Page 66 of Love, Remember Me

The winter set in at last with the coming of February. Varian fretted about his flocks, for the lambing was upon them, and as always in lambing season, the weather was stormy. Old Lord Morgan rode over from Ashby to advise his granddaughter's husband, for he had once had enormous flocks of his own.

They had heard nothing of the court since the royal messenger's visit on St. Thomas's Day, when they had learned that the king and the queen would celebrate Christmas at Hampton Court. They had no visitors but an occasional family member. Nyssa was growing more and more short-tempered with her expanding girth. Nothing was remotely comfortable these days, neither sitting, nor standing, nor lying upon her bed.

February passed, and on the first day of March, Nyssa went into labor. "It is too soon," she fretted, frightened.

"From the look of you," her mother said with a smile, "it is none too soon. You are like a ripe peach ready to burst."

"I am bursting," wailed the Countess of March, "and it hurts!"

Her mother ignored her, instead ordering that the birthing table be brought into the countess's bedchamber and set by the fire, where it was warm. Kettles of hot water boiled over the fire. A large stack of clean cloths was prepared. The infant's cradle was brought, along with the swaddling clothes. The nursemaid was called to ready herself for her new duties.

Outside, gray, icy sleet was flinging itself against the glass windowpanes, and the wind was beginning to rise. Blaze made her daughter walk about until finally her waters broke. Only then did the Countess of Langford allow Nyssa to get onto the birthing table.

In the Great Hall, Varian de Winter paced nervously. His father-in-law, just arrived, sat calmly by the fire, sipping at his wine and chatting with his youngest son, who was playing with a puppy at his feet.

"Var, can I take puppy home with me?" little Henry Wyndham asked his brother-in-law. Henry would shortly be four. His big violet-blue eyes reminded Lord de Winter of his wife. The boy smiled up ingenuously at the man, his baby teeth like small freshwater pearls.

"Aye, 'tis yours, Hal. What will you call him?"

"Puppy," the little boy said with perfect logic.

The two men chuckled at the child, and he grinned good-naturedly back at them.

Blaze could not believe the ease with which Nyssa was delivering her child. She remembered how she herself had labored lightly for an entire day. Then her labor had become harder and harder, until finally, just before midnight, Nyssa had been born. Nyssa, however, was having quite an easy time of it. Blaze bent to peer between her daughter's legs, and saw that the child's head was quite visible.

"At the next pain, I want you to bear down as hard as you can and push," she told Nyssa. "It will take very little to birth this child."

The young Countess of March obeyed her mother, and as she was wracked by a hard pain, bore down, pushing with all her might. The child began to slip forth from her body. "Ohhh, I can feel it, Mama!"

"Push again, Nyssa," her mother ordered.

The young woman pushed, and suddenly a howl broke the virtual stillness of the room. Blaze Wyndham smiled broadly as she lifted her firstborn grandchild up and lay the wailing infant upon his mother's body.

"You have a son," she told her daughter, and then sought for the afterbirth. It had not yet emerged. Taking a small, sharp knife set aside for the purpose, she cut the cord and knotted it tightly in the baby's navel. Ohh, he was a fine boy!

"Mama!" Nyssa's voice was sharp. "The pain is beginning again."

" 'Tis the afterbirth," Blaze said, disposing of it.

"No," Nyssa told her. "I feel the same way I felt just a moment ago, when Edmund was born."

Blaze looked down again and gasped with surprise. "Heartha, take Lord Edmund and clean him up," she called to her tiring woman. "Tillie, I will want you to stand by. Your mistress is about to deliver another baby. 'Tis twins, Nyssa! Why did I not realize it before now? You come from a family known for its twin births! That is why you were so big, and that is why your babies are being born today instead of at the end of the month. Twins always come early."

Within a brief few moments Nyssa had delivered her second child. "What is it?" she demanded. "Do not mix it up with Edmund. He is the heir. I do not want him to lose his birthright."

"No fear of that," her mother said. "This one is a daughter. Ohh, I don't envy the poor little queen when Henry Tudor learns you have given Varian de Winter not just one, but two children. He will be so envious."

"Let me see her," Nyssa demanded, and Blaze put the baby on her daughter's chest. The infant's eyes were open, and she appeared to focus quite clearly upon her mother. She made small noises that absolutely fascinated Nyssa.

"What will you call Edmund's sister?" Lady Wyndham asked.

"I had not considered a daughter, but I think if it is all right with Varian, I shall call her Sabrina. Lady Sabrina Mary de Winter. What think you, Mama?"

" 'Tis a lovely name," Blaze said, "and now I think we had best cleanse Lady Sabrina free of her birthing blood so she may be swaddled and presented to her father, along with her brother."

The two infants were quickly cleansed with warmed, scented oil, and then swaddled in clean clothes. Heartha held the heir to Winterhaven, and Tillie proudly cradled his sister.

"Go and introduce them to their father and grandfather while I attend to my daughter," Blaze said, and the two servants hurried from the bedchamber while Lady Wyndham made Nyssa presentable for the husband who would surely be coming to visit her within a short time.

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