A Wayward Woman
Page 46
Afterword
‘You must wait a little longer, my son.’ Anton’s father smiled as he motioned to him to sit down. ‘Come, drink some wine and exercise patience. You are not wanted in Marietta’s chamber for the moment. At times like these we must leave matters to the women. Your wife is strong and has already borne a living son. Your mother and grandmother are certain she carries a boy child, and they are usually right.’
‘How am I supposed to just sit here while she is in such pain?’ Anton demanded. He looked round as he heard another piercing scream. ‘I cannot bear it a moment longer. If she dies.’
‘There is little you can do, Anton.’ The Marquis of Malchester looked sympathetically at the Earl of Rundle. Both were strong fighting men, powerful and influential in their circles, and both felt helpless. ‘Catherine will call us when you can go up to your wife.’
Hearing another scream, Anton started for the door. He did not look round as his father called to him. ‘I must go to her. Perhaps I can help …’
Anton pounded up the stairway to the little solar where the child was being birthed. His heart was racing wildly, for Marietta had been in labour some hours and he was terrified that she would die. Would to God that he could bear the child for her! She had become such a huge part of his life that he would not want to live if he lost her, even for the sake of the children.
As he reached the door of the chamber he hesitated, and in that moment he heard a thin, wailing cry. That was not Marietta! It must be the child. His throat tightened and he felt his eyes sting with unaccustomed tears. Suddenly his feet were rooted to the ground, and he felt as weak as a kitten, unable to take another step. He was not sure how long he stood there, but after what might have been minutes or hours the door opened and his mother came out. She was carrying something wrapped in a fine wool shawl and smiling.
‘Your son is born, Anton.’
‘My son?’ He looked at her, almost stupid in his relief. ‘My son. But Marietta? Is she.?’ He was too fearful to ask the question.
‘Marietta is tired, but well. She was very brave, and bore her ordeal as she ought.’
‘Marietta is always brave,’ Anton said, and glanced at the red face of his son. ‘He is beautiful. Give him to me, Mother. I want to hold him when I see Marietta.’
Catherine handed over the babe. Anton took him carefully, then went into the birthing chamber. Marietta was lying against a pile of pillows, her eyes closed. She opened them as he approached, and smiled.
‘You have the son I promised you,’ she said, and held out her hand to him.
Anton bent to kiss her on the mouth. He sat down on the edge of the bed, holding his son carefully and looking down at the babe. ‘I think he looks like me. Charles looks like you, but that is as it should be. We have two sons and a daughter now, Marietta. Our family is complete.’
‘Oh, I don’t know. Maddie is such a darling. I might like to have another daughter.’
‘I am not sure I could bear it,’ Anton said. ‘The birth of my son was almost too much for me.’ He saw the mischief in her eyes and laughed. ‘I know that you had to bear the pain, but it hurt me more than you will ever know.’
‘My poor darling,’ Marietta teased. ‘Next time I will have you here with me, so that I can hold your hand.’
‘Be careful, woman, you go too far,’ he replied. ‘Wait until you are well, and remember that I have the power to chastise you.’
Marietta was saved from replying by the arrival of her mother-in-law, who had brought Madeline and Charles to see their new brother. They were closely followed by the arrival of their grandfather, who was impatient to see the heir to his estates.
As Catherine took the babe and placed him carefully in his cot, Marietta felt her hand captured by Anton’s. She smiled up at him, then closed her eyes, drifting into a peaceful sleep. Her happiness was complete, and the future would be all that she had ever dreamed of and more…
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A WAYWARD WOMAN © by Harlequin Books S.A. 2011
The publisher acknowledges the copyright holders of the individual works as follows:
Diamonds, Deception and the Debutante © Helen Dickson 2010
Fugitive Countess © Anne Herries 2010
ISBN: 978-1-408-93526-2