Page 120 of The Secret Love of a Gentleman
He smiled. ‘I wish you had told me sooner. Whatever happens, we will be together now.’
In the summer, he had seen how deep her grief was, and how much she longed for a child. Now, he would experience that longing with her.
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He hailed a hackney carriage to take them to Pembroke House.
‘My family will make a fuss,’ Rob stated as they travelled. ‘We will not tell them about the child yet. You do not obviously show, so we will keep that our secret until after the wedding.’
Finch opened the door. ‘Good day, Master Marlow and Lady Caroline.’ He bowed, as though it were not at all odd that she was with Rob.
‘Hello, Finch,’ Rob acknowledged. ‘Is everyone in the family drawing room?’
‘Yes, sir.’
As they climbed the stairs, Caro longed to take Rob’s hand, but he held the banister to help him climb.
‘You say I should have told you about the child. Equally, you should have told me about your accident.’
‘And cause you to worry over me…? No.’
‘Perhaps we are too alike at times. I did not tell you about the child because I did not want you to worry, and you did not tell me you were hurt for the same reason.’
‘And did you refuse to marry me when you were in London to avoid hurting me, or yourself?’
‘You,’ she admitted.
He smiled. ‘Well, you failed at that, it hurt me very much.’
When he stepped up on to the landing, he took her hand and they walked towards the sound of conversation coming from the family drawing room.
‘You need not worry,’ he said in a low voice. ‘They will be nice, my parents know I love you.
‘I have a visitor,’ he stated, lifting her hand as they entered the room.
Relief raised a smile. It was only his close family, his mother and father, sisters, John and Katherine. She bobbed a curtsy to the room in general as Ellen stood.
‘This is a surprise,’ Ellen said, walking across to greet her.
‘You did not say you were travelling to Maidstone today.’ His father stood too.
‘I did not travel, Caro did. She came to London to visit me.’
Rob let her hand go and took off his hat, as Ellen hugged Caro. ‘Let me take your outdoor clothes,’ Ellen offered. ‘I am surprised no one helped you with them downstairs.’
‘We were too eager to tell you our news. Caro and I are engaged to be married.’
‘Robbie!’
‘Oh, Robbie!’
Helen and Jenny squealed and rushed to embrace him.
‘Steady.’ He held them back. ‘Mind me.’
‘Congratulations.’ Kate came to congratulate Caro. ‘What a surprise. How lovely.’
‘Thank you.’
