Page 76 of Wild Swimming at Croftwood Lake
‘We must get married.’
‘No, this doesn’t change anything. The way things are between us are perfect. It’s not necessary,’ said Nora.
‘It is now,’ said Archie his eyes shining. ‘We need the baby to be the legitimate heir.’
Nora put her head between her knees, fighting another wave of nausea. This was too much. How had she gone from having the perfect life? A life of independence, having the best of all things with Archie to now having to get married because the baby she’d known about for only a couple of hours was the heir to the Croftwood estate.
‘I don’t think we should get married, Archie. It’ll change everything.’
‘But everythingisgoing to change now.’
‘Why?’
‘Because it’s not just us anymore. There’s a child to consider.’
‘That’s not the only consideration. What’s wrong with keeping things as they are? We both agreed on how we see our future together and I don’t think a baby needs to change anything.’
Archie chuckled and Nora sat bolt upright, incredulous that he could find anything about this amusing.
‘Nora, my love, this baby is heir to the Croftwood estate and the title. They can’t be brought up between us. They need a proper home.’
‘They’ll have a proper home,’ she said. ‘Having a baby doesn’t mean we’re going to get married and live at Croftwood Court happily ever after.’
‘What other option is there,’ he asked, frowning.
‘The fact that you even think that means you don’t understand how this is for me at all.’
‘You’re not pleased?’
‘It’s not about being pleased,’ Nora said in frustration. If only it was that easy. She’d love to ignore the way it was going to drastically change her life, even without these hereditary considerations that were seemingly so ingrained in Archie. This was what she’d wanted to avoid; a relationship that would mean she had to give herself up to it, and yet that was where she was. And it was all her own doing. Why had she insisted that they could rely on her contraception when there was so much at stake? ‘It’s about how we’re going to navigate this. And that doesn’t necessarily include getting married or me moving in here.’
Archie slumped down on the sofa next to her. ‘I’m thrilled, Nora. And yes, there is plenty to discuss but surely nothing that can’t be overcome. Can’t we enjoy this moment?’
Nora managed a small smile and allowed Archie to take her in his arms. Her own worries weren’t shared by him at all, and to an extent she could understand that. But suddenly she felt alone.
There was a knock at the door.
‘Come in,’ Archie called, standing up.
‘Your mother asked me to come and fetch you. It’s dinner time,’ said Ursula, popping her head around the door. She looked them up and down, realising that neither of them were dressed for dinner. ‘Is everything alright?’
‘Yes, fine. We’ll be down in a few minutes.’
‘We’re just going down to dinner like nothing’s happened?’ Nora said when Ursula had left.
‘Yes,’ Archie said, as if there was no other option.
‘I can’t sit through dinner with your family. I think I’d better go home.’
‘Nora, please. They’ll be as thrilled as I am. There’s nothing to worry about.’
‘We’re not telling anyone yet. It’s too soon. And as soon as we tell anyone, they’re going to ask all sorts of questions. I’m not ready for that yet.’
‘No, of course it’s too soon. I’m sorry.’ He sat down again and rubbed Nora’s leg. ‘Why don’t you stay? You don’t need to come down for dinner, you could stay up here and Ursula could bring you a tray.’
‘I need some time to think. This is a lot for me to get my head around.’ It seemed Archie was taking it in his stride to the point where skipping dinner wasn’t even a consideration for him. Their world —herworld — had been rocked and he was carrying on as normal.
‘But you are happy about the baby?’ His eyes scanned her face in desperation, and her heart ached for him. Because she couldn’t give him what he wanted, what he thought a baby ought to mean for their relationship.
