NOT ABOUT ANGELS | THE WHITE QUEEN

Chapter LI

Charlotte didn't respond to Mistress Granger's words, and she barely seemed to notice that Edward was by her side. She instinctively pushed, trying to force her muscles to expel the child in her womb. She gasped for breath, aware that somebody was gently sponging her forehead with a damp cloth. With a final push, her baby was pushed out into the world and into Mistress Granger's waiting hands, and a second, indignant wail filled the room.

"You have a fine son, m'lady...Your Majesty," Mistress Granger amended, with a glance at Edward. She sighed inwardly, hoping that, if it became known that the King was present when his mistress gave birth to their latest child, it would not inspire other men to follow his example.

Men were happy to get women with child, and especially delighted when they were presented with strong sons, but in her experience, they were all squeamish when it came to childbirth, even those who thought themselves strong and brave.

"A new son for England," Edward said, awed, as Mistress Granger lifted the crying baby, wrapped in the finest linen, up so that he could see him. He had never before seen one of his children just after their birth, before the women could wash them and make them presentable but, despite the smears of blood and other fluids he could not identify, he thought that he had never seen anything as awe-inspiring a sight as that of his new son in the minute of his birth.

He leaned forward to kiss Charlotte, hugging her to him as gently as he could, not wanting to hurt her. She was limp in his arms, exhausted, but she gave him a tired smile.

"You're the bravest person I know," he told her, meaning every word of it.

It took several moments before his mind caught up with him, and he remembered what he heard before Charlotte's renewed cries prompted him to run to her side.

"I heard a baby cry... before our son was born..."

"That you did," Mistress Granger agreed, beckoning Isabel forward with an imperious finger. His sister-in-law held another baby in her arms, and she was clearly doing her best to remember that, as a lady, she should behave with dignity and not giggle over the fact that the bundle she cradled had gone unnoticed until now. "Your new son has an older sister."

"Two of them," Edward's mouth was agape, and he could only stare at the second baby.

"A boy and a girl." Mistress Granger confirmed, passing the baby boy in her arms off to Marie and directing her to wash her and wrap him well.

It took Edward a few minutes to recover from the shock and for his head to clear and, when it did, he could see that Isabel's efforts to keep from giggling had failed, and that several other ladies were struggling to hide smiles, clearly finding his confusion very amusing.

"Are they laughing at me?" He asked Charlotte. Although he could see the funny side, he couldn't resist giving the giggling ladies a little scare, and he hoped that he was successful in concealing his amusement and keeping his voice gruff, so that they would think that he was truly offended by the idea of any jesting at his expense. "Are your ladies laughing at their King?"

"Yes," Charlotte agreed, amusement lighting up her eyes. "And you deserve it."

"True," Edward agreed, pressing kisses to her forehead, cheek and lips, thinking that he must have looked foolish indeed to be so caught up in the flurry of activity around Charlotte that he couldn't recognize that he had heard a baby cry before he entered. One day, it would be a funny story to tell their new children... their twins. He could scarcely believe that they were now doubly blessed. "Thank you, mon couer," he kissed her again. "I don't know how to repay you for this."

"You don't need to repay me." Charlotte insisted, a twinkle in her eye. "I'm as happy about them as you are!"

Mistress Granger bustled forward to address Edward. "If you'll excuse us, Your Majesty, I'm sure that Lady Charlotte would like to wash, and change into a clean nightgown. We also need to change the bedding." The babies were clean now, and wrapped in fine coverings, so it would not do to allow their mother to hold them and get them dirty.