The next morning Jane opened her eyes to see rays of sunlight streaking across the sheets and George sitting beside the bed wearing a big grin and holding their sleeping son.
"Good morning, Mama," he said.
"Good morning, Papa," she replied, yawning mightily. "Dear God, it's late!"
"After everything you went through yesterday, I think you were entitled to sleep in," George chuckled. "How do you feel?"
"Well...fine, I suppose." Jane stretched luxuriously. "It's too early to tell, really." She gently pulled the corner of the blanket back from her sleeping son's face. "Let me see him. Come to Mama, darling."
George handed the baby to his wife. "I'll let you take over while I go get us some breakfast."
Henry and Anne soon came by to pay their new nephew another visit.
"My, you are just so handsome," Anne told baby Georgie. "You look so much like your father." She turned to Jane. "I have to say that I truly admire you, dear sister. I don't know that I would have the courage and fortitude to make it through what you went through yesterday."
"But you've given birth before yourself," Jane pointed out.
"Yes, but the circumstances were hardly the same." Both women laughed.
The next several months passed in a pleasant haze for the new family. George spent as much time as he could with Jane and the baby, pampering Jane with tender loving care and doting on his new son, who soon grew plump and rosy under the care of his parents.
"I never dreamed such happiness was possible," Jane sighed contentedly one day.
"So do you miss court life yet?" George asked teasingly.
"Not at all!" Jane said emphatically.
Anne's pregnancy continued to proceed normally.
"I feel as if I've been with child forever," she complained to Jane one day while walking in the garden with her as Elizabeth and Georgie took naps.
"It'll all be over with very soon," Jane assured her.
Less than a week later the two families were having a picnic when Anne gasped and bent over. "Oh!"
Henry gently touched her arm. "Is it time?"
Anne nodded. George and Jane helped her back into the house while Henry went to fetch the midwife.
Jane helped Anne to lie down in bed while George tended to the children.
"Everything's going to be all right," Jane told Anne, brushing damp hair back from her forehead. "The midwife will be here very soon."
"I don't think this baby's going to wait that long," Anne groaned.
"There, there," Jane said, patting her arm.
A little while later a look of sheer panic crossed Anne's face. "Jane, help me! The baby's coming right now!"
Jane loosened Anne's undergarments and saw that it was true. The baby's head was beginning to crown.
Fighting a wave of panic herself, Jane struggled to think clearly. "It's going to be all right, Anne. Just do what your body urges you to do. I'm still here so you're not alone."
Anne gave several mighty pushes, and the baby slid out into Jane's waiting hands.
"You have a son!" Jane exclaimed.
"Oh, let me see him!" Anne wept tears of joy. Tears fell from Jane's eyes as well as she cleaned the baby and wrapped him in a blanket.
The midwife arrived just then. Seeing that she was too late to help with the delivery, she quickly examined Anne and the baby, proclaimed that everything seemed perfectly normal, and left.
Henry was, of course, overjoyed at the birth of his new son.
"I shall name him after my uncle who was kind enough to take me in when I had nowhere else to go," Anne stated.
Henry was slightly disappointed but realized that to name the baby after himself might have brought back unpleasant memories of her first husband to Anne, since her former and current husbands unfortunately shared the same first name.
"Very well. His name shall be James," he said.
Several weeks later the family received a very unexpected guest. George and Henry were just returning from a morning of horseback riding and Jane and Anne were sitting in the garden holding their babies when King Henry himself arrived on horseback.
"Papa!" cried Elizabeth, running to hug him.
"My angel!" exclaimed Henry, dismounting from his horse and picking the little girl up. Then he turned to Anne. "Greetings. I trust that you are all well."
"We are all well, Your Majesty, and trust that the same is true of you."
The King shook his head sadly. "Alas, I have lost my precious Jane. She passed into God's presence just twelve days after giving birth to our beloved Prince Edward."
"I'm very sorry for your loss," Anne said.
"Thank you." The King stepped toward Anne, looking at the baby she held with admiration.
Anne smiled. "His name is James. I named him for my uncle."
The King nodded. "I come as your humble servant to seek your forgiveness," he told Anne. "I know now that you are no witch, and that it was utter foolishness of me to have ever thought so. Can you ever forgive me?"
"Of course! It's quite all right," Anne said generously. "I have a wonderful life here with my family in the country. I am content."
"I also must confess that I never truly stopped loving you," Henry continued. "This grieving widower sleeps alone in a cold bed every night. I would be ever so happy if you would agree to renew our marriage vows and return to your rightful position as my Queen. As God has seen fit to render you now capable of bearing sons, we shall fill the royal nursery with heirs, younger brothers for my Edward."
Anne gasped, too shocked to say a word.