Читать книгу In the Tudor Court Collection - Amanda McCabe - Страница 19

‘I think you are bigger than I was with my son,’ Elizabeta said, laughing as Kathryn pouted and placed a hand to the small of her back. ‘Poor you. These last few weeks seem for ever, do they not?’

‘Not as long as the time we spent at Queen Elizabeth’s court,’ Kathryn said and frowned. ‘She seemed delighted with Lorenzo and demanded his attention day and night. I believe she would have kept him with her for ever if she could. I thought that we should never get away.’

‘Well, now you are here, and I am pleased that you will stay in Rome for the birth.’

‘Yes.’ Kathryn sighed. ‘I long to give Lorenzo a son, but I cannot wait to be back to my normal size again. I feel so huge!’

‘It is always the same,’ her friend agreed, ‘but Lorenzo thinks you are beautiful, so do not worry. He never looks at another woman.’

Kathryn smiled. She did not need to be told that her husband was faithful to her. He had shown his love for her in so many ways these past months that she no longer doubted him.

She believed he had still been a little jealous of Michael when they first returned to Rome, but now Michael was married to Isabella and living in Venice. He had Lorenzo were still friends, though Michael had his own fleet of ships now. Lorenzo no longer needed so many galleys, for his ships sailed without fear of attack from his old enemy. It seemed that the seas of the Mediterranean had become much safer since Lepanto.

Lorenzo was out on business, which continued to take much of his time, though he had promised he would not leave Rome until after their child was born.

‘I shall be near when you need me,’ he told her. ‘And we shall stay in Rome so that you have your friends about you.’

Kathryn was glad of Elizabeta’s company that morning. She stood up, walking about the walled garden, stooping to smell a beautiful red rose. It was as she straightened up again that the pain suddenly struck her.

She gave a cry of mingled surprise and alarm, looking at her friend in consternation. ‘I think…oh…’ She gasped as she felt another strong contraction. ‘The baby…’ Her eyes reflected fear as she looked at Elizabeta. ‘ thought there were another few days left…’

‘I am not surprised if you are coming early,’ Elizabeta said. ‘You have been carrying low for the past week or more. Some babies do come a little early, Kathryn. There is no need for alarm.’

‘Oh…’ Kathryn breathed hard as the pain ripped through her, much stronger now and more urgent. ‘I think I should go to my room.’

As she went into the house, she met her father-in-law. Charles looked at her white face and realised what was happening. He summoned a servant as Kathryn bent over with the pain.

‘You must go to bed, my dear. I shall send for the physician—and a message will be delivered to Lorenzo. You need him to be here with you at this time.’

‘Thank you.’

Kathryn bit her lip, refusing to give into the fear and pain, which was coming often now. She was glad of the assistance of her maids. They helped her to undress and to lie on her bed, packing pillows at her back to try to make her comfortable, and bringing towels when her waters broke.

Elizabeta came to sit with her, holding her hand as the pains racked her body, making her writhe in agony and cry out.

‘You are doing well,’ she said. ‘Your pains are much stronger than mine were at this early stage. I think your labour will be shorter.’

Kathryn could not answer. She had never felt such terrible pain and could not stop herself screaming as it became intense once more, and she experienced a strong desire to push.

‘It is coming,’ Elizabeta cried. ‘Oh, my dear friend, I can see the head. Push harder now and it will soon be over.’

Kathryn did as she was bid. The pain then made her scream long and loud, and it was this sound that Lorenzo heard as he entered the house.

His father met him, restraining him, as he would have gone to Kathryn. ‘Wait a little, my son. She has her women and Elizabeta.’

‘She needs me. I must go to her.’

At that moment they heard a wailing sound and looked at each other in relief. ‘It is over. Kathryn…’

Lorenzo broke from his father’s hold and started towards his wife’s room. As he reached it another terrible scream broke from her.

‘Kathryn?’ He looked towards the bed and was met by a warning look from Elizabeta. ‘We thought the babe was born?’

‘Your son was impatient to make his way into the world, sir—but it seems there is another child. And this one may take its time.’

‘Another child? Twins…’ Lorenzo turned pale, for such births were more difficult for the mother. He went to the bedside, reaching for Kathryn’s hand as she writhed in agony. ‘My poor love, forgive me.’

Kathryn shook her head to deny his fault, but the pain was too intense for her to speak to him. She clung on to his hand, her fingers digging into his palms as the pain struck again.

‘Our son. Call him Dickon,’ she whispered hoarsely. ‘If anything should happen to me…’

‘Nothing will happen!’ He looked about him impatiently. ‘Where is the physician? Has no one sent for him?’

‘He was sent for at once,’ Elizabeta told him, ‘but your son came quickly.’ She showed him the babe wrapped in soft swaddling. ‘Is he not beautiful?’

‘Yes, but I would to God he had been the only one,’ Lorenzo said, his face white with concern. He watched as Kathryn moaned and writhed, frustrated that he could do nothing to help her. ‘Damn the man! Where is he?’

‘Here, Signor Santorini, at your service.’

The physician entered, a small, dapper man dressed in dark clothes and carrying a wooden box, which contained the instruments of his trade.

‘She is in such pain,’ Lorenzo said. ‘Do something to help her!’

‘If you would please leave the room. Only one lady should remain while I examine your wife, signor.’

Lorenzo seemed as if he would refuse, but Elizabeta gave him a speaking look. ‘I shall stay with her. You can trust Signor Viera. He was very good when I was in labour. Kathryn will do well now that he is here.’

Lorenzo bent to kiss Kathryn’s forehead, which was damp with sweat. ‘I shall return soon,’ he promised.

Outside the bedchamber he found his father waiting anxiously for news. ‘Is all well?’ he asked.

‘Kathryn has given birth to a healthy boy, but there is another child and this one does not come so easily.’

‘God have mercy!’ Charles crossed himself. ‘At least the physician is with her now.’

‘For what good it may do us,’ Lorenzo snarled. He had little faith in doctors and was consumed with fear that he might lose the woman he loved more than life itself.

It was several minutes later that the doctor came out to them.

‘The second child has turned the wrong way. I must turn it and perhaps use my instruments to bring it out. If I do, the child may be damaged. It is a risk, but unless I help your wife she may die in the struggle to give birth.’

‘Save Kathryn,’ Lorenzo said. ‘I pray the child will not suffer too much harm—but you must save my wife.’

‘It shall be as you say.’

Lorenzo stared as the door closed behind him once more. He belatedly tried to follow, but Charles stopped him.

‘The birthing chamber is no place for you, my son.’

‘Kathryn needs me.’

‘I know how you feel, but you must leave this to Elizabeta and the doctor. When your mother died giving birth to a stillborn child, I wanted to be with her, but she did not want me near her. Go to Kathryn as soon as it is over, Lorenzo.’

Lorenzo was torn by his desire to comfort his wife and the wisdom of his father’s words. He paced the hall outside Kathryn’s chamber like a caged beast, each minute seeming like an hour. And then, at last, when he thought he could bear it no longer, the door opened and the doctor came out to him.

‘Your daughter is very weak, signor. She may not live the night. Your wife is well, but will need to rest. She has suffered some damage and it may be that she will not be able to have more children.’

‘But she is well? She will live?’

‘She needs rest, but she will live,’ the doctor told him. ‘You may go into her now, signor.’

Kathryn lay with her eyes closed as he approached the bed, but she opened them and smiled as he bent over her to kiss her softly on the lips.

‘We have a son and a daughter. Is that not clever of me, Lorenzo?’

‘You are wonderful, my darling,’ he said and looked at her with love. ‘Thank you for my son, Kathryn. He is a most precious gift.’

‘And your daughter? Are you not pleased with her?’

‘Of course…’ He hesitated, but thought it best to be honest. ‘Doctor Viera told me that she is delicate. We may lose her, Kathryn. But you will live and so will our son.’

‘She shall live too,’ Kathryn said. ‘And we shall call her Beth.’

‘I pray that you are right, my darling.’ Lorenzo kissed her again. ‘You should sleep now, Kathryn. I love you and our babies and I shall come to you again soon.’

He watched as she lay back against the pillows, dark shadows beneath her eyes, worn out by the fight to give birth, and whispered a silent prayer. He gave thanks for her life and that of his son.

‘If you are merciful, God,’ he murmured aloud, ‘watch over our Beth this night, I pray you.’

Elizabeta beckoned to him and he crossed the room to gaze at the face of the tiny girl she held for him to see.

‘Is she not beautiful?’

‘Very. She is like her mother.’

‘And as such, she is a fighter. I think the doctor is wrong,’ Elizabeta said. ‘She was sucking my thumb strongly just now. I shall summon the wet nurse to attend her and then we shall see.’

Lorenzo felt a wave of tenderness as he bent to kiss the tiny scrap of humanity that was his daughter. ‘Live, my little one,’ he said. ‘Live for yourself, for your mother and for me.’

It seemed to him then that the child smiled at him, and he felt her little fingers curl about his heart, binding him as surely as he was bound to the woman who had given this tiny scrap life.

It was a beautiful day and the first time that Kathryn had come down in more than two weeks. Lorenzo had insisted on carrying her to her chair in the garden, placing cushions at her back and a rug over her knees. She looked about her, catching the scent of a full-blown dark red rose, and lifting her face to the sun as a feeling of content surrounded her.

‘I am quite well now,’ she told him with a smile.

‘You are still a little tired,’ he replied. ‘You must rest for three weeks as the doctor told you.’

‘He makes such a fuss,’ Kathryn said and pulled a face at him. ‘Did he not tell you that Beth would not live through the night? And does she not thrive?’

‘Thanks to our good friend Elizabeta and the wet nurse.’

‘I should have liked to nurse her myself,’ Kathryn said wistfully, ‘but Dickon is so greedy there would not be enough milk left for her.’

‘She thrives as she is,’ Lorenzo said. ‘And you make much fuss of her when you hold her. She will learn to know that she is loved, Kathryn.’

‘She likes you to hold her,’ Kathryn replied with a tender smile. ‘She stops crying instantly when you pick her up. I think she knows you are her devoted slave, Lorenzo.’

‘She is so like you,’ Lorenzo said and laughed ruefully, knowing that the babe had him curled about her little finger. ‘ cannot resist spoiling her, because she is so beautiful.’

Kathryn sighed with content as she looked up at him. He was so different now to the man she had married, always laughing and teasing her, making up stories to entertain her, just as he had when they were children. She knew that Dickon had come back to her at last. He was Dickon and he was Lorenzo, the two now blended into one whole, a man she could love, respect and lean on in the years to come.

‘We are so lucky,’ she said, ‘to have each other and our children.’

‘God has blessed us,’ Lorenzo said. ‘Once I thought he did not listen to our prayers, but now I know that I was wrong.’

Kathryn reached out for his hand. Her fingers moved to the hard welt of scarred flesh, tracing it gently. Lorenzo no longer wore his wristbands. He had no secrets to hide. The past was gone, if not entirely forgotten.

‘I love you,’ Kathryn said.

‘As I love you,’ he replied. He looked up and smiled as his father came out to join them in the courtyard. ‘I have everything that any man could want.’