Bewitching The Recluse [BOOK 2 of Price Family Saga]

59. Epilogue I (The Magic Of Us)

It was a balmy and sunlit June when Bella's amniotic fluid began to flow. Fortunately, the physician and the midwife arrived during the initial contractions, assuring the Marchioness that all was well yet it would still take several hours before the little one would make its entrance into the world. At that moment, Bella strolled around the chamber, with as many as six pairs of eyes attentively observing her. Teddy and Rowena were seated in the chairs, Daniel stood, gently rocking little Julien in his arms, Eliza clasped her sister's hand, and Travis paced nervously on the opposite side of the room, feeling uncertain and burdened by the thought of the pain his beloved wife would endure in the ensuing hours.

"Teddy, do go and engage in play with Rowena; there's no need for you to linger here," Bella remarked, noticing the anxiety in his gaze.

"But I'm fretful for your well-being, Bella!" the young lad exclaimed.

"And I wish to see the babe!" little Rowena shouted.

Eliza smiled at her daughter, who had inherited her amber eyes, and gently spoke, "It shall take some time for the babe to grace us with its presence, my dear."

Teddy, wearing a solemn expression, turned to Rowena. "You wait for your own!"

Rowena shot him an indignant look. "With whom? You?!"

"I daresay not!" exclaimed Travis with astonishment, outpacing Daniel. The seemingly innocent children's debate drew a raise of Daniel's eyebrow. "By that, I mean," Travis cleared his throat, "that you are yet too tender for such discourse. Children are only sired by adults, do you comprehend?!"

Teddy sighed and nodded, while Rowena pouted as if he dismissed the notion of letting them engage in play with a cherished toy. All of sudden, everyone's attention focused on Bella, who let out a soft wail and breathed through a sudden pang.

"I believe those discomforts are starting to occur with greater frequency," she confided to her sister in a hushed tone.

At that very moment, the midwife entered the room with the physician, instructing all to vacate the premises – leaving only Bella's sister Eliza, who dutifully maintained her sisterly presence, reminiscent of their shared experiences during her childbirths in Newcastle.

Although it was uncommon to engage a physician for childbirth, when Travis and Bella sought out a seasoned midwife to attend to the Marchioness during this momentous occasion, it was the Marquess' deep-seated concern for her well-being that prompted him to insist on an additional pair of experienced eyes. The midwife, having fostered a longstanding connection with a reputable physician from Bath since her youth, often sought his assistance when anticipating potential complications, and the man was not opposed to the assistance even in Bella's confinement which was by far uncomplicated. 

This arrangement somewhat alleviated Travis' anxieties, as he spared no expense when it came to the safety and welfare of both his wife and unborn child.

"You are already midway through the dilation, Lady St. Arcey. Everything is progressing as it should – but now, the entire process shall quicken its pace. Lady Gray, there is a vessel of cold water on the nightstand behind you – do not hesitate to gently cleanse your sister's countenance for revitalisation," spoke the midwife, her words accompanied by a genteel smile.

Bella also desired to smile, but a fresh surge of agony compelled her to groan and breathe with haste.

"It shall be over soon, dear sister; ere long, you shall cradle thy little one in your arms," Eliza comforted her.

Travis and his brother-in-law, accompanied by the children, had not ventured far – they seated themselves in the adjacent chamber, with the exception of Travis, who continued to tread about like an unsettled ox.