13. Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

W hen they arrived at Ivy's house, Charles turned to Ruby. "Do you wish me to offer my medical services to your sister, or should I wait to be asked?"

Ruby had been unusually silent on the journey, her expression turned inward, which was surprisingly unsettling. It was alarming how much he'd come to crave her good approval in such a short time.

She looked at him as he helped her down from the gig. "I'd rather you wait. She might not wish everyone to know about her condition yet."

Charles snorted. "Pregnancy is a natural occurrence."

"Yes, but it's still not discussed in polite company. As you well know, many things can go wrong along the way."

"I am aware of that. I attended pregnant ladies in London who refused to remove an item of clothing or allow me to touch them even if half the household, including the husband, was present. How did they expect me to offer a medical opinion under those circumstances?"

"How indeed?" Ruby said. "Perhaps we should wait and see what Ivy wants before we get ahead of ourselves."

"As you wish." He knocked on the front door.

The manor house was a charming building settled deeply into its surrounding environment. There was a large conservatory to one side where Ivy's husband, Ian, a noted botanist and plant collector, promulgated and grew new species. Charles found the subject interesting and was more than happy to be taken off by Sir Ian to view his latest experiments if the ladies didn't require their presence.

"Charles?" Ruby suddenly spoke. "Did you mention Nora to your mother?"

Surprised by the question, he paused before answering. "No, I didn't. Why would you ask?"

"I know that you are very close to her, and I simply wondered…"

Her voice trailed off, leaving him feeling confused. It was unlike his plain-speaking wife to be at a loss for words.

"I wouldn't tell her without your permission, and even then, I'd be wary. My mother sometimes forgets to be careful when she's upset."

"You mean she might reveal the truth to your father."

"Exactly. And he would be delighted to hear of anything to our detriment so he can use it against us."

Ruby bit her lip. "What if he finds out anyway?"

He focused all his attention on her. "Has something happened I should know about?"

"Miss Evans wrote to me. She believes your father has hired a private investigator to look into my background."

Charles cupped her chin so that she had to look up at him. "I don't care what the old bastard does. We're married and that's the end of it."

She searched his face, her gaze never wavering. "Thank you. I must admit I was feeling quite vulnerable."

"Don't." He bent his head to kiss her. "We'll beat him together."

Further discussion was interrupted by the polite cough of the butler, who'd opened the door to admit them.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Nash, Mrs. Nash. Please do come in. I'll go and inquire if her ladyship has come downstairs."

"Thank you."

"I meant to tell you," Charles murmured as they were ushered into the hall. "An old friend of mine from medical school, Malcolm Fraser, will be coming to have dinner with us tomorrow night."

"Will he." Ruby took off her bonnet and set it on the hall table. "And what are you proposing to feed him when we have nothing but a few scraps of lamb left?"

"Send the cook out to buy something."

"With what?"

He frowned. "Money, I assume."

"I've already spent this week's food budget, because I wasn't expecting guests."

He dug into his pocket and brought out a handful of coins. "Help yourself. Mrs. Mainwaring paid her bill this morning, so we're in funds."

"I'll set it against her account." She counted the coins and put them in her purse. He was glad to see her restored to her usual calm self. "Thank you."

"Mrs. Nash, Dr. Nash?" The butler had returned. "Her ladyship is in the morning room if you wish to follow me."

Charles followed Ruby into the large, light-filled, oak-beamed room and discovered the entire Delisle family were already there. The sisters made a formidable trio, all so different, but united by their scarred past and their desire to succeed.

"Mrs. Delisle, Lady Caroline, my lady." He bowed. "How very pleasant to see you all."

Ivy came over to grasp his hand and offered him a kiss on the cheek. She looked rather fragile, which worried him. It was surprisingly hard not to inquire as to the state of her health. "Ian said to tell you he is in the conservatory if you wish to join him. He'll bring you back in time for some refreshment."

"Thank you," He looked over at Ruby, who nodded. "Then I'll leave you ladies to chat."

* * *

Despite Ruby's best efforts she'd been unable to get Ivy to speak frankly about her pregnancy or her feelings about it. Every time she tried to reintroduce the subject her younger sister told her not to worry, and that everything was fine. Despite Ivy's words, Ruby wasn't convinced. When she suggested Ivy should speak to Charles she was met with a firm no and a plea not to interfere that put an end to the conversation.

To her surprise Charles hadn't been worried by Ivy's rejection of Ruby's offers of help. He'd reminded her that a pregnancy was of a long duration, and that Ivy might change her mind, and decide to consult him after all. Despite her worries, Ruby had to concede he was right and was determined not to interfere. Her sister had grown in strength over the past years and had the right to determine her own desires.

* * *

After yet another crisis at the navvy camp, Ruby didn't get the opportunity to speak properly again to her husband until they were dressing for dinner for following evening. Dr. Fraser was expected at six and Bridget had already taken charge of Nora and would remain upstairs with her. Mrs. Jenkins had done all the cooking, leaving Ruby with the luxury of time to change. Charles had insisted that they didn't need to dress up for his old friend, but Ruby was determined to at least make an effort.

As they moved around their small bedroom, she was aware of their current ease with each other—the way he helped with her corset and she straightened his cravat. She smiled up at him, and his hands closed on her hips.

"What?"

"Look at us behaving like an old married couple."

He raised his eyebrows. "Not that old. Although after today, I've decided not to put myself in the middle of two injured men still wanting to fight."

"Later, I'll rub some of that liniment you love to prescribe on you."

He mock frowned at her. "That liniment makes us a lot of money, and unlike many others, it actually works."

She kissed him and he kissed her back, drawing the moment out until she was breathless and had one hand buried in his thick hair. He cupped her bottom and drew her tightly against him.

"Now look what you've done. I can hardly greet our guest looking like this, can I?" She undulated her hips and he groaned. "Mrs. Nash…"

"Yes?" She shivered as he pressed his mouth against her throat and bit her neck.

"You are the devil." He glanced over at the bed. "Do we have time to…?"

"Absolutely not." She eased away from him and sank down onto her knees, her fingers busy on the fastenings of his trousers. "But I think I can accomplish something in the time we have."

"Ruby, you don't have to— Oh God, that's good. Don't stop."

She would've laughed, but her mouth was busy with other tasks, drawing his stiff length deep while she concentrated on pleasuring him. It didn't take long to accomplish her goals as he came fast, her name harsh on his lips as he gripped her shoulders.

She rose to her feet and patted her hair. "We really should get on. Can you help me with the fastenings of my dress?"

* * *

Ruby was still smiling when she went downstairs to greet her husband's guest. They'd decided to eat in their formal dining room, which, like the parlor, faced the street at the front of the house. On most days, they all ate together in the kitchen, which was always a warm and welcoming place.

Eliza had stayed late with Mrs. Jenkins to help serve the meal, which meant the kitchen was busy, and Ruby's presence was not required. Someone knocked on the front door. Ruby went to answer it, only to be firmly set aside by Eliza.

"I'll get that, ma'am. We want to do things nice and proper, don't we?"

"Of course." Ruby went meekly into the parlor where a fire had been lit. There was the sound of voices and then Charles came in with their guest.

"Ruby, this is my friend, Dr. Malcolm Fraser."

He shook her hand like she was a colleague, his grey eyes pleasant in his unremarkable face.

"A pleasure, Mrs. Nash." He spoke with a soft Scottish burr. "Thank you for inviting me into your home."

"You are most welcome, Dr. Fraser." Ruby smiled at him. "Would you care for a drink before dinner?"

"I have a decent whisky, Fraser," Charles said. "I borrowed it from my father's cellar last time we visited, and I've been looking forward to tasting it."

"You're inviting me to join you in imbibing stolen goods?" Dr. Fraser asked. Charles showed him the bottle and his eyebrows went up. "Ah, then in that case, I can't say no."

"Would you like a glass, Ruby?" Charles asked as he poured the whisky.

"No, thank you."

"May I get you something else?" He surveyed the silver tray which had been a wedding gift from Ruby's mother. "There's probably some sherry or port."

"I'm fine. I'll just go and check on dinner." She left the two men to chat and went into the kitchen where Mrs. Jenkins was carefully pouring soup into a tureen Ruby hadn't seen before.

"Where did you get that?"

"We borrowed a few things from Mrs. Hepworth, ma'am." The cook finished pouring and set the lid on top of the dish. "Eliza and I wanted to make sure your first dinner party was a success."

It was on the tip of Ruby's tongue to say that having one old friend around to dinner hardly constituted a grand occasion, but their thoughtfulness was such a pleasant surprise that she smiled instead. "Thank you."

"Now you go and take your place as the lady of the house," Mrs. Jenkins said. "I'll send Eliza in to let you know when dinner will be served."

The soup was excellent and was followed by a succulent joint of beef, spiced rice pudding, and coffee served in a silver pot that definitely didn't belong to them. Not having to cook meant that Ruby enjoyed the dinner and could take part in the lively conversation around the table. Dr. Fraser might sound mild, but he had decided opinions about the health of the working class and the lack of resources available to make things better. Ruby found herself nodding in agreement with him far more than Charles, who had a very cynical opinion on life in general.

"This is all very well, Ian, but who will pay for it?" Charles asked. "The mill owners?"

"Don't they want their workforce to be fit and healthy?"

"Labor is cheap. There are thousands of people flooding into the cities desperate for work. They can easily replace those who are no longer fit for it."

Dr. Fraser shook his head. "You're a hard man, Charles."

"I just have very little faith left in humanity," Charles said. "They'd never admit it, but factory owners are no better than the aristocrats who run this country. They're both out to make as much money as possible from those beneath them and be damned to the consequences."

Dr. Fraser winked at Ruby. "At least he's just as critical of his own kind as he is of the industrialists."

"He is something of a cynic," Ruby agreed.

"And you two might be considered starry-eyed idealists," Charles countered. "Nothing will improve until the laws of this country change, and as no one in power wants anything to change, things will stay the same."

"But what of the mill owners and industrial giants who want the power of the vote? And the industrial towns with no representation in parliament?" Ruby asked. "Or the working men who will strike to force change?"

Charles sighed. "I'm not saying I don't have sympathy with the idea of expanding the vote, but I doubt we'll see much progress in our lifetimes."

"That's a very negative viewpoint, Charles," Dr. Fraser said. "If we all work together?—"

Charles spoke over him. "Then we'll end up on a transport to Australia for treason against the crown."

"Protest doesn't have to be violent," Ruby pointed out. "Sidney always said—" She smiled. "Not that it matters now. Does anyone want some more coffee?"

* * *

It wasn't until Dr. Fraser had left and they were getting ready for bed that Charles surprised her by returning to their previous conversation.

"Sidney believed in writing petitions to parliament and protesting peacefully, did he?"

"He believed in many causes," Ruby said.

"I always assumed he was a man of action, not an idealist."

"A man can be both of those things." Ruby met his gaze calmly. "His strength was in persuading others to join the cause of universal suffrage. He was much in demand as a speaker at rallies."

"A true hero of the working class."

"Hardly that. He was just a man who believed he could change things and was willing to put his beliefs into action."

"You make him sound quite admirable."

"In many ways he was," she said simply. "I certainly admired him."

"Even when he abandoned you?"

Ruby raised her chin. "Why are you behaving like this?"

"Like what?" Charles ripped his shirt over his head and threw it on the chair. "I'm merely asking myself how you can bear to live with a man like me who is so unlike the heroic Sidney."

"That is unfair." Ruby said.

He sat down on the side of the bed to take off his trousers and stockings. Ruby picked up his shirt and smoothed it out before hanging it back in the cupboard. She turned around and bumped straight into Charles's chest.

His arms came around her. "I'm sorry."

She stayed rigid in his arms.

"I think I might be jealous of Sidney."

Startled, she looked up at him. "What on earth for?"

"God knows." His smile was wry. "I've never thought of myself as a jealous type, but here we are."

She cupped his chin. "I chose to marry you."

"We both know that was for practical reasons that suited us both, which means I have no right to be jealous at all."

"Or any need," Ruby reminded him. "I don't regret anything, do you?"

He studied her closely and she held her breath. "No, nothing at all."

"Then come to bed," Ruby said. "And let's not speak of this again."

* * *

Charles rolled onto his back and studied the ceiling. He'd made love to Ruby with his usual thoroughness and a hint of something else—some desperate need to convince her that he was better, that she would never find anyone like him. Which was absurd because they were married, and unless one of them died, they were bound together for life.

He'd never thought of Sidney as competition before but hearing Ruby talk about him at dinner had given him an unpleasant jolt. The fact that she admired Sidney was even worse. How could she admire a man who'd abandoned her? He resisted the urge to snort which might wake her up. Because she was an idealist and Sidney apparently was a hero of the revolution…

Sidney was also a fool who had left Ruby and his child behind in his quest to bring the working man the vote. If Charles ever had the misfortune to meet him, he might have something to say about that. Malcolm laughed at him being a hard man, but he'd never abandon someone he professed to love.

He went still, his mind registering the distant rattle of a train pulling into the station nearby. The only explanation for his behavior was that he was in love with his wife. And what the bloody hell was he supposed to do about that?