Ch 58

Ch 58
Eden was standing on a high stool in front of the counter of Messrs Wildegrave and Harris, drapers in Worcester, choosing cotton towels. 

She noted the sum of ten shillings and eight pence on her list.

“I think this poplin would be perfect for wall hangings, Lady Hadleigh," the seller remarked, unrolling a large coupon in front of her.

“Yes, I…”

Someone gave a muffled exclamation behind him and Eden glanced over her shoulder. 

A very elegant lady in her forties was accompanied by a very pretty blonde girl.

Both looked at her in amazement.

“Lady Hadleigh?" repeated the lady incredulously.

“Yes?," replied Eden.

Although the omega was not yet fully conversant with the etiquette of the high world, this abrupt question from a complete stranger hardly seemed polite.

“Ivan Boyle’s widower? I didn't know that…”

“No, Ian Boyle’s wife.”

The young lady, an omega who understood Eden, gasped.

“Ian is married?”

“Yes, he is.”

Eden was beginning to feel as embarrassed as she was irritated. 

Everyone's eyes were on her, and the salesman was speechless.

“The news had been published in the papers," continued Eden.

“We've just come back from my aunt, who was ill," explained the young girl. “She won't take any newspapers home.”

“Frederica... With a gesture, her mother silenced her.”

“The engagement was very short, wasn't it?” said her mother disdainfully.

Eden slid off the stool she'd been perched on, deciding that this overhanging position was not appropriate for the present situation. 

As she did so, her shirt stretched a little over her belly, which attracted the gaze of both mother and daughter.

“Madame, I don't know who you are, but…”

At that precise moment, Iris appeared as if by magic, a piece of wool in her hands.

“Dear Lady Hadleigh," said Iris, with a little forced enthusiasm, "take a look at these lovely baby shawls. I think we should buy one for each of us.

She paused, as if just discovering the presence of the two strangers in front of the counter.

“Lady Framlingham, Lady Frederica... Then, with a radiant, worldly smile: I see you've already made the acquaintance of my friend Lady Hadleigh... Eden, dear, have you been introduced to the Countess of Framlingham and her daughter?”

“No.i have not” Eden held out her gloved hand.

It was strange: the Countess seemed furious even before she realized that Eden was expecting a child.

It was Ian’s marriage that was troubling her. Lady Framlingham looked down at her, chin up, and barely brushed her fingertips.

“You... have known Lord Hadleigh for some time, I take it?" she asked in a pinched tone.

Eden pretended not to notice the way she had pressed the verb "to know".

“Since February," replied Iris.

Iris could hardly, in her condition, admit the truth and agree that only two weeks ago, she'd been completely unaware of her existence.

“I see... I congratulate you," dropped the Countess.

Ede looked at the slender, elegant girl standing next to her mother. 

Suddenly, the omega felt wobbly, charmless and ashamed of her growing belly.

“Come, Frederica…”

Without a word of greeting, Lady Framlingham left the shop, her daughter hot on her heels. 

The latter turned to look one last time at her happy rival, with wide, astonished eyes.

“Iris?" asked Eden, "what on earth...?”

“Let's finish our shopping first, shall we?" replied her friend, a smile still stubbornly glued to her side. Then it's time for lunch.

It wasn't until they were settled in a private room at the Royal Oak, when the maid had closed the door behind her, that Iris abandoned her polite smile and spoke up.

“Ian was invited to spend a few days with the Framlinghams, " she explained. But he had to decline, because Ivan died.

“Is that why Lady Framlingham looks at me with such disapproval? Surely she couldn't have imagined that Ian would accept her invitation when he was mourning his brother's death?”

“No, of course not. But the Countess did hope that Ian would take advantage of this short stay to ask for her daughter's hand in marriage. There were a lot of rumors about him and Freddie. What we all didn't know, of course, was that in the meantime, he and you..”

Eden felt as if her heart had stopped beating.

“Was Ian in a relationship with her?”

"He'd told him there was no one. He told him..." Eden’s heartbeat quickened.

“No, I'm sure he didn't. But it was becoming clear that Ian wanted to settle down in life, make choices. He went to balls, we often saw him at the Almack, and he was on very good terms with Freddie. I must admit, we believed it all. But the proof is that we were wrong, and that it was all just friendship.”

“But the pretty blonde girl looked surprised and disappointed. Was this the reaction of someone who learns that a friend has unexpectedly married?”

“Ian isn't the kind of alpha who would court two omegas at the same time," Iris remarked calmly. 

He has far too much sense of honor for that.

Eden nodded, her eyes unfocused.

“A particularly strong sense of honor, you're right.” Eden finally replied.

Why had Ian acted the way he had? Because there was absolutely nothing between him and Lady Frederica? Or because the honor of the family demanded, whatever the consequences, that Ivan’s fault be repaired? He could have married Lady Frederica, that beautiful, aristocratic young lady, a virgin, to be sure. But he'd been forced to marry her, the poor clergyman's son who'd had a lover. 

Eden put his hand on her belly. Soon, his sin would be visible for all to see.

“Do you mind if we go home a little early?” Eden asked his friend. I'm feeling tired.”

“Of course you are! I'm tired too.”

It was obviously a polite lie. Iris seemed completely untroubled by the morning's shopping. 

Eden tried to resume a cheerful conversation. Just because his emotions were running high

didn't mean he had to spoil her friend's day.