Festina Lente

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Viscount Rochford

The maid took a deep breath as she came to a stop before him, her hands resting on her hips as she tried to catch her breath; she had dashed out of the door when she had been given the task. 

"The Duchess... has asked me... to fetch you," the maid gasped trying to gather her breath, she had not thought that the Duke was this far into the gardens.

A couple of maids had gossiped about the sight of him playing in the gardens with the eldest Boleyn girl, it had been a sight that many of them had not seen before. 

Thomas swallowed holding his granddaughter close, he had no idea what might have happened inside while they had been playing but he knew that whatever had happened was now over. 

***

Staring down at the small bundle in her arms, Clarice could not believe it and she wished more than anything that George could have been here for this moment. 

It had been almost expected especially when he had left in November that he was going to miss the birth, but Clarice had still held out hope that he would be home in time. 

Holding her newborn son in her arms, Clarice wanted nothing more than to show him that she had done it; she had preserved to the Boleyn name and legacy, giving him the heir that he needed. 

Clarice knew that George did not care for that sort of thing, he would have been happy enough if she had given him all daughters. 

"What shall he be named?" Elizabeth asked peering down at her grandson, a smile on her face knowing that all the worries were gone now. 

Finally, her Thomas could rest, the Boleyn name was preserved for the next generation and his concerns for the future seemed so small now compared to what they had been. 

"William," Clarice whispered softly not wishing to disturb the baby in her arms that she never wanted to let go, she adored the name and she wished to honour her husband's family as well as her own. 

She had not forgotten that George had wanted to name his son, their talk when he had left still stuck in her mind and Clarice knew that he would be pleased to see his wishes honoured. 

"George wished for him to be named William," Clarice explained with a smile, she looked at Elizabeth knowing that it would please them and she wanted nothing more than to honour her husband's family. 

Her daughters were named for her family, great women that had made the mark on the Medici line and it seemed only fair that her son would carry a good Boleyn name. 

Elizabeth nodded her head, she was sure whatever they had decided to name the boy would have been welcomed but to name him after Thomas' father was an honour that they had not been expecting. 

They had talked in private over the chances that any son would be named for Clarice's family, a Julian perhaps after her father; they had not thought he would be named for a Boleyn. 

"Then we have our little William Boleyn, 3rd Viscount Rochford," Thomas agreed stepping into the room, he had dropped Contessina off at the nursery before he had come here knowing that the girls would visit soon enough. 

It seemed strange to think that he had a grandson to carry on the Boleyn name, it felt like a lifetime since Henry Carey had been born; he had four healthy grandsons and he could not have been happier. 

Clarice nodded her head, her son would use his father's former title, the one George had used before they had been married and he had been elevated to the Duke of Bedford due to her loss of Dukedom. 

Not that Clarice would admit that she was still a little hurt by the loss of her family title that had been her parents before it was hers; she knew that if she ever got to see Francis again then she would have some choice words for him.

"He is a very healthy weight, the midwife was very pleased with him," Elizabeth informed her husband, she knew that the letters would be sent out later out this afternoon to announce the birth. 

There would be people cursing their luck, many that had hoped to marry into the Boleyn family through the daughters and take the fortune for their own. 

A son damped their hopes and raised the Boleyns, the titles and lands would one day pass to William; he would be a Duke twice over one day as well as an Earl. 

"We should celebrate, our triumph will not go unnoticed," Clarice murmured softly, she looked down at her beautiful baby boy and she could not help but hope that she would one day get to show him to his father. 

If God was good then George would be home soon and she wanted nothing more than to present him with their healthy baby; a son that he could be proud of and could teach to follow in his footsteps. 

"Of course," Thomas agreed with her, they would have plenty of time to celebrate and he looked down at his grandson in Clarice's arms. 

Today was the day that they started to prepare for the future, Clarice had done her duty and there was still hope for the future even if something happened to George while he was at war. 

Thomas just hoped that his son would make it home, there was much for him to discuss with his children and it would be easier to do if they were all under one roof.