by now.” His cheer faded the moment he walked into the bookshop and saw who was standing there. “Lady Plimpton, what are you doing here?”
She tried to sound casual, but he heard the motherly concern in her voice. “How is Miss Billings? I heard she was badly injured. I had to come… I… How is she?”
“On the mend,” he said, not wishing to further overset her. “She’ll recover fully.”
Lady Plimpton struggled to hold back tears as she nodded. “May I see her?”
“Yes, if you wish. Are you going to tell her?”
She paled. “Tell her what?”
Angus led her to the table near the fireplace, hoping their voices would not carry into Felicity’s bedchamber. He doubted she could hear them, but he lowered his voice to a whisper to be sure. “She has your birthmark.”
He’d seen the same mark on Lady Plimpton’s back when treating her for a bronchial infection last year.
“Oh, dear heaven.” She sank into a chair and covered her face with her hands. “Have you told her?”
“No. That’s for you to do.”
She shook her head vehemently. “I cannot. I won’t ever.” Her eyes filled with tears. “You don’t understand, I have a family. A husband I love dearly. Married daughters. Position in Society. Felicity was…a mistake. But look at her. She’s wonderful, isn’t she? I’ve quietly been helping her out as best as I can with the assistance of Lavinia and her nephew.”
Angus arched an eyebrow in surprise. “The Earl of Welles knows?”
She nodded. “I think his wife knows as well. They haven’t specifically said so, but I can feel it. Not in any disdainful way. Dear, sweet Poppy could never…but she’s been tossing me these warm, supportive looks lately. She knows. They’ll keep the secret. You must keep it as well. I cannot lose my husband over this. He is my life. My joy. This secret will destroy him and our marriage.”
“What about Felicity?”
“I’m here, aren’t I? I will always be here for her.” She dabbed at her tears with her lace handkerchief. “But heaven forgive me, not as her mother.” She kept her head down, too ashamed to look him in the eyes. “Please, Dr. Carmichael. Keep my secret. You don’t have my permission to share it with her.”
She rose. “I shouldn’t have come.”
He stayed her hand. “No, don’t go. Sit with your daughter. She could use the female company.”
“Thank you.” She hurried into Felicity’s bedchamber. “Miss Billings, how are you feeling?”
Angus stepped outside into the cold, his gut roiling and his heart filled with ache. Felicity deserved better than all of them. How easy it was for them to come up with one excuse or another to hide the truth from her. He was perhaps the worst offender, although his family was truly vile. Straight out of a grand Shakespearean tragedy. Hubris, betrayal, lies, thievery, cruelty, jealousy, and a murder or two. Still, he should have told her, allowed her to decide for herself whether she wished to marry him and attach herself to his disgraced family.
His disgraced and disgraceful family.
Although the sun was now out and the day had warmed, there was still a cold bite to the air. Lady Plimpton’s coach was standing in front of the shop, the bundled coachman taking a nip from a flask to keep himself warm.
Angus waited several minutes before returning inside. He decided to put the kettle on for tea. He busied himself in the kitchen, out of the way of the ladies, but close enough to respond if Felicity needed assistance. It wasn’t necessary. Lady Plimpton emerged a few moments later and cast him a mirthless smile. “Please send word to me if Felicity requires anything. I think Lord Plimpton and I shall spend this Christmas with our daughter in London. She has invited us. We were going to decline, but I think it is best we leave first thing in the morning. You do understand, don’t you? I’ll send Lord and Lady Welles my apologies about the sudden change in plans.”
No, he didn’t approve of her decision. But who was he to pass judgment?
He returned to Felicity’s side. She looked so happy, he almost couldn’t bear it. “Angus, can you believe it? Isn’t Lady Plimpton the kindest woman you’ve ever met? First the Cummings family and now her. I’m quite taken aback by their generosity.” She laughed softly. “Do you think Lord Welles will send over a Christmas goose?”
Angus curled his hands into fists to compose himself, but he managed a nod and a halfhearted smile.