She hugged him tight, but pulled back when he gasped in pain.
"What is it? Have I hurt you?"
"My ribs."
Despite herself a snarl escaped. "I want to kill him for what he did."
"He will die, no doubt. Leave that to me and Edward."
"I want to help.
He shook his head, and she recognized his stern demeanor taking over. "You are not to put yourself in any sort of danger. I will bind you and lock you in myself."
She knew he would carry through on the threat. Surely, there must be something she could do and said as much.
"You can lay here with me while I rest. I want to hold you, as I dreamed so many nights."
Her heart felt nearly full to bursting. That she would do, and anything else he asked, with great eagerness, and went into his embrace. He covered her mouth with his, a heated stroke of his tongue that soothed her rather than ignited her. She savored the comfort of his mouth and didn't protest when he drew away and settled her against his shoulder. Despite the gravity of the situation still to be resolved, Gillian thought she'd never been happier.
Chapter Twenty-Three
"My lady, 'tis Anne! The babe is coming!"
The maid blurted out her words then ran from the room. Gillian pushed herself from her chair, running a calming hand over her belly. The babe settled. She'd anticipated this day for weeks, but now that 'twas here, a strange apprehension rose. She strode to the hall, calling for Thomas. The steward appeared before her.
"Fetch the midwife. Anne births her child."
"I've already sent for her, my lady."
Gillian nodded and set herself to the preparations for the birth, ensuring the stool was brought in and plenty of blankets to swaddle the babe. By the time the midwife arrived, Anne screamed in pain.
"I cannot bear this agony!"
Anne's panicked shouts roused a responding alarm in Gillian's stomach. She leaned against the wall, a strange weakness seeping into her limbs. She closed her eyes against the sight of Anne's huge belly contracting and quivering under the strain of her labor. Anne continued to yell, her cries piercing Gillian's ears. At least this morn, she'd awoken without that great pressure on her lungs, making it difficult to breathe. She needed a clear head through this.
"Take deep breaths and pant like a dog, my lady," said the midwife, Maida. "'Twill help the pain."
Anne seemed not to hear, continually bawling and cursing. Gillian rubbed her belly, the child inside moving in fierce, agitated motions. For several hours, Anne cried out while Maida barked orders. Gillian seemed to feel each pain as it contracted through Anne's body, knowing that in a few short weeks, she would be facing the same agony. Fear rose up and despite her hatred for her former stepmother, Gillian shared more empathy with the womanthan she'd ever imagined. She stepped still closer, surprised when Anne grabbed her hand, squeezing hard. Jesu, the woman had the strength of an ox!
A piercing wail from Anne and another order from Maida broke through Gillian's unfocused thoughts. Again, pain grabbed the red-haired woman and she squeezed Gillian's hand with such force, she thought her fingers had been broken.
"'Tis a boy!" Maida's triumphant cry preceded the infant's wail. Anne slumped weakly against the stool and closed her eyes as the midwife tended to the babe. His mewling cries drowned the sound of her stepmother's gasping breath.
"Give me my son." Anne weakly reached for the babe. Maida swaddled the child in clean cloths and handed him to his mother.
Maida set about cleaning up the afterbirth. Gillian remained silent, watching Anne with her child. Burke's child. The babe of a traitor. What would happen to him once his parents were tried and likely executed? Fearing Edward would be ruthless toward the helpless infant, Gillian already formulated a plan. Convincing Royce to support the notion would take some work, but she felt sure she could...
"My lady, take the babe!"
The panic in Maida's voice indicated something terrible. Gillian reached for the infant, alarmed at how pale Anne had grown. She looked at the floor, eyes widening to see copious amounts of blood pooling beneath the stool. Much more than there should be. As she drew the crying child away, Anne made a feeble attempt to hold onto him.
"My baby. I want my baby."
"Let Maida tend you," Gillian said, rocking the wailing baby. He was likely hungry but she could do nothing for him now. Had the wet nurse been summoned? All she knew was the distress in the room had grown palpable. She stepped away to let Maida and the others work, but with each passing second, realized whatever hadgone wrong could not be fixed. Anne quickly lost consciousness, her limp body falling to the floor.
"Summon the physic," Maida ordered, sending one of her young assistants in search of the one person who might save Anne. A moment later, Maida shook her head and stood. "'Tis too late. She is gone, my lady."
Gillian gaped, unable to comprehend what had happened and how it occurred so quickly. Anne, dead? One look at the woman's waxy countenance and blankly staring eyes, and Gillian knew it to be true. Yet, what she'd so desperately longed for all these months seemed strangely unsatisfying. Sad. Near tragic.
