The Last Marigold

XXXIV

it was now early March, Marigold had noticed how well her husband was recovering. After just three weeks he had gone from bedbound to being able to walk a few steps with the assistance of his wife or a cane. William had noticed that the weather was becoming warmer with each passing day. He had asked his wife if she'd take him downstairs to the porch though every time she refused his request. That was until he practically begged her one morning when Isabella suggested that they all should go on a picnic to try and lighten the mood around the house for poor Vivian who had arrived a week prior. Though no matter how much any of them tried, they couldn't aid Vivian's sorrow.

William sat up and stared over at Marigold who was feeding little James. He smirked slightly when he caught sight of her breast for the first time in a few days "Don't look at me like that, he won't finish his feed otherwise" Marigold glanced over at him before covering herself with a blanket. The colonel raised an eyebrow before noticing a few letters on his bedside table "they arrived this morning, from Charles Towne, addressed to you only" He took the letters and quickly broke the wax seal, his heart speeding up with each word he read "What is it?" She asked when she saw her husband's panicked expression.

"P-Penelope...and the child" He cleared his throat and screwed up the parchment "She had her labours on the 5th" Marigold nodded but quickly noticed the tears forming in her eyes "They cut across her stomach to try and free the babe...killing her in the process. She was a girl, called Marianne, though she too died a few hours later"

"Oh...William"

William swallowed down the blockage in his throat and cleared it once again "Jesus..." Marigold nodded slightly and laid little James in the crib before walking over towards him, sitting next to him "I thought she was healthy-"

"Shh, it's okay"

"It's my fault that she's dead, I did that to her!" William shouted and stood up from, wincing at the pain in his stomach as he searched for his cane "I'm a horrible person"

"Anything can happen during childbirth- she knew the risks otherwise she would've used methods to prevent it" He shot her a look of disgust before shrugging on his coat "don't you look at me like that William Tavington, I am not the one who was unfaithful in the first place"

"At least Penelope didn't complain about everything!" He snapped causing Marigold to shake her head.

"Well if you think like that why did you marry me?"

"Sometimes I do wonder"

"Then at least pretend that you love me-"

William looked over at his sons that were asleep in the bassinet "I love little Will and James" He stared back over at his young wife and shook his head "maybe a small part of me loved Penelope too-"

"So I am to share my husband with a ghost?" Marigold asked, fully expecting him to answer. Though all he did was stare back over at his children "can you not form an answer? Or do you not wish to enlighten yourself with the truth" She muttered before walking over towards the bassinet. When she heard the subtle clicking of his walking stick behind her, Marigold turned around to see her husband standing right behind her "what do you want?"

"I want my wife-"

"You had her, she gave you her heart, her trust, her love and you still couldn't keep your breeches buckled"

"Do you not understand how apologetic I am?" William asked as he leaned down to brush back the hair on James' head before gently brushing his fingers across Will's cheek "Am I to get on my knees and beg for forgiveness? If I do, I'm afraid that I'll need some help standing again" He stood up as straight as he could and looked at his wife, shaking his head when she rolled her jaw.