The Complete Ravenscar Trilogy: The Ravenscar Dynasty, Heirs of Ravenscar, Being Elizabeth. Barbara Taylor Bradford

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СКАЧАТЬ order to shake off Johnny and Will, his bodyguards, wanting to be alone with Lily tonight, earlier in the day he had explained to his mother exactly where he was going, adding, ‘And my friend has hired a carriage. I’ll be perfectly safe, Mother.’ After a moment’s thought she had agreed with him, had excused herself and left the room. She returned a moment later, and had handed him ten guineas. ‘But Mother—’ he had begun, and she had waved his words away, explaining that he must now have an allowance every week, that it had been arranged with Neville. ‘Take Mrs Overton to dinner after the concert, and be the gentleman you are, Ned.’

      And so they were going to the Savoy Hotel for supper, and he was excited that for once he could take Lily somewhere elegant and pay for it himself.

      Once they were settled in the carriage, he told her about lunch at Neville’s that day, and she laughed delightedly when he recounted the story of Anne’s announcement that she and Richard were going to marry. In fact, they laughed all the way to the Savoy Hotel in the Strand, chuckling over the antics of the children.

      Heads turned as the two of them walked through the hotel lobby. They made a stunning couple, he so tall and handsome, she the most beautiful of women and elegantly dressed in a chic outfit of dark royal blue. After they had been seated in the dining room overlooking the Thames, Ned ordered a whisky for himself and lemonade for Lily.

      When they had settled down, Ned asked, ‘How are you feeling, darling Lily?’

      ‘Healthy, Ned, thank you. Please don’t worry so much about the baby. It’s the morning sickness which is truly the worst, but otherwise I’m well. Really and truly.’

      He smiled at her, touching her cheek with a fingertip. ‘And that’s how you look—absolutely well.’

      As he savoured his whisky and soda, Edward told her about the tiaras his mother owned, and that she was going to send them to the jewellers to have them appraised and then sold. ‘She insists on doing this, Lily, in order to finance the purchase of a house for me. In Mayfair. I understand she’s already seen one in Berkeley Square, and thinks it’s ideal for me. She wants me to have my own household.’

      Lily nodded, smiling and was about to tell him she had seen one for herself nearby in South Audley Street, which she was contemplating buying. But she knew it would be inappropriate. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was trying to cling, because of the baby she was expecting.

      Ned said, ‘You looked as if you were about to tell me something, Lily, but changed your mind. What was it?’

      ‘Nothing,’ she lied, and went on, ‘Shall we look at the menu, I am a little hungry.’

      He nodded and signalled to the waiter who was by their side in a split second. He gave them the menus, recommended various items and departed.

      Lily said, ‘I think I will have Dover sole: it’s light.’

      ‘So will I. And what would you like first?’

      ‘Nothing really—well, perhaps a cup of bouillon soup. I find if I eat anything heavy at night I suffer from indigestion these days.’

      He smiled, leaned into her, and whispered, ‘You poor thing…I can’t wait to see our child, hold her.’

      ‘Oh you’ve decided on the sex, have you? A girl, eh?’

      ‘Well, you know how much I love women,’ he answered before he could stop himself; he could have bitten off his tongue and looked suddenly chagrined, shook his head, seemed somehow helpless.

      Lily simply laughed, being a wise woman.

      Edward said, ‘What shall we call the baby? Lily?’

      ‘I’d like to call her after you, so I prefer Edwina.’

      ‘Edwina Lily, how about that?’

      ‘And Edward, if it’s a boy, is that all right with you, Ned?’

      ‘Anything you want, my darling. I do adore you, you know.’

      The waiter returned and took their order, and they sat back, happy at being together in this elegant restaurant, enjoying each other and sharing the evening, at ease in their relationship.

      It was after their first course that Lily suddenly announced in a quiet, rather subdued voice, ‘Ned, I want to ask you something. It’s really important for me to discuss it with you, and I must have an answer from you tonight.’

      Alarmed, he looked at her swiftly, and exclaimed, ‘What is it, Lily? Is there something wrong? What on earth’s the matter?’

      ‘I’m not sure how to begin, because it’s a morbid subject but I have been troubled…’ She took a deep breath. ‘Let me start again. As you know, I was an only child, and my parents are dead. I have no other family, only a few good friends, most particularly Vicky. And because I’m alone in this world I’ve worried about something quite a lot lately. Women do die in childbirth, you know. It’s not unheard of, and I worry that I could die. And then what would happen to the baby? Our baby. So I want to know your thoughts on this, Ned. I couldn’t bear it if the child were put up for adoption.’

      Startled by her words, he was also appalled at the thought of Lily dying and their child being put up for adoption, lost to him forever. He didn’t have to think twice before answering her immediately. ‘You’re not going to die, I promise you that. You’re a healthy young woman, and you take good care of yourself. You’ll both be fine. But if something ghastly did happen and you…died in childbirth, and the baby lived, you know I wouldn’t permit our child to be adopted. Never, Lily. Never. Please trust me on that. I promise you I would take the child, bring it up.’

      ‘You’d do that alone? How would you handle it? What about other women? You’ll get married one day. A wife might not be overjoyed at the thought of your illegitimate little girl or boy. Am I not right?’

      ‘Yes, perhaps you are. But I believe my mother would happily raise the child, with the help of a nanny. And of course I would see the child all the time. Does that satisfy you?’

      ‘Yes, it does! And it was the answer I was hoping you would give, Ned. You see, I know women, know how easily the child of another woman could get in the way in a relationship.’ Lily gave him a huge smile, and squeezed his arm. ‘If anything goes wrong, then your mother can take over…I’m so happy you suggested it.’

      He took her hand in his, squeezed it. ‘Lily, let’s not talk about your dying…I can’t stand that thought, I really can’t. Let’s be happy tonight, happy that we’re together.’

       TWENTY-NINE

      Edward Deravenel was not easily rattled. In fact, he was almost always composed, in control. This afternoon, as he walked at a measured pace down the corridor to John Summers’s office, he was perfectly at ease with himself and with the world. And he had a good idea why he had been sent for by Summers. There was news.

      When he arrived at the door of Summers’s office he knocked and walked straight in; he was not at all startled to see Inspector Laidlaw sitting there with Rob Aspen. He had expected him to be there.

      ‘Hello, Inspector,’ СКАЧАТЬ