Chapter Forty Three

"Two! Two? What … how?" Frederick took a breath. "Why were we not told?"

The midwife sighed. "It is nigh on impossible to tell until much later on. To her, it would have just seemed like your baby was moving a lot, but it would be because there are two moving around in there."

"But what does this mean for my wife?"

"It means she has a long difficult night ahead of her, but I can see she is strong and we'll battle though it to whatever end." Mrs Allen saw the distress on the Captains face and tried to soothe him. "You need not worry." Frederick could not believe his ears. This was too much. Anne's age already put her and the child at risk and now he leaned she would have to go through it not once, but twice - at the same time! He was sure it would kill her and felt his legs giving way beneath him. He collapsed into a nearby chair. The midwife took pity on him. "Now, now, sir it is no good you getting yourself into a state, that will help no one. You go now and I will take care of her."

"Have you delivered twins before?" He asked desperately.

She looked away and shook her head just once. "But all will be well."

She tried to assure him but the words were lost on him. He went to be with Anne.

He placed a hand on her head and gently moved damp curls from her face. She offered a half smile. "At least now I know why I was so large." she said. He tried to smile back but the pressure of concern was too great. What had he done to her? She would have to go through this all this pain alone and it was all his fault. As if reading his mind, she put a clammy hand to his face. "I have no regrets Frederick. If this is what God intended for us then we shall accept it and embrace it, we were fortunate indeed. For we have found each other again, we survived our voyage and now we shall be blessed with a full family in one swoop."

Unable to hide the emotion from his voice, he took her hand from his cheek kissing the palm and held it to his heart. "I am truly amazed at your strength Anne. I am proud to be your husband. Our children will be lucky to have you as their mother, as I am to have you for my wife."

"I love you Frederick," she bit back a tear, "you should go now, it won't be long." She gritted against another contraction. He paused, reluctant to leave her. She smiled. "It is the heavy burden carried by all crew who remain behind." She reminded him.

He had to smile at that. He kissed her a final time and walked out of the room.

The next four hours passed thoroughly slowly. Anne's pains came and went and yet, Mrs Allen assured her, and the increasingly impatient father to be, it was still not time. At eleven thirty the next morning, over six hours since her waters had broken, the Crofts arrived. Much to the relief of Frederick, who welcomed his sister's arms around him. "Twins! How remarkable. You go from childless to a father of two. Oh Frederick how joyous!" She marvelled.

Frederick ran a hand over his tired eyes and sighed, "is it?"

"Is it what?"

"Joyous. All I can see is danger. Danger for Anne and the babies. Should they survive the birth, surely Anne will not. It is too much."

"Nonsense." Sophia dismissed him. "Anne has already proved time and time again how strong she is; physically, mentally and emotionally. She can survive this."

"Where are her family? Her sister Mrs Charles? Should she not be with her?" the Admiral asked out of concern.

"Anne did not want her." Frederick exchanged a look with his brother and sister and knew, them knowing Mary, they would understand Anne's reluctance. "However, I confess I thought I knew best and sent an express to them to come. Anne had been at their beck and call for years, it was right she should be here for Anne now she needs her sister."

"I take it from your tone and their absence, they did not agree." The Admiral said sadly.

"Alas, Mrs Charles is indisposed and could not possibly be prevailed upon to travel!" Frederick hissed from between clenched teeth, "The cheek of them! I should have known better than to even think of sending for them. Anne knew best." He concluded and chuckled. "Anne is of the opinion she is only in need of my support. She needs no one else. My wife, as always, is trying to make the best of the situation no matter how badly she has once again been treated by others."

Sophia shook her head sadly while the Admiral looked at Frederick puzzled. "So why are you down here talking to us my boy?" he frowned, "why are you not granting your wife's only wish?"

"Admiral you know I cannot, it is not the right thing to do." Frederick started to explain.

"Poppycock! Who is to say what is right in a situation like this? This is your home, she is your wife carrying your children. You and Anne have never cared a jot what people thought before, why now?"

"My husband has a point Frederick. If I had ever been blessed with a child, in place of our mother, I can think of no one I would want with me more than The Admiral. He is the one who knows me best."

Frederick raised his eyes to the ceiling then back to his family. "You think it would help?"

"I do not see how it could not." Sophia smiled at her brother, "we can take care of ourselves."

Frederick, mind made up, clasped his brothers shoulder and with a supportive nod from his sister, made his way back to his wife.

Anne was beginning to wane. She had been awake and in pain for seven hours and exhaustion was settling in. The last few minutes though, the pains had come more quickly and more powerful than before, she knew from the way Mrs Allen was busy readying herself she was near to the end, and if it had not been for that, she would have known herself, from the way her body was preparing itself. She laid her head back against the pillow and tried to rest the best she could. It had only been a minute before she heard a commotion and was forced to open her eyes again. They widened in shock at the reappearance of her husband in her room.

He was arguing with Mrs Allen, but when his eyes caught hers, the conversation was over and he made his way to his wife. Mrs Allen's reasoning was fruitless. Deciding as much, she rolled her eyes and continued preparing for the imminent arrival of the Wentworth's first baby. Anne tried to smile through the pain, "Frederick what are you doing here? You should not be here? she panted. "It isn't right."

"I remember once having a similar conversation with you, but yet you remained by my side and look how well that turned out." He grinned, "I am only repaying the favour."

"Do you mean it?" she asked hopefully, "You will stay with me. Even through the horrors that are supposed to send grown men cowering away?"

"I think I can cope. Being the Captain of a ship, I have seen my fair share of bloody battles."

"But will you ever be able to look at me the same again, once you have seen … all that." she said quietly.

Frederick laughed and stroked her sweaty forehead, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing her finger tips, "Annie," he breathed, "Nothing will ever prevent me from looking at you and seeing the same nineteen year old girl I fell in love with all those years ago. In my eyes, in my mind and in my heart, you could never change. I will always see you."

Mrs Allen cleared her throat, "Well if you are staying sir, you'd better make yourself useful, for it will not be long." As if to prove the point, Anne yelled out in pain. Frederick climbed on the bed beside her and let her use him while it passed. She squeezed his hand tightly until he felt it should break, but he refrained from scolding her, she was having his children; she could brake whatever she wanted.

"Remove your shoes Captain." Mrs Allen told him. He looked at the midwife confused but did as she instructed. "Now if you please sir, we need you behind your wife, knees up at each side of her." Then Forbes and Mrs Allen both helped pull Anne up into a sitting position and shuffled her forward, allowing the Captain to position himself behind her. They then laid her back, so she was resting on his chest. Frederick felt embarrassed at such an intimate display, but he was willing to do anything to ease Anne's suffering. "Now Mrs Wentworth, you bring your knees up as far as you can, if another pain comes, you dig ya nails into your Mister's knees, you hear me?"

Anne nodded, gritting her teeth through another contraction. Mrs Allen was placing sheets and towels at the bottom of the bed, she then proceeded to lift Anne's under skirts and examine her progress. Frederick felt shame on Anne's behalf to be naked and on display to a relative stranger, he knew she should hate it. But she had her eyes clenched shut, her hands clasping his calves, so that he doubted she was even aware what was happening to her below her waist. He wrapped his arms around her the best he could without hindering her.

Mrs Allen smiled. "I do believe it is time for you to meet your first baby Mrs Wentworth." She climbed up on the bottom of the bed and positioned herself between Anne's legs. "Right then my love, with your next pain, you are going to feel like you want to push and you need to listen to your body, what its telling ya, and when ya want to push, you push with all ye might."

Anne and Frederick both listened closely to her instructions and nodded. Frederick braced himself against the headboard and felt Anne do the same against his chest. "Captain if you can take hold of your wife's legs, and hold em just so." Frederick did as she asked, even though it seemed further mortification for Anne. Anne however, at that moment, thrust her head back against his chest and her fingers tightened their grip on his legs.