The Sisters Of The Court

Chapter 46: Alice

It's December 1897 and my wonderful son Peter was born June 27 of this year. Yes he was another boy but there is always time for a girl. I sit in the nursery rocking chair as I hold my baby in my arms. I look down at him and smile as he fell asleep in my arms. Alexandra and I seem to be in opposite situations, she is having trouble getting a boy and I am having trouble with having a girl. I heard that Scarlett had a girl with Boris. Sadness strikes me as I can't give George what he wants.

The governess to Alexander and Peter steps in and says that the wet nurse is here to feed Peter and that my cousin Scarlett has arrived. I let out a sigh, what is she even doing back here? I stand up and walk out to see her. I find that she is already speaking with George, I join to stand next to him, I feel her glare on me, as if she was to kill me with her stare. "Scarlett" I greet politely, "What are you doing here?" I notice how skinny she has gotten and the baby she holds in her arms, her baby Alice. It's as if she is mocking me by naming her daughter after me, my inability to have a daughter.

"She is staying with us" George tells me as he wraps his arm around my waist. "Why?" I ask him. I know why, Boris must have gotten worse, little George wobbles to my husband and  giggles out, "Papa!" I freeze, Scarlett smiles at her son approvingly. My husband laughs and takes the boy into his arms, "Oh no little one, its Uncle!". The small boy pays no attention to that as he touches his face. I turn away and leave, what's wrong with her? Teaching her son this? He isn't his father! He isn't her husband, no matter how much she wants him.

I walk back to the nursery and sit with Nicholas and hold Alexander in my arms, it looks as if Scarlett is staying for Christmas and New Years, the audacity to show up here. I don't trust her at all, I'm glad that George is keeping his distance from her. He was so mad when she yelled at me. It's not my fault that I did not know about my real mother, I sigh looking at my beautiful children, they are so perfect and Nicholas looks so much as his father. I kiss the top of Sasha's head. My perfect little children.

Dinner rolls around and the three of us sit at the dinner table. I sit quietly, listening to Scarlett chat with George about some charity ball they attended while I was away. I hear a scream and sit up as a maid from the nursery runs down to me and whispers to me frantically that there has been an incident involving Nickie. I run, the fasts I've ever ran to that nursery as Nicholas's governess holds him with his leg swelling badly, she looks up at me, "I already called for the doctor. One maid starts to put damp cloth on his swelling as another maid takes the rest of the children out of the room.

I hold my son close as he cries in pain, my poor baby, what even happened? I ask his governess that question and the answer I got made my blood boil, "He was playing with the young boy and he was pushed too hard" the governess explains to me. Scarlett's careless son that she didn't properly raise did this? I hear foot steps, the doctor arrives and we lay my poor baby to bed. George comes in but I hear Scarlett want to come in after him. I hear him tell her to leave as he joins me by the bedside of our poor ill baby, my baby made of glass.

I suffer as my poor baby in agony. The doctor helps as much as possible and when  my Nickie finally calms down then he falls asleep. I sit quietly by my son's side. "It was an accident you know?" I hear George say quietly. "I don't care, I don't want her kids near our children" I say, keeping my gaze on our sleeping son. "She needs to learn that she has no say in anything here," I tell him. George sighs as he rests his head against my shoulder, "I love you" he says. I sigh and wrap my arms around him, hugging him close, "I love you too" I whisper, kissing the top of his head.

"We will get a day alone together my love, don't worry, it will just be you and I" he kisses me gently. I smile at him adoringly. "I can't wait"