Chapter 403: News [2]

"I applaud you for having the respect to leave the chamber so Joyce may do her work. While it would have been comforting for Lady Hawthorne to have you there, hovering over Joyce’s shoulder would have made her nervous," said Michael.

Michael glanced at Damien and noted that if Damien went any closer to the door, he would end up colliding with it.

"I can put my interest to the side for the sake of my wife. Does it always take so long?" Damien inquired, his gaze lingering on the door with growing impatience.

"It does. You might not be prepared for the hours that it can take for the birth of the baby if there are complications. I’ve heard of cases when it could go on for a day, and the mother becomes gravely ill after, so..." Michael trailed off as Damien’s gaze fell upon him.

Michael raised his hand to his mouth and coughed. "Forgive me. That doesn’t mean it shall happen to your wife. It is different for everyone, and Joyce knows what she is doing. Perhaps I should find some interest in the paintings."

Michael slowly moved away from Damien to stare at the paintings on the wall. Silently, he hoped the doors would soon open so Damien could get the news he so desperately sought.

Fortunately for Michael, the doors soon opened, and Hannah welcomed Damien inside.

Damien entered the chamber, leaving Hannah to close the door. He immediately went to where Eloise sat on the bed.

Joyce stood off to the side, allowing Eloise to deliver the news.

"She thinks it is likely as well, based on what Hannah has shared. Still, to be completely certain, we are waiting to see if I shall bleed within this week. We shouldn’t tell anyone yet, but we are likely fortunate," Eloise said, smiling from ear to ear.

Damien sat down on the bed and held Eloise’s hand, his thumb brushing gently across her skin. "I am certain that it is so."

Damien leaned forward to kiss Eloise, as it truly was good news.

Eloise laughed, ignoring the others in the chamber.

When Damien pulled back, she caught a glimpse of the boyish grin she had always adored about him.

"Mrs Summers, what happens now?" Damien inquired, turning to Joyce while still holding Eloise’s hand as though reluctant to let it go.

"I shall come regularly to tend to Lady Hawthorne and keep track of all changes. I shall speak to your doctor about the medicine you shall need. I will also provide a list of foods Her Ladyship should avoid, as they will make her feel nauseous," Joyce answered.

"I have asked that even if this is a false alert, she stay employed with us to help. There is much I can learn from her," Eloise said.

"Tell me, are you highly certain that she is carrying our child right now?" Damien asked, needing to hear it from Joyce himself.

"Yes, I am fairly certain. I have been doing this for quite a long time. The early stages are harder, so I urged Her Ladyship to be careful. Mistakes can lead to a miscarriage. Sometimes, it happens without anything being done to the body. It is difficult to understand," Joyce spoke honestly.

"I instructed her to be careful not to fall. There is a list of what you should and shouldn’t do that I will prepare. Please, do not think that you must completely change your routine. You only need to be careful."

Eloise looked at Damien, thrilled that someone else had said it. "So I can still go for walks in the garden and for outings around the town."

"Yes. I urge you to walk around to exercise your body and remain in good health. You must listen to your body, so don’t strain yourself, and when you feel discomfort, speak up right away. The first child always brings the most panic," Joyce said, understanding their concern.

"I expected that much. I thank you for coming on such short notice. Your pay shall be handed over to you in a moment. If you like, you can speak to Michael about the medicines I will be taking. I am being treated for the start of the flu," Eloise shared.

"Oh, I see. I shall have a word with him and leave you two to speak. Once again, I congratulate you on your pregnancy," Joyce said, curtsying before leaving.

Joyce headed out of the chamber to speak to Michael, and Hannah followed to give the pair privacy.

"I am certain that we shall have our first child now. I cannot feel anything," Eloise said, reaching for Damien’s hand and placing it against her belly. "But to think there might be life growing there. I cannot wait for the days when we shall feel them. Now I am so excited that I wish to join you in preparing a chamber."

"You’ll have to find your own chamber to decorate," Damien replied. He had many plans for the chamber he had emptied. "I must get started on decorating the chamber today."

"Damien," Eloise said, palming his cheeks. "There are many months ahead of us. You don’t need to rush it, but I understand why you feel the need to do so. Take a deep breath," she said, doing as she told Damien so he could follow suit.

Damien took a deep breath and calmed himself. "Perhaps I was getting ahead of myself. We should spend the day speaking to the midwife and doctor. Then we can make preparations for the days ahead."

"That sounds best for now. I would rather you be at my side today and then take care of the chamber tomorrow. Do you think it is possible that we can keep this news to ourselves a little longer, even though there is a midwife here?" Eloise wondered.

"The others noticed that I had emptied the chamber beside us, so they knew we were trying. We should inform them so they know to be careful. They might also be able to help you hide it when you are out," Damien said, caressing Eloise’s hair with gentle affection. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

"That is true. I didn’t think of that. As long as they won’t make any mistakes and share it with anyone, then I am not against welcoming them on this journey. If we were to hide it, we would need to lie about what Joyce does, and I don’t have the interest," Eloise confessed.

"We’ll speak of it tomorrow. We should get to enjoy this alone today," Damien said, giving Eloise’s hand a tender squeeze.

"We should do it tomorrow before I leave with Olivia and Iris. I am still leaving tomorrow," Eloise said, certain Damien was going to fight her on it.

"Hmm," Damien replied.

"I don’t like that answer," Eloise said, feeling wary as she studied his expression.