Chapter 16 #3
"I wasn't sure. And I didn't want to worry you if I was wrong."
"I'm your husband. Worrying about you is my primary occupation."
"I thought being a beast was your primary occupation."
"Reformed beast. The worrying comes with the reformation."
She laughed, then pulled back to look at him. "Are you happy?"
"Happy? Arabella, I'm..." He struggled for words. "I'm terrified and ecstatic and completely overwhelmed."
"So, happy?"
"Deliriously."
"Good. Because I think I'm going to be sick again."
"Still deliriously happy?" She asked after she came back from the bathroom.
"Completely."
"Even though I'm going to be doing this every morning for weeks?"
"Especially then."
"You're very strange."
"You married me."
"Best impulsive decision I ever made."
"Diving into the lake?"
"Marrying the beast who pulled me out."
He kissed her forehead. "Rest. You've had enough excitement for one day."
"But the house gathering?"
"Can continue without us."
"Cassandra?"
"She is leaving."
"The Duchess?"
"Will understand."
"But..."
"Arabella, you're carrying our child. Everything else can wait."
She settled back against the pillows, one hand moving to her still-flat stomach. "Our child. That sounds impossible."
"Everything about us is impossible."
"True." She yawned. "Lucien?"
"Yes?"
"What about Cordelia?"
The non sequitur surprised him. "What about her?"
"Your aunt is being horrible to her. We saw it at dinner."
"Aunt Agatha is horrible to everyone."
"But Cordelia doesn't deserve it. She was kind to Thistle."
"That's a low bar for rescue."
"It's my bar." She looked at him with those eyes that had been his downfall from the start. "We could help her."
"How?"
"Invite her to stay with us. Give her a season in London. Find her a husband who isn't horrible."
"You want to rescue my cousin."
"Someone needs to."
"Like someone needed to rescue Thistle?"
"Exactly."
"We can't save everyone, Arabella."
"Why not? We have the room."
"And when the baby comes?"
"Cordelia can help. She'd be wonderful with children."
"You don't know that."
"I feel it."
"You feel everything."
"And you think everything. Between us, we make good decisions."
"Do we?"
"We got married."
"That was completely impulsive."
"And completely right."
He couldn't argue with that. "Fine. We'll invite Cordelia for a visit."
"A long visit."
"A moderate visit."
"An indefinite visit."
"Arabella..."
"Please?"
He sighed. "You're using your condition to manipulate me."
"Is it working?"
"Yes."
"Excellent." She yawned again. "I'm going to sleep now. Wake me for dinner?"
"If you're feeling better."
"I'll be fine. The physician said the sickness should pass in a few weeks."
"Weeks?"
"Don't look so horrified. You're not the one being sick."
"No, I'm the one watching you be sick. It's worse."
"It's not worse."
"It's differently awful."
"Fair."
He stayed with her until she fell asleep, then made his way downstairs where the guests had gathered for luncheon. The Duchess immediately cornered him.
"Is Lady Blackthorn well?"
"She's resting."
"And the physician? Was he helpful?"
"Very."
"Good news, I hope?"
Lucien hesitated. It was early to share such news, but the Duchess had been kind.
"The best," he said quietly. "But we'd prefer to keep it private for now."
Her eyes lit with understanding. "Of course. How wonderful. Your first?"
"Yes."
"It changes everything."
"So I'm discovering."
"Lord Blackthorn," a timid voice interrupted. They turned to find Cordelia, looking anxious. "Is... is Cousin Arabella all right?"
"She's fine. Resting."
"Oh good. I was worried. Mother said she was probably being dramatic, but Arabella doesn't seem the dramatic type."
"She's not," he agreed, warming to this cousin who apparently saw his wife clearly.
"Could I... that is, might I visit her later? I have a tonic that might help with... with what ails her."
He studied her more carefully. Cordelia was perhaps twenty, pretty in a quiet way, with intelligent eyes that she usually kept downcast around her mother.
"You know what ails her?"
She blushed. "I suspected. My sister had similar symptoms before... well."
"Before what?"
"Before Mother sent her to the country for her health. She came back without the symptoms. Or the baby."
Lucien's blood chilled. "Your mother..."
"Arranged everything. She said it was for the best. Mary hasn't been the same since."
"How is Mary now?"
"Married to a merchant Mother chose. She never smiles anymore."
"And you?"
"Mother has plans for me too. A widower with three children who needs a mother for them and dowry to save his estate."
"Do you want to marry him?"
"What I want doesn't matter."
"It should."
She looked at him with surprise. "You really believe that?"
"My wife would insist on it."
"She's very lucky."
"I'm the lucky one."
"Perhaps you both are."
"Cordelia!" Lady Agatha's voice cut through the room. "Stop bothering your cousin."
"She's not bothering me," Lucien said.
"Nevertheless. Cordelia, come."
Cordelia dropped a curtsey and scurried away, but not before Lucien saw the misery in her eyes. Arabella was right. Someone did need to rescue her.