‘No.’ She hugged her aunt joyfully. ‘No, he is alive. He has woken and spoken to me. Oh, Aunt, he is going to recover.’
‘Thank God!’ exclaimed Letty, and the group of servants filling the corridor behind her chorused ‘Amen to that.’
John, emerging from Robert's old room, elbowed his way to the front. ‘Mistress? What's afoot?’
‘The master has woken,’ Letty said, and suddenly burst into tears, flinging herself into his arms.
John shot Henrietta a startled glance, although he tightened his arms around the sobbing girl.
‘Take her away and comfort her, she is over-tired from helping me these past days.’ Henrietta smiled at her head groom. At least this would put a stop to Letty playing propriety with him.
‘I will sit with him now, my dear,’ her aunt began, propelling Henrietta towards her old room. ‘You must rest, he will need you tomorrow.’
‘Indeed I will not,’ Henrietta declared roundly. ‘I thank you, Aunt, but I shall sleep in our chamber with my husband. All of you, please go back to bed. I am sorry to have roused you, but I had to share my good news.’
Back in Matthew's chamber Henrietta slipped quietly out of her clothes and into her nightrobe, then climbed into bed alongside him. He was lying in the middle of the bed, but she curled up happily, one arm protectively around his waist.
*
She was woken by the bed dipping beside her and a muttered imprecation. Matthew was struggling to sit up.
‘Lie still, my love,’ she urged as she hopped out of bed and hastened around to help him. ‘There.’ She plumped the pillows behind his shoulders, biting her lip with sudden anxiety as he was racked by a rattling cough.
A tug on the bell-pull brought Letty at the run. She peeped round the door, her face breaking into a smile of pure pleasure at the sight of her master sitting up in bed.
‘Broth, Letty, and some good red wine,’ Henrietta ordered before turning back to look long and lovingly at the man who had been restored to her. ‘Matthew, how much do you remember of last night?’
‘I remember telling you I love you. And I do, Henrietta, with all my heart.’ His eyes, no longer bright with fever, were steady on her face.
So she hadn't dreamt it, nor had he spoken in delirium. ‘Why did you not tell me before?’ She sat on the end of the bed, pulling a blanket around her shoulders. ‘Matthew, I have been so unhappy.’
‘And so have I. We must speak of this, Henrietta. But come back to bed, love, you will catch a cold.’ He held out his hands to her, but she shook her head.
‘No, I need to see your face while we talk. Matthew, please tell me, why have you not told me how you felt before?’
‘I was going to tell you when I came back that day after you had fallen in the yard, but you were unwell and we had a guest in the house.’
‘But Ransome was not with us always. So many times I have felt we were about to reach each other but something always came between us again. All that time wasted on misunderstanding and unhappiness.’
‘I tried to tell you how I felt.’
‘I remember everything you have ever said to me,’ Henrietta replied steadily. ‘And you never spoke to me of love.’
‘I was angry with you,’ he said wryly. ‘I thought you despised me and my beliefs, enjoyed flouting my advice not to espouse the King's cause so openly. And I was angry with myself for falling in love with such a wilful woman.’
‘Oh, my love, if only we could have talked of it.’ Henrietta shook her head despairingly. ‘It took me a long time to realise, but I know now the King was wrong to continue to ferment division among his people. But Matthew, although I
love you, I cannot say I support Parliament and General Cromwell, because it would not be true and I cannot lie to you.’
‘Come here to me, my love.’ Matthew held out his arms and this time she came into them willingly. After a long moment he spoke again, his words muffled by her hair. ‘I have never sought to turn you against your conscience, Henrietta, but I judged you too harshly. How could you be expected to understand the politics of this troubled nation if all you have been brought up to know is one position? And to have lost your father and brothers as you did… I was too harsh.’ He broke off coughing.
Henrietta freed herself and lifted the cup of wine to his lips. ‘Hush, drink this. Do not tire yourself with talk, I understand.’ She brushed the damp tangle of hair from his forehead. ‘I love you so much, Matthew. While you have been away I have thought constantly about what you believe, of the dream you have for a secure future for our child.’ Unconsciously her hand rested over the child in her womb.
His face was transformed by his smile. ‘Then I did not dream the words as I fell asleep last night? You are with child?’
‘Yes. It is due in the late Spring.’
He lifted her hands and kissed them. ‘Henrietta – ’