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A soft smile curved his lips. “I think you should go home and get some rest. Try to eat if you’re able since you do need the sustenance. Drink plenty of tea, preferably brewed from chamomile and mint. This will help ease your discomfort.”

“That doesn’t provide me with the answer I hoped to acquire from you.”

Doctor Wolf returned to his seat behind his desk and reached for his quill. “I’d like for you to come see me again in a couple of weeks. By then, I should be in a better position to give you the diagnosis you seek.”

She stiffened. Apprehension made her wary. It was beginning to look like the doctor just wanted her money. “This was a mistake. I shouldn’t have come.”

“You did right to do so though not for the reason you think.” Doctor Wolf jotted down a few notes before setting his quill aside once more.

“I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with you, Mrs. Croft.

On the contrary, instinct tells me you’re likely expecting.

Your first child, I suspect, seeing as you are completely oblivious to the early signs of pregnancy.

However, if your symptoms worsen significantly, inform me at once. ”

Samantha barely registered what he said after uttering the words, you’re likely expecting . It was as though her brain had vacated her head. She couldn’t think, never mind get a single word out.

The air seemed to thicken around her, making it hard to breathe. Her stomach tightened and a sickly wave rolled through her. She grabbed the porcelain pot she’d set aside earlier, barely managing to pull it toward her mouth before a cramp forced her breakfast back up her throat.

“Fetch her some tea,” Doctor Wolf told his son. To Samantha he said, “You should begin feeling better in a couple of months.”

A couple of months?

She vomited again and prayed the doctor was jesting.

“In rare instances it can last throughout the pregnancy,” Doctor Wolf continued.

Lord help her. She tried to gulp down some air, to focus on each breath and force the nausea under control. It gradually released its hold, though not enough for her to trust that it wouldn’t return in an instant.

Doctor Wolf emptied the washbowl that stood in one corner into a bucket before refilling it with fresh water. He then collected a neatly folded towel which he held toward her. “So you can freshen up.”

The cool water against her flushed cheeks felt wonderful. She patted her face with the towel then used a bar of soap to wash her hands. “Thank you.”

Mr. Wolf arrived with the tea and offered the cup to Samantha. She took a small sip and sighed in response to its soothing effect. A baby. She and Adrian were going to have a child. They would be parents.

The enormity of it and all it entailed crashed over her.

Since meeting each other, she’d gotten shot and he’d been stabbed.

They’d nearly been killed, both of them.

Neither had pondered the dangers they’d faced when trying to save innocent lives.

She’d not given her own safety a second thought when she’d helped Adrian avoid execution.

The only thing that had mattered in any of these instances was justice. And the love they had for each other.

But a child would change that. A child would become a determining factor in every decision they made henceforth.

Ensuring the child’s safety would mean taking extra care.

It would involve a level of protection Samantha wasn’t sure she was prepared for.

Mostly because she dreaded the freedom Adrian would try to deny her as soon as he learned of the life now growing inside her.

There would be no more midnight sprints across rooftops, no more training at Reed’s, or inviting situations that might result in fights.

Her husband wouldn’t care how skilled she was, he’d just want to make sure she was safe.

Which was something she understood after recently fearing she’d lose him.

But on the other hand, she could not imagine being ensconced at home, relegated to the sidelines while Adrian kept the criminal underworld in check by himself.

“You suggested there’s a chance this may be something else,” Samantha said. She wasn’t sure she was ready to be a mother. A bit of time to prepare and plan before getting pregnant would have been nice.

“If I were you, I’d hope it’s not, since your symptoms would otherwise be proof of a serious ailment.” Doctor Wolf smiled. “I realize parenthood can seem daunting, but it is a blessing that will enrich your life, Mrs. Croft.”

She took another sip of tea and wished it contained a spot of brandy. Doctor Wolf would not be able to relate to the impact a child would have on a couple who constantly seemed to be sought out by danger.

“How am I to proceed?” Her body felt numb as she asked the question.

“There’s no need for you to make any drastic changes for now.” The doctor made a few additional notes, then handed the piece of paper to his son.

“Please give that to Mrs. Croft.” Doctor Wolf explained to Samantha, “It’s a basic guideline to help you adjust. Fairly logical, I’d say.

After all, women have been birthing children since the beginning of time.

I’m generally of the opinion that common sense is all that’s required in order to make sure both mother and child remain healthy and strong. ”

Samantha took the paper Mr. Wolf gave her and scanned the information thereon. Exercise lightly. Eat well. Take plenty of fresh air. Rest. Refrain from overexerting yourself. Avoid activities that could result in serious injury. A few additional recommendations accompanied each point.

According to this she could remain active until the point of birth, provided the pregnancy progressed without incident.

She was, however, advised not to ride after the fifth month although walking was encouraged.

As far as the rest of her usual activities went, she’d have to revert to the doctor’s comment about common sense.

For now, she saw no reason to stop her regular training or to withdraw the support she was able to offer Adrian. At the very least, she wanted to finish the case they were working on. Once that was done, she’d take stock of her situation, make a plan, and move forward from there.

Finn O’Leary would still need to be dealt with, but she also recognized he was a problem Adrian might want to solve alone. Murry would help if need be while she maintained a safe distance from that kind of danger.

In a way, her biggest regret would be Wrengate. If he truly was responsible for Evie’s death, she’d love to help Adrian take him down. The duke had forced her to kill. An act she would never forgive him for, no matter what.

Unfortunately, he’d have to wait his turn. With a killer leaving a trail of bodies behind, the innocent lives still threatened had to take priority.

Eager to reconvene with Adrian so she could learn what he had discovered during his visit to St. George’s, Samantha pushed herself off the table.

Her vision blurred a little as she found her footing, the dizziness likely caused by the sudden movement she’d made.

Closing her eyes, she set one hand against the table to steady herself, took a deep breath, and expelled it.

When she reopened her eyes, she saw that Doctor Wolf had also risen. He and his son both watched her with patient expressions. She crossed the floor and extended her hand to the doctor, who took it. “Thank you for your help and for your advice.”

He dipped his chin. “As mentioned, you should return here at once if your symptoms worsen. Otherwise, I’ll see you in a couple of weeks, at which point we should be able to make a more definite diagnosis.”

She nodded, already choosing to keep the doctor’s suspicions to herself for now. Telling Adrian and making him hope for something that wasn’t certain made no sense. He’d find out soon enough. After the various threats they presently faced had been dealt with.

A half turn allowed her to shake Mr. Wolf’s hand as well. She thanked him too, then prepared to cross to the door when a plaque on the wall caught her attention. Her gaze was immediately drawn to one particular name that stood out among the rest. Islington.

“These are the men you attended Oxford University with?” The bold heading at the top of the plaque indicated the names listed below belonged to those who’d graduated as Doctors of Medicine in 1793. When Doctor Wolf answered in the affirmative Samantha asked, “Are you still in touch?”

She scanned the rest of the names for Doctor Preordian’s but failed to find it. Melroy wasn’t there either, but Ashburry was, along with five others whom she’d never heard of.

“We meet on occasion. The Royal College of Physicians organizes a yearly event for its members.”

“What can you tell me about Islington?” One glance at Doctor Wolf showed his surprise over the question.

His eyelids lowered just enough to tell her that he was taking her measure now, attempting to figure out why she’d singled out this particular man.

Hoping to encourage a helpful response she said, “One of his patients has turned up dead and now he himself has gone missing.”

Doctor Wolf frowned. “How are you involved in this?”

“As you may be aware if you follow the news, my husband and I have connections. As such, we’re helping Bow Street investigate.”

“According to what I have read in the papers,” Mr. Wolf said before his father could comment, “your husband keeps being accused of criminal acts. As such, I believe it might be best for us to withhold information rather than share it.”

“People are dying, Mr. Wolf.” While Samantha understood the younger man’s trepidation, it also aggravated her. “The person killing them appears to be connected to the medical community. We’d like to find this individual and stop them before they strike again.”