Copyright: CLG March 2013
Chapter 5
Upon Arrival
Listen to the song: Lightning Crashes by Live, while reading this chapter it will have more meaning.
Clop, Clop, Clop is the sound Troianne heard as she slowly came to. Trying to open her eyes she sat straight up and looked at her surroundings. Lightning flashing she tries to get a look at her dark surroundings.
"Where the heck am I?"
She realizes she is not in the taxi anymore, she sees tiny little windows with red velvet tassel curtains, a scream bubbles up in her throat thinking that she is dead in a coffin.
"Oh dear God I have died and gone to hell!" giving a frightened giggle she realizes that she is in some kind of carriage as the vehicle seems to be moving forward and swaying back and forth. She clutches her stomach as a strong pain hits her, she screams an ear splitting scream while pounding on the roof of the carriage.
Slowly the vehicle comes to a stop, she yells "Help". The little door to the carriage opens, Mr. Gilford is standing there wringing his hands. The rain is pouring heavily, running in rivets down the old mans face.
"Mr. Gilford, help me! The baby is coming!"
"Milady, we have just arrived at Cusworth Hall and I am going to see if I can find someone to help. Please give me one moment to go fetch someone." "Oh please hurry," she requests.
She watches through the little window while the little man approaches a mansion, as much as she can see it being so dark with rain drops marring the window. Another clap of Thunder followed immediately by the brightest bolt of lightning she has ever seen. Clutching at her gown and praying for help she watches as the little man pounds on the big door.
Pounding as hard as he can, Mr. Gilford yells, "help someone, help please someone help."
Through the crashing thunder and flashing lightning he doubts at this hour if anyone will be about to answer the door.
Just as he is ready to turn back to the carriage and the screaming young lady inside. The door opens and standing there is a very tall man with a grimace on his face.
"My good man what is the meaning of this?"
"Why do you pound so on my door at this late hour" throwing up his hands" and in this horrid weather."
"Milord it is sorry that I come to your home so late in the evenin, but you see sir I have a lady here in my carriage and she is ready to give birth right in your drive and I have no idea how to deliver a child."
Mister........?
Oh sorry Milord, my name is Gilford...Marvin Gilford at your service.
"Hmm yes well it seems I am at your service tonight Mr. Gilford."
"Now please show me to this caterwauling female and lets see what we have."
They both run in the rain to the carriage, they hear her screaming through the howling wind and rain,
The tall man needs to assess the situation, yanking the carriage door open he enters the carriage, barely able to fit in there with the young lady sprawled out between the two bench seats.
He stares at the woman before him. "Can this be? this woman, she is his angel, he knows it! She is here, but how?" Thinking to himself, "My God is this really happening is this really the woman that has haunted my dreams?"
She interrupts his stare as she looks upon a handsome man that seems so familiar, yet she knows that she has never met him before.
She breaks the stare and he settles himself between her legs and asks "have your waters broken yet my lady?"
"Yes, hours ago." I think?
"I don't know how I got here and why I am in this?....she throws up her hands looking around.
"Carriage" he answers for her.
"Yes, this carriage"
"Is this some sort of park or some sort of Historical site?"
"Our grounds are considered a park to most as we have many gardens."
"What is this place called?"
"You have the pleasure of arriving at Cusworth Hall, Doncaster, Yorkshire, England".
"What?"
"You have got to be joking me? Right? I live in Lexington, Kentucky, in the United States of America."
"How the Hell did I get to England in a Taxi?
"Something strange is going on here, I am supposed to be at the hospital."
"There isn't a hospital for forty miles."
"Oh man now I want to strangle someone." "You mean to tell me I will have to have my baby here in this carriage?"
The man really has no words for this strange woman, his angel. He decides to just help her the best way he knows how.
"May I ask your name milady?" he asks.
"Troianne, my name is Troianne Shelden."
"Ouch! Owwwww! Oh God here comes another contraction! Oh Help Me! I am only eight months pregnant, the baby is not due yet!"
"You are doing fine Mrs. Shelden, I am here to help you, do not fear, you are in good hands."
"Its Miss, I am not married."
Shock revealed itself briefly in his strong chiseled features. He quickly recovered and moved to lift her gown to check at the progression of her labor.
"Yes, hmmm, well Miss Shelden shall we have a look?"
"What do you think you are doing?" She screeched.
"Stop that!" Grabbing for her gown to hold it down.
"Milady, I am Duncan Bells-Whitby, Second Earl of Cusworth."
"I also happen to be a man of medicine, a doctor."
"Have no fear I have delivered many babies and will endeavor to help you deliver yours safely."
"Now, please let me have a look and see if the babies head has crowned."
She didn't know whether she should trust this man, punch him or kiss him (where had that come from?) but at this point she had no choice the urge to push was to much to contain. He slowly lifted her gown and had a look.
"good no head yet, now he could try and get her out of this carriage.
Letting her gown go back down over her knees, he scoots to the door.
"Now give me your hand and let me help you from the carriage." She does as he requests and tries to pull herself across the seat into his arms, he then partially lifts her up and through the door to hand her out to Mr. Gilford. Who has been standing in the wind, rain and storm this whole time.
"Here good man take her out" as the old man helps her from the carriage a woman shows up behind him and manages to help steady Troianne on her feet, just as they were about to take a step, she falters and starts to go down, the butler Whiley, makes a grab for her but the Earl picks her up bridal style and sweeps Troianne off her feet and into his arms, he proceeds to carry her into the hall.
The woman who had been standing by fluttering her hands like a butterfly making sure that Troianne was being handled properly, speaks up and says:
"Duncan take her up to the blue room in the west wing, I will go get your medical bag."
"Thank you mother," he replies as he heads up the staircase which adorns the middle of the great hall.
"Renatta" he yells, boil water and bring as many linens as you can find.
"Yes, milord," the maid quickly goes about the business of gathering all the supplies her employer would need.
"My cat. Where is my cat?"
"Your what? The Earl asks.
"My cat. Don't leave him out in the storm, he hates the lightening and thunder. Please bring him in. His name is Diesel. He will need to be fed. And do remember don't put your face near his claws or you will be sorry. He is in the green carrier. Oh and please bring my other bags. I will need them"
Laughing Duncan says, "you heard her Whiley, get her cat!"
Yes Milord, with a groan the butler goes out to retrieve the ladies bags and her CAT of all things. He finds that the carriage and old man are gone. Left on the front stoop are two odd looking bags and another bag with a very large, very angry cat peeking out at him. "Reoooooow," says the cat. "Back at ya beast," says the butler as he lifts the carrier none too gently.
Reaching the "blue room," Duncan notices his mother has turned down the bedding on the big four poster bed, with a nod in her direction he approaches the bed and gently lays Troianne on the soft down mattress.
She looks around at the room, it is filled with nineteenth century furniture, the big white four poster bed takes up most of the space in the room. "Strange," she thinks to herself, "this bed is just like the one I sleep in on the farm." Pale blue draperies adorn the windows, while matching linens and are fitted to the bed, Troianne wonders again, how in the heck she got here. She sees a large white wardrobe painted with delicate blue flowers and next to it in a corner is a dressing screen painted with the same pale flowers.
In the opposite corner stands a basin and mirrored dressing table. On the far wall is a large ornate white fireplace with a roaring fire warming the once cold room. The mantle holds a white Ormolu clock with pale pink and blue flowers surrounding the face. On either side of the bed are stands that hold candle lamps made of brass.
"Amazing, this place is right out of one of my Nineteenth Century Historical Text Books."
Watching the doctor she feels so uncomfortable having such a handsome man down between her legs. How embarrassing. In any other situation she would have made him buy her dinner first. Laughing to herself, "This guy is a beefcake," tall, lean muscles with the most luxurious eyelashes she has ever seen on a man.
His black hair rivals her own in color, but his eyes, his eyes are like two swirling storms of gray mist. Never had she seen such clear misty eyes. His hands came near her and she noticed how large and capable they seemed. Well they would need to be if he was going to deliver her child tonight!
A loud rumble of thunder and a bright flash of lightning lit the sky again. She jumped!
Duncan...the Earl touches her foot giving a reassuring squeeze and looks to the woman standing next to the opposite side of the bed.
"Mother this is Miss Shelden and she requires our assistance in bringing her child into the world."
Surprised and not just a little shocked at the girls marital status, the older woman introduces herself, "Hello you poor child, my name is Daria Bells-Whitby Duchess of Cusworth please to meet you.
"Hello" Troianne replies as another pain hits with such velocity she screams clutching at her stomach, doubling up into a ball.
"I have to push nowwwwwwww!"
Duncan is in the corner washing his hands and wiping them on a towel, "Mother, please remove her gown and put a thin chemise on our lovely patient."
Renatta the maid arrives with linens.
"Renatta help me get her changed" The Duchess and the maid go about preparing Troianne for the birth while Duncan opens his medical bag and sets out to ready himself for the task at hand.
He had delivered many babies in his thirty three years, but this one is by far the strangest he has ever encountered. Such a young a beautiful woman, unmarried, in a strange place delivering her first child. Very intriguing indeed.
Pillows were placed under her knees and pads of white linen put underneath her.
Duncan says; "now when I tell you to, I want you to go ahead and push hard."
Troianne, feels the pain coming again, pushing as hard as she can, but she tires instantly.
"Lean back now Milady" Renatta instructs her.
"rest until the next urge comes," just as the maid says this she rears up and pushes again,
"Ahhhhhhhh, nooooooo, owwwwwwww"
"Good girl, now harder this time, come on you can do it, one more time."
She pushes so hard she can feel the blood vessels bursting in her eyes.
"I can see the babies head now, that a girl come on keep pushing for me angel, you can do this!"
"NOOOO! I can't, make it stop, it burns, I feel like I am on fire!"
"That is just the baby's head crowning, come on you can do it, we are almost there, keep pushing, push, push, here's the head."
"I can see curly black hair, here it comes, one more push and it will be all over."
"There's a love, oh yes, here we are!"
Troianne feels the child slip from her body into this world, feeling the most powerful relief that she has ever experienced she falls onto her back listening for a cry,
Not hearing anything at first she sits up to look and see why her child has not breathed its first breath, she sees Duncan holding a tiny body upside down and then she sees him smack the baby's bottom. She hears it, the most precious sound a little squeal of a cry and she realizes her baby is really alive. "Thank you Jesus!" she prays to herself watching as Duncan gently cradles the baby in his arms.
(Meanwhile in the East Wing of Cusworth Hall the Dowager Duchess of Whitby, Mother-in-law to the Duchess Daria Bells-Whitby, takes her last breath. She has lived for ninety-nine years, they were wonderful years. Her legacy will live on! She reaches for the arms of Jesus, "I am ready to go home now Lord!" The Angel closes her eyes.
"Hello beautiful, welcome to the world." The Angel opens her eyes, clear blue colored eyes. Beckers eyes!
Placing the baby on its mother's stomach with tears in his eyes,
Dr. Duncan Michael Bells-Whitby announces to everyone in the room.
"Miss Shelden, you have a most gorgeous daughter."
Troianne looks down at her child with tears in her own eyes.
"My precious little girl, oh I love you."
Kissing the tiny little head, she can't help but stare at this little miracle that she has created. The baby has jet black hair just like her mother.
The baby begins to cry, "She must be hungry, I am new at this sort of thing, Duchess do you think you could help her to latch on for me?"
"Why of course my dear." the older woman holds the baby to Troiannes breast and waits for the baby to suckle. The child takes right to feeding and Troianne needs no further instruction as mother and child bond in a way that is older than time.
Duncan cannot look away, the sight of his angel suckling her child is more than magical, it's the most humbling sight he has ever seen.
"What will you name her? Miss Shelden, asks the Duchess.
"My grandmother once suggested the name Diana."
"Diana I believe is a Greek Goddess is she not?" asks Duncan.
"Yes, you are quite right doctor." Troianne says with a smile. Looking up at Duncan she cannot help but notice how utterly handsome he is, or the strange look on his face. "He looks like he is standing at a candy shop window and is not allowed to come inside, and just think a few minutes ago he was between my legs. Holy Crap!"
Not missing the look her son is giving the young woman, the Duchess smiles.
"Oh what a beautiful name," the Duchess replies.
Looking down at her little girl, she says, "Yes, I think I shall name you Diana Elizabeth.
Congratulations Miss Shelden, says Renatta.
"Thank you." I cannot believe she was in such a hurry to be born."
The baby had fallen asleep. The Duchess standing closely by looked to her son for approval and decided it was time to clean the baby and let Troianne get some rest.
"Well my dear we need to give this little lady her first bath and get you both settled in for the night."
Gently taking the baby away, the Duchess and Renatta move to the other side of the room cooing and awing over the tiny little girl.
Sitting on the edge of the bed. Duncan pulls Troiannes hand into his "You did wonderfully Miss Shelden, you should be very proud of yourself."
"I have you to thank doctor, for all of your help." I did not mean to be such a burden on you or your family."
"I still do not understand what has happened to me, I mean how I got here and all."
"All of your questions will be answered in time I am sure of it. But for now you need to rest and gain your energy back. You are going to have your hands full with the little one."
Yawning she could feel sleep trying to claim her.
"Yes, I suppose you are right, I am feeling quite worn out."
"Perhaps just a little nap then before Diana gets hungry again."
Closing her eyes, she quickly drifts off to sleep. Duncan not help himself, he runs his fingers through her sweaty hair and marvels at the silkiness of it.
Whispering, he asks "Where did you come from beautiful and how did you get here?"
After Mother and baby were all snuggled into the blankets and sleeping the Duchess pulls her son into the hallway,
"Duncan do you think she could be one of those people from the society?"
"I was thinking the same thing mother, she doesn't remember how she got here."
"In the morning I will send a messenger to bring Terrence here, if anyone would know it would be him. Under the circumstances of her arrival and the fact that she has no memory of how she arrived, It sounds to me like she may be one of them."
"Well dear I am off to bed, it has been a long night."
"I am truly exhausted, as I am sure you are as well."
"Thank you mother for all of your help." Kissing his mother on the cheek, he turns to walk back into Troiannes room.
"You are quite welcome my dear." Touching her son's shoulder she realizes, this woman means something to him, she is not sure quite yet how she knows, its probably a motherly instinct.
"Son, have a care with her heart, she is young, unwed and in a strange place."
Laughing softly, "Mother you know me too well."
"She is incredibly beautiful, I feel as though I have known her forever. Hmm, yes, I will have a care."
"I love you mother." Now go rest, tomorrow I am quite sure will be a most interesting day."
"Goodnight dear." she turns her cheek for a kiss.
Duncan obliges his mother and kisses her lightly and turns to enter Troiannes room, sitting in the chair next to her bed, watching her he marvels at the feelings he is already having for this beautiful woman. Could she truly be one of the Time Travel Society Members or was she sent here from heaven for him to love and care for?