Rules of Engagement by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical, Fiction, Anthologies, Romance
ISBN: 9781459227002
Goodreads: 13628300
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2012-05-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

HOW COULD she have overlooked it? Appalled, Lenore stared at the pages of her diary, her mind numb, her fingers trembling.

She had woken early, but had lain, listless in her bed, for hours. Finally rising and ringing for Trencher, she had dressed for the day but had shied from facing her husband over the breakfast-table. Instead, she had sat at the little escritoire by the wall near one window and opened her diary to record the events of the previous evening—depressing though they were.

No words had come. No light comments to record her swelling misery. In an effort to ease her gloom, she had flipped back through the recent pages, filled with glowing happiness and an unstated hope she now knew to be forlorn.

It was then it had struck her.

They had been married in late July. It was now mid-September. August had been a blissful month, totally unmarred by the usual occurrence. For one who had been regularly afflicted ever since she was thirteen, the conclusion was inescapable.

She was pregnant.

With child.

Very possibly bearing Jason’s heir.

For one very long moment, she considered not telling him. But that was impossible. Much as she might wish to prolong the time he spent with her—surely last night had simply been his reaction to her supposed indisposition?—she doubted she could keep the news from him and still keep her self-respect. He was waiting for this to occur before he returned to London. He was only doing what his family wished in that respect; the need for an heir was obvious, even she understood that. The requirement had been the principal element in his reason for marrying.

And now she had met it.

Staring, unseeing, at the pale pages inscribed with her flowing script, Lenore called on all her inner strength. She must tell him—and then show a brave face when he took his leave of her. That would be the hardest part. For it had happened much as she had predicted: she had fallen in love with him—when, exactly, she did not know, but weeks ago, certainly. Deeply, totally, irrevocably in love.

And she had known it for weeks, but had tried not to acknowledge it, knowing this day would dawn. Now it had, and she had to carry on, do what she had to and pretend it didn’t hurt.

With her usual calm Lenore closed her diary and pushed it into the desk drawer. Then she stood and smoothed down the skirt of her green muslin morning gown before heading for the door. She had to find her husband and tell him the glad tidings—before she broke down and cried.

But Jason was not at the breakfast-table; when applied to, Morgan informed her he thought his master had gone riding.

There was nothing to do but retreat to the library and try not to think of the black cloud hanging over her.

In the end, Lenore did not set eyes on her husband until dinnertime.

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