Chapter 9
Vincent smiled at her and she knew that she had gotten her message across to him. They got out of the water, dried off, and headed to their new bed chamber.
Morning came all too quickly and not especially pleasantly in Catherine's case. Morning sickness was making itself known with a vengeance. Vincent was up and by her side holding her hair back as she emptied her stomach of what remained from the wedding feast. Unfortunately, it didn't stop there. When Catherine started dry heaving and didn't seem like she was going to stop Vincent apologized for leaving her and rushed to get Father.
Waking his parent and quickly explaining the situation, Vincent jumped to obey as Father told him to send word to the kitchen on the pipes for some of William's special peppermint tea. While Vincent was doing that Father slid a robe on over his night clothes and took the short cut through the bathing chamber to see how Catherine was doing.
He found her sitting on the edge of Vincent's…their bed, looking pale and exhausted. She glanced up at his entrance and failed to hide her disappointment that he wasn't Vincent. "He is sending for some special tea for you Catherine. I am sorry you are having such a violent reaction this morning. May I examine you just to be sure that this is noting more than morning sickness?"
She gave him a weary nod. It wasn't until he was listening to her chest that Catherine felt she could speak without setting off another round of heaving. "I am sorry if Vincent and I caused you any embarrassment last night, Father. That certainly was not our intention."
"I understand, my dear, the two of you were just doing what any very newly married couple would do. It is just difficult still to think of Vincent in that role after all the years that I had believed what the two of you have, would be impossible for him."
"I want you to know that I do love Vincent with all my heart, and I will never willingly do anything to hurt him."
"I believe that you mean that Catherine, but I worry that with you continuing to have a life Above if that is possible?"
"Other that the attack that was the catalyst to our meeting and the resolution of bringing those men to justice, my job is mainly research and writing briefs. There is nothing in that which could be any cause for alarm."
"In the world Above, a walk down the street could be cause for alarm," Father replied.
"What if I promise to always take a taxi?" she asked just as Vincent came back into the room.
He had heard her comment and questioned in concern, "A taxi Catherine? Where do you need to go when you have just been so sick? Does she need to go to a hospital Father?!" Vincent had become agitated at this point in his questioning.
As wan and weak as Catherine was, she was still quick to reassure her husband, "Vincent it was just morning sickness! I don't need to go to the hospital for that!"
"Then where does the taxi come in?" he wanted to know.
"Father was concerned about me going Above from time to time and I was just trying to reassure him that I would be careful whenever I had to go."
"Oh, I see. All right. William should be sending someone with the tea for you very soon."
As he finished speaking a young voice called out from the hall, "I brought some tea, may I come in?"
"Yes Kipper," Father answered, and a boy Catherine remembered seeing at their wedding came in with a tray.
Placing it on a table he quickly made his escape, telling them that William told him to hurry back to the kitchen because breakfast was almost ready to be served.
Vincent poured Catherine a cup of the tea and carefully handed it to her. She took a deep whiff of the minty brew and sighed in anticipation of the flavor. After her first sip she looked up in surprise at Vincent, "There is honey in this too!" she told him.
"William is a firm believer in the benefits of both peppermint and honey for morning sickness. He has been treating the expectant mothers here Below for many years with it," Vincent assured her.
After just a few sips Catherine's tummy was feeling much better, both Father and Vincent looked relieved. Father left them alone then, telling them that he would return if he was needed. They had only to call him. Vincent wanted Catherine to return to bed for some rest, but she insisted that she really was feeing much better and wanted to go to breakfast with him.
To be continued…..
