Chapter Two
Rebecca looked up at the sound of Edward’s knock and her heart stuttered as it always did. Even after a blissful year of marriage she was still so utterly, desperately in love with him that it was almost frightening.
And the fact that she was about to have his baby was just a wonderful, exciting and slightly terrifying next step. Terrifying particularly because he had been acting rather strangely for the past few weeks and she was sure it was a reaction to impending parenthood.
He was extremely agitated for one thing and for another, he had picked up a most unusual habit of screaming in a really very feminine manner.
She smiled at him as she rang the bell for tea. Although it was not conventional, Edward often spent the afternoon in here with her. It was more comfortable for her expanding form than his study or the library where they used to sit and Edward had assured her that he would rather fold his large form into her dainty chairs than spend the afternoon without seeing her at all.
“So, how does our travelling cousin fare?” he asked as he bent to capture her lips in a soft caress.
Rebecca was so caught up in the sensations he evoked with his touch, his swift caress, his kiss to answer and Edward laughingly repeated the question several times before she felt composed enough to answer.
“He seems happy enough” she answered now, though a frown marred her brow.
“But?”
Rebecca hesitated, unsure about how to phrase her thoughts.
“He sounds…lost” she finally admitted.
At Edward’s questioning look, she continued;
“I know from what you and your mother have told me that he was not close to his father, and by all accounts he was a cruel man but still –“. Here she hesitated again.
Edward smiled encouragingly so she went on.
“You know I love Tom dearly and I have tried to understand his reasons for moving and staying so far away. But to miss his own father’s funeral? It seems the outside of enough, Edward.”
Edward sighed and stared into the crackling fire. His mood turned sombre and Rebecca immediately felt guilty.
“I’m sorry darling”, she said now, “please let’s just forget it and talk of other things. Like my family’s visit. They shall be here soon and it will be so good for you and Charles to catch up. I really do think he will benefit from spending time in your company. You know, he has so much to learn and –“
“Rebecca, sweetheart, it is alright. I am not upset by your question. God knows it must seem terribly strange. The truth is, Tom’s father was a cruel and very unjust man and he did not deserve Tom’s grief. But, he would have been here if he were not – preoccupied with other worries.”
Rebecca frowned at Edward’s cryptic words. This was not the first time that Edward had alluded to a mystery surrounding Tom and his travels to America.
Time and again Rebecca had tried to get Edward to tell her what had happened. She had tried manipulation, trickery, seduction, even tears. But he would not yield. Though to be fair, the seduction had never really led to much talking in general.
She had learned however, that Edward would never tell her. All he ever said was that the story was not his to tell and really, how could she argue with that?
The maid entered then with the tea things and momentarily distracted Rebecca from her worry about Tom. She was famished. Which was no surprise. She’d been famished for about eight months now.
