There's No Place Like Rhodes (Book 2)

Another Gift

Arthur thought he'd finally managed to pull one over on Charlotte by giving her two presents, but she came back with her own surprise up her sleeve.

She revealed a last box, small, white and tidily wrapped in a simple ribbon. Before he could make his objections, she scolded, "You've given me two gifts so no fussing."

He quirked a grin. "Yes, ma'am."

Arthur opened the box, which appeared aged and worn, and his brow furrowed at what he found. Inside were two frilled lace stockings, which was odd in itself, but the pair were also small, as if for a doll. "Uh, darlin', I don't think these are gonna fit me."

Charlotte gripped his hand, met his gaze and said softly, "That's because they're not yours to wear, Arthur. Aunt Rosie gifted them to me when I was born."

Not for a doll.

For a baby.

As the significance hit him like a freight train, his eyes widened and his mouth gave way to a dropped jaw. "You're...?"

She smiled and raised a hand to caress his chin. "Yes, Arthur."

"You're sure?"

"I'll know for a certainty when I see a physician, but I'm confident enough to inform you of its existence."

His palms started sweating, the room seemed be getting smaller, and he asked with a thick tongue, "How long you known?"

"I only just put it together after our little adventure." Charlotte tilted her head, studying him. "Do you recall my nausea over the seafood in Saint Denis?"

Arthur mumbled, "We both lost our appetite over it."

She scrunched up her face. "My constant weeping over silly things."

"I ain't seen you cryin' much more than usual," he protested, maybe in denial more than anything.

She ticked off her finger. "The fainting in the jailhouse."

"That's a sign of pregnancy?"

"It can be," she said affirmatively. "And then yesterday at the tailor, when you mentioned I felt fevered. That's when I knew for sure."

Pregnant. It was the whole goddamn reason he'd stayed unattached as long as he had. It was why, before Charlotte, Arthur only had his eyes set on one woman if he did choose to settle down. With his illness, it'd never crossed his mind he could get her pregnant, but truthfully, he hadn't given it a thought at all. He was a damn fool and now he'd doomed her.

Arthur pulled her into a hug, clutching her tight. She seemed to sense the reveal had him overly moved.

"Are you okay with this?" she asked in his ear.

Can we go fish, Pa?

He buried his face in her neck, suppressing memories eager to plague in his mind. "Can't do nothin' to stop it now."

She brushed her fingers through his hair. "No, but something's bothering you."

"You don't wanna know." The truth was he didn't want to tell her, to expose how ill-fitted he was for this sort of situation.

"I always want to know what you're thinking, Arthur," she said softly. "Tell me. Let me help you work through it."

Silence met her request.

"Are you afraid?" she asked, nailing it on the head first guess. "Because you have nothing to fear as I'm certain you'll make a wonderful father, Arthur."

Can we go fish, Pa?

Arthur gritted his teeth. "No, I damn well won't 'cause I ain't gonna be here."