Chapter 23 - "Out of Place..."

Clara's PoV

October 20th 1920

'I'm here to see Lady Clara Oswald I believe?' Doctor brown asked as he stepped through the door.

'She's upstairs' John said standing in the drawing room wearing a suit. An actual suit, with a tie. He couldn't believe what he had let himself get into in the last few months. 'I'll show you too her room' John muttered, uncomfortably taking a breath, as Rory glared.

It was safe to say that, that was a relationship that was never going to get better. Of course it had only been 6 weeks since John had moved from downstairs to upstairs.

John was having some trouble settling in.

Of course it didn't help that Clara had come down I'll not too long a go.

Clara was trying to train him to be a part of the upper class Oswald family but now she had been taken ill he was left wandering the house feeling extremely out of place.

- - -

'No. No you can't be right' I said as he finished his physical examination and gave me a Solomon smile.

'My advice lady Clara is not leaving a wedding until December if you want to avoid gossip but at my guess the deed is done. The months won't align so you'll have to get on with it as soon as' he said stepping out of the room. 'I'll send a full letter in the evening post but your symptoms say to me that you are most certainly within the first trimester of pregnancy'

I couldn't process this. This was all wrong and couldn't possibly be happening.

'Okay. What can I do about it? There has to be something that can be done' I begged. 'I can't let my Dads reputation go down in shreds. It's bad enough in the rebellious daughter of Lord Oswald who wants to marry a footman but to be pregnant before marriage as well...'

'You'd be risking your health to do anything about it - plus your chances of conceiving at a later date' he pointed out.

I sighed and knew what he was saying. 'Of course. It was a stupid suggestion. Please don't tell my father. He Weill defiantly crucify me. I'll tell him in my own time' I sighed, flipping back down onto the bed.

- - -

'Pregnant? As in carrying an actual child? Goodness Clara you really know how to get to your Dad don't you?' Lilly smirked.

'The point is lil. That even if we elope tomorrow it won't be believable. The Doctor already suspects that I'm coming to the end of the first trimester, that's already almost 4 months' I cried.

'Hey. Times are changing Clara and so is love... I think people will be far more understanding of this than you know about' she shrugged.

'If it was you? Would your father?' I scoffed.

'My father isn't the Lord of the town but that's not the point'

'Not. Helping' I yelled loudly and turned to look at John how was defiantly having some kind of crisis on the chair.

Lilly had become my chaperone and seeing as John rarely left my side these days neither did she.

It will be strange being able to be in a room on our own together one day because thus far in the last month we haven't.

'John say something' I tried.

'I literally can't. Oh my god your father is going to punch me into next week. This is so not happening' he whimpered.

'You could just get married next week and disappear for a bit?' Lilly suggested.

'What?' I asked eyebrow raised.

'Yeah. If you two elope quickly and disappear off to France or something out of the way - have the baby and then come home when the baby is a few months old. Your Dad would never have to know'

I looked at John who looked like that was the strangest suggestion in the world... But somehow it made sense and seemed to be a pretty good idea.

'You can't think that's a good plan do you? Lords daughter disappears after wedding night and returns 9 months later with a 3 month old baby? How the hell is that going to look?'

'Dad wouldn't even care... It would be his first grandchild and one step closer to his heir' I pointed out. 'And I would elope with you any day of the week John. Your the love of my life' I pointed out.

'So you want to do this? Actually elope next week?'

'How does next Friday sound? Then we can be together for the rest of our lives?' I suggested and he widened his eyes but nodded.

'Next Friday and you'll be Mrs Smith. Can't wait' he chuckled as I kissed him deeply and Lilly shuddered in the corner.

'Guys this is how you got in this mess in the first place' she pointed out as I ran my hands through hair and grinned.