Author's Note: This story is a continuation of the 'Whispers of London' story bundle. But if you haven't read that one, don't worry, you don't need to. 'Journey' follows Evie and Henry as they face what's coming next for them after their wedding. I will also add dates to the stories, so you have a better understanding of the timeline.
London, spring 1869
"Evie? Are you alright?" Henry asked, concern etched in his voice, as he knocked on the bathroom door.
"Does it sound like I'm alright?" she snapped.
"May I come in?" Henry asked carefully. When there was no reply, he opened the door to find her sitting on the floor in front of the toilet, her back resting against the wall, legs stretched out. Her head leaned back, eyes closed.
She sighed. "I'm sorry for snapping, I just feel so horri—" Before she could finish, another wave of nausea hit, and she turned to the toilet, retching. "That did help a little," she muttered.
"Come on, you should lie down," Henry said gently, helping her up. He walked with her to their bed, pulling back the covers and laying her down carefully on the soft sheets.
Henry settled beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist and resting his hand on her stomach.
She placed her hand on top of his. "Florence said this nausea should pass after the first trimester. Just three more weeks," she sighed.
He kissed her cheek softly. "I wish I could do more."
She smiled tiredly. "You're already doing everything. Handling the house, running the shop, mentoring assassins, even keeping Jacob in line. Should I go on? If anything, I feel awful for being completely useless right now."
Henry smiled. "Speaking of Jacob, he's been asking about you. He's worried, hasn't seen you much. I know we planned to wait a bit longer, but maybe it's time to tell him."
She nodded slightly. "You're right. I can't hide anything from him. Call it twin intuition," she laughed softly.
"How's the nausea now?" he asked, stroking her hair gently.
"Gone for the moment," she replied, closing her eyes.
Henry continued stroking her hair until she drifted off to sleep. Guilt gnawed at him. She was bearing the weight of their child, while he felt like he was doing so little. No matter what she said, all the tasks he handled felt like the bare minimum. All the societal roles be damned.
As she slept, he gazed at her, his heart both full and troubled. London seemed peaceful these days—quiet, almost too quiet. After everything they'd fought to secure, he couldn't help but wonder if something was still lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.
He pushed the thought away, squeezing her hand lightly. "We deserve this calm," he whispered, kissing Evie's cheek softly, as if convincing himself.
A few days later, they invited Jacob to their house. Evie wasn't about to risk another bout of nausea by traveling on the train.
Standing beside Henry, Evie took a deep breath. "Jacob," she began, "there's something we'd like to tell you." She glanced at Henry with a nervous smile. "We're expec—" She broke off, another wave of nausea hitting her hard. She swallowed and tried to continue. "We're expecti— I'm so sorry!" She turned and dashed towards the bathroom mid-sentence.
Jacob looked bewildered, his expression shifting from concern to confusion. Henry sighed and motioned for him to follow. Both men hurried after her.
"Evie? May we come in?" Henry asked through the door. Again, no reply. He pushed the handle down, and they entered to find Evie slumped against the toilet, arms draped over the seat, her head hanging low.
Jacob's eyes widened in alarm, clearly unsure of what was wrong with his sister.
Henry moved to help her, gently lifting her up. "Well, surprise," Evie said with a weak smile, trying to lighten the mood. "We're expecting."
Jacob blinked in shock, looking between the two of them, as if trying to piece the puzzle together.
Evie grinned, despite her nausea. "Jacob, you're going to be an uncle."
Jacob's face transformed from confusion to pure joy. "You're serious?" He stepped forward, wrapping his sister in a hug. "That's amazing!" His voice cracked slightly as he pulled Henry into the embrace too. "I'm going to be an uncle!" he repeated, spinning Evie around in excitement.
As soon as her feet hit the floor, another wave of nausea hit. Evie bent over the toilet, retching again.
Jacob winced. "Oh… er, my bad. Sorry about that."