The Kingmaker's Pawn

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Bring him here," Isabelle smiled at her mother opening her arms. Her mother looked at her cradling the child and kissed its forehead gently before taking a deep breath. Lady Anne smiled for a brief moment and then the smile faded and she looked to the child, "lady mother, my son."

"Is a girl," Lady Anne's said quietly, "it's a little girl."

Isabelle said nothing but her jaw dropped and she forced her gaze away from the child. How could it be a girl? They were certain it was a boy everyone was. Why would god give them a useless girl when they needed a boy? It should have been a strong boy, not a girl. It wasn't right. Lady Anne got it wrong. It wasn't a girl, Isabelle wouldn't let it be a girl.

"No." Isabelle snapped looking back at her mother, "it can't be."

"She is, a healthy little girl," Lady Anne came towards her daughter and offered her the child she had so wanted to hold only moments later. "You have a daughter Isabelle." Isabelle's heart sank for she knew it was right. She felt so heavy she couldn't even lift her handto wipe away the tears from her eyes.

"All that for a stupid girl." Isabelle grumbled.

"She is beautiful," Lady Anne doted on her granddaughter, "please at least hold her. There will be boys to come. I promise."

"No," Isabelle said again then let out a scream of frustration. She clenched her fists her nails stabbing into her palms, and took deep breaths again until she did not feel the same urge to throw something through the walls of the ship. "It is all her fault, she lay eyes on me a cursed me to have a weak little girl like her."

"My dear, do stop," Lady Anne sat herself down beside her daughter and - cradling the baby girl in one arm - placed an arm around Isabelle though Isabelle did her best to avoid it she was pulled into the embrace, "she is not a weak girl, look at her," Isabelle did not look, she kept her gaze firmly on the chest on the far side of the cabin. Lady Anne moved her arm away, "she is your child. You cannot abandon her."

"And I will not." Isabelle said quickly. "She will have a wet-nurse, the best nursemaids any girl could wish for I am sure my husband shall see to that."

There was a small box into which Lady Anne had bundled several rags so make a cradle for the child. She rested her down and turned to her daughter.

"You are ungrateful, you do not deserve her," Lady Anne scolded Isabelle, "she is fit and well and you would cast her away because she is a girl. No we did not set our hopes on a princess but we have one now. You shall have sons, many sons you are fertile a wedding night child, Isabelle." Lady Anne walked back and forth a few times and Isabelle did little more than watch.

"Fine." Isabelle rested on the back of the bed and opened her arms, "I'll hold her." She gurned to show her dislike for the child as her mother scooped the babe up from the makeshift cradle and brought it to Isabelle. 

"She has your eyes," Lady Anne said as she helped Isabelle to support the little girls head so it did not drop. Then she kissed the top of her daughters head and stepped back.

Isabelle smiled, and then she laughed for the little girl had managed to break free of her bands and was punching the air with little pink fists smaller than anything Isabelle had ever seen. She took hold of one, it was so warm and soft. The little girl opened her hand and Isabelle ran her finger over the palm but before she could move it away the little girl grabbed hold.

"See," Lady Anne could not contain the short laugh that came with watching her grandchild, "I shall go fetch George." 

"And Anne," Isabelle glanced up but only for a second for the child kept a hold of her head and t was hard to look away from such a precious face.  The hint of gold on her head from her father, and the eyes Isabelle had seen so many times in the looking glass and in her father. But she had Anne's chubby cheeks, and the same sweet, innocent smile, "I want my Anne to meet her aunt."