Adelaide raised her eyes to meet those of the kind housekeeper, whose smile showed a surprising degree of understanding. “Yes. Exactly. But there was so much I didn’t know, and so much… well, I knew enough that continuing to go to bed with his lordship would increase the likelihood of such things—”

Mrs. Elsom cleared her throat gently, cutting her off. “Indeed, ma’am.”

They said nothing else for a moment, Adelaide clamping down on her lips hard to keep herself from rambling on the subject further.

“What do I do now, Mrs. Elsom?” Adelaide asked in a very small voice. “My mother never spoke of carrying children or the nature of such things; she found the subject indelicate.”

“Oh, my lady.” Mrs. Elsom reached over, placing a hand on Adelaide’s arm. “There is nothing to do at this point. Now we must wait until a little more time has passed and see if your courses resume or not. In a few months, barring that, you will feel the quickening. That is, the child beginning to move within you. That is when we might send for the doctor to have him ensure all is well. Of course, we could certainly send for him sooner, if you wish it. Dr. Royce is an excellent physician and very kind.”

Adelaide nodded slowly, her panic beginning to settle in the face of such calm logic, which was all she could have wished for.

“I cannot think I would need Dr. Royce’s services as yet,” Adelaide murmured, her fingers plucking at her sprigged skirts lightly. “Being unwell this morning was unpleasant, but it does not seem to be continuing. Should that change, I may require him.”

“I was dreadfully ill for weeks with my children, my lady,” Mrs. Elsom told her, returning her hand to her own lap. “If you should fall in that way, I will do my best to help you alleviate such unpleasantness.”

Adelaide shuddered with as much delicacy as possible. “Do most women fall so unwell when with child?”

Mrs. Elsom exhaled gently. “I find it varies, ma’am. My sister was barely able to leave her bed when she was with child. Yet my daughter has never felt better than when she was carrying a child. Other women feel weak, but not unwell. I have heard of others who swoon frequently for the first three months or so. This being your first child, my lady, there is no telling how your time will be.”

If there was any place for willpower in all of this, Adelaide would be as unaffected as possible. She would not spend her time lying about in her bed being fussy and unwell, she would not allow the inconvenience of carrying a child to alter her plans and schedule, and she would not indulge in any sort of feminine weakness simply because she would have an excuse.

No hint of distress or discomfort would be permitted.