Widow in White

Chapter Nine: Interfering

Neil spent a bad night of it, tossing and turning in his bed as he ran his mind over the events of the day. Several moments haunted him: The feeling of triumph as he peered through the crack in the door. Laura bursting into tears. Richard throwing the whiskey glass into the fireplace.

It was the last that really frightened him. Neil had never before seen Richard lose his temper. Not like that. The occasional sharp word quickly cooling down to contemptuous distaste, well that Richard all over. But violence — violence was an anathema to Richard. Which meant that Neil had crossed a line he didn't know existed until now.

What hurt most of all was the realization that Richard was right: Neil had behaved disgracefully when he'd eavesdropped on Laura. It had not been decent to sit and listen while another man attempted to kiss her, asked her to run away with him. Neil realized that he'd half-hoped for Laura to betray some proof that she was unsuitable to be Richard's wife.

And all she'd done was tell Percival never to come near her again.

Neil turned over in bed with a groan. Weighted by time and guilt, one thing seemed all too obvious: Laura loved Richard. Was in love with him. Neil remembered now her clumsy flirtations with Richard last year, the time he'd found her weeping over Richard while he slept, her gentleness towards him. Her affection had deep roots. Months, perhaps even years — Neil couldn't tell with Laura.

And if she loved him, her child was undoubtedly his. No matter if it had been a miracle or merely a mistake, it must be Richard's.

Guilt kept Neil awake until morning, when he came down to breakfast to discover he was dining alone. Afterwards, before he could see Richard, he had an appointment in Harley Street. When he returned from that, the first thing he wanted to do was apologise to Richard and Laura, but the footman said that they were both in Laura's bedroom. He hesitated on the landing before her door and, on hearing a distinctly giggly squeal from within, decided it would be prudent not to interrupt them. Instead, he went to his own room to compose a letter to his wife, starting with some news about the doctors and surgeons he'd talked with, and then arriving with some confusion at the unexpected proof of Richard's being able to have children after all. He would have preferred to tell her in person, but by the time he arrived home she might already have heard it from someone else; he knew her cousins the Duvalles would be returning from London soon, and they surely would bring with them any gossip about Richard's wife.

As he was signing the letter, there was a knock at the door. Neil turned as Richard entered, his suit and hair distinctly mussed.

"I wanted to ask you," Neil said, "your doctor, what's his name?"

"Cavendish," Richard said shortly. "He's not a surgeon."

"No, but he knows what it's like for you, doesn't he? He might be able to help with Podge."

Richard stared at him a moment then took his card case out of his pocket and leaned over the desk to scribble on the back of a card.

"He'll see you this evening, at that address, if you give him this," he said, pushing the card towards Neil. "Now, Neil, we need to talk."

Neil winced at Richard's tone; this was going to be harder than he thought. "Rich, first I have to say I'm sorry. Last night I— I was very mistaken. Wrong."

Richard looked impassively at him. Neil felt like he hadn't said enough.

"I'm really, really sorry," he added helplessly.

Richard gave a heavy sigh and sat down on the bed, his stick in front of him. Then, to Neil's surprise, he gave a bitter laugh.

"I was happy until I entered this room," Richard said. "You — my brother — are the one thing to cast a shadow over..." He swallowed and rubbed a hand over his face. "...over the best thing that has ever happened to me. Bar perhaps marrying Laura. I can't quite tell which is better."