; Phillip found his wife already sitting down to breakfast when he came downstairs the morning after their visit to the theater. He felt muzzy-headed and sluggish, though he had slept later than usual after a satisfactory bout of lovemaking. "Good morning, my dear," he said, breathing in the scent of crisp bacon and coddled eggs. They were alone in the dining room, so he bent to press a kiss to her bare neck and said quietly, "I was greatly disappointed to find my bed bereft of you. Why so early to rise?"
"I woke early and did not wish to disturb you," she replied. But the dark circles under her eyes told a different story.
"I must have slept like a stone not to hear you get up," he commented, filling his plate, wondering why her expression seemed so guarded. "I cannot recall even moving after resting my head on the pillow; indeed, I believe I woke in the exact same position in which I lay down. That is quite unusual for me. It must be your fault. " He said it lightly, with a teasing smile, but Victoria did not seem to find it amusing.
She took a sip of tea and appeared to have difficulty swallowing a small bite of toast. Phillip shook his head; he still felt cloudy-minded. Perhaps his little joke hadn't been as funny as he'd thought.
"Are you cold?" he asked, trying another tack. "I'm rather warm, but you are wearing a pelisse. "
"Yes, I am a bit chilled," Victoria replied. But her cheeks were pink, and if he was not mistaken, there was the slightest sheen on her forehead.
"Are you not feeling well?" he asked.
"No, in fact, I am not feeling quite the thing. "
A thought struck him, a wonderful thought. But it was too early… it had been only two weeks. But he spoke anyway. "Perhaps… is it possible you might be carrying my heir? I know it has been only a few weeks…"
Victoria looked up from her breakfast at him, her face pale and her dark green-flecked eyes wide, shocked. "N-no… I think it is too soon, Phillip. "
He smiled. "Then we shall have to work harder at it. "
"I am not feeling well," Victoria said, standing abruptly. "I believe I shall lie down for a bit. Are you off to your club today?"
"I have some business to attend to… but if you are not feeling well, Victoria, I will stay nearby. "
"No. No, Phillip, I will be fine. I just need some rest. I did not sleep as well as you did last night. "
He watched her hurry from the room, and noticed something very odd: When she brushed through the doorway, she bumped her left arm on the edge. The way she grabbed at it and gasped told him it was more than a minor pain due to clumsiness. Something else was wrong.
Dear heavens! A baby! Phillip wanted a baby!
Victoria collapsed on the bed in her private chamber, forgetting and falling on her left side and then rolling over when pain burned down her arm.
She couldn't have a baby. She couldn't keep drugging her husband every night she had to sneak out and patrol… She couldn't keep "forgetting" items and sending him back for them. She couldn't continue to make up ridiculous stories about bleeding noses to explain blood on her skirt. She couldn't keep taking out her vis bulla every time they made love.
How was she going to do this?
She could tell him the truth… but if she did that, he would simply follow her. Put himself in danger again.
Or worse… he would think she was mad.
The door opened and Victoria bolted upright, but it wasn't Phillip.
"Now, my lady, what ever is the matter?" It was Verbena. Her orange hair tufting with every movement, she sailed over to the bed and sat next to her mistress. "Is it your arm paining you again?"
"No, since you cleaned it up last night it has hardly hurt me at all, except when I bumped against the door. It's the marquess. "
Verbena nodded. "Aye, yes, I see that. I see that you must take your vis bulla out at night. He don't understand, and ye can't tell him. What did ye do to him to make him sleep so well? Franks said as how he could barely stir him this mornin'. "
Victoria shook her head. It was her knowledge to bear and no one else's. "It is better if I do not speak of it. But the marquess wants an heir. "
"Of course he does. But you cannot be fighting vampires if you are carrying a babe! You will have to make certain this does not happen. "
"I cannot deny him!"
"Why would you want to do that? There are other ways to prevent a baby from coming, my lady. Your aunt will know how Venators prevent babies. " Verbena nodded her head sagely. "And I know some tricks myself, my lady. If your aunt cannot help you, I will. "