Page 76 of The Secret Love of a Gentleman (The Marlow Family Secrets #3)

As Rob walked through the front door of John’s house, his father hurried down the stairs.

‘Thank God you are back. Caroline is not well.’

‘What happened to you was nothing compared to what I will do.’

Nausea clutched at Rob’s stomach. ‘Why? What has happened?’

His father’s eyebrows rose. ‘The child. She is bleeding.’

‘No!’ He passed his father and moved the quickest he had moved since the attack. Hobbling up the stairs. She would expect to lose the child. The thought cut into his heart.

Drew paced the landing outside Caro’s room, his hands fisted.

‘Drew! How is she?’

‘Crying. Fearful. But the child’s heart is still beating.’ Drew caught hold of Rob’s arm. ‘She has lost children.’

‘I know.’

‘She has lost five.’

‘I know.’ Rob turned to the door, but Drew’s grip tightened around his arm.

‘She fell today when Kilbride called here. ’

Rob turned. ‘He called here? When? Why?’

‘A little before midday. He asked for you, but Caro happened to be downstairs.’

‘Did he hit her?’

‘No, she was afraid that he would. She tried to avoid him and fell.’

Rob had failed to protect Caro again.

Kilbride called here and distressed Caro, then came to White’s and threatened Rob. There was one thing Rob was certain of now: he had to extinguish Kilbride’s threat.

He pulled his arm free from Drew’s hand, knocked on the bedroom door and opened it without waiting for permission.

Mary and his mother stood beside the bed where Caro lay.

‘I am glad you are here,’ Mary said quietly. ‘She is sleeping. She is exhausted with worry. The doctor gave her some laudanum to help her rest.’

‘I will sit with her. Is the child…’

‘The child is healthy, Robbie. The heartbeat is strong.’ His mother met his gaze. ‘But it has been a shock. And a shock to us too.’ Her eyebrows lifted, punctuating the comment. ‘Why could you not have the respect to wait until you were married?’

He shook his head. ‘Caro kept the child a secret from me.’

‘I assumed so, as the marriage is being hurried and you did not mention it while you were ill. However, I am sure she did not keep the conception from you, Robbie.’

He ignored the reprimand. ‘Let me sit beside her.’

Caro lay beneath the sheet and counterpane, curled up on her side, and he could see through the creases in the covers that she was embracing her stomach.

‘Did the doctor think she might lose the child?’ He pulled off his gloves .

His mother shook her head. ‘No. Yet he could not be sure what was happening.’

Rob pressed his gloves into his coat pocket.

‘I will take your outdoor things,’ Mary offered. She helped him with his greatcoat, then took everything away.

Tears clouded the room as he sat at the bedside.

‘She was very distressed,’ his mother said.

‘You know about the children, can you blame her?’

‘No.’

‘Mama, would you leave us alone, please?’

His mother sighed. She should not. Caro was in bed in her nightdress. By rights he ought not to be here at all, and not alone with her, and yet what did propriety matter when she was already with child and they were to be wed tomorrow?

‘Very well, but ring if you need me,’ she acquiesced, and left the room, but left the door ajar.

Rob lifted the covers and reached beneath the sheet to find Caro’s hand. It was warm and clammy. He brought it out and held it on top of the covers.

‘Have faith,’ he said over her hand and kissed the back of her fingers, then leaned and kissed her cheek. Her skin was salty with dried tears.

Her eyelids flickered and her eyes opened.

‘Rob.’ Her voice was loaded with emotion. ‘I am losing the child.’ Her fingers closed about his hand, holding firmly.

‘No, you are not. There is still a heartbeat.’

A tear slipped from a corner of her eye.

He leaned and kissed her lips, then rested his other hand over hers as it held the child in her tummy, his hand on top of the covers and hers beneath. Something jerked within her.

‘Caro.’ Their gazes met. ‘Did it move?’

‘Yes.’ She smiled .

‘If it can kick or hit out, we have a fighter. But you should never have doubted that because you are a fighter, and a survivor. This child will be too. It must be a girl, who takes after her mother. Are you still bleeding?’

‘No, it has stopped. But there was so much blood.’

‘If I threw a glass of red wine across the bed it would appear much more than it is. Lie quietly now and let us see if she will kick again.’

Another sudden thrust of movement beneath his hand made him grin.

‘I have been so afraid,’ Caro said.

‘I understand. I am not a doctor, but I will take his word that the child’s heartbeat is strong, and I will pray daily our daughter is born healthy.’

‘I shall too.’

‘ What happened to you was nothing compared to what I will do .’ Rob heard the threat in Kilbride’s voice. He was still unsure who the threat had been directed at, and he would not see Caro suffer any more. He had to stop Kilbride.

Caro’s eyes closed and her breathing slowed as her hand stroked her stomach.

‘I will stay with you until you fall asleep,’ he said. ‘If you sleep, the child might sleep,’ and I will go out and resolve this, I will not let that man hurt you or our daughter again .

He waited until her breathing steadied, her bosom lifting and falling in a slow rhythm, then released her hand and left the room.

He hurried along the hall, his uneven strides urgent, fighting against the stiffness of his wounded leg. ‘Mama!’ he called, as he neared the drawing room.

She came out almost immediately. ‘Is all well?’

‘Yes, but I need to go out. Will you sit with Caro? She is calm and sleeping. We felt the child move, so we have hope it will survive. Is Harry here?’

A questioning frown creased her forehead. ‘He is, but he is in bed. I believe he came back about two hours after sunrise.’

‘Which room is he in? I need to talk to him.’

‘Second floor, fourth door on the right.’

‘Thank you.’

‘You are good for Caro,’ his mother stated.

‘She is good for me,’ he answered.

‘I should have known you would fall for a woman who was in need. You are like your father.’

‘I need to speak with Harry, Mama. If Caro wakes, tell her I will be back soon.’

She nodded.

Rob climbed the stairs to his brother’s room and knocked on the door, emotions rattling around in his chest.

There was no answer. Rob did not knock again but tried the doorknob.

It turned, and the door opened. The shutters were still closed, covering the windows, darkening the room, and the air stank of stale liquor.

Harry lay naked amid tangled sheets, lying on his stomach with his arms folded beneath the pillow.

‘Harry!’ Rob slapped Harry’s bare leg, then went to the windows and folded back the wooden shutters, letting in the daylight. He pulled one window up and let in the crisp cold air, too. Harry had not moved. ‘Harry!’ Rob shook his shoulder.

He groaned.

‘Come on. For once in your life I need you to do something for me. I have bailed you out of a million scrapes. You owe me one.’

Harry rolled onto his back, his forearm covering his eyes. ‘What are you doing in my room?’

‘Waking you up. I need your help. ’

‘You never ask me for help.’

‘I know, but you are the only person I trust to stand with me in this and I need your canniness. But you must swear you will tell no one.’

‘What are we doing?’ Harry had not risen. He still lay in the bed looking up at Rob.

‘I shall tell you when you swear.’

‘Very well, I swear, I will tell no one.’ He sat up, the sheet slipping to his hips.

‘We are calling on the Marquis of Kilbride.’

‘Why?’

‘Caroline is carrying my child and is terrified of losing it because he came here, and he threatened me. I did not fall from a horse,’ Rob admitted. ‘Kilbride paid three thugs to beat me.’

Harry stood up, the sheet slipping off him entirely. ‘What?’

‘They left me in the street for dead. I was embarrassed so I insisted Papa and Mama made up the lie.’

‘I would not have judged you for losing a fight to three men. You could have told me.’

‘I will go downstairs. As soon as you are clothed come down and we will go.’