The Earl's Stolen Bride (Marriage by Deceit Book 4)

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  The carriage came to a stop, and her mother patted her arm. “We’re here! Don’t they have a beautiful townhouse for an untitled couple?”

  Though she didn’t feel like it, Chloe glanced out her window and saw their townhouse, which looked like any other townhouse along the street. She didn’t see what was particularly special about it any more today than she had when she and her mother came here with Alexander.

  The footman opened the door, and her mother urged her out. Chloe stepped outside and glanced at the other carriages passing them by. She couldn’t help but wonder what Orlando was doing. He was probably either at White’s or Toby’s. He’d said time went faster if he kept himself occupied. Then, after he’d said that, he’d kissed her and added he was counting the days to when they could go back to Edmonstone. The reminder lifted her spirits, and suddenly, her stomach didn’t feel so tight.

  “Come, Chloe,” her mother whispered, pulling her toward the steps of the physician’s townhouse.

  Chloe went up the steps, and when the footman opened the door, she followed her parents inside. After they took their hats off, they were escorted into the drawing room. Chloe sat in the chair next to her mother.

  “I wonder what Dr. Harvey wants to give you,” her mother whispered. “I think he said it has something to do with Lord Hawkins.”

  “I don’t want anything that has to do with him,” Chloe whispered in return.

  Before her mother could reply, Dr. Harvey and his wife entered the room.

  After Dr. Harvey greeted everyone, he came over to Chloe. “Lady Hawkins,” he said, extending his hand to her.

  Since her mother looked expectantly at her, Chloe gave him her hand, and he leaned over to kiss it.

  “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” he said then released her hand. “Your husband had wished to introduce us when he returned from India. He said you were one of the most beautiful ladies in London.”

  Chloe smiled then added a “Thank you” despite her shock. So that was why Lord Hawkins married her. She’d wondered about it from time to time since her parents didn’t have anything to offer in terms of a dowry, a prestigious name, or personal connections. He’d picked her because of how she looked. He’d had no real interest in her. She was an acquisition, just like all the art he’d told her he’d collected in India which he’d put on his ship to take home.

  “What a nice compliment,” her mother said. “Lord Hawkins was ever the gentleman.”

  “He was,” Dr. Harvey sat beside his wife on the settee, “and he’ll be greatly missed. That reminds me,” he looked at Chloe, “I have a drawing of him from when he was a child. I’m sure your mother told you I’ve been friends with him since we were young?”

  “Yes.” Chloe barely recalled something along those lines.

  “Our parents insisted on the drawings, and I didn’t realize I even had his until the other day. I thought you might like it, being that you were his wife.”

  “Oh, that’s,” Chloe struggled to think of the right word, “thoughtful.”

  What was she supposed to do with a drawing of Lord Hawkins? She didn’t want it, nor did he have a child to pass it on to.

  “What a wonderful keepsake,” her mother said.

  Chloe looked at her mother. Maybe Chloe would give it to her.

  The butler came in and announced dinner was ready. Chloe thought this would be a relief since it meant she was closer to going home, but as soon as she entered the dining parlor, the discomfort in her stomach returned.

  Her mother called out her name and gestured to her chair that the butler had pulled out for her. Chloe hastened to sit down and took a deep breath in hopes of easing her nausea. And it worked. Already, she was beginning to feel better. She glanced at the assortment of foods on the long table. White soup, sliced ham, poached salmon, glazed carrots, corn, strawberries, cheese, biscuits, dry cake, and trifles. Her stomach tightened in dread. Just how was she going to eat any of this?

  “The meal looks splendid,” Chloe’s father said.

  “It does,” her mother agreed. “Don’t you think so, Chloe?” she asked.

  Chloe swallowed, but for some reason, it only made her feel worse. She couldn’t recall a time when she ever felt this awful. She studied the white soup the butler put in front of her. The cream in it looked much too heavy. Even the promise of white wine didn’t settle her stomach. She needed something else to drink if she was going to get through this meal.

  Chloe’s gaze went to Dr. Harvey and his wife. “I apologize for the inconvenience, but could I trouble you for some peppermint tea?”

  “I’m afraid we don’t have any at the moment,” Dr. Harvey replied. “Is the wine not to your liking?”

  “It’s not that. The wine is good.” At least she assumed he’d only pick the best of all white wines, given the splendor of the meal. “I-I’m feeling a bit nervous. Peppermint tea is soothing.”

  Her mother chuckled. “She’s been looking forward to this dinner all week. She’s talked of little else. It’s no wonder she feels the way she does.”

  Dr. Harvey smiled at Chloe. “There’s no reason to be nervous around us. Mrs. Harvey and I are just like anyone else.”

  Chloe forced a smile in return. While the sentiment was nice, it did nothing to eliminate the unease in her stomach. She looked back at the soup in front of her, and after a long moment, she picked up the spoon. Next to her, her mother ate her soup in the most enthusiastic manner possible. And her father had just as much of an appetite.

  “My compliments to the cook,” her father told Dr. Harvey. “This is the best soup I’ve ever had.”

  “Francis recommended him,” Dr. Harvey said. “Francis was known for his superior taste.”

  Francis? Chloe searched her mind for the familiar name. Oh, right. That was Lord Hawkins’ Christian name.

  “Indeed, he was,” her father replied. “I should have asked him to refer a cook to me. Ours is decent enough, but now that I’m accustomed to better, I’m thinking of hiring a new one.”

  “You can’t have mine,” Dr. Harvey said, humor in his voice.

  As the others laughed, Chloe took a deep breath and slowly released it, her attention once more going to the soup. Had it not been for the creamy texture, it might not have made her stomach ache in protest. But did she dare eat this? The carrots and strawberries, even the salmon and dry cake, looked easier on the stomach.

  “You should eat,” her mother whispered in Chloe’s ear while Dr. Harvey told her father the meals his cook made. “You don’t want to be rude.”

  Her mother was right. She had to take a couple bites. Surely, she could manage that much. Steadying herself, she dipped the spoon in the soup and filled it halfway. She released an uneasy breath. She could do this. It was good soup. Heavy, yes. She couldn’t eat too much of it. She had to be careful.

  Bracing herself for what was to come, she sipped the soup and waited to see what would happen. At the moment, her stomach didn’t feel worse, but she wasn’t sure if that was a promising sign or not. Just because her stomach didn’t protest immediately, it didn’t mean it wouldn’t in another few moments. She risked taking another sip.

  “Why aren’t you eating faster?” her mother whispered.

  “I’m eating as fast as I can,” Chloe replied, keeping her voice low.

  “The rest of us are almost done.”

  “I’ll go faster.”

  When her mother went back to her own soup, Chloe forced three spoon’s worth down then pushed the remaining bowl away from her.

  “Is something wrong?” Mrs. Harvey asked. “I can have the butler bring out a new bowl if it’s not hot enough.”

  “Nothing’s wrong,” Chloe replied. “I just don’t want to spoil my appetite.” With a weak smile, she gestured to the strawberries. “I’ve been secretly craving those.”

  “Oh, why didn’t you just say so?” The lady beckoned the butler over. “Give her some.”

  “You don’t have to rush the me
al for my sake,” Chloe replied.

  “Nonsense. You’re our guest.”

  “Francis liked strawberries,” Dr. Harvey added. “He often wrote about how much he missed them while in India.”

  Mrs. Harvey smiled sympathetically at her husband then looked at Chloe. “He misses Francis’ monthly correspondence.”

  Dr. Harvey swallowed the lump in his throat. “Francis was reliable. He never failed to write on the first of every month.”

  Chloe bit back a sigh. She didn’t realize this dinner would involve an evening of praise for her departed husband. She knew the physician thought highly of him, but she had no idea he idolized the gentleman so. No wonder her parents worried about how he’d perceive her marriage to Orlando. Though she still had to stop them from managing her life, she couldn’t fault them in this regard. If Orlando was here, he would understand, just as she did.

  The butler put some strawberries on her plate, and Chloe thanked him. These didn’t look so intimidating. They were light and refreshing. Surely, her stomach wouldn’t mind them. And maybe her stomach wouldn’t have if she hadn’t eaten the soup. But as soon as she swallowed a bite of the strawberry, she knew this dinner was going to quickly take a turn for the worse.

  Her stomach rolled, and she felt the color drain from her face. If she wasn’t quick, she was going to embarrass not only her parents, but herself as well. “Please excuse me,” she blurted out then bolted up from her seat.

  She rushed out of the room and searched for a water closet. Surely, someone with Dr. Harvey’s prestige and wealth had a water closet. But she didn’t know where it was, and the only thing her running did was quicken the process of her stomach rejecting the food she’d just eaten.

  In the end, she threw up in a potted plant Dr. Harvey kept in his den. When she was done, she leaned back against the wall, gasping for breath. At first, the relief from the nausea was all she could think about. But then the sound of approaching footsteps alerted her that the worst was yet to come.

  Chapter Eighteen

  After Chloe rinsed her mouth, Dr. Harvey insisted she recline on the settee. As much as she wanted to leave this humiliating experience behind her, her strength was slow in returning, so she saw no other recourse but to stay with Dr. Harvey and his wife a while longer.

  “How long have you been sick?” Dr. Harvey asked.

  Chloe glanced at her parents who were sitting near Mrs. Harvey. They all sat further away, as Dr. Harvey had suggested, but Chloe caught the worried expression on their faces. Except for the time her parents weren’t sure if she’d keep her marriage to Orlando a secret, she couldn’t recall them ever worrying over her.

  “Chloe?” Dr. Harvey asked. “Do you understand my question?”

  Her gaze went back to him. “I’m sorry, Dr. Harvey. Yes, I do. Um…I’ve felt a slight upset in my stomach all day. It was just the soup.” She swallowed, hoping she wouldn’t annoy her parents too much by adding, “It was too creamy. I shouldn’t have eaten it.”

  “You said you haven’t felt well all day. What other things have you been experiencing besides an upset stomach?”

  “Nothing. It’s just been a slight nausea from time to time. The peppermint tea’s been helping.”

  His eyebrows furrowed. “So today isn’t the first day you’ve felt this way?”

  “No. It’s the first time I…I…” She glanced at the wall where the plant had been. The butler had removed it shortly after they found her in here. Her cheeks warmed, and she blinked back her tears. “I’m sorry, Dr. Harvey. I’ll have a new plant sent here.”

  “I have plenty of plants. There’s no need to get me another one. My concern is for your health. When did you first start feeling sick?”

  “I don’t recall exactly. I think it started after I came back to London. Maybe it’s been going on for a week. Perhaps a little longer.”

  “And there’s been nothing else wrong?”

  She shook her head.

  He studied her, and she wasn’t sure what he was looking for. “Has your head hurt?”

  “No.”

  “Have you felt pain anywhere besides your stomach?”

  “No.”

  “Have you felt tired?”

  “Yes, but I haven’t been sleeping as much as I should be at night.”

  She ignored the way her mother’s eyebrows furrowed, but what did her mother expect her to do when Orlando was visiting her? With the number of children her mother had, surely she knew ladies didn’t spend all their time in bed sleeping.

  And that was when it occurred to her what was happening. Not only did it occur to her, but her mother gasped, signaling she’d put the pieces together as well. In all her rushing around in London, Chloe had forgotten to track the days in her cycle like Helena had suggested, and now that she thought over it, she realized she’d missed her last monthly flow.

  Her mother gave her father a nudge in the side then jumped to her feet. “We should take Chloe home. Maybe after a good night’s sleep, she’ll be back to her normal self.”

  Her father, despite his uncertainty, rose to his feet.

  Her mother rushed over to her and cupped her hand under her elbow to help her up. “I’m sure it’s nothing to be concerned about,” she told Dr. Harvey. “She’s been at a loss ever since Lord Hawkins’ death. I’m sure crying at night has taken its toll on her.”

  Chloe didn’t know what her mother was trying to do. It wasn’t like they were going to be able to keep hiding her marriage to Orlando anymore. In nine—no, in eight—months, it would be self-evident.

  Dr. Harvey stopped her mother before she could lead her out of the den. “She is welcome to stay here for the night. I can keep an eye on her.”

  Her mother laughed, her voice pitched a little too high. “That’s not necessary. She just needs a good night’s sleep.”

  “All right,” he relented and looked at Chloe, “but if you don’t feel any better tomorrow, I want you to see me. The sooner we take care of things, the better.”

  “That’s very kind of you,” her mother said for her then practically dragged her into the hallway.

  Her father followed them out the front door and down the steps of the townhouse. “What’s going on?” he demanded.

  “Not now, dear,” her mother said in a hushed tone.

  “This isn’t a bad thing, Mother,” Chloe replied. “I see no reason to hide it.”

  Her mother hushed her.

  Chloe went into the carriage and sat by the small window. Her parents got in soon after.

  Her mother waited until the carriage pulled forward before she spoke. “Why weren’t you careful?” her mother asked.

  “I was,” Chloe said. “Well, that is, I was after Helena explained to me what a sheath is and what it does. But before then, there was no need to worry about whether or not I got with child. Orlando and I expected everyone in London to know we’d married.”

  “Chloe’s with child?” her father asked.

  Her mother put her hand to her forehead. “This is horrible. What am I supposed to tell Dr. Harvey? It wasn’t like Lord Hawkins returned in time to do this. Then we could at least let others think the child is his.”

  “I wouldn’t want his child.”

  “Why ever not?”

  “Because I didn’t like him, Mother. And I especially don’t like him now that I know he only married me because I was one of the most attractive ladies in London. No wonder he never showed an actual interest in me. He must have seen the way gentlemen came over to me and thought he’d be envied if I was his wife.”

  “That can’t be true.”

  “I’m hard pressed to believe otherwise. All he ever talked about were his travels and things he was interested in. He never asked me anything about myself or what I liked.”

  Her mother waved her argument aside. “Gentlemen are creatures filled with their own importance. If it doesn’t pertain to them, they don’t pay any attention to it.”

  Her father let out a huff,
but neither one paid him any mind.

  “That’s my point, Mother. I wasn’t important to him. I didn’t realize it until I was with Orlando and he asked me questions about my childhood, my interests, and my wants. I don’t care how many people adored Lord Hawkins. I didn’t.” As an afterthought, she added, “And I don’t want a drawing of him from when he was younger. I might be pleasant to look at, but he wasn’t.”

  Her mother gasped and put her hand up to her mouth.

  “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice that his nose was too big for his face and how bright his orange hair was. And on top of that, he was much too thin. All it would take was for a good burst of wind to blow him away.”

  “You must stop talking of the dead with such disrespect.”

  “Even if it’s the truth?”

  When her mother didn’t reply, she tapped the roof, and the carriage came to a stop.

  “What are you doing?” her mother demanded.

  “I’m going to my husband,” Chloe replied.

  “You expect my coach driver to take you to Orlando’s when everyone can see you?”

  “They’ll know about the marriage soon anyway. The baby will be born at the end of May.”

  The door to the carriage opened, and the footman peered inside. “Is something wrong?”

  “Take me to Lord Reddington’s townhouse,” Chloe told him then added where he lived in case he didn’t know.

  “No, you can’t,” her mother protested.

  “I can, and I will,” Chloe said. She’d been wanting to start doing things her own way, and she saw no reason to put it off until tomorrow. “I’m going to see my husband, Mother.” Then she shot the startled footman an expectant look.

  He closed his mouth and shut the door.

  “You can’t do this,” her mother insisted, still too shocked to be angry, though Chloe had no doubt she’d be angry later.

  But Chloe wouldn’t give in. Not this time. “Lord Hawkins’ money paid for the footman and the coach driver. He also paid for this carriage. As I see it, these things really belong to me.”

  The carriage pulled forward, and Chloe was happy to note the driver was turning toward the direction Orlando lived.