Page 53 of An Earl to Save the Diamond
“No, Mother. That is just wrong.” Andrew’s face was a mask of shock at his mother’s suggestion. He always knew his mother was a hard woman but to ask him to deny responsibility for his child was absurd. “I will not abandon Marjorie or deny my own child. It is unfair to them both.”
“You should have thought about it before you deigned to completely ruin this family.”
“I do not see how this is a problem. Many gentlemen carry on with children outside of their marriage, and Society doesn’t crucify them for it.”
“You are not them, my child. You are the Duke of Grant. This will not be easily forgiven or forgotten.”
Andrew looked at his mother, his expression uncertain.
Ellen and Gerard, who had been forgotten, watched the argument with confusion. Ellen was proud to see her brother standing up for Marjorie and finally doing the right thing, but she could not help but wish that Gerard would do the same for her. What did she expect from a gentleman who had warned her from the beginning that he was terrified of the thought of marriage?
“Oh, get it together Andrew! Did you learn nothing at all from your shameful father?”
“I will not have you speak about a dead man like that, no matter what he did. He was a good father,” Andrew cut in quickly.
“And a miserable husband. You ungrateful children do not know what it was like to have lived with him. You do not know how much I shielded you from, how I gave up everything for you two.”
“Surely, Mother, there must be a better way to resolve this than what you ask of me,” Andrew pleaded. “You are asking me to deny my own child and to leave the only woman I have ever loved.”
Andrew’s admission got a surprised stare from Gerard who had been watching curiously.
“You have to, Andrew; you have to, my dear child. You must do what is best for the family.” Lady Grant moved close to Andrew and touched his cheeks tenderly, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Please tell me you will do the right thing by your mother dearest.”
Andrew held his mother’s hands in his and looked at her tenderly for a moment. He let out a sigh. “I am sorry, Mother. I truly am, but I would not treat my child like that. You raised me to always do the honorable thing.”
“Oh, you poor fool,” Lady Grant snatched her hands away from her son, trembling with rage. “You two have ruined this family, and I will have no part in it,” she said and turned around to walk back into the Manor. She had barely reached the porch when all of a sudden, her eyes rolled back into her head, and she fell to the ground.
“Mama!” Ellen screamed as Andrew rushed to Lady Grant’s side.
“Summon the doctor! Get one of the servants to summon the doctor, Ellen! Hurry!” Ellen made haste and ran into the Manor to get someone to summon the doctor.
“Help me! Help me take her inside; do not just stand there!”
Gerard, who had been stunned by the occurrence, quickly snapped out of it as he reached over to help Andrew lift the Dowager. They hurried into the Manor where servants were scurrying around, and one was sent to ride into town for the doctor.
Ellen met them a few minutes later in Lady Grant’s chamber in tears. She grabbed the washcloth and bowl of water from her mother’s lady’s maid, choosing to undertake the task of caring for her mother herself. Lady Grant’s breaths came in shallow wheezes that scared both Andrew and Ellen, and they both prayed silently that the doctor would make it in time.
“Do you think we did this to Mama, Andrew?” Ellen sobbed. “Oh, we must have broken our poor mother’s heart!”
“Let us wait until the doctor arrives, Ellen. Mother will be fine. You do not need to worry,” Andrew replied.
“I shall give you some privacy,” Gerard said.
“Thank you, Ridlington,” Andrew said to Gerard’s retreating back, “but we must come back to the matter at hand soon.” Gerard did not reply.
“I am truly sorry, Andrew,” Ellen said.
“You do not need to apologize to me, Ellen. It is the Earl who has all the blame here. Preying on an innocent lady like you. I will not stand for it,” Andrew replied, his face hardening once again as he spoke.
Ellen shook her head. “No, I was not talking about that.”
Andrew sighed. “What are you talking about now?”
“I should not have told Mama that Marjorie was carrying your child. Not without informing you first. I was angry, but it is no excuse,” Ellen explained.
“It is all right. For now, all that matters is that Mother gets better.”
Ellen smiled gratefully and continued to dab at her mother’s face with the wet washcloth.
