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Her head fell back as he made his way back down to her belly “You still have to worship me,” she said
He moved lower “In that, Your Grace, I am ever your servant”
And that was the last thing either of them said for quite some time
Several days later Daphne found herself staring at her calendar once more It had been forty-six days now since she’d last bled, and she still had not said anything to Simon She knew that she should, but it felt somewhat premature There could be another explanation for the lack of her courses—one had only to recall her last visit with herherself, insisting that the air was stifling even though Daphne had found it to be perfectly pleasant
The one tiht a fire, Violet had countermanded her with such ferocity that Daphne had half expected her to guard the grate with a poker
“Do not so rowled
To which Daphne had wisely replied, “I do believe I shall fetch a shawl” She looked at hernext to the fireplace “Er, and perhaps you should, too”
But she did not feel hot now She felt
She did not knohat she felt Perfectly normal, really Which was suspicious, as she had never felt the least bit nornant before
“Mama!”
Daphne flipped over her calendar and looked up frohter, Belinda, pause at the entrance of the room
“Co the distraction “Please”
Belinda sat down in a nearby co herabout Caroline”
“I htly longer on the “I”
Belinda ignored the sarcas about Frederick Snowe-Mann-Foro mad”
“Can’t you sinore her?”
“His name is Frederick SnoweMannFormsby!”
Daphne blinked
“Snowman, Mama! Snowman!”
“It is unfortunate,” Daphne allowed “But, Lady Belinda Basset, do not forget that you could be likened to a rather droopy hound”
Belinda’s gaze grew very jaded, and it became instantly clear that someone had indeed likened her to a basset hound
“Oh,” Daphne said, somewhat surprised that Belinda had never told her about it “I’m so sorry”
“It was long ago,” Belinda said with a sniff “And I assure you, it was not said more than once”
Daphne pressed her lips together, trying not to se fisticuffs, but as she had fought her way to adulthood with seven siblings, four of them brothers, she could not help but utter a quiet “Well-done”
Belinda gave her a regal nod, then said, “Will you have a talk with Caroline?”
“What is it you wish for me to say?”
“I don’t know Whatever it is you usually say It always seems to work”
There was a compliment in there somewhere, Daphne was fairly certain, but before she could dissect the sentence, her stomach did a nasty flip, followed by the oddest sort of squeeze, and then—
“Excuse me!” she yelped, and she made it to the washroom just in time to reach the chamber pot
Oh dear God This wasn’t the change She was pregnant
“Mama?”
Daphne flicked her hand back at Belinda, trying to dismiss her
“Maht?”
Daphne retched again
“I’ Father,” Belinda announced
“No!” Daphne fairly howled
“Was it the fish? Because I thought the fish tasted a bit dodgy”
Daphne nodded, hoping that would be the end of it
“Oh, wait a moment, you didn’t have the fish I remember it quite distinctly”
Oh, bugger Belinda and her bloody attention to detail
It was not the ain heaved her innards, but she was not feeling particularly charitable at the moment
“You had the squab I had the fish, and so did David, but you and Caroline ate only squab, and I think Father and Ah—”
“Stop!” Daphne begged She didn’t want to talk about food Even the mere mention
“I think I had better get Father,” Belinda said again
“No, I’ her hand behind her in a shushing motion She didn’t want Simon to see her like this He would know instantly as about
Or perhaps more to the point, as about to happen In seven and a half ive or take a feeeks
“Very well,” Belinda conceded, “but at least let me fetch your maid You should be in bed”
Daphne threw up again
“After you’re through,” Belinda corrected “You should be in bed once you’re through withahthat”
“My reed Maria would deduce the truth instantly, but she would not say a word to anyone, servants or famil
y And perhapsas a remedy It would taste vile and smell worse, but it would settle her stomach
Belinda dashed off, and Daphne—once she was convinced there could be nothing left in her stoered to her bed She held herself extre motion made her feel as if she were at sea “I’m too old for this,” she moaned, because she was Surely, she was If she remained true to form—and really, why should this confineripped by nausea for at least two more months The lack of food would keep her slender, but that would last only until ht Her fingers would swell to the point that she could not wear her rings, she would not fit into any of her shoes, and even a single flight of stairs would leave her gasping for breath
She would be an elephant A two-legged, chestnut-haired elephant
“Your Grace!”
Daphne could not lift her head, so she lifted her hand instead, a pathetic silent greeting to Maria, as by now standing by the bed, staring down at her with an expression of horror
that was quickly sliding into one of suspicion
“Your Grace,” Maria said again, this time with unmistakable inflection She smiled
“I know,” Daphne said “I know”
“Does the duke know?”
“Not yet”
“Well, you won’t be able to hide it for long”
“He leaves this afternoon for a few nights at Clyvedon,” Daphne said “I will tell him when he returns”
“You should tell hiive a maid some license to speak freely
Daphne carefully edged herself up into a reclining position, stopping once to cale, they very often don’t”
“Oh, I think it’s taken,” Maria said “Have you looked in the mirror yet?”
Daphne shook her head
“You’re green”
“It ht not—”
“You’re not going to throw the baby up”