Page 50 of Alessandra (Chisholm Manor #1)

Edward looked up at the sound of his wife crying out in pain, and gripping his arm tightly as she sat beside him in the drawing room.

Immediately he felt panicked.

"Alessandra! What is it?" he asked as he heard her moan again.

"Oh, Edward.

I think this might be it.

It is starting," Alessandra whispered before taking another deep breath in an attempt to sway the feelings beginning inside of her.

Edward looked around him, perplexed as to what to do, before one of the service staff came in, having heard the cry.

"Get the mistress at once!" he commanded and watched the staff member begin to leave the room quickly.

"And my wife's mother!"

He watched Alessandra's face as she realised she was going into labour.

She had been patient in past months.

With the support of Edward, his parents, and her parents, who were now both installed in the manor house in preparation for the birth, she had done all she felt she could do to remain calm and do whatever she could to bring her child into the world safely.

"Alessandra, come.

Stand up.

You know the midwife said that would help when the pains started," Edward said to her as he finally found peace in his mind and could focus on what they had both been told in preparation for the birth.

He stood and held out his hands to her.

As Alessandra accepted his help to stand up, she almost immediately doubled over.

It was the most difficult thing for Edward to watch as he felt completely helpless.

He feared that something would not go right, either for the child or his wife, whilst also feeling happy and hopeful that soon he would meet his child. He also felt the deepest love for the woman who had entered his world, and changed it so much.

When the drawing room door opened, Alessandra's mother, Isabella, rushed in.

She was followed by the remaining three parents, all with worried looks on their faces.

"Alessandra, how are you feeling?" Alessandra heard her mother's voice ask.

At that moment, Alessandra felt another spike of pain pass through her.

It was like nothing she had ever felt before.

"Oh my, I believe it is time we ready the birth room," Edward heard his mother say.

He watched her leave the room hurriedly, call out for staff to help, and then return.

"Edward, help Alessandra up the stairs so we can get her settled into the birthing bed."

After much fuss by everyone around her, finally Alessandra was made comfortable in a large bed in a room she had not even seen before.

Despite it being summer, the fire was lit so the room would not get cold.

That, combined with the room receiving the late afternoon sun, allowed Alessandra to bask in the warmth streaming in the window.

Over the next 14 hours, she continued to feel the pains, over and over.

Although both mothers insisted it was not right for Edward to be in the room, he stayed with her and held her hand.

The only times he let go were when he had to eat, or would help her to eat.

Watching her go through the contractions made him almost cry. Deep inside, he was terrified that he was going to lose her in childbirth.

Finally, after some manipulation and final encouragement by the midwife, a baby girl was delivered.

Alessandra immediately fell into a deep sleep, not even aware of all the happenings going on around her.

She was oblivious to being cleaned, and changed into another nightgown.

That was something Edward insisted he be the only person allowed to do.

Only after he had attended to his wife, ensuring she was clean, comfortable, and sleeping soundly, did he leave the room to find the other family members and accept the small being that was placed into his arms.

As soon as he found the confidence to hold her and look at her, he knew he was in love all over again.

He didn't try to stop the tears.

Alessandra's mother looked at Edward's and smiled a knowing mother smile.

"We will need to find a wet nurse for her immediately, Edward," he heard his mother say.

Edward stood firm in his resolve as he answered her.

"Alessandra will decide what is best for her and our daughter, Mother.

I will talk to her about it when she is rested," he said and saw his mother start to protest.

"Mother, I love you and I respect you, but Alessandra and I will make decisions about our children, together and on our own."

Charles Chisholm saw his wife start to speak.

He immediately held her hand and squeezed it to silence her before she could upset what was the happiest day the estate had seen in so long.

Edward continued to look fondly at the small bundle in his arms, reluctant to let her go to anyone else even though he was the only person present who had never held a baby before.

"Take her to your wife, Sir," the midwife said cheerfully to him.

"The little one will need to feed, and if you do not have a wet nurse here, the mother will have to do it."

Edward nodded and walked carefully back to the chamber where Alessandra lay.

He opened the door softly and crept in.

When he reached the chair by the side of the bed, he saw that she was already awake again.

"Edward," she said quietly as if still waking from a deep sleep.

She looked at him, desperate to focus.

Seeing he had something in his arms made her jolt awake and sit up.

"Is that...?"

Edward laughed at her in her sleepy but still curious state.

"Yes, my love.

This is our daughter, and she is beautiful," he said, making Alessandra cry with the joy she felt in seeing her husband and her baby together.

"Will you hold her?"

Alessandra smiled and sat right up before reaching out, nodding as Edward placed the small bundle in her arms, and sat on the bed beside them.

Alessandra looked down into the small face in wonder, and let the small fingers tighten around her little finger.

Edward looked at them both and saw tears come to his wife's eyes.

"She is so beautiful, Edward ... and she is part of you and me.

We made her," she said, with the usual wonder of her voice.

"The midwife said that she has to feed, Alessandra.

Can you?" he asked her.

Alessandra felt embarrassed and shy all of a sudden, but finding her resolve to do the right thing, and to learn, she responded positively.

"I must try," she said and shyly opened her nightgown and encouraged her nipple to the lips of her daughter.

Alessandra leaned back and adjusted to the new feeling.

As she held the baby in one arm, she reached out for Edward with her other hand and saw the look on his face.

He was looking at her in awe, as if she had done something no other person in the world had ever done before.

She smiled at him.

"Kiss me," she whispered.

Taking care not to put any pressure on the bundle between them, Edward moved closer and obliged.

When he moved back, he smiled at her while continuing to hold her hand.

"Mother has offered to find a wet nurse to feed her..." he started to say.

Alessandra immediately cut him off.

"No! If one is needed, then yes, we can find one, but Edward, look at her.

She seems fine," she said.

"Can we please try it this way first?"

Edward looked at her, pleased at her decision even though he knew it might vex his parents.

"Yes, of course, my love.

I told Mother that you and I will be making all the decisions regarding our child.

If need be, I will remind her and Father of that if and when I need to.

You must not worry about anything, but do not be afraid to ask for any help you need."

Alessandra felt a lessening in the suckling on her breast.

When she looked down, she realised the baby had gone to sleep.

"Will you take her, Edward, and put her down in her bed there?" she asked.

She watched as he carefully lifted the small life and placed her carefully within the bassinet set up near the bed.

They smiled at each other as he moved back to his wife, who reached out with both arms and pulled him close to her.

Already she was thinking about the aspect of their marriage that they had both missed in recent months.

She held him tight and pulled him into a passionate kiss and embrace, from which he eventually pulled himself away, laughing quietly.

"Oh, Alessandra," he said with amusement in his face.

"I have missed being close to you," she said quietly, looking down with a slight blush on her face.

"As have I," Edward replied.

"It will not be long, but not yet, my beautiful wife.

For now, you must concentrate on letting your body recover."

They looked at each other intently, both aware of times to come.

Inflamed by the thoughts, they heard a knock on the bedroom door.

Edward quickly moved away and stood up, refocusing his mind before opening the door.

Seeing four grandparents eager to see their granddaughter again, he stood aside and welcomed them all in, and let them take turns at looking at the baby and chatting to Alessandra.

After he moved to the other side of the bed and sat on it, his back to the bed head as Alessandra's was, he gladly took her hand in his, finding great contentment in simply being close to her.

"What name shall you give her?" they both heard Edward's father ask.

Edward and Alessandra looked at each other in realisation they had not even decided upon any potential names yet.

"I should like something from Mother's family line," Alessandra said, looking at her mother, who took her free hand and held it, smiling.

"And something from Edward's also," she added, smiling at Edward's mother.

"What is a good name that has held importance to you?" she asked and saw a tear come to his mother's eyes.

"I always thought Elizabeth was a strong name in my family, and Edward's father's family..."

Alessandra looked at Edward, who gave a nod and a smile, knowing it was a way to make his mother happy once again.

"Elizabeth it is then.

And Mother, what name from your family?"

"Gabriella, Alessandra.

That was the name of my mother, who you never met, but was a strong-willed woman - just like you," Isabella said.

"Elizabeth Gabriella ... hmm ... I do like that.

What do you think, Husband?" Alessandra asked Edward, seeing a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Elizabeth Gabriella Chisholm.

I like that very much.

Let it be so," he said before Alessandra reached across for him to kiss her happily.

"Now then everyone," they all heard the midwife say from behind their happy gathering.

"I shall be leaving soon, but I would like some time alone with the young mistress, if you please, to make sure all is as well as it seems."

Edward ushered both sets of grandparents out of the room and followed them himself, leaving his wife to the care of the brash but likeable woman who had helped deliver his daughter into the world.

Once the door was closed, the midwife moved closer to Alessandra and sat down beside her quietly.

"How are you feeling, Lass? It is not an easy thing, birth, but you seem like you are not suffering from it."

Alessandra shook her head.

"I feel well, only very tired."

The midwife nodded at her.

"That is only to be expected after being in labour for so many hours.

I would like to give you a small check-up of an intimate nature, to make sure you have not torn anything.

Are you comfortable with that?" she asked and received consent.

Alessandra relaxed as she felt herself bared and touched lightly, and then covered up again.

"There does not seem to be any damage, which is good.

Do you have any questions for me, before I leave?"

"I fed her from my breast," Alessandra said and saw the midwife nod.

"Can I keep doing that?"

"Oh yes, of course you can! As long as there is milk, you can feed her.

Sometimes it does dry up.

If that happens, you must not put pride ahead of her need for food.

You may not wish to have a wet nurse, but if your child needs to be fed..." she said and Alessandra agreed with her, before starting to blush profusely.

"And with my husband...?" she tentatively asked and saw the midwife smile softly but knowingly.

"I would recommend you wait at least a month before resuming marital relations.

Some women have to wait longer - six to eight weeks - but I do not think you will need to wait that long as you do not appear to have any tears at all.

But certainly a month," she said and readied herself to leave.

"Thank you so much for being here for me," Alessandra said to her.

The midwife smiled at her graciously before nodding, curtseying, and quietly leaving the room.

Finally having quiet, Alessandra let her head rest down on the pillow just for a moment ... and then was sound asleep once again.