Chapter 50
“No.”
She clutched her belly tightly, making a completely unreasonable denial.
“It’s my husband’s child. We did it one last time before he died.”
Now Julia could be certain. The one with the barren body had been her husband. His seed had been weak, unable to burrow into Julia’s womb.
When Duke Drexton’s vigorous seed was sown into soil that had never once sprouted, she conceived a child almost immediately.
But she couldn’t rejoice. She mustn’t rejoice. This child was illegitimate. It would become an obstacle to Duke Drexton. Julia never wanted to be a burden to him. Not as the sister-figure he had once known long ago, nor as his private tutor.
“What are you talking about. It is Duke Drexton’s child.”
“I’m telling you it’s my husband’s.”
Julia was resolute.
Her husband had died, and she had immediately become Duke Drexton’s private tutor. The claim that she had slept with her husband before his death wasn’t true, but if she insisted on it, there was enough overlap in timing to argue that it was her husband’s child.
“And this child cannot be Duke Drexton’s.”
“Why not?”
“He has to get married.”
Cecile snorted as if she found it absurd.
“Even so, you should at least demand child support. Whose child do you think it is?”
“I told you it’s not his.”
Julia hugged her belly tightly and murmured.
“Cecile, you know too. Why most private tutors for first-night instruction are widows.”
Because of the problem of illegitimate children.
Since Cecile knew that well, she didn’t argue with Julia any further. But it was obvious she had something she wanted to say.
Cecile fanned her face several times, making sounds like ‘haaaah,’ as if she were going to suffocate from frustration.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
“I really want to say it so badly. But I can’t because I’m not supposed to!”
Leaving behind words that only stirred curiosity, Cecile stormed out with heavy footsteps unbefitting a lady.
Only after Cecile left did Julia become caught in a whirlwind of complicated emotions.
She was carrying Edgar’s child.
She felt happy, and she felt sorrowful. In the end, a thread of fate had remained. In the form of a child she couldn’t turn away from.
The house didn’t need to be big. A small but sturdy and warm house would be enough.
Julia kept rubbing her belly as she thought. She imagined the child being born in a warm red brick house, calling her Mother, and learning to walk.
In the future she envisioned, Duke Drexton wasn’t there.
Having steeled her resolve to step out of his life, she didn’t know that Duke Drexton had desperately wished for her to conceive while pouring his seed deep inside her.
* * *
A few days later.
Once the cause of her malaise was revealed, Julia, who had been withered, regained the light in her eyes. She was the sort of person who grew strong when it came to fulfilling her responsibilities.
She was told that she should do some light exercise.
Julia walked around Cecile’s house a bit. When she had stayed here a month ago, she had wandered around freely like this as well, so it felt natural.
Sitting still all the time wasn’t good for the baby. She needed to give it positive stimulation. What would be good?
Should she talk with Cecile? Or perhaps do some embroidery.
Doing embroidery together with Cecile would be nice. Moving her hands in a steady rhythm would calm her mind.
Julia picked up an embroidery hoop, thread, and a pencil, and headed toward Cecile’s room. Just as she was about to knock to call her friend.
“Cecile, I know you’re angry. But calm down a bit.”
She heard Cecile’s husband trying to soothe her.
Julia’s hand froze. Cecile was angry? Why? What was there to be angry about? The sound of indoor slippers pacing lightly came across the carpet.
“I’m so frustrated I could die. I should have stopped Julia. Why did I even send her there. Who just says ‘yes’ and sends her off like that?”
At the sudden mention of her name, Julia froze for a moment. What was Cecile talking about now?
“Ha… Honey, Julia is pregnant. It’s that man’s child.”
“That far… well done.”
Well done?
“Yes, because I was the one who told him to get her pregnant!”
Cecile stomped her foot in anger. Julia clapped a hand over her mouth at Cecile’s bomb-like declaration. Regardless, Cecile’s venting continued.
“And he threw her away without even knowing she was pregnant. Is he joking with me?”
“Cecile!”
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