“She’s wonderful,” Hester said simply.
“You know what they’ve agreed?”
Hester blushed a deep red.
“I won’t have you bullied,” he said shortly. “I would be happy… that is to say, I will propose to you, if you wish it. But I want you to know that if you don’t want it, I won’t even say. And I shall tell my mother that I decided against speaking. You don’t have to refuse me. I know your mother is very… That is to say… they’ve cooked this up together… But you are not to be forced. I mean it. I won’t say a word, unless you tell me to.”
She turned a smiling face towards him. “Am I to propose to you?”
“No! No!” he said. Her laughter was infectious. “No, that’s not what I meant. I don’t want you to be forced.”
“I’m not,” she said shyly. “Mama would not force me, and anyway Papa thinks I’m too young.”
“He’s probably right…”
“We could have a long engagement.”
“We could, if you would like that?”
“I would,” she nodded, her eyes on her hands in her lap.
“You would like me to propose, you would like to be my wife? It’s not just them?”
Her color rose again, and she snatched a quick look at his warm face. “Please,” she said, like a little girl.
The door opened and Livia and Julia came in; the footman followed behind with the tea tray. Hester gave a tiny exclamation of impatience, and Matthew laughed.
“You seem very merry?” Livia asked charmingly.
The footman arranged the tray, bowed, and went out.
“Are you agreed?” Julia asked.
“Did you propose?” Livia addressed her son.
“I did propose, and I have been honored with an acceptance,”Matthew said, smiling at Hester and taking her hand. “We want to be married in two years’ time. When I am twenty.”
“Very good!” Livia clapped her hands together and crossed the room to kiss Hester on both cheeks. Julia followed her; but just as they were congratulating the young couple, the door opened and Rob came in.
“Here you are, just in time to wish them happiness!” Julia cried. “Papa said you would come.”
Rob looked from one smiling face to another and then he turned to Livia. He could see nothing in her luminous face but happiness for her son.
“I hope you give your blessing, Dr. Reekie?” Livia confirmed.
“Yes. Of course,” Rob said quietly, then he crossed the room, shook Matthew’s hand, and kissed Hester. “I wish you may both be very happy.”
BRIDEWELL, CLERKENWELL, LONDON, SUMMER 1688
The grand front door of the workhouse stood open for the doctor to leave, and the matron exclaimed irritably at a young woman, collapsed on the broad stone steps. “You can’t wait here,” she said sharply. “Go round the back.”
“Please, ma’am… I’m very near my time.”
“They all say that! Come back when you have your pains. I’m not feeding you before then.”
Rob Reekie joined the matron on the doorstep, watched the girl limp off into the darkness, heard the noise of running feet and shouting from the rioters. “You’re very strict, Mrs. Fadden. The streets aren’t safe these days.”
She shrugged, indifferent. “Thank you for coming, sir. There was no need for you to trouble yourself…”