There was a time, not all that long ago, when the Duggars maintained a united front.

They had their petty squabbles like any family, of course, but when the chips were down, and it was the Duggars vs. the world, Jim Bob and company never failed to stand up for one another.

These days, the family has been torn apart by the Josh Duggar’s sex crimes, and they’re not nearly as close-knit as they once were,

Still, when the time comes to circle the wagons and conceal a secret from the outside world, the Duggars still know how to bury the truth.

Case in point, many fans now believe that Jim Bob is involved in an elaborate scheme to help his son Josiah and daughter-in-law Lauren Swanson hide their second child from the world.

The speculation about a secret pregnancy began earlier this year when many fans concluded that Lauren was hiding a baby bump during a family party.

“Totally looks like a bump,” one commenter wrote on a video of Lauren wearing a thick sweater at the outdoor event.

“Pretty dramatic change compared to photos of her a couple months ago, so definitely could be,” another added.

“You can see the outline of her belly and she looks pregnant. The lose-fitting sweater cannot be blamed,” a third chimed in.

Then, over the summer, fans became convinced that Josiah and Lauren were hiding their second-born child from the world.

Josiah and Lauren made their Instagram account private around the same time that other members of the Duggar clan were spotted with an unidentified baby.

Many concluded that the other Duggars were eager to snap pics with Josiah and Lauren’s youngest but were forbidden to identify the tyke.

Anyway, Josiah and Lauren’s reclusive streak continued this week, when the couple closed a secretive real estate deal with Jim Bob.

According to a new report from UK tabloid The Sun, Jim Bob transferred 5.92 acres of vacant land over to Josiah and Lauren on November 1.

Many believe that the young couple plan to take up residence on this portion of the infamous Duggar compound so that they can better hide from fans and the media.

It remains unclear, of course, if Josiah and Lauren have actually welcomed a second child.

But whatever the case, they certainly seem keen on keeping a much lower profile these days.

There could be many reasons for this.

After all, the Duggar family was recently involved in the biggest scandal in the history of reality television, and these two might just feel that life is easier when they’re not enduring daily criticism.

But unless they come out and specifically deny the rumors, fans will remain convinced that they’re hiding a baby.

Of course, it’s possible that Josiah and Lauren have reached the point where they don’t care what fans are saying.

And if that’s the case, we may not have a satisfactory conclusion to this saga for a very long time.

Josiah Duggar & Lauren Swanson: Hiding Their Secret Second Child From the World? was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip .