Her Secondhand Groom(74)
Juliet didn’t know which of the two events that occurred during the last three seconds stunned her more, but she was stunned right out of her trance. “You’re heartless,” she hissed at Olivia before allowing Caroline to pull her from the room.
Caroline and Emma led Juliet to an empty drawing room, and Emma handed her a handkerchief.
“Is she always like that?” Juliet asked without ceremony. Tears pricked the back of her eyes and a knot formed in her stomach at the memory of that wretched woman’s intention to send her unborn child to the foundling hospital.
“Not always,” Emma said. She bit her lip and sat down. “I think it might be exaggerated by her condition.”
“What are you going to do?” Juliet asked, trying to hide her sniffle.
Emma sighed and righted her skirt. “Marcus has made arrangements for a trained physician who specializes in patients with her condition to come stay at Ridge Water until she’s well enough to travel. He should be arriving tonight. Then, he said she’ll have to either go to the convent in Ireland or some place in London.”
“Bedlam?” Juliet blurted. Surely a woman like this was a fit candidate for such a place.
Emma nodded slowly. “Marcus is afraid of what she might do to her son or daughter if she were allowed to stay at Ridge Water.”
“For the best,” Caroline commented. “For as long as I can remember Marcus tried to help her, but he can’t fix everything for her. She’s truly not well.”
“I know,” Emma agreed. “But it doesn’t make the nearing events any easier.”
“What do you mean?” Caroline asked. Then suddenly, a new spark entered her eyes. “Oh, Emma―” her arms twined around her friend’s neck― “I was so busy thinking about what this would mean for Olivia, I didn’t see what this would mean for you!”
“Thank you,” Emma said, accepting her friend’s hug and congratulations. “Though, I wish the circumstances were a bit different, the end results are the same. I’ll get to be a mother!”
Chapter 22
Juliet’s heart swelled as excitement for her friend and that unborn child filled her. Emma would be a great mother. Whether the child was hers naturally or not, it didn’t matter. Emma was the kind who would love a child no matter what. So why then, did she not seem more excited?
“Emma?”
Emma turned her green eyes to Juliet. “Yes?”
Juliet cleared her throat and idly plucked the pleat in her skirt. “This is what you want, isn’t it?”
Emma’s eyes went wide. “Of course it is. I’ve always dreamt of marrying Marcus and having children. This is exactly what I wanted.”
Juliet waved her off. “I know. But do you―”
“I think what Juliet is trying to ask is if you’re sure you’re ready for this?” Caroline interjected.
Emma ran her hands along the length of her skirt. “It all seems so sudden, doesn’t it?”
Juliet and Caroline nodded.
Emma jumped up from the settee and started pacing. “I mean, I just married Marcus less than three months ago and now I’m to be a mother.” She stopped her steps and gestured to Caroline. “At least you had nine months to become accustomed to the idea.”
A smile curved Caroline’s lips. “Nine weeks, nine months, or nine years wouldn’t change what you’re feeling right now. Every woman is nervous before she has her first child.”
“Truly?”
Caroline nodded again. “The last few weeks before I delivered Edward, I nearly drove Alex to the brink of insanity.”
Emma didn’t look too convinced.
“As a person who falls into the nine seconds category, maybe I can be of help,” Juliet said, catching the attention of both of her friends.
“Nine seconds?” Emma repeated doubtfully.
Juliet nodded once. “Nine seconds. See...uh...well, it’s not important as to why I had such a short time to become accustomed to being thrust into motherhood, but that’s the truth. I had just a matter of seconds. But that doesn’t change the nervous feelings. I had them, too, trust me.”
“You did?” Emma asked, blinking.
“Yes.” Why would Emma not think Juliet would be nervous about the prospect of being a mother?
As if able to read her thoughts, Emma said, “But I thought you grew up with a herd of younger brothers and sisters.”
“I did. But they were my siblings, not my children.”
Emma’s brow knit. “Were you worried Drake’s girls wouldn’t like you?”
Ah, so that was what this was about. Emma was afraid the child wouldn’t like her. That didn’t seem such an unusual feeling for someone who was about to become a mother to a child they didn’t give birth to. Juliet padded over to her friend and wrapped an arm around her. “Emma, there is no need to worry. This little boy or girl will love you no matter what. I promise.”