Dr Jamieson arrived when she was safely back in her bed with Lucinda suckling contentedly. Alexander had not reappeared even though word had been sent to him that both she and the baby were ready to be visited. Where was he? Why didn’t he come?
“My lady, I don’t believe there is any need to examine either you or the baby. I can see immediately you’re both in excellent health. However, if you’ll forgive me, it is better to be safe than sorry and I shall just give you a cursory look over.”
After enduring the indignities of childbirth his examination was as nothing. He declared she was a perfect mother and should be able to produce any amount of children without difficulty. She was getting decidedly tired of being told to reproduce as often as possible. When he left dawn had broken and the birds were singing as if in celebration of the new arrival.
Nanny had taken the infant to the nursery insisting a new mother must sleep. She had promised to return when Lucinda needed her next feed. Still he didn’t come. The joy of holding her baby for the first time was dimmed by his absence. Eventually she gave in to her worries and asked Ellie to discover where he was. It would be impossible to sleep until she knew.
Fifteen minutes trickled past before her abigail returned. “My lady, we have searched the house as best we can and can’t discover him anywhere. Should we make enquiries in the stable yard?”
“No, Ellie, you get to your bed— no doubt everything will be made clear in the morning.”
Instead of falling into a satisfied slumber Isobel curled up and buried her face in the pillows fighting back her tears. This should have been a wonderful time, a shared experience. Why had he abandoned them now?
Alexander stared at the closed door tempted to knock, to insist he be allowed in to hold his baby but he knew this would be unpopular. Men were not wanted when babies were born. He must find something to occupy his time until his two darlings were ready to receive him.
Taking a candlestick he wandered downstairs and into his study. It would be dawn soon, he would open the shutters and the French doors and stretch out on the day bed and listen to the birds. When the sun came up he would rouse Duncan, get himself shaved and return to Isobel and his daughter.
He should have found himself some clothes before he left. He could hardly be discovered dozing downstairs with nothing on but his bed-robe. All his garments were now installed in the closets at the rear of the house and he couldn’t go back there for the moment. Devil take it! However, there were still some items in the guest rooms he’d occupied in the east wing.
Exiting via the doors that lead onto the terrace he headed for the east side of the house. By the time he found a window he could prise up his feet were sore and he was more than a little irritated. All the rooms were under covers whilst the workmen improved the kitchens, installed bathing rooms, and repaired the roof.
Several times he trod on something sharp and his cursing echoed through the empty building. When he reached his destination he lit several candles before searching the closet. He was delighted to discover all the necessary undergarments, a pair of decent breeches and a shirt. However, the only footwear that had been abandoned here were evening slippers which looked decidedly odd but were better than continuing with bare feet.
There was still an hour before full light; he would catch up on his missed sleep. There was plenty of time before he could present himself at Isobel’s door. As he relaxed his eyes misted. He was the luckiest man in England. Six months ago he had been in despair, now he had a wife and daughter and the rest of his life to look forward to.
The sound of banging and hammering woke him. He jolted awake. Dammit to hell! He’d overslept—Isobel must wonder what had become of him. As he raced back through the house workmen scattered in all directions, buckets were dropped, ladders toppled over but he ignored the chaos. Would the feeble explanation that he’d fallen asleep be enough to make up for his disastrous lack of attention to his new daughter and wife?
“There you are, little one, I don’t think you could take another morsel even if you tried.” Isobel rested the baby on her shoulder and rubbed her back as Nanny Cooper had shown her. It would seem infants needed to bring up their wind before they could settle back to sleep.
The tall clock in the sitting room struck for the third time since she’d awoken, the time was now seven o’clock. Alexander had been absent for five hours. She could think of no reason for him being away from her side unless he’d ridden off to hide his disappointment at her failure to provide him with his much wanted son. For all his protestations that he would prefer a dozen daughters if it meant she would remain at his side, his absence demonstrated his disappointment.
“Let me take Lady Lucinda for you, your grace. Ellie has brought you up a delicious breakfast. A nursing mother needs to keep up her strength if she is going to produce sufficient milk for the baby.”
Nanny made her feel like a complete ninny, but when it came to taking care of babies Isobel was remarkably ignorant. “I am sharp set, the tea and toast I had in the middle of the night seem a very long time ago.”
She was halfway through her repast when the sound of running feet alerted her to the imminent arrival of her missing spouse. “Ellie, please fetch another tray, his grace will wish to eat with me.”
The chamber door almost flew off its hinges. Her mouth dropped open. Never in her life had she expected to see her immaculate husband appear in such a state of dishevelment. “Alexander, where have you been? Why are you dressed like a scarecrow?”
He skidded to a halt beside her looking round the room like a man demented. “Sweetheart, I went next door to find something to wear and fell asleep. How can I apologise? Where is my daughter? I owe her an apology also for not greeting her when she was born.”
Whatever explanation she’d expected this had not been it. What he said was quite ridiculous and perfectly understandable. “My love, you’re forgiven. We searched the house last night but I did not think to look next door for you.” She grinned up at him. “I had also quite forgotten your state of undress and the fact that your garments were unavailable to you. Lucinda Rose is next door in the nursery, it will be quite in order for you to go and see her there.”
She expected him to refuse, to say he would wait until Nanny bought her in again, but he didn’t. He blew her a kiss and rushed from the room. She’d been worrying unnecessarily. Everything that had transpired was explained away. She must learn to trust him but this was difficult when his behaviour was so unpredictable.
She had almost finished her breakfast when Ellie hurried in with a laden tray, at exactly the same time Alexander returned with their daughter cradled in his arms. “I could not bear to put her down, my darling, so Nanny gave me her blessing to bring her back to you myself.” He sniffed appreciatively. “Is that food for me? You’re an angel to think of me after I abandoned you last night.”
The baby was tenderly returned to the crib which was to remain in the bed chamber for the moment. There was a second, identical one, in the nursery for when she was with Nanny.
“There, little Lucy, you’re as beautiful as your mother and I already love you almost as much as I do her.”
“She is tiny but perfectly healthy, so Dr Jamieson told me. He also informed me I would have no difficulty producing a dozen children.”
He pulled up a chair and examined what was under the cloth. “I think one baby alternate years for the rest of your productive life will be sufficient, my dear.” He then picked up his cutlery and set to with gusto ignoring her dagger looks.
“Gracious! Do you realise by my reckoning that could mean, let me see, fifteen further children. I can promise you when we reach four or five you’ll be banished to the far side of the house once more.”