Duchess of Winter

The Cold Coronet

Agatha found herself in Wintersby Manor by herself for sometime. No one could tell her where her husband had gone. The Dowager had tried to console her and had written to the family of her state as she was worried about her.

Agatha had not been well after all. With child and had taken  refuge all day in her chambers. Not taking food well.  Most of the time she would not speak and stood staring by the big window in the master parlor as if waiting for something, more so someone to ride through the path leading to the stables which can be clearly viewed through the glass of the majestic window.

Sir Arthur Willows could not or would not tell her where the Duke had gone. Nor his mother, Lady Frances Rothcer was more angered with her than helpful. As much as she would have literally shut Rotcher Manor on her  face had she not been with child with her own grandchild. She made it clear to Agatha that her title bares no worth in Rothcershire. But had shown great interest with the child she was about to birth.

Her father had only written to her to give her comfort and to assure her that all was forgiven between them. But had not came nor sent her mother to her as she was nearing her term. She dared not asked Louise for help or consolation. As for sure her sister was still angered with her prank that had caused her dear Jean an arm's worth of earnings.

Yet by some mercy of heaven Lady Agnes came as soon as she was felt the early signs of her child's birth.

Agatha cried with the pain as she labored to push her child into the world. A well and prestigious doctor was called to care for her. As Lady Agnes and the Dowager stayed in vigil by her bedside. Her husband, Sir Arthur Willows took care with the running of the house hold and made a frantic search for the where abouts of Ernest. Had he ever found him and kept it  all to himself?

As before she was taken to bed ,Agatha accidentally found a letter addressed to him crampled and tossed on the flower bed just outside his bedroom window. It was not signed nor stamped. Only that the penmanship was all too familiar to Agatha. It had stated that the sender had finished with business in the Americas and was off to find peace at a newly acquired villa in Spain.

Agatha felt like someone had poured a whole ice berg on her as she read the letter. She felt crushed and helplessly freezing all over her body. If indeed this letter came from His Grace. It was enough to shatter her heart to a million shards.

Was it not that He said he loved her? As he feverishly whispered to her over and over as he made love to her every night at Provance?  Was it not only to him that she surrendered both her body and soul to? She that had thought that she had no need for such pleasantries. Has it not been with him that she dared to let the silly notion of romantic dreams depart her sensibilities? Had he not whispered his dreams of a happy family in Wintersby Manor as they lay in each other's arms every night at the Verger? And more importantly was he not so overjoyed at the propect of fathering her child? Was it not he who taught her what love is after all?  Now where was he? Had something happened to change them all ?

Agatha pulled herself out of the big bed and used one of the intricately carved wooden post to pull herself up. As she had barely had the strength to do so. Her beautiful face was pale, her eyes still swollen from tears. Her raven hair flow unruly about her back. Dressed in one of her beautiful lavender night gown. 

"Oh My Lady please do not tire yourself!" On of her nurses said as she rushed to her side as she tried to plant her feet on the cold marble flooring.

"I am fine!" She hissed as she started to wobble and muster her stength to walk to the two bassinets that was across the room from her bed near the fire place. She wanted to see them before she retire for the night.

After all it was these little people who now gave her the strength to face the loneliest tomorrow she would ever known in her life. She fears facing the burden of the duties of the duchy all by herself without Ernest. She had to learn as fast as she could at that he left her without a  word as  to how and more so why. 

As that Agatha knew that it would be a mere time as she was able to have a bit of strength back after the arduous task of giving birth.  At that the duchy should be grateful after all she now did her duty to sire an heir and guarantee the noble line of Wintersby. But she knew that was not enough of what was expected of her to rest on her laurels. She had so much to learn and do that she fears that her fragile body and her broken heart would not endure it for long. 

But was this not what she wanted after all? The Coronet all for herself?

Agatha stared down at her children. A baby girl that had her father's beautiful dark brown eyes and curly brown hair. A baby boy that had curly raven black hair and green eyes, the future Duke of Wintersby. As young as he was Agatha could see the semblance of authority that all the past Dukes  had in his little sleeping presence. Surely somewhere in heaven her grand papa must have been celebrating his continued hold on the coronet Agatha thought to herself.

Tears streamed down her paled cheeks. They were the most beautiful children she had ever seen. If only Ernest would come to see them. Surely he could have agreed with her for once. As she recalled he would always make it a point to enrage her with the silliest of discussions and after that she had been so angered would kiss her to silence her bickering. 

She carefully took the baby girl as it started to whimper.

"Well now my Lady" She said as she smiled at her beside the tears still falling tirelessly on her cheeks.

" We are not alone after all we have each other!" She told her daughter as if consoling her.