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She took a deep breath, and her eyes fell closed. "I suppose I can rest a little."

Sutton did not let go of her hand. He counted her breaths.

One in, one out.

Two in, two out...

The knock came a few minutes later.

Dr. Grisham appeared at the door. He came in with his leather instrument case and laid it out on the chair beside the bed.

"If you would be so kind as to wait in the corridor, my lord," he said kindly.

"I shall do no such thing," Sutton said with a tone that brooked no argument. "Please, proceed to examine my wife."

The poor doctor let out a long-suffering sigh but relented.

Sutton retreated to the foot of the bed and stood with his arms crossed while the doctor examined her, asking questions in a low voice.

"When did your last courses come, my lady?" he asked after a while.

Temperance lowered her eyes. "About six weeks ago."

The doctor's eyebrows rose.

He turned to Sutton. "Then the answer may be quite simple, my lord. It is early to tell, but by every estimation, her ladyship may be with child."

Sutton's entire being burned with a new, odd feeling.

Happiness?

A bright, dizzy hope for the future.

For one moment, he let himself feel nothing else.

"Do not be surprised if she feels the quickening in three months or so. However, it is equally possible that the heat of the house and the crowded rooms overwhelmed her. We shall know for certain in time."

A child.

There was a strong chance Temperance was carrying his child.

Then a darker thought crept in.

If Everly was the one attempting to kill Sutton for his title, it meant Temperance was now in more danger than she had been before.

He needed to protect her.

And he could not do it here.

"I should have told you about my courses, but I was not certain," Temperance started the moment the door closed behind the doctor. The words tumbled out, fast and breathless. "As the doctor said, there is no way to know for certain this early, and I thought one ought to wait a month or more before calling for a doctor, and..."

Sutton sat on the edge of the bed and took both her hands in his, silencing her.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

Temperance let out a shaky breath. "Embarrassed, mostly. I made another scene after your mother worked so hard to repair my reputation."

"You must stop thinking of others, Tempe. You nearly collapsed. You were unwell."