Jane Feather - Velvet

"Can I watch?"

"Of course. That's why we came here," she said, taking his hand. "Shall we go and tell Primmy that Mr. Jeffrys is going?"

Miles watched them walk off hand in hand, Jake's bubbling voice continuing almost without pause for breath. "It's funny, but I'd never have thought of Gabby as a mother," he said. "She seems too exotic, somehow."

"Oh, that's nonsense," Georgie declared. "Gabby's wonderful with children. You should see her with my baby brothers and sisters. And little Ned dotes on her."

"Shall we go inside?" Nathaniel said abruptly, his countenance suddenly dark. He strode ahead of them into the house.

Simon and Miles exchanged a rueful look. "Did I say something wrong?" Georgie murmured, slipping her arm through her husband's.

"No," Simon reassured. "He's just a bit sensitive on the subject of children because of Helen."

"But that was seven years ago!"

"He'll get over it. Gabby'll make sure of that," Miles said with confidence as they entered the house.

Gabrielle came running down the stairs as they went into the library. "Oh, there you all are. Georgie, come and help me choose my wedding dress. Ellie's unpacking my things and I can't decide whether to wear flaming crimson, since I am a scarlet woman about to be made an honest one, or some niminy-piminy sprigged muslin."

"You don't have any sprigged muslin," Nathaniel said, pouring wine for his guests, his expression once more equable. "At least, not that I've seen."

"I suppose I could wear my britches, like I did when the Danish captain married us."

"What Danish captain?" Simon asked, fascinated.

"Oh, on a boat to Copenhagen. Nathaniel asked him to marry us and he did his best, poor fellow, but I don't think he knew what he was doing, so we decided we'd better do it again, properly. Just to be on the safe side. We don't want any little ones born on the wrong side of the blanket, do we?"

"Gabby!" Georgie exclaimed, for once shocked.

Gabrielle just laughed. She glanced at Nathaniel, expecting to see amusement on his face, and suffered a shock. His face had closed, his mouth tightened, his eyes flattened. He looked at his most intimidating.

"I don't find that amusing," he said in cutting accents.

"Why not?" Gabrielle perched on the arm of the sofa. "Maybe it wasn't a piece of scintillating wit, but it wasn't thatawful."

"It was tasteless and unfunny. Do you want a glass of wine?"

"Not if you're going to be such a stuffy scold." She stood up. "Come to my room, Georgie, and help me go through my wardrobe."

Georgie left the men in the library with a degree of relief. Nathaniel was looking thunderous and the other two embarrassed.

"I haven't seen Nathaniel look so ominous in ages," she said in the privacy of Gabrielle's apartments.

"He doesn't like talking about children," Gabrielle said. "He feels that Helen's death was caused by his own thoughtlessness. I suspect he's not going to want any more."

"Oh." Georgie frowned. "But what about you? Do you want children?"

"Yes," Gabrielle said. "I want lots of them."

"What will you do?"

"I'm hoping that once he gets used to being married again, he'll stop worrying about it and it'll just happen naturally."

"But what if it doesn't?"

Gabrielle shrugged. "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it." She flung open the wardrobe, where Ellie had hung her gowns. "Now, what's it to be? I suppose I really can't wear black, not to my own wedding."

"No, of course you can't," Georgie said indignantly. "Not even you could do something that outrageous." She riffled through the dresses. "What about this?"

Gabrielle put her head on one side, frowning at the gown of lilac crepe. "No, I don't think so. There's an ivory silk in there with black velvet ribbon knots on the sleeves…… Oh, it's you, Nathaniel." She turned at the sound of the door opening. "Do you think I can wear a dress with black velvet ribbon?"

"I wouldn't presume to have an opinion when it comes to your wardrobe," he said, his tone constrained, his eyes still frowning. "I wanted to consult you about Jefffys, but I see you're busy."

"I'm just going," Georgie said hastily. "I have to decide what I'mgoing to wear to this wedding."

"I believe Mrs. Bailey has had your luggage taken to the red suite," Nathaniel said with some of the stiffness of the old days, holding the door for her.

"Thank you." Georgie whisked herself into the corridor, wondering again just what it was her cousin saw in Nathaniel Praed. Sometimes he could be quite approachable, but usually he was downright intimidating.

In her bedroom Gabrielle regarded Nathaniel quizzically. "Why do I have the feeling you're about to be unpleasant?"

"What possessed you to make such a vulgar and indiscreet remark?" he demanded, striding to the window. "It embarrassed everybody."

"No, youembarrassed everybody," she corrected, "by scolding me like that."

Nathaniel said nothing for a minute as he stared out the open window. A flock of swifts were diving and circling through a cloud of midges hovering over the river, and the evening air was hot and heavy.

He didn't want to have this discussion, but he knew it had to come out in the open, for Gabrielle's sake. He hadn't realized until then how strongly he felt. "Gabrielle, I don't want any more children," he said finally.

Gabrielle sat on the bed. "I think you mean that you don't want me to become pregnant."

"It's the same thing." He turned to face her, his eyes troubled but his face set.

She shook her head. "No, it's not at all the same thing. And I'm telling you now that I am not Helen. I'm strong as a horse, as you well know, and!-"

"I don't want to discuss this further, Gabrielle," he interrupted. "I am not prepared to father any more children. I'm sorry."