Chapter Eleven

T he following morning, Kate ran her hand across the bed sheets, feeling for her husband’s warmth.

“Oliver,” she murmured, still half asleep. “Oliver,” she repeated, opening her eyes.

The bed was empty. Had she slept late? She had no recollection of Oliver coming to bed, but perhaps she’d been in a deep sleep. Kate reached for the small bell beside her bed and rang for her lady’s maid.

“My lady, you’re awake?” Elspeth said as she entered a few seconds later.

“Why? What time is it?”

“Past noon. You must have been exhausted, my lady.”

“And where is Lord Knox?”

“In his study, my lady. He rose early and breakfasted with Miss Harrington. Then they went out for a ride together. He left instructions not to wake you.”

“Oh,” Kate said. “And where is Miss Harrington now?”

“Downstairs, preparing everything for the dinner party tonight.”

“What?”

“The dinner party. Miss Harrington has given the servants a menu and a host of instructions. She said you’re not to be disturbed.”

Kate blinked. But the dinner party is in three weeks. What on earth is going on?

“Is everything quite all right, my lady?” Elspeth asked. “Shall I fetch you some tea?”

Kate shook her head. “I must have forgotten about the party. It’s a good thing Miss Harrington has taken charge.” Kate forced a smile, but a chill ran through her. Something wasn’t quite right, she thought as she made her way downstairs. The trouble was, she didn’t know if the problem was with her, or with Emilia, and there was no one who she could ask. Not after last night when Oliver seemed to be sympathetic to Emilia in spite of her odd behavior.

“Not over there. I want them on the table,” Emilia instructed a footman, holding a vase of freshly cut flowers as Kate walked into the room. She wore a vibrant green dress that Kate recognized as one of her own.

“What are you doing?” Kate asked, coming up behind her.

Emilia spun around. “Oh, Kate, are you sure you should be up and about in your condition?”

“I’m fine.” She eyed the green dress. “What happened to your mourning attire?”

“I took your advice. It’s time to put the past behind me. Theo would have wanted me to be happy.”

“I never said you should—” Kate began.

“Doesn’t the room look fabulous?” Emilia spread out her arms. “I just love flowers.”

“Yes, it looks marvelous. But why didn’t you ask me before arranging a dinner party for tonight? I need to be ready to receive guests.”

“Really, Kate. You said last night that if I wanted to go ahead with the dinner party, I could.”

“I know that, but I didn’t think it would be tonight. It’s supposed to be three weeks from now.”

“Oliver thinks it’s a marvelous idea. And honestly, Kate, if it’s too much for you, then Oliver and I will understand if you need to stay in bed.”

Oliver and me? “Since when do you refer to my husband as—” Kate started when Emilia swooped forward and embraced her.

“Oh, Kate, darling, you are the greatest friend I will ever have. Organizing this dinner party has taken my mind off Theo and greatly reduced my suffering. I cannot thank you enough.”

Kate’s heart constricted as she melted into Emilia’s embrace. She hated feeling suspicious of her friend. All she wanted was for Emilia to be happy.

“Come with me upstairs and help me find something pretty for tonight since my new dresses won’t be ready for several days yet.”

“I’d love to,” Kate said. “But first, I need to visit Oliver in his study. We haven’t seen each other since last night. And I need to have my tea. I missed breakfast this morning.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t disturb Oliver. He’s been awfully busy this morning. And I am so excited to try on some dresses after wearing black for weeks on end. Let’s have tea in my room. Then we can go to your dressing room and try on dresses the way we used to do in Yorkshire. It will be just like old times.”

Kate smiled. Emilia’s excitement was infectious. She supposed it would be best to let Oliver finish his work. She hated to disturb him in his study. Her stomach rumbled. “All right, you’ve convinced me,” she said. “I’ll request the tea to be brought to your room.”

They sat at a small round table on armchairs upholstered in pale blue. A tea tray laden with cakes, scones, and fresh fruit awaited them.

Kate reached for the teapot.

“Let me.” Emilia stood and picked up the teapot. She filled two cups and poured a dollop of cream in hers. You like sugar, don’t you?” She dropped two lumps of sugar into Kate’s tea and picked up a spoon, but it slipped from her fingers and landed on the soft white and blue rug beneath them.

“Oh, dear, I’m too clumsy today. Will you get that, Kate?”

“Of course,” Kate bent to retrieve the spoon, and when she sat up, she glimpsed Emilia slipping something into her pocket.

“What’s that?” She asked.

“What?” Emilia asked, handing Kate her tea.

“In your pocket. A little bottle.”

“Oh, this.” Emilia’s cheeks flushed pink as she pulled a small glass vile from her pocket. “It’s only a drop of lavender oil to calm my nerves, that’s all.” She sat down and drew her cup and saucer toward her. “It’s been trying since the accident. I wasn’t honest when I said I didn’t have any injuries. My body has ached ever since, but not as much as my heart. A dash of lavender always helps.”

“Oh, Emilia. I’m so sorry for you. You’ve been through such a terrible ordeal.” Kate sipped her tea and frowned. It tasted wrong.

“I put a dash in yours too. I hope you don’t mind. It smells divine, and it’s so calming.”

“I think it makes it rather bitter.”

“Silly me! I forgot you liked your tea sweet.” She stood and added two more lumps of sugar to Kate’s teacup, before Kate could protest that Emilia had already put sugar in her tea before dropping the spoon. Then Emilia reached for a slice of sponge cake laden with marmalade and took a bite. “The cake looks delicious!” Kate’s stomach rumbled furiously. “I’m ravenous,” she giggled, forgetting all about her tea as she reached for a slice of plum cake.

After eating two slices of cake and one large scone, Kate took another sip of her tea and pulled a face. “This tea tastes awful. I must speak to the maidservant about this.”

“Mine tastes perfectly fine,” Emilia said. “You know, I once heard that being with child can change the way things taste to a woman. Perhaps that is the problem.”

“I think you may be right. In these past few months, the smell of kippers makes me violently ill.”

“Well, there you go! You’ve always loved kippers. Now drink your tea. It’s good for you.”

Kate forced down another gulp of tea but felt herself grow nauseous. She put down the cup and rested her hand on her still-slim stomach. “All that food has made me sleepy,” she said, her eyelids suddenly feeling like two craters. It was impossible to keep them from closing.

“Here, you need to lie down. Let me help you.” Emilia put an arm around Kate’s waist, assisted her to stand, and then helped her walk to the bed.

Kate rested her head on the soft pillow as Emilia removed Kate’s shoes and covered her with a blanket.

“Sweet dreams, dear Kate.” Emilia’s voice seemed to float past her ears before she drifted into the darkness.

Oliver closed his accounts book and fished his pocket watch from his jacket. It was close to three o’clock. He’d worked through tea after the butler informed him that his wife and Miss Harrington were taking tea together upstairs in the latter’s room.

It pleased Oliver that Kate was feeling well enough to socialize with her friend. He’d been worried about her the night before. She’d seemed unusually perturbed and tired. He was concerned that she’d overexerted herself during her long day of shopping with Miss Harrington. And he was disturbed at how upset she’d seemed at the dinner table.

He’d decided that she’d needed rest, so he had slept in one of the spare bedrooms to ensure that Kate got a proper night’s sleep, and it seemed to have worked. She’d slept right through the morning. But he’d missed the warmth of her body next to his during the night. He’d missed caressing her silky soft skin and her sweet floral scent. This morning, he’d missed waking up next to her, kissing her upon opening his eyes, and breakfasting with her before retreating to his study. Now it was afternoon, and he hadn’t seen her since dinner yesterday. That was too long. Oliver pushed back his chair and stood up, smiling at the thought of holding Kate in his arms and taking in her scent. He needed to let her know how much he’d missed her last night.

“Kate,” Oliver called as he pushed open the door to their bedchamber. His heart momentarily sank when he saw that Kate was not in sight but lifted again when he heard a rustling noise coming from Kate’s adjoining dressing room. “Kate,” he called, turning to walk into the large closet.

Then he stopped, shock and surprise momentarily paralyzing him.

Emilia stood in front of the oval full-length mirror, turning from side to side as she admired her reflection. She wore the royal blue gown Kate had worn to Lady Ashworth’s ball. The ruby-encrusted diamond necklace that he’d given Kate as a wedding gift hung around her neck, and the matching earrings dangled from her earlobes.

“What are you doing?” Oliver said when he found his voice. “Where’s Kate?”

Rather than turn around, she spoke to Oliver’s reflection in the mirror, her ice-blue eyes fixing on his face. “What do you think?” She ran her hands down the sides of her hips. “Does it suit me?”

“It’s far too small,” Oliver said. His words were blunt, partly because he didn’t like seeing her in Kate’s clothing and partly because of the disappointment he felt upon seeing Emilia instead of his wife. “Where is Kate, and why are you wearing her clothes and jewelry?”

“She fell asleep in my bedroom as soon as tea was over,” Emilia chuckled. “Poor thing, she’s simply exhausted. She told me to help myself to anything in her wardrobe. My dresses won’t be ready until next week.” She turned to look at him and widened her blue eyes as if to plead her innocence. “You don’t think I’d use Kate’s things without her blessing, do you?”

“No, of course not.” Oliver felt somewhat foolish. Emilia and Kate had been dear friends—almost sisters—long before he’d married Kate, so there was no need for him to overreact. And he imagined it was common for sisters to share clothing. Still, he couldn’t rid himself of the feeling that something wasn’t quite right as far as Emilia was concerned.

“Good,” Emilia said, putting her hands on her hips and striding toward Oliver, “Now tell me, how do I look in this dress? Will it suffice for our dinner party tonight?”

Oliver frowned and took a step back. “What do you mean tonight? We’re not having a dinner party tonight.”

“Yes, we are. Remember the dinner party Kate arranged in my honor? She was so sorry about how she behaved yesterday that she insisted we have the party tonight. However, she was too fatigued to make the arrangements, so I had to take over. It’s unfortunate, but I don’t think she’ll be able to attend. She’s far too exhausted. Carrying a babe uses all of a woman’s energy.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Miss Harrington, but I’m not throwing a dinner party if my wife is unable to attend.”

“But the invitations have already been sent out.”

“Then I will send my messenger to deliver cancellation and apology notices to all invitees.”

“If you prefer a quiet night at home,” Emilia said, inching closer, “then we can have one together—just the two of us.”

“What?” Oliver took a step back.

“Oh, Oliver, you don’t need to put on a brave stance with me. I know how difficult it must be for you—a newly married man—forced to sleep separate from his wife because she’s carrying another man’s child. But you needn’t spend any nights alone while Kate is with child because I am always here for you.”

“That’s enough, Miss Harrington!” Oliver said. “I’d like you to take off Kate’s clothing and jewelry. I think it’s time I arranged alternative accommodations for you.”

Emilia snorted. “You jest! I’m offering you a gift that no man would turn down. Kate never need know anything about it.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but your offer holds no interest for me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to find my wife.”

Emilia’s face hardened, and her eyes turned glacial. “Go ahead. She’s in my chamber, dead to the world.”

The hair on the nape of Oliver’s neck stood on end. Emilia was dangerous. Why hadn’t he seen it before? He turned and strode out of the bedchamber. He needed to find Kate immediately.