Riding like the devil was on his heels, Claude made it back to Briarbeck Castle in good time. Even with the flooded roads and alternate route, he didn’t let it deter him from getting to Rose’s side.

He rode into the courtyard, jumping off the horse and tossing the reins to a stable boy. Then he grabbed the travel bag with the soul cakes in it and ran toward the keep. His mother was there to greet him just outside the great hall. She had a discontented look on her face, so he knew the news was not going to be good.

“How is Rose?” he asked, giving his mother a quick hug and peck on the cheek.

“Not good, Claude. She is having a very difficult time with the birth of the baby. It is too big and does not want to be born. The midwife said she has lost a lot of blood. The longer it takes, the less chance of Rose or the baby surviving.”

“Nay,” shouted Claude, “I will not let Rose or the baby die. It is my responsibility to protect her. This is all my fault since I was not here.” He rushed down the corridor toward Rose’s chamber with his mother right behind him.

“This is nobody’s fault, Claude, so don’t blame yourself. It is just an act of nature.”

“I won’t let her die!” he said, bursting into her room and stopping short when he saw Rose lying on the bed looking whiter than a ghost. Rose’s stepmother, Isobel, was with her as well as the midwife and several servants.

“Claude!” Rose called out, trying to raise her hand but dropping it to the bed since she was so weak. “You came.”

“Of course, I did.” He hurried to the bed, putting down the travel bag and taking both of Rose’s hands in his. “I am here to protect you and the baby. If I have to reach in there myself and pull the stubborn thing out, I swear, I’ll do it.”

Rose smiled slightly. A peaceful look washed over her face. “Now that you are here, I can die in peace. I only wish Toft and my father were here as well.”

“You are not going to die, and neither is the baby,” Claude told her. “I promise you that.”

“I sent men out in the storm last night to get a message to yer faither and Toft as well as Claude,” Isobel told them. “Hopefully, they will be here soon.”

A vein in Claude’s jaw ticked in aggravation upon hearing this. So, the guard had lied about not being able to leave until morning. He had probably stayed holed up in a tavern all night long. Claude was so tired of being lied to.

“I brought you soul cakes to make you feel better,” said Claude, ripping open the travel bag and grabbing Evelina’s coarse, woolen gown that he’d wrapped them in. “Here,” he said holding out one of the round cakes that fit in the palm of his hand and was very similar to a bun.

“Claude,” said Rose, reaching out and laying her cold hand on his. She feigned a smile. “I didn’t really want soul cakes. I only said that to give you time alone with Evelina.”

“What?” he asked, pulling back the cake.

“Where is Evelina? I need her here as well.”

“She is coming later with Felix.”

“Why didn’t she come back with you? Is everything all right between the two of you?”

“Shh, Rose, don’t use your energy to speak. She will be here soon.”

Rose cried out with pain, sending a shiver up Claude’s spine.

“Breathe,” commanded the midwife, looking under the sheet and between Rose’s legs. Then the woman looked up at Isobel and shook her head.

“What’s wrong?” asked Claude. “Someone tell me.”

“Claude Jean tu dois être tranquille. Vous allez seulement effrayer Rose.” His mother told him in French to be quiet and still so he wouldn’t scare Rose. Then she told him if he didn’t behave he would have to leave the room.

“I am not going anywhere,” Claude told her, taking hold of Rose’s hand. “You will be fine, Rose. Just be strong.”

“I don’t know if I can do it, Claude. I think I am going to die giving birth, just like my mother. It is my biggest fear.”

Claude remembered what Evelina had told him last night. He needed to tell Rose the same thing. “If you don’t let go of the past, you will never find happiness in the future,” he told her. “Don’t think about what happened before, think about what is yet to come. You and Toft are going to be parents, and I envy you, Rose. You have a wonderful life and need to know it.”

“Oh, Claude, you are right.” Rose’s eyes began to close. “You need to marry Evelina because you two are meant to be together.”

“Hush, don’t speak,” he told her.

“Nay. I will say this if it is the last thing I ever say. Claude, you are my best friend, but you are blind when it comes to love.”

“What do you mean, Rose?”

“Don’t let her slip away. Evelina loves you, and I know you have feelings for her, too.”

“She’s a handmaid. I’m a knight.”

“Where love is concerned, status shouldn’t matter.” Rose had another contraction and cried out in pain.

“You need to push, my lady,” said the midwife. “Push, push.”

“I can’t. I am too tired and weak. I want my father. I want Toft.” Tears flowed from her eyes.

Claude felt so helpless that it caused him great pain as well. “I will see if they’ve returned yet,” said Claude, jumping up and heading out the door. His mother followed.

“Claude Jean,” she said, causing him to stop and turn around. “The baby hasn’t moved for some time now. The midwife thinks it is going to be stillborn.”

“Nay. That will break Rose’s heart.” Claude paced back and forth.

“I heard what Rose told you about Evelina. Do you have feelings for this girl?”

“Aye. Nay. I don’t know.” He dragged a hand through his hair in frustration. “I am confused, Mother. I think I am in love with Evelina, but I know a marriage between us would be forbidden.”

“There are a lot of things forbidden in this lifetime, but not unless we want them to be. Now go, look for Conlin and Toft. I need to get back to comfort Rose. I only hope she will not die because that would be the worst thing for all of us.”

Claude made his way out to the courtyard, so upset he couldn’t think straight. He didn’t see Toft or Conlin, but Felix rode through the gate with Evelina holding on to the back of him.

“Felix. Evelina.” He ran over to join them, lifting Evelina from the horse, looking at her oddly and shaking his head. Her new gown and shoes were covered in mud. “What happened to you?” he asked.

“We had to take a few backwoods roads to get here, and they were not in the best condition,” said his squire. “Not to mention, when the horse got spooked, Evelina fell off in a puddle of mud.”

“Are you all right?” he asked her.

“Never mind me, how is Rose?” Evelina wiped her dirt-streaked face with the back of her hand.

“It isn’t looking good. Rose is weak and has lost a lot of blood. The baby hasn’t emerged or even moved in quite some time now. She has been asking for her husband and father, but they have yet to return.”

“I need to go to her,” said Evelina very determined. “I will not let her or her baby die.” She started to hurry toward the keep, but Claude pulled her to him and kissed her passionately on the mouth.

“Uh, I think I had better tend to the horse,” said Felix, slinking away.

“What was that for?” she asked him, looking up with bright eyes.

“I wanted you to know that I love you, Evelina.” He used his thumb to brush the dirt off her cheek.

“I love you, too, Claude. I am not sorry for what happened between us last night.”

“Neither am I.” He knelt on the cobblestones and took her hands in his.

“Claude, get up. What are you doing?”

“Marry me, Evie. I want you to be my wife.”

“What?” That seemed to surprise her. “You would ask me to marry you even though you said a marriage between two people of different statuses is forbidden?”

“Rose and my mother helped me to realize that I’ve been acting like a fool. You helped me to see that I have been stuck in the past and therefore blind to the future. What is your answer, Evie? Will you marry me?”

Evelina couldn’t believe Claude was down on one knee in the middle of the courtyard asking her to marry him. Her heart soared with joy but, at the same time, she felt frightened. She’d yet to tell Claude who she really was. She couldn’t tell him yes until she got out of the other betrothal with Lord Onfroi. Why was everything so complicated?

“My lord,” said a female servant, running from the keep. “Lady Rose is asking for her father and husband. She is slipping in and out of consciousness. Lady Isobel sent me to ask if you have seen her husband arrive.”

“Claude,” said Evelina. “I am honored by your proposal, but before I give you my answer, we need to talk. It will have to wait because, right now, Lady Rose’s life is at stake.”

“Of course,” he said, getting to his feet. “I apologize, I am not thinking clearly.”

“Why don’t you ride to the docks and see if any ships have arrived with Lord Conlin and Sir Toft?” she suggested, seeing that the events of the past few days weighed heavy on Claude’s mind.

“I need to be with Lady Rose,” he protested.

“I will be there, and so will your mother and Lady Isobel. There is nothing you can do for Lady Rose but find her father and husband. It is her request.”

“Then I will go anon. Squire,” he called out. “Fetch me a horse. We are riding to the docks. When we return, I swear we will have Baron Conlin and Sir Toft with us. This is Lady Rose’s request, and I will not let her down.”

Evelina was glad Claude left for the docks because she couldn’t give him an answer before having a long talk with him. But right now, she needed to be with Rose. If Rose died, there would be a lot of people, especially Claude, who would never be the same again.

She hurried into Rose’s chamber, stopping at the door when she saw her nearly lifeless body on the bed. Rose cried and writhed in pain.

“Lady Rose. I am here.” Evelina hurried forward, but the midwife stopped her.

“You are filthy. Do not come near Lady Rose like that,” warned the woman.

“Nay, I want her here.” Rose lifted her hand and reached into the air. Evelina ran to her and cradled her head in her arms, trying not to get her dirty.

“Evelina - your gown,” said Rose, looking up with tearstained cheeks.

“I bought the gown of a lady, just like you suggested.”

“I don’t think that dirty gown will attract any man, let alone Claude.”

“It wasn’t dirty when I got it.” Evelina forced a smile, hoping it would help ease Rose’s pain. “How are you, Rose?”

“I am dying,” she responded.

“You are not dying,” Celestine told her, coming to the other side of the bed. “I had a vision of you and Toft with your healthy baby. My visions are never wrong.”

“I hope you’re right,” said Rose, screaming out in pain once again. “I can’t do this,” she cried. “I am finished.”

The women all looked at one another, and the midwife shook her head.

“Do not talk that way,” scolded Evelina, trying not to let her fear show in her voice. “Do you want the last thing that Toft remembers of you is that you gave up? He loves you, Rose. Don’t let him down. If you won’t keep trying for yourself or for the baby, then do it for your husband.”

“I will,” said Rose. “I can’t let Toft down. And if I die, my father will blame himself for the rest of his life because he wasn’t here, just like he wasn’t here when my mother died.”

“Don’t do that to him, Rose,” Evelina urged her. “You are stronger than this. Now gather up that strength and all the love you have for Toft and for your father, and help your baby be born.”

“Her daughter,” said Celestine. “I saw in my vision that she is going to have a girl.”

“Evelina, I’m scared,” Rose cried out.

Isobel rushed over and grabbed one of Rose’s hands while Evelina took the other.

“Ye can do this, Rose,” Isobel assured her. “Ye have always been strong and a survivor. Now listen to Evelina, and do no’ let yer faither or yer husband down.”

“I will. I can do this,” said Rose, gathering her composure.

“Try again,” said the midwife. “Take a deep breath and this time push with all your might.”

“Your daughter needs your help to come into this world,” said Evelina. “You have all the strength you need, Rose, because we are all here to help you.”

Rose gripped Isobel’s and Evelina’s hands tightly and screamed out as she pushed so hard that her face turned red and her body shook.

“It moved. The baby moved! I see her face,” exclaimed the midwife. “Do it again, Rose. Push harder.”

“One more push and it will all be over,” Evelina told her, not sure if it was true, but wanting to give Rose hope.

“I will do it,” said Rose. “I can do it,” she said with determination in her eyes. Rose was a small girl like Evelina, but her will and determination were bigger than even the strongest warrior. One more push and Rose screamed louder than before. And then, as if it were a miracle, Evelina heard the sound of a crying baby.

“You did it,” exclaimed Evelina, seeing the midwife hold up one of the biggest newborns she had ever seen. “Your baby is born. I knew you could do it.”

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” Rose told her, holding out her arms for her baby. The midwife cleaned it up quickly and laid it on top of Rose’s chest.

“She’s beautiful,” said Evelina, wishing that someday she would have a child of her own. She wanted to marry Claude more than anything and hoped it could be so.

* * *

Not a half-hour later, Toft, Conlin, and Claude rushed into the bedchamber.

“Rose,” called out Toft, running to her side. “I am here, Rose.” He stopped in his tracks when he laid eyes on the baby. “Y-you had the baby?”

“I did,” said Rose with a smile. “Our daughter is alive and healthy. So am I. We have Evelina to thank for talking me through this.”

“Rose, thank God you are all right,” said Conlin, rushing to the bedside to be with his daughter. “When we got the message, we came right away. King Edward sent us home, and he sends his best wishes as well.”

“Our daughter is beautiful and so are you, Rose.” Toft scooted onto the bed next to her and put his arm around his wife. “What will we name her?”

“I felt like Daniel in the lion’s den birthing her,” said Rose with a smile. “Mayhap, we should name her Daniela.”

“I like that,” said Toft. “Daniela, it is.”

“Rose, I am so glad you and the baby made it through this.” Claude, who was standing silently and watching, stepped forward and kissed Rose on the head.

“Thank you, Claude, for staying in England with me. That meant the world to me.”

“I would do anything for you and your baby.” Claude reached out and ran a finger lightly over the baby’s head. “After all, what are good friends for?”

“Thank you, Claude,” said Toft with a nod of his head. “If anything had happened to Rose, I don’t know how I would go on without her.”

“Claude, I was hoping we could talk now,” said Evelina softly.

For the first time, Claude turned to look at her. But to her surprise, he was not smiling.

“I think a talk is in order. But first, someone is waiting in the great hall to see you.”

“Me?” she asked, not knowing what he meant.

“When I went down to the docks, I found Lord Conlin and Sir Toft, but they were not the only ones I found.”

“Who did you find, Claude? I don’t understand.”

“There was a ship from France that had just docked,” Claude explained. “To my surprise, two men approached me and asked if I knew a girl named Evelina.”

“They did?” It was evident where this was leading, and it wasn’t good.

“Evelina, or should I say, Lady Evelina, your father, Count du Pont is waiting for you in the great hall along with Lord Onfroi Faucheux – your betrothed.”