EPILOGUE
Mrs. Canterbury’s Shop, Tidworth, March 1841
Mrs. Canterbury looked out over the wares she’d just imported from Ireland. There was some lace with inferior tatting, which she neatly disguised by keeping that side folded. It would still fetch a pretty penny, though it bothered her that she had to actually pay the Irish woman who’d made it. Everyone knew the Irish were a lazy lot. She was surprised one of them had the wherewithal to finish.
The bell rang and Mrs. Bardsley walked in with her spotty daughter, along with Mrs. Caulfield, whose own daughter had married and produced a child some eight months later. They claimed it was because the bairn had been born early, but Mrs. Canterbury thought it was more that the marriage vows had come too late.
“Good morning, ladies. How may I help?”
“We were just talking about the latest news concerning the Countess of Wainwright,” said Mrs. Bardsley.
Mrs. Canterbury hadn’t heard any news about Grace Moore, who had ideas well above her station, though, admittedly, her station was rather elevated at the moment. But that’s what you got by forcing an earl to marry you.
“Mrs. Canterbury, you have heard the news, haven’t you?” asked Caulfield.
“Well, of course I have,” lied Mrs. Canterbury. It was quite galling to be the person who didn’t have the latest gossip.
Mrs. Bardsley nodded so vigorously her cheap bonnet almost fell off. “I think it’s quite extraordinary, don’t you? The Earl of Wainwright has been telling anyone who will listen that he’s head over ears in love with his daughter.”
Mrs. Canterbury rolled her eyes. “He obviously doesn’t mean it. It’s a proven fact that men do not care for their daughters.”
“Is that true, Mama?” asked Mrs. Bardsley’s spotty daughter.
“Of course not,” said her mother. But, really, what else could she say? The girl was spotty, not deaf.
She sighed. “I think it’s romantical how much the Earl of Wainwright loves his wife. And to think she came from this village.”
“But she lived in that run-down shack with all the spinsters,” said Mrs. Canterbury who wouldn’t let anyone forget that.
“Forgive me for asking, Mrs. Canterbury,” said Mrs. Caulfield. “But didn’t all those ladies marry? And quite well. Emma also married an earl. That’s rather extraordinary, isn’t it? Two of our village girls are now countesses.”
“Yes,” said Mrs. Canterbury, with as little enthusiasm as possible. “It certainly is something.”
“Have they been patronizing your shop?” asked Mrs. Bardsley.
No. They hadn’t. “I see their servants from time to time.” Mostly as they walked up the lane. It was no small source of vexation that both countesses purchased directly from the local farmers and artisans, and for the items they couldn’t obtain that way, they had them shipped in from London. “I see that Mr. and Mrs. Moore have finally returned from living among foreigners.”
“Yes,” said Mrs. Caulfield. “I heard Lord Audsley spent a fortune to secure their release, all because he loves his wife so very much.”
Mrs. Canterbury had to admit she’d heard the same thing, but she certainly didn’t want to lend any credibility to the rumor by repeating it.
“Well,” said Mrs. Bardsley. “I must say those five young ladies from Jasmine Cottage certainly did well for themselves. And what’s more, Emma is about to have a baby at any moment. What say you to that, Mrs. Canterbury?”
For once, Mrs. Canterbury was well and truly speechless.
* * *
Audsley Abbey, Tidworth, March 1841
Audsley knocked on Emma’s bedchamber door with urgency. “Emma, I must come in!” They were at the abbey and he, better than anyone, knew all he had to do was enter his bedchamber two doors down – well, it was truly their bedchamber – go through the sitting room and enter Emma’s room from that entrance. But he didn’t want to do anything to upset her. And he also knew the sitting room was currently occupied by an army of babies and their mamas. He certainly didn’t feel prepared to march through that.
“Please, Emma, I must see you!” She’d been in there almost twelve hours in the process of giving birth and he hadn’t seen her for even a moment.
Since they’d left London, Violet Addington and Anna Jones were acting as midwives, and from what their husbands had told him downstairs, they were exceptional at bringing new life into the world. The husbands of the ladies from Jasmine Cottage had also been sitting with him downstairs, when they hadn’t been holding their own daughters, who’d all been born within the past six months. Audsley hated the way they made it seem so simple, like ladies gave birth every day and then gentlemen turned into perfect fathers who could hold an infant without being terrified he’d drop it.
Wesley Addington, Mark Jones and their friend Robert Carmichael were even more impressive. Their daughters were toddlers and while the girls spent most of the time with their mothers, when they did come downstairs, the three men were experts at reading to them, answering countless questions and even having imaginary tea parties. The girls were all sweet and he was glad his own child would have no shortage of friends to play with, though if his child were the one boy in the entire place it could be a bit lonely.
But he wasn’t thinking about problems down the line, he wanted to be with Emma. No, he needed to be with her. He knocked again. “Emma!” He was about to break down the door and charge right in, when it was opened by Grace, who slipped out into the hall. Audsley tried to get a glimpse of Emma, but Grace closed the door too quickly.
“What’s going on? Why won’t you let me see Emma?”
“Nothing is wrong. Everything is going perfectly well.”
“Why is it taking so long?”
“Babies take a long time to come into the world,” she said gently. “You learned that when I had my baby just a few weeks ago. You also waited with the men when the other ladies had their babies.”
“But this is different.”
“Why is that?” asked Grace with a smile.
“Because it’s Emma. Please, Grace, I’m terribly worried. I must see her. I think I can help her.”
“And how is that?”
“I can hold her and give her my strength.”
Grace’s smile told him she’d heard all she needed to. She cracked the door, which had Audsley squirming to see inside the room. “Emma, your husband is determined to come see you.”
“I haven’t combed my hair,” said Emma.
“I don’t care about your hair,” said Audsley over Grace’s head. “I love you and need to hold you.”
“A childbirth room isn’t for the faint of heart, dear,” called out Mrs. Moore. Since returning from their unexpectedly long journey, the Moores had become more attentive parents. Mrs. Moore had spent a great deal of time with both Emma and Grace as their confinements had come to an end.
“I promise not to faint,” said Audsley, before whispering to Grace. “If I do faint, make sure Emma is not alarmed.”
“I will have you covered, brother,” said Grace before kissing his cheek. “Now go see your wife.”
Audsley slipped into the room as soon as the door opened, half afraid it would close again. He took in the sight all at once. Emma was lying on the bed, which was in disarray. Her hair was pulled back in a braid and she looked exhausted. Exhausted and the most beautiful he’d ever seen her. He tore off his jacket so he could hold her, then gently sat on the bed and supported her as she sat up. “You’re beautiful. And you’re doing so well.”
“Audsley, you swore you would never lie to me,” said Emma, putting her head on his shoulder. “But I shall forgive you this once.”
“I mean it, my love. You are…” He was interrupted when Emma moaned.
Audsley was so alarmed he wanted to call out for help. That was when he realized he was in a room full of women, with Anna’s daughter walking around while Lady Endicott held her hand. Violet and Anna were at the foot of the bed.
“Push Emma,” said Violet. “We need another push. I know you’re tired, but you’re almost there.”
Emma was breathing heavily and trying with all her might to push. Audsley put an arm around her back and helped her sit up. “You’re doing very well,” he said, not knowing what else to say. But when he saw Violet nod and smile at him, he added, “I love you.”
That made Emma smile until some terrible pain made her cry out again. It was torture to see his wife like this and if it were possible, he gladly would have traded places with her.
“Rest for a moment,” said Violet.
Anna was looking under the blanket which was over Emma’s bent knees. She smiled when she looked up. “It won’t be long now.”
“Audsley,” said Emma, as she leaned on him for support. “I believe this must be a boy. Only your son would be too stubborn to come out.”
He kissed her temple. “If the baby is stubborn, I have no doubt it’s a daughter who will be as strong-willed as her beautiful mama. That’s a good thing, by the way. She’ll never let anyone take advantage of her. She’ll read books and speak her mind. I don’t want her to live in a run-down cottage, but we shall negotiate that later.”
“We should use Jasmine Cottage as a playhouse for all the children. In fact…” Emma let out a scream, as her body tensed again.
Audsley had never been so frightened in his life, but Violet and Anna were getting more and more excited.
“Just one more push, Emma,” said Violet. “One more and we’re there.”
Emma did as instructed. It was a long one and Audsley realized he wasn’t breathing. But as Emma collapsed in his arms, he could breathe again until another sound caught his attention.
A baby crying.
Emma was glowing and grinning and looking at something. That’s when he saw Anna holding a baby.
“You have a beautiful daughter,” she said.
There were cheers in the room and Audsley vaguely remembered kissing Emma as she reached for the bundle. That was when he got his first glimpse of their daughter. She was small, beautiful, a bit untidy and her head seemed slightly squished. If he hadn’t seen their friends’ babies shortly after birth, he might have been alarmed. But she was perfect.
He loved her completely.
“Oh, my sweet girl,” cooed Emma, as she kissed their daughter’s head. “Look at your papa.”
Audsley was mesmerized by the tiny baby in his beloved wife’s arms. “She’s perfect, just like her mama.”
“She is perfect, but as for her mama being that way, I believe I told you how I feel about lies.”
“Which is why I told the truth. You are my perfect love.” He kissed his wife, then they both stared at their beautiful little girl.