Page 78 of The Un-Apparent Heir

“We haven’t spoken in two weeks. He didn’t care at all about me taking Iona. So, I figured, I just needed a break. I left my boys like a coward. But as we were driving back from town, I pulled over and vomited. Uncontrollably. I cannot go home like this. I can’t let him make me feel so bad about myself. He’s abandoned me already, so what is the point? I’m sorry to drop this all in your lap at such a complicated time.”

“Lucy, you were there for us at the most complicated times in our lives,” Vanna said. “It is the least we can do. Winston is… you can figure that out. You need to be safe, okay? You need rest and to get the baby down for the evening.”

“Ed and I will take you home.”

“But what about Rita?”

“I will speak with her, call off the dogs. I will let her know that you are okay and that you and Winston have things to sort out—mostly tell her to stay out of it unless you want me to say otherwise. I don’t think it’s helpful to know the thing about the affair. He didn’t, did he?”

Lucy shook her head no. “I trust he did not.”

“Good.”

“I almost wish he had. At least then he could say he did it rather than holding it over my head that he didn’t.”

“Lucy, marriage is hard,” Vanna said. “Things are bleak right now. You’ve been through so much. You had a baby and are struggling. Do not give up. You deserve better. And he doesn’t get to push you around. I don’t think you two are communicating clearly. You need rest, food, and some TLC before approaching him. It’s good to take some time away.”

“You have a lot of extra hands with the baby,” Natalie said. “Ed, George, and Pat just to name some. We will all be around. Don’t worry about that.”

“He’s going to ruin me,” Lucy said. “I trusted him. But I will get nothing. I will be just as homeless as I was when George left.”

“Don’t catastrophise this yet,” Vanna said. “And you will never be homeless. I can assure you, Lucy. I would wring his neck sooner than I would allow that to happen.”

“Luce, can I come in?” Natalie knocked on Lucy’s door. Sanne stood at her side.

Lucy had been at Frogmore for two days. She wouldn’t leave her room or talk to anyone. She was lost. The only way Natalie could get a word in was to bring her sweets while Lucy nursed Iona. Beyond that, her friend was unreachable. It was far worse than her postnatal anxiety after Malcolm. Meanwhile, Winston rang Natalie and Ed nonstop looking for answers. While Natalie didn’t doubt Winston had hurt Lucy, she knew Lucy’s depression prevented her from thinking clearly. Winston was worried sick, but Natalie held strong. She told him to stop and that they would reach out when it was time for him to journey south.

“I brought cookies,” Sanne piped up.

“And Iona needs a feed,” Natalie added.

“Come in,” Lucy said

Sanne brought the cookies. Lucy inhaled one as Iona nursed.

“Lucy,” Natalie said. “I don’t want to bother you, but… you must come out of here, sweetheart. It’s not good for you or the baby to stay cooped up like this. I am worried. Should we take you to see someone?”

“I’m ninety per cent sure I’m pregnant,” Lucy said, plain as day. “And I don’t want to be. There’s not much you can do. I’m probably not going to stop by Mary Stopes.”

“Lucy, what are you on about?” Natalie asked, confused.

“I skipped my period. It was supposed to come this week. I’m vomiting uncontrollably. Nursing Iona hurts. I’m so exhausted I cannot think straight. You’re both pregnant. Tell me I am wrong.”

“But how? I thought you weren’t?—”

“We had the world’s most awful, uncomfortable sex three weeks ago. We didn’t use protection because I’m nursing, and I honestly didn’t think about it since we hadn’t been. I’m not on the pill. I’m a fucking idiot?—”

“It takes two people to make that happen,” Sanne said. “You’re not. This whole thing… he’s still their dad. Lucy, you have been doing everything for him and the kids for years. You’re miserable. He’s panicking because chickens came home to roost.”

“And now I’m getting a divorce while pregnant. Yay! It’s fucking embarrassing.”

“We need to get a test,” Natalie sighed.

“No one from the house can get it or it will look like…”

“What? I’m pregnant? She’s pregnant? Newsflash, Lucy,” Sanne giggled. “I will march down there right now to Boots and buy you a motherfucking pregnancy test.”

Natalie giggled. “Send Paul. People can speculate about whether or not he has impregnated a model.”

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