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“Mayhap.I am not sure,” she answered.
Asshe continued her slow pacing around the chamber, Brant said, “If it might bethe babe, don’t you think you should lay down?”
Therewas a knock at the portal, and on command, Rosamund entered with Nathaniel.
Whenshe saw Isabel walking around, she asked, “Shouldn’t ye be laying down?”
Brantlaughed. Isabel glared at him.
“Laying down was hurting my back, really bad. Sitting was notmuch better. Walking seems to help somewhat,” she explained.
“Yehad a backache with ‘im, remember?” Rosamund asked. “Ye will likely need themidwife, soon.”
Shecrossed the room to change Nathaniel, into his night clothes.
Isabelfelt the muscles tighten in her belly, again, as she went to kiss her songoodnight. However, she said nothing to the others. Even if it was the babe, ittook forever for the first one, she reasoned.
“ShouldI have Beautrice take ‘im into Ha
AtBrant’s nod, she picked the boy up to exit. Isabel continued to make lapsaround the chamber, while her husband watched. After several more slow laps, hewent to her side, and placed an arm around her waist.
Hesaid, “I really think you should lie down, Isabel.”
Isabelreplied, “Even if I am going to have the babe, it will probably be hours, yet.Nathaniel took about twenty hours. I am sure, I willhave plenty of time, to lie down, later.”
Ashort while later, Rosamund returned to watch Isabel make a few more lapsaround the chamber. Suddenly, she stopped and passed her hand over her abdomen,when a more painful contraction came. As the pain passed, she felt liquid rushdown her legs.
“Ibelieve, I am going to need the midwife. Oh, and a drygown,” Isabel said.
Rosamundhurried out of the chamber. Brant tried to pick his wife up, to carry her tothe bed.
ButIsabel said, “Brant, I need a dry gown from my trunk.”
Hequickly went to get the gown. Isabel was undoing the laces on the wet gu
WhenRosamund returned, she brought two other serfs with her. Brant lifted Isabelup, so they could place several layers of clean linen under her. Laying downwas, once again, causing the back pain to increase, so she tried to stack thepillows up under her head and shoulders. As Brant tried to help, a strongerpain assailed her, and she grasped his arm tightly, causing him to wince. Assoon as her grasp relaxed, he took her hand in his, so she did not crush hisforearm, further.
Rosamundnoticing, smiled and said, “Mayhap, ye would like to go down, and get somethingto drink, Me Lord. This could take hours.”
Isabelinterjected, “Let him stay. Mayhap later, I can remind him how this is all hisfault.” Then looking at him, she asked, “You want to see your daughter born,right?”
Helooked at his wife, trying to fathom what she was about. 'His daughter' was ofcourse, a reference to his revenge going awry. However, Isabel had a firm gripon his hand. If her actions matched her words, he would have to pull his handfrom her grasp, to leave.
Sohe answered, "Of course, I want to see my daughter born."
Brantsat on the edge of the bed for several hours, with Isabel painfully squeezinghis hand every few minutes, as the painful contractions came, and went. The midwife had not arrived yet, though it should take less than ahour to ride to the village to get her. The other women kept reminding Isabel,how to breath through the contractions, which were very close together, by thattime. In between, she seemed to be focused, on tiredly watching her husband.
Finally,the midwife arrived looking exhausted. She had been visiting at a hut outsideof the village. She quickly rinsed her hands, in some water that had beenboiled over the hearth, to sterilize it.
"Ineed to check, to see how ye are doing," she told Isabel. Then, a shorttime later, "It is not going to be much longer. Are you sure, ye do notwant to go ‘ave something to drink, Me Lord?"
Thislast comment, she directed to Brant, looking uncomfortable, with having himthere.
Isabelanswered, "No, he wants to stay."
Brantreally thought, he wanted to get something to drink.Watching her writhe in pain was getting to him. However, since Isabel seemed towant him there with her, he was staying.
Afteranother half hour or so, of Isabel crushing her husband’s hand, the midwifesaid, "When the next one comes, ye need to push, alright?"
Notlong after that, the babe’s first cries were heard. Brant looked to themidwife, who silently mouthed that the babe was a boy.
Isabelasked, "Is it a girl?"
Brantsmiled at her, and said, "You got just what you wanted."
Shereturned his smile weakly, then closed her eyes.Rosamund cleaned the newborn up, and wrapped a soft blanket around him. Then,she carried the infant over, for the mother and father, to get their first lookat the new addition, to their family. Isabel held out her arms and took thebabe, for a short while. Then, feeling quite exhausted, handed the infant backto the serf. Within minutes, she had fallen asleep.
Isabelwoke to the infant’s cries, the next morning. Her husband was sleeping on topof the blankets, fully dressed, beside her. When Rosamund, who was trying toquiet the infant, saw that Isabel was awake, she carried the babe over to her.
Asthe new mother took the infant from the serf, Rosamund said, "He isprobably hungry. Do ye know what ye are going to name ‘im, yet?"
Isabelasked in surprise, "He? A boy? Brantsaid..."
Shestopped, looking at her sleeping husband. Untying the laces on her gown, shemoved the infant to her breast.
"Iwashed ‘im up, and dressed ‘im. The babe is alad," Rosamund said. “What was this girl thing? Was that what yewanted?" Isabel just shrugged noncommittally, so the serf continued,“Would ye like me to go get ye something to eat? I am sure, Nora will be happyto make ye a tray."
"Aye.Go have breakfast yourself, too," Isabel said.
Theserf nodded, and left the room.
Isabelmoved a foot under the covers, to tap one of her husband’s legs. At first shegot no response from him, but in a short time, he opened his eyes. As hestretched, and rubbed his eyes, he looked at her as if to say, 'is there somereason you're waking me up?'
“Rosamundwent to get something to eat, and have someone bring us a tray," Isabelbegan. "However, before she left, she assured me this babe in my arms, isdefinitely a boy." She paused, watching as Brant smiled at her. “I seem torecall asking, if the babe was a girl. You said I got just what I wanted. Wouldthat be confusion, My Lord, or just a lie?"
Heraised himself up on an elbow, smiling, as he looked at his wife and child.
Aftera few moments, he answered, “The babe looks to be healthy. You wanted a healthychild, did you not?” When she glared at him, he continued, “I did not want youto be disappointed with the child, right from the start. Just look at thatlittle face. Besides, you still had a firm grip on my hand, and I did not wantto risk it being crushed, anymore. I might never be able to wield my swordproperly, again. Then, how would I protect you and the lads?”
Ashe finished speaking, he gave her a mischievous grin.
“Icrushed your hand? Do you think it is badly injured?” she asked, with feignedconcern.
“Actually,I think my hand will recover,” he said, sitting up close to her. “Though, myarm may be permanently bruised.”
Heturned his arm to display three small marks, one partly edged with a crescentshaped gouge, where someone had squeezed very hard.