Willow Grove Abbey (12 page)

Edwina’s next co
mment broke into my thoughts. “You’ll have a
reminder
of it forever, I’m afraid. How do you feel about this?”

“I don’t know.
I cannot imagine that I’m really going to have a baby. Spence’s baby. That makes all of the difference, Edwina. This is
Spence’s
baby, and it means that I have a part of
him
inside of me. I shall
always
have a part of him in my life. I’m happy about that.”

“Doesn’t
this change things?” she asked, as she made a left turn toward her parent’s house. “Don’t you think you should tell him now? Surely your parents wouldn’t forbid a marriage when there’s a baby involved?”

“Oh yes they would,
Edwina!
I suspect they would pack me off to some faraway place, and invent a story about my studying abroad or whatever. They would probably force me to place the baby for adoption. I shall
never
allow such a thing to happen. Mummy and Papa absolutely cannot know of this.”

“How can you keep the
m from knowing, Sophia? A pregnancy isn’t exactly something you can keep secret forever.”

“Perhaps I
could
pretend that I wanted to go away somewhere? Perhaps I could say that I want to move to Paris with you?” I reached over and nudged Edwina in her ribs. “That’s a perfect solution.”

“
Sophia, that would be fine, and you know I would do anything to help, but at some point you would still have to explain a
child.”

“Quite right. I’
m not thinking straight. That won’t do at all.” I bit my cheek, as I’ve always been prone to do at stressful moments. “Well, then there’s only one other solution.”

“I’
m, sorry, dear heart, but I’m not following you,” she answered.

“There’s only one other solution.
I’ll have to get married, and rather quickly.”

“What do you
mean?”

“I’ll have to find a
suitable
husband very quickly. He will become the father of my baby.”

“
Sophia. Are you implying that you would let someone else think it is
his
baby?”

“That’s precisely what I’
m saying.”

“Oh
my God in heaven!” Edwina rolled her eyes. “Have you lost your mind? Sophia, men are not total idiots
.
They know how many months it takes to make a baby. If you were to try such a daft scheme, this imaginary husband will be certain to learn the truth when the baby arrives.”

“I’ll si
mply have to worry about that when it happens. Babies arrive early all of the time.” I smiled, undoubtedly looking as though I’d now discovered the perfect solution.

“
Sophia, you don’t even know who the poor man is yet. This baby will be arriving
very
early.”

“
Oh, but I think I
do
know who the baby’s father will be,” I mused.

“Who on E
arth…?”

“
Mummy is very keen on my marrying Lord OwenWinnsborough. She has virtually ordered it. Perhaps I’ll comply with her wishes.” I am certain that I must have looked like the cat that stole the cream.

“
Sophia. Owen Winnsborough? He looks like a spaniel.” Edwina had a horrified look on her face, and nearly ran the auto onto the curb.

“I’ve a
lways thought more like a bloodhound,” I giggled.

“
Sophia, I don’t believe we’re having this conversation. Are you serious?”

“Yes,
Edwina, I’m very serious.” And I was. It was snowing more heavily. I pulled my coat closer, as it grew colder in the automobile. My mind was working at top speed as I tried to envision what the future held for me.

“Co
me. Let’s go into the house,” Edwina said, pulling up in front of her parent’s modest home. “We can talk upstairs in my room.” I was shivering. We entered the house through a side door, shedding our coats and boots. Thelma Phillips came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on an apron.

“Ha
llo, girls. I’ve been playing in the kitchen. It’s Catherine’s day off, and I decided to bake bread. Catherine was their cook. Do you want to sample a piece? It’s warm from the oven.”

“That sounds heavenly,”
Edwina replied. Her mother quickly disappeared into the kitchen and returned with two plates, piled high with warm bread and jam. “We’re going to my room for a long chat, Mum. Do you need our help with anything?”

“No, Sweetie
, nothing. Enjoy your time together.” I couldn’t help but think about how different Edwina’s mother was from my own. If Mummy had been like Thelma Phillips, I could have told her everything. A mother like Thelma would never have objected to Spence in the first place. Edwina and I climbed the staircase and entered her childhood bedroom. We curled up on the bright lavender bedspread, and continued our conversation.

“All right,
Sophia. If you’re really serious about this idea of marriage to Owen Winnsborough, which I must tell you I’m not
at all
in favor of, then we should talk specifics.”

“Yes.
I know you’re not in favor of it. It’s not exactly what I ever envisioned, either. Nevertheless, you must admit, it
could
be the answer. I would be able to keep my baby. Spence would never know. The child would not have the stigma of illegitimacy, and Mummy and Papa would have no reason to cause Spence harm.” I nibbled on a piece of warm bread.

“Yes.
Those are all reasons to consider such a scheme. I’m just worried about
you
, Sophia. I hate the thought of you being married to a man you don’t love, who may be enraged when he learns what kind of a lie has been perpetrated upon him.”

“I don’t care about
me. I’m certain I can convince him that it’s his child. I’ll manage to be abroad, visiting
you,
when the baby comes! We won’t tell Owen when it happens, and will let him believe that the birth date is later.”

“
Well…it might work. It would have to be very well planned.” Edwina rolled her eyes and sighed.

“
Edwina, we
can
do it. I know we can, I cried, as I took her hands into mine. You
must
help me. Say you will,” I begged.

“Of course I shall
. But, Sophia, have you ever had a
date
with Owen?”

“Yes.
Actually, I have. We’ve seen each another on a regular basis since early summer. He called just last week, and I saw him. We really
are
good friends. He is very interested in me. I have no doubt of that. I was still seeing a few other men during most of the summer, so my parents wouldn’t know I was so keen on Spence, but Owen was definitely the primary one.”

“Does Owen know of your relationship with Spence?”

“No,
Goose,
I’m not such a fool as all that,” I said, playfully hitting Edwina on the arm. Do you think I have been telling other men how much I adore Spence? So, now, I need to turn my relationship with Owen into a
love match
, become engaged, and marry him, all in a rather short time frame.”

“Quite a tall order,
Sophia.” Edwina looked skeptical.

“Well, it is, but not totally unheard of.
After all, you know that the whole goal of the Season is to snag a husband before it ends. Everyone knows that. I have grown up hearing it all of my life. You know that Papa asked Mummy to marry him on their second date, if you can imagine. They were married not long after. I’ll just have to do it, too,” I replied. “I’ll begin by accepting Owen’s invitation to the Christmas Ball at St. James Palace on the 11th of December.”

“
That should be a good beginning, but it’s not far away, Sophia. Can you pull it off that quickly? That Ball is almost mandatory for nobility, isn’t it? Perhaps he’s made other plans by now.”

“
I can do it. Absolutely. Owen has made it perfectly clear that he is
smitten
with me. I suspect a romantic night at the Christmas Ball would go a long way toward a proposal. He asked me to accompany him to the Ball some time ago. I’ve never responded, but I think it’s time I do.”

“
It seems a bit late to me, but if you think it will work then you must do it. You must call him right this minute. If this is your plan, and you’re absolutely certain that it’s what you want to do. You mustn’t waste any time.”

“Quite right,”
I answered. “Hand me the telephone, Edwina, I pronounced, in a determined voice.” I didn’t know Owen’s number, so I rang Drew, and was able to obtain it from him. Surely, he and Annie were perplexed as to why I would want the number of someone about whom I’d made rather disparaging remarks. However, Drew was quite nice enough not to ask. Then I placed the call to Owen. A manservant answered on the second ring. The line was static, as it was a long distance call from Bury St. Edmunds to
Winnsborough Hall
, but I managed to hear well enough.

“Winnsborough Hall
”.

“
May I speak with Lord Winnsborough?” I asked, in my most
aristocratic
voice.”

“
May I say who is calling, please?”

“Lady
Sophia Somerville.” I made a gagging motion to Edwina, and put my hand over my mouth to keep from giggling.

“One
moment, Miss,” the voice responded. I tapped my fingers nervously, on the top of an end table, while waiting for Owen to come to the telephone. The time for anxiety was over, and I knew what I had to do. Finally his voice came on the line.

“Lord Winnsborough, here,” he said.

“Owen. This is Sophia Somerville. I hope I didn’t disturb you.”

“Not at all,
Sophia. I am delighted to hear from you. Quite delighted.”

“How kind of you,” I
simpered. “I hope you’ll tell me that you’ll be delighted to escort me to the St. James Christmas Ball,” I said, in a coquettish voice. ”Have I waited too long to accept your invitation?”

“Why
Sophia! No, of course you haven’t. It would be an honor. I may have to do some rearranging of my schedule, but certainly, I would be proud to be your escort. I
am
rather surprised. I’d thought some other fortunate gentleman must have laid claim to you.... That I’d lost my chance.”

“Nothing of the sort,
Owen. I have just been so beastly busy, what with my close friend Edwina visiting from Paris. I’m afraid I have shamefully neglected you, and I’m so sorry. Now that the silliness of the Season is coming to an end, I’m of a mind to look to the future, and begin to lead a quieter life.”

“I see,” he replied. “I’
m glad to hear that.”

“Yes, perhaps we’ll be able to spend
more time together. I do so enjoy being with you.”

“And I you,
Sophia. You cannot know how happy your call has made me. By the way,
wherever are
you ringing me from? This connection is beastly.”

“I’
m at Edwina’s in Bury St. Edmunds. I was telling her of the many splendid times we’ve shared during the past few months, and then I suddenly remembered that I’d never given you an answer about the Christmas Ball.” Owen seemed thrilled to hear that Edwina and I had been discussing him in favorable terms.

“Shall we try to dine before the Christ
mas Ball? Perhaps take in the theatre?” he asked.

“Yes,
I’d like that very much.”

I’
m certain I’ll be able to procure tickets to ‘
The Late Christopher Bean’
at the St. James, Theater. Do you think you might enjoy that,” he asked.

“Absolutely, Owen. I’ve heard a great deal about it.”
The truth was that I had seen the play with Spence when it opened back in September.

“Have you a
ny plans for the coming Tuesday evening?”

“No, as
a matter of fact, I haven’t,” I replied.

Well, splendid.
I shall send my car for you at seven, and we shall dine after the theatre. I’ll be at my flat in London.

That sounds si
mply wonderful, Owen. I’m so glad I called.”

“Yes
Sophia. I am too. I’ll look forward to Tuesday.”

“Go
od night then, Owen,” I replied, as we rang off.

Edwina
was rolling on the bed in hysterics. It was a terribly serious, horrible situation, and what I had in mind was exceptionally Machiavellian. Yet neither of us could stop from seeing its humorous side. Perhaps we were simply trying very hard to make the best of dreadful circumstances. On the other hand, perhaps we were only young girls, who simply couldn’t imagine anything truly, truly
horrid
happening in our lives. It had been so long since I had laughed and it felt good. We giggled, snickered, chuckled, and tittered until our sides hurt. Later however, when alone I wept.