Page 55 of The Devil of Clan Sinclair
“Yes, dear, go and find Ellice. We’ll go off to the market in a few minutes. For now, I want to visit with Virginia.”
She slitted open an eye, to find her mother-in-law now occupying Eudora’s chair. She didn’t have the strength to face Enid without a fortifying cup of tea, thoughts of which caused her stomach to reel again.
The moment the door closed behind Eudora, Enid started to smile.
“Oh dear Virginia,” she said. “I thought you’d failed in your task. I thought I had sent a girl to do a woman’s duty. But you’ve succeeded beyond my wildest expectations.”
Virginia held the corner of the pillow aloft, staring at her mother-in-law.
Enid positively exuded joy.
She let the pillow drop, wishing Enid would depart in the haste with which she’d arrived.
“Oh my dear, don’t you see? The chambermaid told me you were ill. That you were retching again this morning. Isn’t it the most marvelous thing?”
Once more she slid the pillow away, frowning up at Enid.
“You are with child!”
Virginia closed her eyes. “It’s something I ate,” she said.
“One morning, perhaps,” Enid said cheerfully. “But you’ve been sick for the last four days. Of course you’re with child. And I’ve seen you falling asleep over your needlework at night.”
Her stomach clenched and for the first time in days it wasn’t nausea. She opened her eyes to find Enid had moved the straight-back chair closer to the side of the bed and was now sitting there patting her fingertips together.
“I know the symptoms, my dear. I’ve delivered three children.”
She didn’t know what to say. Evidently, however, her mother-in-law didn’t mind that she was a mute participant in this conversation.
“Tell me, my dear, did he enter you from behind? Did you copulate standing up?”
She stared at Enid.
“All these positions are guarantees of a male, my dear. There’s something to be said for the man lowering himself to you. But there’s a greater chance for an heir if he entered you from behind.”
Had her mother-in-law lost her mind? She had no intention of discussing Macrath’s manhood or any position they might’ve assumed.
But, dear God, what if Enid were right? What if this passing sickness wasn’t sickness after all?
She counted back. Six weeks had passed since she’d traveled to Scotland. Could such a thing be true? She clenched her hands into the pillow, keeping her eyes shut so as not to see Enid’s triumphant smile.
“Oh my dear, we’re saved.”
She slitted open one eye, determined to bring her mother-in-law back to some form of sanity. It wasn’t to be. Enid was still smiling as she leaned forward, grabbed her hand and patted it enthusiastically.
“It could be a girl,” Virginia said.
Was it true? Was she going to be a mother? She pressed her hand against her midriff. A child, growing inside her. A child. She’d been unable to forget one minute of that enchanted day at Drumvagen. Could it be true? Could their lovemaking had given her the greatest gift of all?
Macrath’s child. A son or his daughter, she didn’t care.
“Even so, we’ve been given a respite,” Enid said. “The attorneys will not be able to advance their case until you’re delivered, my dear. You must take great care. I will not allow you to tax yourself in any way. I shall hire another maid to care for you along with Hannah.”
“We can’t afford another maid, Enid.”
“Nonsense. I will petition the solicitor this morning. He will surely advance us the rents to maintain the household until you deliver. After all, you might well carry the heir to the earldom.”
She stared at Enid, unable to think of a thing to say to counter her excitement.
