“Wherein a surprise and a return to England.”

If Crecy had hoped that the events of that night would mark a turning point, she was sorely disappointed. On the one hand, Gabriel was changed. When they were together, he was more attentive and loving than he had ever been, more demonstrably affectionate than ever before, as though he had given up fighting his feelings and accepted them. Though he refused to divert from the blasted doctor’s instructions - much to Crecy’s frustration - their lovemaking was a joy and a time where she knew they were both as happy as two people had any right to be.

Outside of this, however, there were times when she could feel him withdrawing into himself. With increasingly frequency, he seemed to be lost in the dark, so full of sorrow and despair that she found it hard to reach him. He spent long periods of time alone in his study, writing letters and dealing with things he would not tell her about. There was an almost feverish quality to his work, whatever it was, and he was forever jotting notes down in a small leather bound book which he kept in his coat pocket. Try as she might, Crecy couldn’t get him to explain what the book was for, and the one time she dared to try and take a peek, his anger had been quite something to behold. On top of this, his compulsion to arrange and tidy and straighten was no better, and he would struggle to keep his temper if Crecy tried to persuade him to leave things be.

This morning, she sighed as she stretched in bed, wondering if she dared to ask him again what he was going to such lengths to arrange, as surely he had something in mind? She suspected it was preparations for the baby, but he had done so much already that she couldn’t fathom what else could possibly be required. At this rate, it would be the most indulged child in the history of England. Crecy smiled at the idea, stroking her hand over her belly and feeling the twitch of a tiny foot pushing against her skin. Turning over on her other side, she reached for Gabriel and looked up, blinking in the morning light as she discovered he wasn’t there.

Gabriel slept very little, but he was always beside her when she woke. Flinging the covers back, Crecy got out of bed with a groan, rubbing the small of her back and fetching her wrap, neatly folded and put away, of course.

The day was already warm, but at least not the sticky, sultry heat of the past week, which had made her feel so uncomfortable. Padding on bare feet, she headed back to her own room to discover Beth crouched beside a large chest and surrounded by more open chests as she packed Crecy’s belongings. Crecy stared for a moment, a strange and unsettled feeling of foreboding stealing over her.

“What on earth is going on?” she demanded of Beth. The girl looked up, blowing a dark lock of hair from her face, which was already rosy and shining with perspiration. Judging from the scene around her, she must have begun at dawn.

“Why, miss, you’re goin’ back to England?” Beth sat back on her heels looking up at her with a frown. “Didn’t ‘e say nought to you?”

“No,” Crecy replied, feeling suddenly cold and frightened despite the warmth of the day. She turned around, needing to see Gabriel, to discover what on earth was going on. Hurrying down the stairs as fast as her now generous proportions would allow, she looked up as Gabriel appeared in the hallway.

“Slow down,” he ordered, looking furious with her. “How many times do I have to tell you to be careful on the stairs?”

“Gabriel!” she exclaimed, ignoring his words completely and throwing herself into his arms. “Tell me you’re not sending me back,” she said, fear a bitter taste in her mouth as she wondered if his father had won after all. She realised she was trembling, tears pricking at her eyes as she grabbed at his lapels and held on tight. “Please, Gabriel?”

She stared at him, seeing sorrow in his eyes even as he smiled and shook his head.

“Don’t be foolish. Of course I’m not sending you back, you ridiculous creature.” He gestured for her to follow him into the library and away from prying eyes, where he pulled her into his arms. “Crecy, you’re trembling,” he exclaimed, holding her tight and rubbing his hands up and down her back. “Come now, stop this nonsense. You’ll upset the baby.”

Crecy gave a hiccoughing laugh, looking up at him and not feeling as reassured as she perhaps ought by his words.

“W-why are they packing my things, then, and not yours?”

Gabriel smiled at her, one big hand cupping her face. “Because I didn’t want you to be disturbed. John will do mine now you’re up. We’ve a long journey ahead and I don’t want you to get tired.”

“But where are we going?” she demanded, feeling more perplexed than ever. “I thought I was to have the baby here?”

A look of guilt crossed his face and he didn’t meet her eyes. “I know. But I am going to put things right, Crecy. I’m going to do what I should have done months ago.”

Crecy stared at him, bewildered and anxious, as he too looked like he was scared to death.

“I don’t understand,” she whispered, turning her face into his hand and covering it with her own. Why did she feel so frightened?

“Well,” he said, his voice suddenly taking on the rather gruff tone that always meant he was anxious. “Assuming … assuming that you’ll have me, I’m going to marry you.”

Crecy blinked as the words seemed to float around her, but her brain didn’t seem to be able to catch up. The hand that was still clutching his now ruined lapel held on tighter as she felt suddenly a little dizzy.

“W-what?” she stammered, needing to be certain she really had heard him correctly. “What did you say?”

Gabriel frowned, his blue eyes troubled now. “Dammit, Crecy, you heard me,” he growled, looking so tense she thought he might bolt from the room at any moment. “Will you marry me or not?”

She gave a startled laugh and threw her arms about his neck, getting as close as her stomach would allow her, and pulled his head down for a kiss.

“Yes,” she said against his mouth, smiling as she kissed him. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, a thousand times yes, Gabriel.”

He snorted, but looked rather pleased all the same. “Well,” he said, leaning down a little so she didn’t have to strain to reach his lips. “That’s all right, then.”

Crecy sighed with relief, leaning her head on his chest. “But why England?” she said, looking up at him again. “We could marry here.”

Gabriel shook his head. “I want to marry you at Damerel, and …” He let out a breath, looking a little shifty.

She stared at him, narrowing her eyes. “Gabriel, what have you done?” she asked, wondering what he was hiding.

He scratched his head, not looking at her. “I … may have bribed the reverend there into putting a false date in the register.”

Crecy’s mouth dropped open in shock. “You never did!” she exclaimed, gasping at his audacity. “How ever did you manage it?”

He snorted, looking relieved that she wasn’t cross with him. “I think the fellow believes he’s made a deal with the devil, but … well, the village church will have a new roof before Christmas, put it that way, and no one will be able to say anything to you, Crecy,” he added, his voice growing stern all at once. He stroked her face, staring at her with such a look that she felt utterly cherished, and for some reason still very afraid. “The register will show that I married you before we left England. You can hold your head up and our child will be legitimate.”

She blinked, wondering what it was that felt so wrong when he was trying so hard to do everything right.

He frowned at her, perhaps sensing her unease.

“Does this not please you?” he asked, the anxiety returning to his eyes.

“Yes,” she said, trying to smile as tears fell down her cheeks. “Yes, you’ve made me very, very happy, my love.” Swallowing, she clutched at his arms, staring into his eyes. “But I feel like you’re hiding something from me.”

Gabriel’s gaze slid from hers and he let her go.

“Don’t be foolish,” he said, his voice harder now. “It’s just you being overemotional. You know how you’ve been at times with this child.” He looked around then, a rather fond look in his eyes. “You’ve become a regular watering pot.”

“I have not,” Crecy objected, despite the fact she was wiping her face dry with the sleeve of her wrap.

He snorted, clearly disagreeing with her on that point.

“Go and get dressed, love,” he said, sounding softer all at once. “I don’t want you rushing about. We’ll take our time getting back so you don’t need to spend so long in the carriage, but I would like to leave by mid-morning.”

“Very well,” she said, smiling at the very rare use of an endearment for her, despite the sense of unease that wouldn’t leave. She walked to the door and then hesitated, turning back to him. “You’re really not hiding anything from me?”

“Of course not,” he said, though he didn’t meet her eyes, and she knew he was lying. “Now run along and get dressed. You know how cross I get when people don’t follow the plan.”

She smiled, aware that he was making a joke at his own expense, but quite unable to shake the feeling that she was missing something.