A Tale of Two Choices

Edmund turned white. "Did she give her name?" he croaked.

"No, she didn't" replied Brown, "but she did say that you would remember her and that I was to give you this." Brown took a monogrammed handkerchief from his pocket, with the initials CQH.

"Oh my God," gasped Edmund, "you say that she is 'with child'?"

"I'd say that she would be due to have a baby very shortly."

Edmund ran from the ballroom to the entrance to Loxley Manor, calling "Christina".