Page 46 of The Favourite

“This is an old servant of my mother’s,” Jane answered after a heartbeat. “Her name is Ayleth, and she has served my sister this past ten years.”

“Where are you going with that baby?” Ayleth asked fiercely, but Jane noticed she could not look fully at the child.

“We are taking our daughter below stairs,” Alisander answered coolly. “Perhaps you should tell Ayleth about the royal edict, my dear?”

Jane turned to face the squinting servant. “I am lately married, Ayleth. This is Viscount Bardulf, my husband. The King has decreed that Celestia is our daughter.” Only by the tiniest flicker of her eyes did Ayleth react to this startling news.

“Well,” Alisander murmured, “now everyone must know. Let us proceed, for I must send Wat on his mission into the village.”

Ayleth followed them after some hesitation. “Where’s that old sow, Lingard? I’m surprised she allowed you within a country mile of the child.”

“Mistress Lingard has been sent packing,” Alisander informed her, and to Jane’s eye, Ayleth seemed to perk up considerably at this news. She cheered right up, once she heard that the entire nursery staff had been dismissed. “Humph! Good riddance!” she pronounced with satisfaction.

Once they reached the Great Hall, Jane watched anxiously as Alisander gave Wat his instructions for finding a new wet nurse in the village. Her husband seemed entirely nonchalant about the child sleeping on him. What if no one was suitable? It was all very well, Alisander being so insouciant, but without milk, the baby would surely perish.

13

Jane could not rest easy until Wat returned an hour and a half later with a well-favored woman with a round plump face and a lustrous head of brown hair. She also held a bouncing baby boy in her arms. Wat brought her into their presence and stopped before Jane as though she was the proper person, despite the fact Alisander still had the babe sleeping on his shoulder. Jane stood up, determined to rise to the occasion.

“My lady, may I present Mistress Anne Lee,” Wat pronounced.

“I am very pleased to meet you,” Jane said as the girl dipped into a perfunctory curtsey.

“Lower than that,” Wat growled at her out of the corner of his mouth. “I told you, she’s a viscountess.”

Anne’s eyes opened wide. “Beggin’ your pardon milady, but it’s difficult to curtsey, what with Bertrand here being so heavy,” she said, bobbing awkwardly once more.

“He’s a beautiful child,” Jane commented. “Your own?”

“That he is,” Anne replied with evident pride. “And only ten months old. Even Mother, who says he has brought mortal shame on our family, will own that he is the handsomest babe she ever clapped eyes on.”

Jane felt her color rise. “A handsome name also,” she said, in lieu of anything else springing to mind.

Anne nodded enthusiastically. “Picked it meself, I did. I once heard tell of a man called that, from over Wycherton way, and always liked the sound of it.”

Bertrand bestowed a gummy smile on the room at large. He certainly looked well-fed. She glanced toward Alisander, but he was gazing off into the distance, seemingly wholly uninterested in proceedings.

“Do you have any ties in the village?” Jane ventured. “Perhaps the boy’s father …?”

“Oh no, milady. A traveling peddler he were, what seduced me with his lovely face and honeyed words.” Anne sighed. “He was long gone by the time Bertrand here was letting his presence be known.”

Jane cleared her throat. “If he is only ten months then you must still be feeding him yourself?” she said, not quite meeting those round brown eyes.

“Oh yes,” Anne said cheerfully. “But I got plenty to spare for your little one. Master Watkin here, said as she’s a poor little thing, failing to thrive.” Jane’s face must have reflected her anxiety, for Anne started forward. “Nay do not look like that, milady. I’ll soon have her putting on flesh. Only look at Bertrand here. He started out a slip of thing too, though it’s hard now to believe it.”

“Yes.” Jane nodded, feeling quite choked. “Thank you.” She took a moment to pull herself together. “Would you, well, like to take a look at her?” she asked.

“Right willingly, my lady.”

Jane gestured toward Alisander who now held a book in one hand and was absently patting the baby’s back with the other. At Anne’s approach, he lifted Celestia away from his chest and wordlessly handed her over to the newcomer. Anne turned back and passed Bertrand on to a surprised Jane.

Anne cooed and clucked over the tiny perfection of her limbs as Jane hefted Bertrand, who was indeed a fine big lad. “You can see she’s a dainty little thing, like her mother,” Anne said artlessly. Jane bowed her head and did not dare look at Ayleth, who was eyeing the girl with disparagement. “Will I try feeding her now, milady? She’s awake.”

“Er, yes, if you are content to try, that is, Anne. Let me lead you to this quiet corner,” Jane said, ushering her away from the others, though Anne seemed cheerful enough about the task and not remotely awkward. “Shall I leave you in peace while you—?”

“Oh, no need, milady. And if you step too far, Bertrand will likely set up a great wailing. He don’t like his mum venturing far away from ‘im.”

Jane glanced down at Bertrand in some trepidation, but he looked placid enough. As she watched, he placed one chubby fist in his own mouth and started noisily sucking on it. Was he supposed to do that? Jane was not sure. Anne was otherwise occupied, unlacing her neckline, so she hoped it was not particularly hazardous to his health.