A Lady in Name (24 page)

She ended on a screech as Lucy sat battered and horrified.
Dion looked utterly stunned.

For a moment Lady Sarclet’s violent stare held.
And then her features sank into horror. She gasped out a croaking cry and clutched her protruding belly. Then she half collapsed over the table, her hands going out to break her fall.

Realisation brought Lucy out of her stupor.
‘The baby! She is going into labour!’

Dion screamed, clutching at the table.
But Lucy was up, skating around to the woman’s side.

‘This is no time to panic, Dion
,’ she rapped out. ‘Run for the bell pull!’ By now her arm was about her half-sister, but Dion had not moved. Lucy sharpened her tone. ‘
Now
, Dion. This instant!’

Dion jumped, and then she flew across the room, tugging at the bell
pull with unnecessary violence. In a moment, she was back again, wringing her hands and jumping from foot to foot in an agony of indecision.

‘What shall we do?
What shall we do?’

Lucy had lowered Paulina back into the chair, and was engaged in holding her head up and encouraging her to breathe.
But she looked up with impatience and immediately realised Dion’s inexperience was sending her into panic. Lucy summoned every ounce of natural authority.

‘Be qu
iet, Dion, and listen carefully.’

The command had an effect.
Dion ceased shifting from foot to foot and fixed fearful eyes on Lucy’s face.

‘We need the nearest bedchamber prepared at once.
Give order for it the instant the servant comes, do you understand?’

Dion nodded, the fright lessening a little in her eyes.
Lady Sarclet’s groans were increasing in volume, and Lucy had to raise her voice to be heard.

‘Lady Sarclet’s maid should be sent for.
She is probably waiting in the hall. Ask Mrs Lovedown to come immediately to me here, for there is a lot to do.’

By this time, Hawkesbury had appeared, bearing a tray with fresh coffee on it.
Dion flew to obey Lucy’s commands, running up to him at once.

‘Never mind the coffee, Hawkesbury.
We have more important matters on hand.’

Satisfied, Lucy gave her attention to her half-sister.
‘We will have you in bed directly. Pray be calm.’

The woman’s eyes were cloudy with pain as she opened them.
But she recognised Lucy and made a half-hearted attempt to push her away.

‘
You
. I don’t want you near me!’

‘Unfortunately there is no one else,’ Lucy said calmly.
‘Come, let me help you. I have assisted at a number of births.’

Paulina began to cry, her sobs interspersed with bitter comments directed at Lucy.
‘Why did it have to happen now? Why must it be you, of all people? I don’t want you, I don’t need you!’

‘I am afraid that you do,’ said Lucy bluntly.
‘There is no one else who knows what to do. At least until we have summoned a doctor to you.’

The sobs intensified.
‘Where is Sarclet? I want my husband! He should be here when I need him.’

Lucy did her best to soothe, one eye upon the door as she waited for the woman’s maid to make an appearance.

‘Should we not make a start?’ came Dion’s anxious voice behind her. ‘It is such a long way. I don’t know how she is to get up the stairs.’

‘I can’t
,’ wailed Paulina. ‘I can’t even walk.’

‘Yes, you can,’ said Lucy in a voice that brooked no argument.
‘We will help you. Ah, here is your maid. Now, let us see.’

Lady Sarclet looked wildly round.
‘Bannock, why are you never where you are wanted? Come here at once! Bannock,
help me
.’

Lucy met Dion’s rolling eyes, and was hard put to it not to burst out laughing.
Inwardly she sighed. If her half-sister resented her arrival, she was about to be wonderfully revenged. Lucy was anticipating a difficult time ahead.

* * *

Changing out of his riding gear in his bedchamber, Stefan had no inkling of the uproar into which his household had been thrown until he emerged into the gallery and came upon the cavalcade just arriving at the top of the stairs.

He halted, staring blankly at his cousin Paulina, emitting raucous groans and supported on either side by her personal maid and, of all people, Lucy.
Behind them marched Mrs Lovedown, and they were accompanied by Dion, who was skipping about in great excitement. She no sooner saw her brother than she pounced.

‘Stefan, thank goodness!
We are at sixes and sevens! Here is Paulina upon the point of giving birth in the breakfast parlour!’

But Stefan had taken in the situation in one comprehensive glance.
He wasted no time on pointless exclamations, but became immediately brisk. ‘What needs to be done?’

‘We have a room all prepared
—we are going there now. Turton has run to the kitchens, for Cook is to set water on to boil. And—’

She was counting off on her fingers, but Stefan put her gently aside and addressed himself to Lucy as the cavalcade came slowly towards him.

‘Let me help her. She is too heavy for you.’

Lucy looked up, a faint colour creeping into her cheeks.
But she shook her head, waving him away. ‘I can manage perfectly. Pray summon the doctor, if you will, Stefan.’

Paulina’s groans redoubled.
‘Sarclet! Let him fetch Sarclet to me.’

‘Oh, yes, that too,’ uttered Lucy, casting him a look chock-full of entreaty.

‘Immediately, cousin.’

He left them on the word, reflecting that Paulina’s coachman must be here and could readily be sent to fetch the errant husband.
He ran downstairs, shouting for Hawkesbury.

His butler must have been hovering close by, for he appeared as Stefan reached the bottom of the stairs.

‘My lord?’

‘Send at once for the doctor, will you?’

Hawkesbury bowed. ‘I have already despatched one of the grooms, my lord.’

Stefan grinned.
‘Good man. I might have known you would have been ahead of me. I suppose you did not think to send Lord Sarclet’s groom to fetch his lordship as well?’

The butler’s eye gleamed.
‘I had not reached so far ahead, I confess, my lord, but I shall attend to the matter immediately.’

‘Excellent.
And after that, I dare say you had better take some brandy to the Red Saloon. I’ve no doubt his lordship will stand in need of it.’

The butler’s chin quivered, and Stefan raised an eyebrow.
‘Careful, Hawkesbury. That came perilously close to a grin.’

His butler drew himself up, schooling his features to severity.
‘Butlers do not grin, my lord.’

Stefan laughed.
‘No, more’s the pity. About your business, man. I had best go upstairs and see if anything further is required.’

It did not take him many minutes to locate the bedchamber allotted for Paulina’s temporary use.
His cousin’s yowls of pain provided a useful guide. Arrived at the door, Stefan tapped lightly on the wood. He had to rap a good deal harder, however, before the door opened enough to present Dion’s tousled head.

‘Oh, it’s you, Stefan.’

‘I came to see if there is anything more I can do.’

‘I doubt it.
Lucy has her hands full here, but I should not think you can be of use.’ She slipped through the door and pulled it to behind her, suddenly adopting a conspiratorial air. ‘I must tell you, Stefan, that Paulina knows about Lucy.’

A sliver of apprehension mingled with annoyance ran through Stefan.
He cursed under his breath. ‘How the devil did that happen? Did one of you make a slip?’

Dion was inclined to be indignant.
‘Certainly not. We were both discretion itself. But Paulina would question poor Lucy so, and nothing we said would make her stop. And then she suddenly went into hysterics, raving about her papa and shouting that she hated Lucy, and would not have her for her sister, and I don’t know what besides.’

Appalled, Stefan stared at her.
‘Good God! How in the world could she know?’

‘I don’t know,’ uttered Dion impatiently.
‘She spoke of destroying a letter, I remember, but I have no notion what it might be.’

Comprehension seized Stefan.
‘The letter Mr Graydene wrote to my uncle. Lucy asked if I had seen it. But no such letter was found among my uncle’s effects.’

Dion stared open-mouthed.
‘Paulina must have read the thing. She has known all along.’

‘Evidently.’

‘And she did nothing! She might have tried to find Lucy, or at least to discover what had happened to her.’

Stefan gave a scornful laugh.
‘We are talking of Paulina here. I can conceive of nothing more unlikely than that she would seek out her father’s bastard.’

Dion’s eyes kindled.
‘You are very right. You should have heard the things she said to poor Lucy. I declare, I am glad she worked herself into such a state she brought on her confinement.’

‘But I am not
,’ Stefan said roundly. ‘Setting aside the inconvenience of her having the event in this house, it has obviously put a great deal of work upon Lucy.’

‘Oh, but Lucy is perfectly well able to manage, you know,’ said Dion, with an insouciance that made her brother itch to slap her.
As if Lucy must be enjoying the imposition. ‘You would be astonished if you could see her at work.’

‘No, I wouldn’t,’ said Stefan roundly.
‘It is precisely what I would expect of her. But I cannot approve of her being obliged to tend to Paulina.’

‘Well, she is her half-sister,’ Dion pointed out.

‘That may well be, but—’

From the other side of the door came a sudden scream, stopping Stefan’s words dead.
Then Lucy was heard calling.

‘Dion!’

His sister jumped. ‘I am needed.’

She began to slip back into the chamber, but Stefan reached out and grabbed her arm.

‘Tell Lucy I will hold myself in readiness. If she needs anything, she has only to send to me. I will wait in the Red Saloon.’

Dion nodded, and vanished into the chamber.
Stefan stared impotently at the closed door. This was undoubtedly women’s work, but with Lucy on the other side, he found himself anxious beyond anything he had known. If he could have wafted a wand and lifted her burden, he would have done so.

* * *

During a lull, Lucy straightened up, putting her hands behind her and rubbing into the small of her back. How long had it been? Two hours or more? She remembered hearing a clock striking the midday hour some time ago.

Paulina was quiescent for the moment, her eyes closed while little moans came out of her mouth with each breath.
It was proving a difficult labour, and Lucy was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong. Stefan had sent to tell them the doctor was delayed, having been called out upon another case. Lucy wished he might come sooner rather than later.

Worse, from the patient’s point of view, Lord Sarclet had not yet arrived.
From the maid, they had learned he was not from home, which Dion had surmised when he made no immediate appearance. But Paulina had ceased to wail for him, or indeed for anything but the cessation of her many discomforts.

Looking down at her half-sister, Lucy could not but feel sorry for her.
Coaxed out of her confining clothing, she had been put into one of Mrs Ankerville’s nightgowns. It was damp with sweat, which also streaked across the plump features and ran in rivulets down her neck, mingling with the woman’s intermittent tears. Her long dark hair lay lank and lifeless about her head, except where it had worked into knots as she threshed against the pain.

‘How much longer, do you think?’

Lucy turned to where Dion had sunk onto the press by the window, looking exhausted.

‘I do not know.’
Lucy smiled at her. ‘Why don’t you go and rest, Dion? You have done enough.’

Dion sat up sharply, straightening her shoulders and putting up a determined chin.
‘And who will run your errands then? No, I shall remain at my post. If you can do it, then so can I.’

‘That’s the spirit, Miss Dion,’ came fondly from the large dame who held sway over the servants’ hall.

Mrs Lovedown had proved invaluable, setting the maids to keeping up the supply of hot water; ensuring there was plenty of lemonade to administer to the patient, not to mention those working to bring her through; and in general maintaining an attitude of calm good sense which did much to ease Lucy’s path. They had been obliged to eject Paulina’s own maid, for Bannock could do nothing but weep and clutch at her mistress’s hands. Mrs Lovedown had set her to preparing an improvised cot and bandages for the swaddling, in anticipation of the arrival of the infant. A compromise which served to brighten her out of her gloom and take an onerous task out of the hands of the already overburdened maids.