Lord Grenville's Choice (7 page)

“My lord, I wish you would leave.”

Her cold words smote him like nothing he had ever felt before. Where was the warm, pliant wife he had waltzed with that evening? Why had she become difficult once more? Suddenly, he was angry with her moods. There had been nothing amiss in his treatment of her tonight.

He gave her a short bow. “I am very glad the baby is all right. I will wish you good night.”

Emotion swamped him as he left the bedchamber and made his way back home. Anger gave way to an unfamiliar melancholy. He found himself wishing profoundly that things could be different, as he recalled each part of the evening and their shared jubilation. Something had happened to alter Felicity’s feelings toward him at a deep level, but he despaired of finding what that something was.

{ 10 }

O
nce Alex closed the door behind him, Felicity finally gave way to tears. For a time that evening, they had been more of one mind than any time she could remember.

But I have always known Alex loved someone else.

Now that Elizabeth was free, Felicity would have to live with the knowledge every day. If they did not live apart, she would always be wondering where he was, what he was thinking. Her only option was to wrench herself away from Grenville House first, before he could further tear their marriage apart. Nothing could induce her to live with a man who belonged body and soul to another woman—the woman who had always been his choice.

Near dawn, she realized Alex did yet not know of her decision to live with her father. She had been too intent on not letting him see how he had hurt her to make her decision plain.

Getting out of her bed, she lit a candle and sat at her dressing table to write to her husband.

My lord-

I have come to the realization that both of us would be happier if I remain in my father’s house indefinitely. However, my choosing to live with Papa does not mean that you will see Jack any less. You may see him any time you like. I only ask that you let me know beforehand when you will be here, so I can arrange to be elsewhere.

I pray you will honor my wishes.

Felicity

After addressing the note and sealing it with a wafer, she felt slightly more composed. However, she could not imagine what she was going to do with her days. Gossip would follow her wherever she went and she would be the poor, scorned wife. She would have to look into the faces of the
ton
, pretending indifference to the fact that her husband preferred another.

Becoming an object of pity was abhorrent to her. But not nearly as painful as knowing that her husband loved another woman.

And when the new baby arrived in the autumn, what then? Alex would want to be included in the event. He would surely want to see the child frequently, as he had adored Jack even in his infancy.

She tried to put that time out of her mind. She would just have to deal with it when the time came.

Oh, why had she ever thought that Papa’s money could buy her love? What terrible folly.

Felicity finally fell asleep at dawn, awakening when the clock in the hall struck ten o’clock. She had an outsized headache and knew Papa must be wondering where she was. The physician would make his appearance at any moment. Ringing for Martha, she struggled into her wrapper and slippers, realizing she had not seen Jack since the morning before. She did not know what to do first.

Before she could decide, she heard the unmistakable sound of Alex’s footsteps running up the stairs to the nursery.
The note
. She had fallen asleep and had forgotten to take it downstairs for the footman to deliver. Alex still did not know of her decision.

While Martha was combing out her hair, she heard Jack’s squeals as he clamored downstairs with his father. The sound hurt her heart. By moving from Grenville House, she had parted their family. Maybe it had not been the perfect family she had wanted, but until Elizabeth’s widowhood, it had been happy in many respects, founded as it was on their mutual love of their child.

But Alex was the one who had changed all that by setting tongues wagging. She tried to muster her anger, but she knew too well that she had knowingly put herself in this position by marrying the man.

When she was dressed, she went swiftly to check on her father. He was awake, and Dr. Caldwell was with him.

“Good morning, Lady Grenville,” the doctor greeted her. He peered at her more closely. “Are you quite well? You are looking exceeding pale.”

“I had a difficult night, but I am quite well now, thank you. How is Papa this morning?”

She placed a kiss on her father’s cheek, at which he opened his eyes.

“Flis,” he said.

Dr. Caldwell said, “Now that he is awake, I can make a better assessment. Has he said your name before?”

“Just ‘Flis.’ My name is actually Felicity,” she told him.

“It suits you, if you do not mind me saying so. At least, it always has in the past.” He looked at her as though trying to peer into her soul. “I am not at all convinced that you are well, my lady. With your past history, I must confess myself to be concerned. I would be far easier in my mind if you would allow me to examine you.”

Felicity noticed the anxiety in her father’s eyes. She sent a warning look to the physician and took her father’s hand in hers. “Papa, I am quite well. You need have no worries about me. Indeed, I have some wonderful news! I am increasing! You shall be a grandpapa to a second child in the autumn.”

“Flis!” he said, and his eyes radiated joy. Then, slowly, his mouth curved in a smile.

Her battered heart bounded with hope. “You smiled! Oh, Papa! I know you are going to recover!” Tears started to her eyes. “You must! I need you, Jack needs you, and this little new one will need you as well! Perhaps it will be a little girl for you to spoil. Would that not be lovely?”

He smiled again, and she threw a happy glance at Dr. Caldwell. “Did you see that?”

The physician smiled at her. “Yes, my lady. That is improvement, indeed. And it has added color to your cheeks.”

Taking a deep breath, she said, “In fact, I have never been better. Papa is improving. What more could I ask?”

Dr. Caldwell took his patient’s pulse and pronounced his heartbeat to be stronger. He advised Felicity to administer calves’ foot jelly to the patient.

Then he insisted on checking her pulse. She categorically refused any further physical examination.

“I am quite well, I have told you. There has been no bleeding or cramping.”

“Then I must conclude that you are in low spirits. That is not good for the baby, either.”

Felicity began to feel uncomfortable. Dr. Caldwell was looking at her far too keenly.

“You are a very capable young woman, Lady Grenville. Perhaps I can interest you in a project. Have I told you that a large part of my practice consists of charity work that I do for the wounded soldiers in the East End?”

Felicity turned to look at the physician. “How very good of you. Some of them come back in such terrible condition. They are never the same. And the government does nothing for them. They literally lie in the streets.”

“I have a clinic there. Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. I am looking for a women’s charity to raise money to provide us with supplies. I have the feeling that you are just the person who could manage it. The bandages have to be prepared, of course. But we also need other supplies to treat the wounds.”

Felicity’s uncertainties about her future fell into the background before this challenge. This was just the sort of thing she could do while in her confinement. And she could rally her close friends to help. They could give benefit concerts to raise money. They could sit downstairs in the sitting room and roll bandages together for Dr. Caldwell. It would give Felicity great pleasure to aid the poor foot soldiers returning from the front who had no one to care for them.

“Dr. Caldwell, when I am no longer needed daily at my father’s side, I should be most eager to form just such a charity to perform just such functions. I have a circle of friends who perform vocally and on the piano.” She told him of her scarcely considered plans. “I cannot think of a better way to spend my confinement. Thank you so much for offering me this opportunity.”

It was at that moment, when Felicity and Dr. Caldwell were regarding each other with great satisfaction that Glover, the butler, preceded Lady Anabella and Aunt Harriett into the room.

Anabella was the very last person Felicity wished to encounter at the moment. However, she knew the visit with Aunt Henrietta would delight her father. Since her widowhood, they had maintained a light flirtation.

When the ladies entered, the physician stood, bowed from the waist, and said, “Good morning. I am Lord Morecombe’s physican, Dr. Caldwell.”

Felicity said, “I should like to introduce my husband’s aunt, Lady Clement and his sister Lady Anabella Lambeth.”

As her sister-in-law’s eyes lingered on Dr. Caldwell, Felicity was made aware for the first time that the physician was exceedingly good looking. He had large green eyes with long dark lashes, a beautifully molded mouth, square jaw, and wavy, dark red hair. Furthermore, he dressed in the mode of a gentleman.

Meanwhile, Aunt Henrietta approached Felicity’s papa, her old friend, and took his hand in hers.

“If there is one thing I know about you, my lord, it is that you have a fighting spirit. You are going to land on your feet, I have no doubt, if only to make it to Ascot this year.”

Felicity was happy to see the smile back on Papa’s lips.

“You rogue!” Aunt Henrietta said. “How could you scare us this way? I am counting on your attending the ball I intend to throw in Alex’s ballroom. I will give you two months, by which time you must be in fine form so we can lead out the dancing.”

Dr. Caldwell said, “It is good of you to provide him with a goal. It is the patients who have that sort of determination that I see recover from injuries of this sort. He is recuperating far more quickly than I expected. In fact, he is doing very well. I credit Lady Grenville’s nursing.”

Aunt Henrietta said, “I am not surprised at that.” She gave Felicity a brilliant smile.

Anabella seated herself on the loveseat under the window, preening herself in that particular way that she had. “Surely you are just being modest, Dr. Caldwell. I am certain you have had a great deal to do with Lord Morecombe’s recovery.”

“I assure you, I have done relatively little. I believe his lordship’s attachment to his daughter has been most influential in his progress. Her sincere devotion gives him a reason to fight. So many with this affliction demonstrate very little will to live.”

Felicity was suddenly conscious that the man was looking at her with a degree of warmth that brought a blush to her cheeks. Looking up, she caught a gleam of speculation in Anabella’s eyes that boded ill.

“Anabella and Aunt Henrietta, I hope you will join me in some charity work that Dr. Caldwell would like me to undertake. He works in the East End two afternoons a week tending the wounds of the soldiers who have been invalided out of the war but who have no family, no one to care for them. He needs supplies for his clinic.” With more enthusiasm than she had felt for some time, Felicity continued, “I am going to organize a vocal concert to raise funds and gather workers to buy linen and roll fresh bandages. There are also other medicines he needs to purchase. Do you not think this a worthy cause? We can roll the bandages weekly in my drawing room. Perhaps Aunt Henrietta can read us those dreadful gothics by Maria Edgeworth to keep any who wish to participate entertained.”

Anabella looked from the physician to Felicity, speculation alive in her eyes. “Does this project have Lord Grenville’s approval?” she asked.

“He will approve it in a trice. Do not worry about that.”

“Well, I should certainly like to play my part,” said Aunt Henrietta. “It will be a nice change from obligatory morning calls to all the gossips. I prefer to be useful, even if I will only be the reader!”

Anabella cast another look at the doctor. “I should like to help in the clinic, itself,” she said.

“I have trained nurses for that. It would not do for a protected young lady like you to work alongside these poor, horribly wounded men in the streets. Besides which, I should worry dreadfully for your safety.”

“I’m not entirely useless,” Anabella retorted. “Alex would never want it to get out, but I work alongside the stable boys at home. I train horses. I am used to rough work.”

The doctor’s color mounted. “Lady Anabella, if I may be so bold, you are far too beautiful to work among this rough element. You would not be safe.”

Shrugging, she said, “Well, the project is a worthy one. I do not sing, but perhaps I may be trusted to purchase the supplies you need. Are they all to be found in London?”

“Most of them, yes. Do you have room to grow herbs in your garden at Grenville house?”

“Certainly. I enjoy growing healing herbs for fomentations when the horses get injured. It is a hobby of mine.”

The physician began to look upon Anabella more favorably. “I will write down a list of herbs that I would like to see you grow. Would that be acceptable to you?”

“Yes! No one thinks I can be useful. They prefer me to be decorative. I would enjoy the responsibility of growing and gathering the supplies.”

Felicity was contemplating the useful project with greatly improved spirits when Alex made his way into the sickroom.

{ 11 }

A
fter returning to his father-in-law’s house with Jack, Alex called in to see his lordship. He found his aunt and sister there, along with Caldwell and his wife. Aunt Henrietta seemed to be carrying on a one-sided flirtation with Felicity’s papa.

He could not help but notice Felicity’s pallor.

“Are you feeling quite well?” he asked her in a low voice after greeting her papa.