her cry out. “You say one word of this to my children and I’ll see that you disappear. Nat mentioned some unpleasantness recently, what was the name…Lombard, was it?” Silvana’s eyes glinted. “Yes. I can see that he will come in handy.”
“Why would you do this?” Nicola whispered, horrified. Surely the woman wouldn’t go to Lombard. No, she couldn’t possibly...
“Because I always get what I want.”
“You won’t, not this time.”
Silvana’s eyes narrowed to flints of steel. “I see that you will be a problem.” She gave Nicola a loathing glare. “I’ll have to deal with you.”
Shaking, holding her burning arm, Nicola watched her mother-in-law swish from the room. Her hand slipped over her stomach as if to protect the baby inside. For the first time in her life, she didn’t know what to do.
* * *
The tinkling of crystal and the low murmur of conversation filled the elaborate dining room. Nicola sipped her red wine, her headache pounding. She carefully watched and listened to her mother-in-law across the table. As the weeks dragged by, Nicola kept her troubling thoughts about Silvana to herself, not wanting to upset Nathaniel or Frances. However, the pressure of staying clear of her mother-in-law and pretending to be happy when she wasn’t was taking its toll on her.
This dinner party given by a business associate of Nathaniel’s was a lavish affair, the guests being wealthy people of Sydney. Usually she would have enjoyed such a night, but Silvana’s presence meant she had to be on her guard, never allowing herself to be alone with the spiteful woman. Thankfully, Silvana had spent the beginning of the evening attached to Nathaniel and praising him to all within earshot.
A young man, with bright blond hair sat on Nicola’s left and he turned to her with a crooked smile. “Mrs West, you are not eating.”
She looked down at her plate, the delicious meal of roast pigeon, half consumed. “I don’t have much of an appetite tonight.” Forcing a smile, she racked her mind for this man’s name, but couldn’t remember it, and her headache grew worse. The room grew stuffy. If only someone would open a window, even for just a minute, to let in the cool winter air.
“Perhaps something else might suit you?”
“Lord, no. I’ll not put the staff to any trouble. I doubt I could eat anything at all, actually. My head—”
“What an ungrateful person you are, daughter,” Silvana whispered from across the table. “The food is simply divine.”
Nicola’s hand clenched on the snowy white tablecloth. She blushed with embarrassment as the people closest turned in her direction. She also hated it when Silvana called her daughter. “I am not ungrateful at all, Silvana. I’m simply not feeling my best tonight that is all.”
“Then we’ll send you home so you can rest.” Silvana’s expression appeared caring, but Nicola saw the hardness in her eyes. “Our hosts have many entertainments to amuse us for hours yet. I’m sure seeing your long face will only ruin the night for everyone.”
The young man beside Nicola tilted his head. “That is hardly true, Madam. My parents wouldn’t consider an unwell guest as being rude.” He turned to Nicola. “Would you like to go upstairs to one of our rooms and lie down for a while?”
“That would be lovely…Mr Channing.” She sighed in relief at finally recalling his name. He was the son of Nathaniel’s friend and their hosts. “However, I shall go home I think.”
“Of course.” He signalled to a footman behind them and the man quickly bent over. “Mrs West isn’t feeling well. Alert Mr West that she wishes to go home and collect her wrap.”
The footman nodded and walked to the end of the table where Nathaniel sat talking to their hostess. Nicola missed Nathaniel’s reaction to the message as Silvana was talking again.
“All this fuss over such nonsense,” she twittered brightly to the older gentleman on her right. “I declare a trifling headache is hardly worth all this effort.”
“You have suffered no effort on my behalf, Madam.” Nicola grounded out, standing. Mr Channing stood also just as Nathaniel appeared beside her.
“Darling, you are unwell?” He peered anxiously at her as if to see some injury.
“A headache, my love,” she whispered, blushing deeper at the attention she now had of the entire table. “I just need to go home and rest.”
Their hosts came alongside of Nicola, full of concern, but she urged them back to the table and their guests, before thanking Mr Channing for his assistance.
Silvana rose dramatically.