Chapter 401: Doctor visit [3]

"I will suggest a midwife whom I can trust to come to look after Lady Hawthorne. I assure you that she will work and not speak a word of what occurs here. She would be better at confirming if you are pregnant now," said Michael.

Eloise looked back, and already, Damien was standing behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Send the midwife to us today. I will need to talk with her before letting her tend to my wife. Isn’t there more you can do to confirm whether she is pregnant?" Damien asked, trying his best to keep his composure despite the hopeful anticipation building inside him.

"There are some old tests that others believe can tell, but I don’t believe in them. Most require Lady Hawthorne’s urine. I would prefer not to subject you to what I don’t think works. I say that we wait to see if she bleeds and monitor the growth of her belly," Michael suggested.

Michael continued, "I know that you must want the good news, but I would rather use a method where I know for certain she is with child. The midwife would have more knowledge in this matter, so you should wait for her arrival."

"We can wait," Eloise decided. "We have been waiting quite a bit, so we can wait for her arrival. In the meantime, please prepare medicine to help me before the flu worsens."

"Of course. Once it is confirmed that you are pregnant, I shall come with even more medicine. Don’t do anything to stress your body, and try not to take any tumbles. You have to be very careful from now on," Michael informed Eloise.

"Hannah, please leave us for a moment," Damien instructed Hannah.

Hannah curtsied and headed towards the door, trying not to let her smile show.

Damien waited for the door to close before saying, "Write down what I must do to care for her and any ingredients you might need for your medicines to help her. I don’t care about the price or how difficult it might be to find them."

"I have all that I need for Lady Hawthorne. It is most important that you get the midwife to help you along with this journey. If you would allow me a messenger, I will send for her right away," said Michael.

"Then, I ask that you leave us for a moment and ask Hannah to lead you to a servant to deliver the message. When you are done, return to us. I have more questions for you," Damien said, having many concerns.

"Of course, Lord Hawthorne. Please excuse me, Lady Hawthorne," Michael said as he stood up. "I won’t be long."

Michael left the chamber and joined Hannah outside.

"Damien," Eloise spoke softly, turning to face Damien. "I can hardly believe it. All this time we had been curious. I don’t want to get too excited until we are certain, but still."

"It is difficult not to get excited now," Damien said, kneeling beside Eloise to be at her level. "It is quite the day, isn’t it?"

"It is," Eloise said, thinking of all the news shared. "It is good that I didn’t go running around with Iris in the garden after all our planning. Even the little things seem dangerous to me now."

"Even if the midwife cannot confirm it now, we can wait a little longer to see if I bleed, right? I won’t be too upset if we are disappointed later on. I am happy that there seems to be a chance," Eloise said, unable to completely hide the fragile hope she had.

"I’m keeping faith that we will not be disappointed. I am drawing a blank on the last time you bled."

Warmth rose to Eloise’s cheeks. "Why would you know of it?"

"We share a bed, Eloise. Did you think I didn’t notice when it occurred? I am not put off by such natural things," Damien said, upset with himself for not keeping track.

"I was hoping you didn’t," Eloise muttered, mortified.

"I held you closer during those days in hopes it would ease your pain. With a young sister, I’ve had to educate myself in such matters. Hannah should know the last day you bled, since she is the one who helps you. I will ask when she returns," said Damien.

"I should have thought to select the midwife sooner. I didn’t think of the other duties she would be helpful for. We’ve been very distracted," Eloise said, realising her own faults with a quiet sigh.

"It was distractions we could not ignore, but now we have more time to pay attention to each other. I shall do my best to think of what you need long before you think of it, and you can do the same for me. From now on, we focus on us," Damien decided.

"It is needed. I found difficulty in answering his questions about myself. I must make a note of what my body does. It was a very good idea to send for the doctor to look at us. Not only for the news, but because we must pay attention to ourselves," Eloise said.

Eloise stared at Damien, realising the trouble her words could cause. "This doesn’t mean that you must crowd me, Damien. I am fine," she assured him. "After the medicine he gives me, I will be perfectly fine. There won’t be any need for me to stay in one place."

"He said that you must be careful."

Eloise held Damien by his chin and made him meet her eyes. "I am very careful. You mustn’t get out of hand until we are completely certain. You must relax."

Eloise palmed Damien’s face on both sides and leaned down to peck his lips. "One of us worrying too much won’t be good. Take a deep breath and let us wait. It is not as though I will be leaving the estate today."

"You have plans to leave tomorrow with Iris and Olivia," Damien reminded Eloise.

"Olivia wants to treat us and help Iris to start making plans for the wedding. I promised that I would be there for Iris. It is not as though I plan to be going out fighting. It is a calm day with the ladies," Eloise said, set on going.

"It is not you whom I worry about causing harm. It is the people around you. I should offer more guards."

"That will make it obvious. Promise me that before you go making more plans, you will wait for the midwife’s arrival. Promise me," Eloise said, offering her hand.

"It is not a promise I enjoy, but if she confirms that you are with child, I must plan to make sure you and the child are safe," Damien said, followed by a shake of Eloise’s hand.