Chapter 136: Pregnancy Rumor

Leonie sits elegantly as if she's giving an etiquette lesson.

"Bring me the lemon water," she commands.

Maureen glares at Avery.

"Are you deaf?" Maureen snarls, "Get lemon water from the kitchen for Miss Summers!"

Avery nods and walks to the kitchen, returning with a fine china basin filled with lemon water. Leonie dippers her fair hands in the lemon water and turn her palms back and forth. After she finished, she asks for a towel. Avery removes the basin and offers Leonie an Egyptian cotton towel, before taking the basin and discarded towel back to the kitchen. Weak as she is, her hands shake.

Next, Maureen then asks her to bring glasses of water to the table. Avery complies, placing the crystal glasses next to an empty china basin on the tray. Mrs. Florence Howel sips the water and swishes it around her mouth before spitting it discreetly into the basin. Leonie takes her glass and takes small, elegant sips before politely bending over to spit the water. After her first two sips, she spits the water into the basin, but then she gets an idea. With a small smirk, she spits the rinse water onto the hand holding the tray.

Avery feels the acid roil with revulsion in her stomach. She shakes her hand and tries to wipe Leonie's saliva from her skin, but she's not strong enough to hold the ray with one hand. Suddenly the glasses, the basin, and water all tumble to the ground.

"What an idiot!" Mrs. Florence Howel yells, "Why can't you hold a tray? Clean it up now!"

Mrs. Howel didn't see Leonie spit on Avery's hand, but Avery doubts it would have mattered if she had seen it. Mrs. Howel gives Maureen a look and the maid comes over and kicks Avery. Avery is taken by surprise and falls in a puddle of spit-water.

Avery's hair falls messily around her face and her uniform is rumpled and dirty. Her hands are wet with Mrs. Howel and Leonie's spit water. She can't find the words to describe the depths of her humiliation. Strengthened by her sudden rage, she tries to get up and slap Maureen, but she's not strong enough to make much progress. Maureen easily stops her and pushes her back onto the ground.

"Let it go, Maureen," Leonie says calmly, standing up and offering Avery her hand, "Avery doesn't mean it. Avery, are you okay? Why don't you go to your room to clean up?"

Avery sees right through Leonie's false kindness. Stubbornly, she refuses Leonie's hand and struggles laboriously to her feet. She glares at Maureen hatefully. Leonie watches frozen in position, surprised that Avery doesn't seem to be fighting her tormentors. She knows Avery's weak, but her sudden and uncharacteristic meekness is concerning; Leonine wonders what her rival is planning.

Avery returns to her room to change. By the time she emerges, they have started eating their steaks. The rich smell of steak fills the dining room, and she can hear the sound of the knives slicing through the tender meat. She stands quietly by the table and observes the modest and dainty way in which Leonie eats her steak and drinks her water.

"What are you doing standing there?" Mrs. Florence Howel asks, "Pour orange juice for me and Leonie."

Mrs. Florence Howel cuts a piece of steak and puts it in her mouth. The steak is medium-rare and slightly bloody. A drop of blood flecks Mrs. Florence Howel's lip as she eats, making her look like a vampire. Avery picks up the jug of orange juice and walks to Mrs. Howel's side to pour her a glass. She can't help but take a longing look at the half-eaten steak on the plate. Leonie sees her and smiles cruelly.

"Avery must be really hungry after spending so much time in that room," Leonie said with false concern.

Avery looks at Leonie warily. Mrs. Florence Howel shrugs.

"Maureen, ask the chef to roast a steak for Avery," she commands.

Maureen smiles understanding Leonie's unspoken intention. She takes a steak from the kitchen, places it on a china plate, and carries it into the dining room. The bloody piece of meat is completely raw.

"Pull out the chair for Avery," Mrs. Florence Howel orders.

One of the maids pulls out the chair and presses Avery's shoulder to force her to sit down. Maureen places the plate in front of Avery, picks up the fork and knife, cuts a piece and tries to feed Avery. The metallic smell of blood fills Avery's nose. She covers her mouth, pushes Maureen away and runs to the nearest bathroom to retch violently into the toilet.

Though Avery hasn't eaten anything in days, her stomach contracts as violently as if it were full of food. She spends a long time in the bathroom before her body calms, leaving her weak and sweaty on the marble floor. Leonie listens to Avery's retching and drops her fork with a clang—a horrible thought comes to her mind.

"Is she pregnant?" she asks anxiously.

Mrs. Howel frowns and shakes her head.

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"I don't think so," she answers, "If she is, I would have heard of it."

"Maybe it's recent?" Leonie suggests.

"That can't be," Mrs. Howel objects, "Dr. Meyer said she's unfit for pregnancy."

"That doesn't mean she can't get pregnant at all," Leonie says, "Oh, what will we do? If Mr. Francis Howel finds out, it's all over."

Though many servants show special loyalty to Florence or Evan, the vast majority are loyal to Francis Howel. They work throughout his houses as informants. Even when he's away, his servants keep him informed of the latest news at home. It's how he learned about Evan's illness so quickly.

"She's full of tricks," Mrs. Howel says with a worried look, "We'll ask Dr. Walter to examine her."

When Avery returns from the toilet, she notices the woman regarding her with strange looks.

"Avery, are you unwell?" Leonie asks.

"I appreciate your sudden concern for my health," Avery answers acidly, tugging her dress down as she speaks, "Besides, being half-starved, I am a little unwell. The smell of blood and grease turns my stomach."

Avery thinks nothing of this, but Leonie and Florence exchange significant looks with one another. Before Avery can notice anything, Mrs. Florence Howel  hides her concern.

"Go ask Dr. Walter to come around," she says in a cool, neutral tone.

David hurriedly rushes into the room, carrying an emergency kit with him. Avery takes a deep breath upon seeing his arrival. Something clicks in her mind as she recalls her strange dream and the way her stomach has been feeling. She gives David an uneasy look and he gazes back with concern and confusion. Avery tries to convey her concern through her expression, but Leonie irritably interrupts and draws the doctor's attention to herself.

"Dr. Walter, Avery says she feels sick when she smells blood or grease," Leonie complains, "Could she be pregnant?"

David nods at Mrs. Florence Howel  in greeting before approaching Avery.

"Mrs. Howel," he says to Avery, "How long have you been feeling this way?"

"Only today," Avery answers with an accusative edge in her voice, "I've been in the darkroom without food or water for a few days so I didn't feel anything earlier."

David freezes in the midst of opening his medical kit. He can't believe the family has mistreated her so severely in Evan's absence. He wants to say something, but he knows he's not part of the family. They respect his medical advice but expect him to keep his opinions to himself.

"Don't waste any time," Mrs. Florence Howel snapped irritably, concerned that David knows about Avery's torment, "I want a diagnosis."

David halts for a second before sliding the pregnancy test back into the kit. Instead, he takes out another instrument.

"I'll check Mrs. Howel's pulse first," he says.

Leonie is about to object, but David gently places his hand on Avery's wrist. He listens attentively to her pulse and then frowns. He gives Avery a casual look and she returns a complicated one, filled with mixed meanings. After a moment, David removes his hand and takes a deep breath.

"I think Mrs. Howel is pregnant," he announces.

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