Ominous Indications
917 Words
Jane paid a visit to the court physician, of course, but she already knew what the diagnosis would be. After examining her, the physician asked about her previous pregnancies, and she told him about the six live births and two stillbirths she had experienced. The physician told her that everything seemed to be fine so far and made an appointment to examine her again at a later date.
"I paid a visit to the court physician today," she told Guilford that evening.
"Are you ill?" He immediately looked concerned.
"No, but I am with child again."
Guilford's mouth dropped open in shock. "How could that have happened, considering how careful we've been?"
"Remember the night you returned very late from hunting and I was so happy to finally see you again that I asked you to stay within me rather than moving away?"
"Ah, yes." Guilford smiled fondly for just a moment, then looked concerned again. "But you bled so heavily with the last birth, my love. What if it should happen again?"
"The physician believes that so many births within just a few years may have been the cause. He said that now that my body has had a few years to rest that perhaps the outcome will be different this time."
"By God, I surely hope that what he says is true." Guilford embraced her and patted her belly. "Take good care of your mother, little one."
The responses of the children to the news were varied. Grace was first shocked, then thrilled. "Perhaps I shall be with child soon myself, and then they shall be playmates for one another!"
Temperance was incredulous. "Really, Mother, I thought that you were rather old for such goings-on..." Jane laughed and shook her head.
"I hope it's another boy. Our family already has three girls," said Robert.
"A baby sister would be so much fun to dress up!" said Katherine.
"There will be another baby besides me, then?" Ambrose looked devastated.
"You're not a baby anymore. You're a big boy now." Jane kissed him on the forehead as he tried unsuccessfully to squirm away.
Summer became autumn, and a light snow was falling on the day Jane felt the child within her move for the first time. That evening she placed Guilford's hand on her rounded belly so that he could share in the experience. For the first time he seemed truly excited, as his concerns for Jane's health had previously tended to override any positive feelings he had.
"Robert and Ambrose will both be so thrilled to meet their new niece or nephew," he said. "They never knew any of the other children as babies."
"Mary will be happy as well," Jane said quietly.
"Of course she will be, as will my Mary and Katherine."
"Our child will have many people to love him or her," Jane said happily. She had noticed a cooling in her relationship with the Queen of late, and it worried her. She wondered whether Elizabeth might be envious of her, although the sight of a belly swollen with child was certainly not an uncommon one at court.
One evening, Guilford and Jane went for a walk after dinner. Guilford had been feeling poorly all day and hoped that the fresh air would make him feel better. The air was cool and crisp, and the snow was beginning to melt. A rare sun was shining, giving the palace gardens a storybook charm.
Guilford and Jane discussed possible names for the new baby as they strolled along.
"I like the name Henry for a boy," Guilford said. "It was the name of my younger brother who was killed in battle in France."
"It was also my father's name," said Jane.
"I know that your relationship with him was not a good one," Guilford said gently.
"He didn't beat me as my mother did, but neither did I ever gain his approval. He criticized me harshly for spending too much time reading. He would have preferred me to have been more of the outdoor type, as he and my mother were."
"I've always admired you for being so intellectual," Guilford said. "It's a trait rarely found in the fairer sex."
"It's quite possible that many of the fairer s*x have qualities you would never suspect them of having," Jane said with a smile.
"I didn't mean that in a condescending way," said Guilford.
"It's quite all right. On an evening as lovely as this one, there are certainly more pleasant subjects to discuss."
"You are so very right, as always." Guilford smiled gratefully.
"If the baby is a girl, I should like to call her Elizabeth, after the Queen," Jane said.
"It's a lovely name," Guilford agreed, suddenly looking very pale.
"Are you all right?" Jane was alarmed.
"I don't know. Suddenly I feel very weak."
"We'd better head back. Do you think you can make it?"
"I'll have to try. After all, I don't have much other choice, do I?"
Guilford took a hot bath and went to bed early that night. The next morning he lay under the covers shivering, too weak to get out of bed. Jane felt his forehead with the back of her hand.
"My God, you're burning up," she whispered. As she moved her hand she thought that she felt something hard. Upon closer examination, she discovered a fluid-filled blister with a tiny indentation in the center just below Guilford's hairline.
Oh dear God, please no, she prayed silently.
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