The Craigallan Family Saga Book 3) by Tessa Barclay

Author:Tessa Barclay [Barclay, Tessa]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Tags: historical romance, family saga, edwardian romance, historical novels, family saga series, historical fiction, 1920s romance
Publisher: Wyndham Books (Family Saga)
Published: 2019-12-12T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Curtis couldn’t possibly be the father of the child. It was Tad’s. At the thought a surge of fierce joy shook Ellie-Rose. At this late stage in her life, when she had thought such blessings were gone by, she would bear Tad a child.

She must let him know at once. Forgetting how early it was, she ran to the telephone and asked the operator for the number. But the phone rang and rang without answer and she had to remind herself that Tad wasn’t expected back from Dublin until the next day.

She went back to the boudoir to find the cup of coffee poured by Beading still awaiting her. She poured it away in the bathroom and refilled her cup with strong black coffee, well sugared. She’d attended first aid classes after the scenes at the Zeppelin raid, and she knew that a hot sweet drink was good for shock.

And she had had a shock, no doubt about it. As her mind began to assimilate the facts, she realised that a crisis had come upon her.

It was many months now since she and her husband had shared the same bed. Curtis had let her sleep alone out of consideration for her state of nerves after the air raid, and for several days thereafter. Then things had returned to normal but even so, they had not made love. Curtis was tired physically and troubled mentally by his work in London for the trade delegation. Moreover, although he was still deeply attached to Ellie-Rose, and proud of her, his sexual taste turned now towards younger women. Ellie was well aware that he found diversion among the pretty ladies on the edge of London society, and bore him no ill will on that score.

For about the last twelve months he had taken to sleeping regularly in his dressing-room, a room smaller than the master bedroom certainly but comfortable and pleasant. It meant he could tiptoe in without disturbing her after a night out with the boys, a night of too much whisky and too many cigars. It meant also that there was no danger of his wife asking for his husbandly attention when he had spent himself with a girl from the chorus of The Bing Boys.

Perhaps Curtis had been surprised that Ellie-Rose made no complaint. But he had too much sense to query the way things had fallen out. They were both satisfied with their arrangements.

Ellie-Rose must speak to Tad as soon as possible, to tell him her news and ask what to do. She had better not confess to Curtis until Tad had been told. The coming confrontation would be unpleasant enough for Tad without the additional distress of being taken by surprise.

She wrote a note for Tad, begging him to get in touch the moment he returned, and turned her attention to the day’s routine. She had twenty people coming to dinner, and then they were going on to a restaurant for a late-night party to welcome in the New Year.

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