Venus in Winter by Gillian Bagwell

Author:Gillian Bagwell [Bagwell, Gillian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Historical
ISBN: 9780425258026
Google: jP3-0XERjK8C
Amazon: 0425258025
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2013-07-01T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Twentieth of December, 1550—Northaw, Hertfordshire

IT HAD BEEN THREE DAYS SINCE BESS HAD GIVEN BIRTH, BUT SHE still felt as if her insides had been scooped out with a sharp spoon and cast aside. The bearing of her first son had been even more difficult than Temperance’s birth a year and a half earlier. William, concerned for her safety and that of the baby, had taken the precaution of engaging not only the midwife but a surgeon. Bess’s labor had seemed to go on forever and she had first feared she would die and then hoped that she would, if only the pain would end. But both she and little Henry had survived.

Cecily came into the chamber bearing a covered cup.

“A nice warm posset, my lady.”

She helped Bess to sit up against the bank of pillows and bolsters, and tucked the bedclothes snug around her chest before going to the cradle.

“He’s sleeping well,” she commented. “Calm. No fever or aught like that.”

“Yes, the Lord be praised,” Bess agreed.

“Will you have no other supper, your ladyship?”

“No,” Bess said, holding the steaming cup against her chest. “This is all I can manage now.”

She could feel some strength returning to her as the warm liquid went down. Cecily poked at the fire and added another log to it, and drew the shutters closed against the darkness enveloping the land outside.

“Sir William asks if you’re well enough to see him.”

“Of course, thank you, Cecily. Ask him to come in directly.”

William stopped to smile down at the baby in the cradle before he settled himself carefully on the bed beside Bess and leaned down to kiss her.

“How’s my brave girl?”

Bess hadn’t seen William since the previous evening and had missed him, and his presence made her feel better. “Much better today, my love.”

“Good. I have several pieces of news that I think will please you. Harry Grey, John Dudley, and the Lady Elizabeth have all sent word that they will stand as godparents and will be here for the christening.”

He looked proud and Bess smiled at him, reaching out a hand to stroke his luxuriant whiskers.

“That’s wonderful. Two of the most powerful men in England and the king’s sister, honoring our son.”

“Our boy is off to a good start. Which brings me to the other tidings. The master mason came today. I told him what kind of house we want to build at Chatsworth, and tomorrow we’ll ride over so that he may see the land and begin to draw some plans.”

A few months earlier, the Leche family lands that Alice’s husband Francis had sold so precipitously had come up for sale, and at a good price, as Edward Seymour had said they would. William and Bess had inspected the property, which included not only the manors of Chatsworth and Cromford with their houses and land, but nearly twenty surrounding villages, and had immediately determined to buy it. Francis Agarde had accepted their offer of only six hundred pounds, and now there lacked only the final signing of documents, which they expected to take place within a few days.

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