Intolerable Civility

Epilogue

— August —

The air was still and the sky was deep blue today. When she had woken in the morning, Cate had seen that it was going to be one of the last really warm days of summer. David was busy working, or she might have begged him to take her and Luke down to the beach to splash in the shallows, hunt for shells, and have a picnic. As it was, she settled for playing with Luke in the garden all morning. She was getting freckles on her nose, but it was hard to mind them very much when David said he loved them.

Luke was starting to run and climb now. By mid-afternoon, Cate was exhausted from running after him and it was starting to get very hot. She packed up their blanket and his toys and tried to persuade him to go indoors. She was successful only in setting off a tantrum, which only proved that he was more tired than his running about would suggest. She picked him up and carried him indoors and settled him down in bed. Barely a moment after she had got the screaming to stop, he was asleep, his little chest swelling in and out and his little thumb between his front teeth. She stayed to watch him for several moments, exhausted herself but very happy with the picture he made.

"You're a lot of work," she said. "Babies in general, I mean."

David had been suggesting lately that they hire a dedicated nursemaid for him. At first, Cate had been affronted by the idea of it. She had always been enough for Luke before. But then David had pointed out that it would not always be just Luke. He had spoken of the matter very casually, as a distant eventuality. All the same, it had startled Cate.

She went to her room, took her hat off, and examined herself cautiously in the mirror. There was no visible difference about her, unless you counted the freckles on her nose. All the same, she felt different. Bigger, even if she didn't look it yet. So tired lately, so prone to tears, even when nothing was wrong. And she had no appetite. She had had no appetite with Luke either.

It was probably time to tell David.

She went downstairs and knocked on the door of his study.

"Come in," he said.

He was with Benson, talking over a pile of charts and maps on his desk. When he saw her, his eyes crinkled in a smile.

"Cate, dear. Do you need me?"

"If you can spare a moment for an interruption." She hesitated. "It might be a long moment, Mr Benson."

"Our business is all but concluded. It was good news today, Mrs Demery." Benson reached over the table and picked up a lump of dark grey rock. "Take a look at this."

She took the rock in her hand. "Slate?"

"A sample from the preliminary mine shafts. We will be able to begin the actual mining operations sooner than we thought."

"That is very good news indeed."

Benson shook her hand. "Indeed it is. You will be rich. Good day, Mrs Demery. I will see you tomorrow, Demery."

He left the room. David looked after him, bemused. "That was almost rude," he said.

"I think he was being solicitous, actually." Cate put the lump of slate back on the desk. "He knows what my little interruptions mean."

"Mmm? What do they mean?" David got up from behind the desk and came around to the other side to lean against it and watch her. "Tell me, darling. Why did you interrupt me today?"

She bit back a smile. "There's something I want to talk to you about."

"Oh?" He frowned. "Will it wait? You've just reminded me of something I have for you."