Calypso Magic (Magic Trilogy 2)

nces' belly. He saw Lucia motion to the midwife and the two of them lifted Frances' legs and parted them. He saw Lucia's hand plunge into Frances. He closed his eyes, a prayer on his lips.

"Push, Frances! Hawk, press down, harder!"

Lyon heard Frances gasping, her hoarse voice rending the silence of the room. "Oh, God, please," he whispered.

"The babe --- I have his head! Again, Frances. Come on, girl, again, as hard as you can! Push, Hawk, 'tis the only way you can help her."

Lyon opened his eyes to see Lucia's hands receive a small, dark head. "I've got the babe's head. Stop pushing, Frances."

Lucia grasped the tiny shoulders, gently pulling the babe from its mother. "A girl, Hawk, 'tis a beautiful little girl you've got."

The room was chaotic for the next few minutes. A woman Lyon hadn't noticed rushed forward as the babe let forth a loud wail. Lyon saw Frances' head fall back against the pillow. She was unconscious. Hawk was just standing there, frozen.

"You've a girl," Lucia said again, her eyes on Hawk. But Hawk was bending over his wife, his hands gently cupping her white face.

"She will be all right," Lucia said. She motioned to the midwife and they rid Frances of the afterbirth. Lucia straightened and Lyon was so proud of her that he wanted to yell.

"Hawk, you may leave now. I will take care of Frances. She will be all right. Do you understand me? Lyon, take him out of here."

Lyon strode forward and grasped his friend's arm. "Come, Hawk. If Lucia says she is all right, she is. You need a drink."

Lucia said calmly, "Now, Mrs. ---"

"Miniver, my lady."

"Yes, Mrs. Miniver, let us get this bleeding under control, then we will bathe her ladyship and make her comfortable."

"What if she bleeds to death?"

"Stop it, Hawk! She will be fine. Lucia doesn't lie, you know."

Still Hawk didn't move.

"Let us find that damned doctor. You can personally boot his fat butt out of here."

"Yes," Hawk said, straightening. "I should like that." Lyon could barely keep up with him. He saw Diana at the foot of the stairs and called out, "All is well, Diana."

The doctor, unfortunately for him, was arguing vociferously with the marquess. He turned when he saw the earl bearing down on him, and tactlessly, he said, "She is dead, is she not? I told you not to let that old woman near her, I ---"

Those were his last words for five minutes. Hawk's fist struck him squarely in his jaw and he crumpled to the entrance-hall floor.

"Excellent, my boy," the marquess said. "Just excellent."

Hawk rubbed his knuckles. "You're a grandfather again. A girl, Frances has given me a girl this time."

Another young man emerged from the nether regions.

"Champagne, Carruthers," Lyonel called out.

They left the doctor on the floor, the servants merely stepping over him and around him.

"Who are you?" Hawk asked Diana. "I haven't seen you before, have I?"

"I am no one important, my lord," she said. "My congratulations." She stuck out her hand, and Hawk, with automatic courtesy, took hers.

"I have a girl," Hawk said, and Diana watched his mouth slowly widen into a big smile. "I have a beautiful little girl." He pulled up abruptly, his eyes staring upward. "Frances won't be pleased. The infant has black hair, just like Charles."

"Frances is a trooper, Hawk. She will be all right. She is all right. I trust your little girl will have the look of Frances, though, even with your black hair." Diana watched the two men grin at each other.