“Why not?” Lady Ward sneered. “Are you pregnant?”
“That would certainly explain why she is looking much rounder these days,” Lord Ward joined in with a much too loud laugh. “Think of it, Old Lord Jones thought he was getting a young, beautiful wife, and now she is becoming something else. That will teach him.”
Maybe she was supposed to take such comments in jest, but it made Charlotte so angry. How dare these people take it upon themselves to say such things to her? These were upper-class people, polite society, supposedly. Maybe Mary had it right, maybe befriending the working class was so much better. She had always thought them uncouth and a little savage, but none of them had ever spoken to her in such a way.
“Excuse me,” she said coldly while pushing her chair back. “I think I need to get some fresh air.”
As she stalked off, a part of her thought that her husband might follow her, but unfortunately – or fortunately, she was not quite sure – he did not. He remained with his horrible friends, probably saying even more terrible things about her now that she was gone.
Tears pricked her eyes, and she felt sorrier for herself than she had ever done before. How was she supposed to carry on with this life when she was so unhappy? Why could she not be brave like Mary had become and plan to leave? Her sister was right. The house would sell soon enough, and she would have to make a decision.
As she glanced down at her dress, she saw a gown that was almost as fine as the one she saw on her mother that day, and she presumed that to an untrained eye maybe she would look like a princess too. Certainly to a child. She was just like her mother; she even looked a lot like her too, but she did not share her joy for life.
Why did she have to die when she had so much to live for? Charlotte held onto her belly, forgetting that she needed to keep it a secret. And why am I at risk of death when I might finally have something to live for myself?
The only thing she cared about at the moment was her baby. Her sister too, but her baby more so. The fear that she would not survive childbirth stuck with her. She could not seem to shake it off however hard she tried. She had continual night terrors about it, imagining herself lying in a pool of blood, unable to move as her baby screamed around her. It haunted her that she might lose out and never get to know the child that lay within her, the baby that she felt like she already knew. It did not matter that half of the child belonged to her husband; in her mind, he or she was only hers.
“So it is true?” A stern voice shook her from her thoughts and caused her to spin on her heels. “You are having a baby?”
Lord Jones did not look impressed. Maybe to someone who did not know him well, he seemed calm and collected as he finally learned that his wife was having a baby, but Charlotte recognised the fire behind his eyes well. She was in trouble, a lot of trouble.
“I ... I did not realise …” Charlotte tried to go with the tactic of playing dumb that she had decided on before, but Lord Jones shook his head vehemently; he was not about to fall for that. “I only just found out.”
He stepped closer and grabbed onto her wrist, squeezing just a little too tight. A small warning from the man she knew was very capable of doing so much worse. “I think you have known for a very long time,” he growled quietly. “What I do not know is why you kept it from me.”
Charlotte gazed up into his eyes, trying to plead with him for mercy. She knew that it was pointless; once his temper got the better of him, there was nothing that she could do to stop him, but every single time she felt the need to try.
“I ... I am sorry,” she whispered. Half of her hoped that no one could see them because it was embarrassing; the other half hoped that someone was watching so that she could shake off the web of lies that surrounded her and her life. “I did not think.”
He moved his face closer to hers until she could feel his breath tickling her cheek. Somehow, that action was more intimidating than every single time he put his hands on her. It made her pulse race, her tongue thicken with fear, her brain buzz.
“We will talk about this when we get home,” he threatened. “Just you wait.”
With that, he dropped her as if she was nothing, and he walked back inside to be with his friends. He needed to sink a few more drinks if he was going to deal with his wife tonight. He had not realised how much trouble she was going to be when he agreed to marry her. Maybe if he had known, he would have turned Lord Roberts offer down ...
Charlotte found herself panting desperately, wishing that she could just take off. If there were anywhere else in the world that she could have gone, she would have run there at that moment. Instead, she would be forced to suffer a horrible night where her husband grew increasingly drunk and irritable, then she would have to go home to a house that she hated, to face the consequences of her actions.
It was safe to say that Charlotte did not have the best life.
***
Mary did not know what to do with herself as she waited in the dining room while the yelling went on around her. It was louder this time, much more terrifying, and it echoed through the entire house.
She had been able to tell that this was going to happen the moment her sister and Lord Jones walked through the door after their night at the theatre. The atmosphere was so thick, it could have been cut with a knife. Then, just to make it worse, Charlotte embraced her sister and whispered into her ear. “He knows about the baby. Please do not interfere tonight; you will only make it worse.”
So instead, because of her sister’s wish and Mary’s genuine fear that she would make it worse if she got involved, she waited for it all to be over.
Jennifer had been watching Mary for a while now, and as she stared at her, she realised that she was not like anyone she had known before. This Lady seemed kind, caring, and like she was very afraid for her sister. She wished that she could say something to make it alright; she searched her brain trying to find something that would make Lady Roberts feel better, but there was nothing. In all honesty, despite the fact that the house staff found her cold and standoffish, everyone was afraid for Lady Jones. No one knew where Lord Jones’ temper would eventually lead.
“Do you need anything?” she asked her instead, unable to keep the desperation from her tone. “I can fix you some tea, or ...”