China Blue (The Dudley Sisters Saga Book 3) by Madalyn Morgan (top 100 novels of all time TXT) 📕

Édith poured them both another cup of coffee, sat down and nibbled at a small piece of cheese. ‘You said the others are meeting at the safe house in three days. Does that mean you won’t be going back?’

‘Not for a while.’ Claire looked at Édith for a long minute. Finally she plucked up the courage to say, ‘I am expecting a baby.’

Édith’s face lit up. ‘I know!’

‘How? Has Frédéric written to you? I told him not to tell anyone.’

‘Frédéric? No. He may sometimes speak before he thinks, but he is an honourable boy. If you tell him a secret, he will keep it.’

Claire laughed. ‘I didn’t tell him, exactly. He grabbed me from behind when I was at the river. He put his arm round my waist – well, where my waist used to be. It was a joke, to surprise me, and it did.’ Claire decided not to tell Édith that she had pulled a gun on her son. They carried on eating. ‘How long have you known?’

‘Since you came back from Paris.’

‘Why didn’t you say something?’

‘I hoped you would tell me. I was worried when you went with André and Frédéric to work with Pierre Ruban’s group. But I told myself you are a strong woman and you would not risk your life, or the lives of the men and women you were working with.’

‘I think Pierre guessed. He gave me safe jobs, made sure I was always close to base. In the last couple of weeks I took over from Yvette as housekeeper. I complained that I was bored once and he said someone had to do it and it was my turn. But I knew he was looking after me. I’d have told him if I thought for a second I was putting anyone in danger. I don’t run as fast these days.’

‘Did Alain know?’

‘No.’ Claire caressed Alain’s unborn child, and yawned.

‘I know what you need,’ Édith said, leaping out of her chair. She opened the walk-in cupboard next to the scullery and disappeared inside. A few seconds later she appeared again, dragging the bath into the room. ‘A long soak and to bed.’ She placed the bath in the middle of the room and went over to the sink. She filled two large saucepans with water, placing one on the hook above the fire and the other in the oven. While the water boiled Édith took the clothes horse and opened it up, draping old curtains round it, for privacy. When the water in the saucepan above the fire began to boil she took it from the hook and poured it into the bath. She did the same with the saucepan in the oven. ‘It’s too hot,’ she said, dipping her hand in it. ‘It needs a little cold water.’ She filled the empty saucepan with cold water, poured some in and tested it again. ‘Perfect.’

‘Thank you, Édith,’ Claire said. ‘Oh!’ she gasped.

‘Is everything all right, child?’ Édith asked, rushing to Claire’s side.

‘Yes, fine. I think I have a footballer in my tummy.’

Édith laughed. ‘Thank goodness! I thought something was wrong.’

‘Oh, and again.’ Claire took Édith’s hand and placed it palm down on the right side of her stomach, below her bellybutton. ‘There. Did you feel it, Édith? Did you feel my baby kick?’

Édith looked at Claire with tears in her eyes. ‘Yes, child, I felt your baby. It is the most beautiful thing in the world.’

‘It is, isn’t it?’ Claire put her arms round Édith and cried tears of happiness and exhaustion.

‘Come on now,’ Édith said, wiping Claire’s face with her pinafore. ‘The bath water is the right temperature. If you don’t bathe soon, I shall have to start boiling pans again.’

Claire began to undress. She took off her ill-fitting shirt and trousers, socks and underwear and stepped into the bath. Édith picked up her clothes and took them to the scullery. ‘We will wash these tomorrow.’

‘There’s no rush. I’m not going back until after the baby is born.’ Claire heard a pause in Édith’s footsteps.

‘I will wrap a hot brick in clean rags and put it into your bed. Shall I bring your night clothes when I come down?’

‘Yes please. Bring my pyjama jacket and my dressing gown, I don’t think I’ll get into my nightdress. Don’t be too long, you may have to help me out of here,’ Claire said, laughing. Leaning her head on the back of the bath she closed her eyes. ‘Mmmmmm, this is lovely.’

André and Thérèse arrived after breakfast. Thérèse ran in to greet Claire. She threw her arms around her when she stood up from behind the table – and jumped back. ‘Oh,’ she said, looking down at Claire’s stomach, her eyes wide with astonishment.

‘This is becoming a habit,’ Claire laughed. ‘Yes, I am expecting and no, Alain doesn’t know, I’m pleased to say. He will have enough on his mind without worrying about us.’ Claire smiled. It felt good to talk openly about the baby. ‘Come on, Thérèse, let’s go into town and I’ll tell you all about it. Well not quite all,’ she laughed.

‘Have a pastry, if there are any,’ André said, handing Thérèse some money.

‘Wait! I would like you to wear this,’ Édith said, taking off her wedding ring.

‘Are you ashamed of me, Édith? Of my baby and my love for Alain?’

‘No, my darling, of course not! It is in case you are stopped by the Germans. If you’re not wearing a wedding ring it will be a reason for them to treat you with disrespect.’

‘But it’s the ring your husband gave you--’

‘No. It is not. The ring Henri put on my finger the day we were married is next to my bed. It became too tight and dug into my