June 10, 1890 - Flint Mansion, Dorset, England

The child growing inside Lucy, while having banished her from society, had brought a good deal of happiness to her solitude. It wasn't solitude persay, with her husband by her side, but it seemed a great deal like it to her when her friends no longer visited nor even wrote to her. How she longed to hear Nora's practicality and Helga's gushing. Even those of her friends who life had not favored well seemed wrapped in their own lives. Bella's letters had long since gone unanswered again. Despite all this Lucy had the knowledge that her child was born of love and would bring her and Ace the happiness she so desired. It was just hard to remember when her back ached, her feet were swollen, and she was roughly the size of a hippogriff!

Afternoons were the worst, she was always exhausted and bored. It seemed such a long time until Ace would return home. In the past the afternoon hours had been spent preparing for a ball or some other such nonsense. Now she would long for any type of company to distract her from the aches of impending motherhood.

It was for this reason that Lucy stirred with some excitement from her lounge at the announcement of the butler that she had a visitor. The only people that visited were the Lukesons and even then those visits were rare enough that Lucy felt a great deal of excitement toward them.

At the sight of her cousin and friend Lucy was moving as fast (alright, rather slowly, shifting comfortably to account for her growing stomach) as she could toward her. "Mel!" She greeted rushing forward to embrace her.

Melody Crouch

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

To say Melody had been avoiding Lucy would be an understatement. Both women had eloped with their chosen partners to avoid an unwanted marriage, but that was where their similarities ended. Lucy was still a welcome guest in their formal circles, she was still attended to by a full staff — she still had the life they were always meant to have. And once the adoring husband and baby-to-be were added into the mix it simply became too much for Melody to handle without seething in jealousy.

She could do without the full staff and lavish home. Regardless of what Ben seemed to believe the tiny Irvingly home had been updated enough now for Melody to feel comfortable within. They had a decent cook and an efficient maid, Melody thought by now she had proven she needed little else. Love, though, was scarce in the Crouch household. They were intimate more nights than not (both seemingly comforted by the idea of not becoming parents any time soon) and were able to manage the most basic small talk conversations. That wasn't what a marriage was meant to be, though. They ought to have been happy, in love.

It was these thoughts she stewed on as she took in the home that was more familiar to her than she'd presently admit to. Lucy was lucky to have come into her inheritance so quickly. To be able to freely roam her childhood home would be gift unlike all others.

"Lucy!" She greeted in return, plastering on her best happy face. "You look well." Lucy's pregnancy was nearing its end, a fact made obvious by the woman's protruding stomach. In another life they would've had to navigate around two bumps. In another life Melody wouldn't have been avoiding her dear friend.

  

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"Thank you." Lucy brushed the comment away. There was no need to linger on her aches and pains or the way she now had to use creams to hide the blemishes that came with pregnancy.

"Come, sit down! I've been hoping you'd visit." Lucy gestured Melody in a seat. In truth she had rather felt Melody ought to have visited right after her return from her visit to France, but when she hadn't immediately she'd been more and more concerned, worrying if she had somehow offended the very last of her friends who would still contact her. Ignoring all that now she continued with more energy then she felt she had. "You're just in time for tea, I'll have the maid bring some up." Lucy rang the bell, knowing that her butler would quickly respond. In the meantime she look her friend over.

"You look wonderful." Lucy felt slightly envious. When had she last had a waist that tiny? "You must tell me how you and Mr. Crouch are getting on." And all the details that went with it.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

The parlor remained unchanged from her last visit some months ago, a fact that ought to have surprised her but didn't. Lucy's mother had passed not even six months ago, to refurnish the manor so quickly would be an insult to Mrs. Flint's memory. "Tea would be lovely." Melody replied easily.

For a minute, Melody considered burdening Lucy with the truth. The lies, the secrets, the misery were all poised on the tip of her tongue ready to be voiced. Who else could she tell if not Lucy? Who else would understand if not the woman who eloped in such a similar way? It was Lucy's own marriage that spurred Melody's thinking on Valentine's Day. Then, she remembered each of Ben's warnings and knew better. Theirs was a secret they had to take to the grave, no matter the personal cost.

"We're great. We've rented a house in Irvingly. I was only there a few times before marrying, but it's a ... quaint little town. Much quieter." Talking about the house was easier than the marriage itself, as she could go on about the updates without fear of revealing something she shouldn't.

  

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"I've hardly spent much time in Irvingly, but it does seem quite cozy." Lucy agreed. In fact one of the few times she had been there, and the last time, her purse had been stolen by a muggle and she'd rather caused a fuss to try and get it back, especially since her wand had been in it. She had tried to avoid the town ever since.

Her butler entered the room and Lucy smiled at him, in her best lady of the house manner. It was strange trying to act lady of the house to a man who had known her when she was still in swaddling clothes. "Could you have some tea sent up?" Lucy asked the man was off to tell the kitchens before his presence could even really be noted.

"And what of Mr. Crouch? Are you enjoying married life?" Being somewhat versed in the matters of the marriage bed now Lucy rather felt this an important topic to speak of, if only to make sure her cousin was getting on fine with her husband. Perhaps she might even be able to share some pointers - not that Ace had taken her to bed recently.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

Merlin, Lucy was being direct with her questions. Usually, Melody could redirect easily and dance around talking about Ben. Most who asked (and so few did) were content with 'marriage is lovely, we're happy, all is well.' Ben and she managed such an impressive facade in public that the only scrutiny they faced were the constant pregnancy speculations (all of which were shot down with how tightly wound Melody kept her corset). Knowing Lucy, however, meant knowing her cousin was intelligent and intuitive. Lying would be a challenge.

Melody acknowledged the butler and waited for them to be alone once more before answering. "Marriage is more complex than I thought, but we're managing alright. He's busy with his job." Now that the Season was in full swing it was more important than ever for Ben to be networking and promoting. "And you? Are you and Mr. Lukeson happy?"

  

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That was not quite the answer Lucy had expected and she turned her gaze on her friend to look more closely at her face. "Is everything alright?" She asked gently, concerned for her friend, her guileless face showing every emotion on it.

"We're doing well." Lucy started, her lips pulling into a smile before a sharp pain spread across her lower back. She sucked in breathe and paused for a moment. She'd been having such pains on and off for days. Her healer had said it was nothing to worry about, that plenty of first pregnancies had false pains such as these. But the reassurances certainly hadn't taken the pain away when they did hit. Hoping to hide her discomfort from Melody, she pushed forward. "Ace is excited to meet the little one, as am I." Lucy gently ran a hand over the mound of her stomach. Excited and terrified. That was her life now.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

The current topic at hand wasn't one Melody wished to continue with, but she could think of nothing to suggest that wouldn't raise Lucy's suspicions more. A partial truth, maybe, something that without all the details would be within the realm of normal. How to start, though? Melody sat in silence as the butler dropped their tea and excused himself, grateful for the extra few seconds to collect her thoughts. "Eloping was a rash decision, one that I wish I knew the consequences of when making." She hesitantly explained. "I miss my ..."

She dropped off her words as Lucy grimaced. Passing the few week old fetus had hurt more than her normal cycle did, so she could only imagine how much worse a full grown baby would be. "Are you alright?"

  

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The pain slowly eased up and Lucy was able to fully focus on the conversation again, although she felt rather as if she had missed something. "I am." Lucy reassured her, pausing for a moment to consider how truthful she should be. "I've been having pains the last few days, but my healer said it's common and nothing to worry about." Lucy shrugged and leaned over to pour the tea - a task that was rather more difficult these days.

"But you were saying?" Lucy poured the tea and handed it to Melody the way she remembered her cousin preferred before pouring a cup for herself with two sugar cubes in it.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

Well, she wasn't about to repeat what was the closest to a confession she'd yet to come. Not when Lucy was having some sort of pain and hadn't heard the confession in the first place. Perhaps that was the universe's way of making her keep the secrets.

"Nothing, it's alright. Do you need me to call in the healer? You look pale..." Melody placed her recently received tea glass down and moved to sit besides Lucy.

  

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"I'm alright - really." Lucy brushed away her cousin's concerns, trying her hardest not to be worried. "Please can we speak of something else." Lucy almost begged Melody, not ready to admit her own concerns. All the other pains had come so irregularly that she was certain this would be nothing more.

She moved to take a sip of her tea and distract them with some idle drivel conversation, when the next pain wrecked around her back and encompassed her stomach. Lucy's gasp of surprise filled the quiet air of the sitting room. It had only been a few minutes since the last pain, perhaps they should notify the healer. But the thought of the healer's face telling her she was overreacting was not another conversation she wanted to have so soon after the first one.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

When Maisie's firstborn came the pains appeared to be similar to what Lucy was currently suffering through. And for them to be coming this closely together was enough to make Melody rush to the doorway and quietly tell the butler to summon the healer.

"It would make me more comfortable if you were seen by the healer." She said calmly. "Even if it's nothing."

  

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As Lucy breathed through the pain, Melody slipped out of the room. It was nothing, absolutely nothing, she told herself.

By the time Melody came back the pain had dissipated and a wild look crossed her eyes at her cousin's words. "I don't want to worry Ace." She said quietly. The servants knew better than to say anything with out the mistress's leave, that's how Lucy's mother had trained them. But Ace might come home when the healer was there. "I'm sure it's nothing unusual." She tried again. It couldn't be anything it was much too early.

"Maybe if we were to take a turn about the room?" She suggested, perhaps it was only a fluke two pains so close together. Perhaps walking might keep any more from coming.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

From the looks of it Mr. Lukeson had cause for concern. Melody glanced back towards the door, praying the butler would arrive with the healer sooner than later. "Sure, let me help you up." Melody then said, standing and offering her arm to her cousin. "Everything will be okay.'

  

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Lucy nodded, "I'm sure it's nothing." She agreed again, allowing Melody to help her. Her skirts seemed to hinder her and her balance swayed as always.

As they began to walk Lucy tried to calm herself. It was too early for the baby, but the healer said pains and false labor were common. Surely this was nothing more? There was nothing to fret over. She and Ace would have their healthy happy baby in their arms when the time was right. Now was not the right time though. July was. When Ace wasn't as busy at the office. When they could be in London for the birth. Not isolated at the Flint Mansion. They had been preparing to leave for London in the next week, the baby would wait till then. Lucy was certain.

"Tell me of yourself." Lucy pressed as they began their lap.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

Stressed and unable to think of anything else (literally anything else would be better to talk about than her disastrous marriage) Melody said, "Ben never wanted to marry me. He still wishes we hadn't. It was a mess, Lucy. A horrible mess."

  

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