One day, Lady Flora found the joke was turned against her.

Early in 1839, travelling in the suite of the Duchess, she had returned from Scotland in the same carriage with Sir John.

A change in her figure became the subject of an unseemly jest; tongues wagged; and the jest grew serious.

It was whispered that Lady Flora was with child.

The state of her health seemed to confirm the suspicion; she consulted Sir James Clark, the royal physician, and, after the consultation, Sir James let his tongue wag, too.