Lucy roseto pale sunlight filtering through the window slits into the bedchamber she shared with William. Although Peter usually woke her at least once during the night, Jason typically slept through until first light. The nanny slept in the chamber with the boys, which connected to Lucy and William’s chamber in case they needed her.
Allowing the wet nurse and nanny to take care of the boys had been one of the hardest parts of being here in medieval England.
Other nobles and their wives found it odd that Lucy spent time with the children during the day. They saw their children before bed or when they’d dressed for the day and that was it. While she didn’t doubt they loved their children, it was very much a hands-off parenting style that Lucy was glad changed as the centuries passed.
She stretched, then bent over to place her palms flat on the stone floor. Ever since she’d had Jason, Lucy spent a few minutes each morning stretching and ending with planks tokeep her core strong. To prevent the servants from questioning her strange behavior, she always finished the exercises before they arrived in the morning.
The floor was chilly beneath her feet as she padded over to the window seat to peer outside.
“What time is it?” She said to Thor, who cracked one eye open and went back to sleep. She yawned, looking down into the courtyard below, missing William. The castle always seemed empty when he wasn't here, no matter how many people were around.
Hopefully, his trip to York would go quickly, and the king wouldn’t keep him too terribly long at court when William returned with the horses.
Her lady's maid entered with a light knock, bustling around to prepare a basin of water for Lucy to wash.
“Are the boys still sleeping? She hastily washed while Margery laid out her clothes and shoes, keeping up a constant stream of chatter about the pox and the recent sighting of bandits in the countryside.
“Nay, lady. They have eaten and are in the nursery.”
Once she was dry, Lucy turned her back to allow Margery to lace her into her kirtle. Stitched with tiny embroidered leaves in silver along the edges, the gray woolen garment was beautifully crafted.
“Breathe in lady, we must keep your middle tiny.”
As Margery tightened the laces, pulling the garment snug around her waist, Lucy decided she’d take the boys on a walk before dinner.
“Oof, I’m trying.” Tiny waist. It was enough to make her laugh. All her life, Lucy had been trying to lose ten pounds, and here they thought she was thin. It just went to show you were always hardest on yourself.
Before she’d had children, Lucy couldn’t have carried around several bags of flour in her arms all day, but now? She could easily hold Jason on her hip and Peter in the sling she wore around her chest. It was nice to have upper body strength, thanks to lifting the kids and carrying them around all the time.
Her hair was full of static this morn, so Margery secured it in a braid with a gray ribbon that matched her kirtle. As her fingers worked, Margery sang softly to herself, a song of love lost that made Lucy think about how she’d had to fall through time to find her own love.
Her lady’s maid finished with a flourish, standing back to survey her handiwork. “There you are, my lady. Beautiful.”
Lucy shook her head. “You’re sweet to say so. I have dark circles under my eyes from waking up at least a hundred times last night. You would think by now I’d sleep fine when William is gone, but I do not.”
With Thor at her heels, she made her way down to the kitchens, where she broke her fast, enjoying a bowl of porridge with a bit of honey drizzled on top. When it turned cold, she loved a hot breakfast. Not to mention, the porridge would keep her full until dinner. With William and the men gone, they would eat light tonight, most likely stew and bread with spiced wine.
Mabel, the nursemaid, entered the hall, holding Peter, just as Lucy was on her way up to see them.
“He is in a fine temper this day, my lady.”
“What’s the matter, baby boy?” She took her son, rocking him back and forth as his little face turned red, crumpling up in a precursor to a full-blown tantrum.
One of the men striding through the hall stopped next to them as Peter screamed his little head off.
“A good strong voice, he has, my lady.”
“You can say that again.” Lucy shifted him in her arms as Peter wailed.
The guardsman pulled a dagger from his belt, holding it up for Peter to see, turning it back and forth.
He reached for the blade, making the man grin.
“Nay, little one, no steel for you yet. You have to be able to hold a blade before you can wield it.”
“I want one.” Jason appeared from behind a tapestry, a cobweb stuck to his tunic. No matter how many times Lucy told them to stay out of the passages, Jason and his friends loved to go exploring. After one such trip, when they’d come across an old leather bag full of roman coins, William told her to let them explore. Who knew what else they might discover?
Jason looked up at the dagger, pure naked desire on his little face. What was it with men and blades?
