Romancing Rose

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

It was near impossible for Rose to wander about the house without waddling. She knew that any day now the child could come and well - it scared her. When she looked at the mirror, she really got a good look at the changes that had occurred within her body after the last several months. She was still lovely but large. She had once been so accustomed to running about and rolling in the grass but if she were to even dare attempt such a stunt now - she'd be sent rolling for days on end.

But despite all the difficulties of carrying the baby, she was hopelessly in love. She didn't know why but the maternal attachment she had for her unborn child was there. No matter who they were, she'd love them.

And she loved him too. She had fallen deeply in love with a man she had once sworn to loathe and hate. But he had changed. She had seen a side of him that was sweet and gentle.

Nowadays, the pair gladly shared a bed together. Sometimes she'd pretend to fall asleep. And when he did, she'd find herself admiring his features. She memorized every curve of his face. That night she did the same. She waited for his breathing to stabilize. It usually took about two hundred counts until he was soundly snoring. And just as she reached number one hundred ninety nine - he was softly snoring.

She brought a palm to his face, finger boldly tracing the perfect straight arch of his nose down to the sculpt of his lips. She wanted to press her lips against his. And just as she allowed her finger to linger on his cupids bow, she was startled to see his emerald eyes flash wide open to stare at hers.

He held her wrist gingerly a chuckle escaping his lips. "You have the oddest habits Rose."

Pink flushed against her cheeks. "You've been awake this whole time?"

"Quite, I didn't know you liked to touch people's faces while they were asleep," he teased as he brought her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss atop it.

"Only to the people I like." She murmured, her ears reddening. She could tell by his reaction that he was rather in shock that she had finally openly admitted any ounce of her feelings.

"You mean it?"

Rose smiled - he flustered her enough to where it was her turn to flip the tables. She gently pressed her lips against his, a teasing tug at his lower lip before parting.

"You haven't gone mad?" He said with a smile tugging at his face.

She shook her head. He cupped her face, lips pressing against hers before trailing down to her neck and reaching her collarbone. Her skin felt warm and she shivered aching for more.

But a sharp sting shot between her legs and she felt something pooling between her legs. Her eyelids opened widely and she stopped William from kissing her. His eyebrows furrowed together in surprise. "Rose what-"

"The child, the child's coming."

And that alone sent William lurching out of bed and waking up the entire household. The hour was late but thankfully there were enough midwives around the area to aid in the child birth. William was shunned from his chambers as Rose laid on the bed sweating quite profusely.

It wasn't long before Rose was howling and shrieking at the agonizing pain that seemed to sear through her entire body. She had never imagined such possible sensations to throb through her whole being and she almost felt delirious. The midwives did their best to soothe her, making sure to cool her forehead as they kept her legs spread.

William didn't know what to do as he could only pace back and forth. Both Charlotte and Jonathan were not in the house seeing as his sister had recently given birth and Jonathan was busy tending to her. His grandmother had also taken liberties to helping out her granddaughter. Rose wasn't to be expected to give birth until another week. But the child was coming regardless of anyone's schedules.

The screaming only got worse and it profoundly worried William. He was at his breaking point, his heart hurting every second as he heard Rose's sobbing. He barged through the doors, indifferent to the sight that he'd see. His heart dropped seeing the agony on her face. He was quick to approach her, one hand grabbing onto his while the other brushed aside the wet locks of hair that had stuck to her forehead.

"It hurt's so ... badly," she cried out loud as her grey eyes found its way to his.

"It'll soon be over darling, soon." He hushed her, soothing her the best as he could while her nails dug into his hand. Although he flinched at the pain, he knew it was nothing like the torment that she was enduring.

"Breath darling, slowly," William instructed.

Rather than receiving a nod, Rose only lashed out with frustration. "DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO RIGHT NOW!"

William knew better than to rebut her seeing the current situation. All he could do was be at her side as the midwives continued. Twelve hours had gone by and Rose was still in labor.

"I see the head! Lady Cecil, you must begin pushing!" One of the older women urged. Another midwife had joined William on the opposite side of Rose, holding her hand as well and telling her to count.

Rose felt exhausted and yet the child was still within her. She squeezed her eyes shut and began to count, pushing as hard as she could while inhaling as much air as she swallow. The blur of encouragements made her light headed. But she kept pushing and pushing. And once she heard a scream, she felt tears drip down her face. The child was born.

"A daughter, a lovely daughter," the midwife said as they began to clean up the crying child.

"Bring her to me," Rose uttered with as much strength as she had left.

The child was brought over and placed into Rose's arms. Her daughter immediately stopped crying once she was held in the arms of her mother, her eyelids shut. Her tiny hands gripped onto a strand of Roses hair.

"She's beautiful," William murmured as she pressed another kiss atop Rose's forehead. "You did wonderfully my love."

Rose had thought she had finished crying but she couldn't stifle the tears that found its way down her cheeks. "She's ours."