“Love is a Choice”, Ch. 31 (PG-13)--Babies Part 1,  July 29, 2013 Gratiana Lovelace

(An original story by Gratiana Lovelace; All Rights Reserved)

[From time to time, I will illustrate my story with my dream cast of:  Richard Armitage as Lord Rafe Wingate, Carla Gugino as Lady Katharine Southwick Wingate, Lesley Nicol as Mrs. Plunkett, Lady Violet Henderson as Lady Leonora Wingate, Emilie Francois as Anna Wingate, Mark Strong as Sir Collin MacGregor, Alan Bates as Lord Charles Wingate, Christian Bale as Stuart MacGregor, Daniel Day-Lewis as Sir Antony Southwick, Michelle Pfeiffer as Lady Charmaine Southwick, Catherine Deneuve as Lady Esmѐ Sinclair, Julian Sands as Sir Percival Southwick, Samantha Morton as Lady Lucinda Southwick, Raymond Coulthard as David Harriott, Rosamund Pike as  Fanny Miller, Brendan Coyle as Uncle Miller, Princess Adelaide as herself, Princess Victoria as herself, Kirsten Dunst as Cassandra Hatch, Matthew MacFadyen as Fr. Robert Hatch, and others, etc.]   [Story Logo 1abcd]

Author’s Mature Content Note:  “Love is a Choice” is a story of love and romance set in the early to mid 1800’s.  I like Regency sensibilities with regard to comedy of manners, but Romantic period modes of dress.   Ha!  As such there will be some passages in this story involving heartfelt love scenes (perhaps some R rated) and some passages involving highly dramatic moments.  I will label the maturity rating of those chapters accordingly.  Otherwise, the general rating for this story is PG or PG-13 due to some mature situations and topics.  If you are unable or unwilling to attend a movie with the ratings that I provide, then please do not read the chapters with those labels.  This is my disclaimer. 

Additional Disclaimer: The Wiki and other reference links I cite contain general information merely to indicate that a place, person, or artifact, etc., possibly existed.  Though I try to use real locations in England and I make reference to some historically complementary information whenever possible, the fictionalized history that I write about for these towns, towns folks, and areas in my story are mostly figments of my imagination and should not be taken as fact.

Author’s Recap from the previous installment:  Lord Rafe and Lady Katharine attended not only Fr. Robert Hatch’s installation as vicar of Maylandsea Parish Church in Essex in mid April 1827--where they have their seaside home Seagrove Estate--but they were also attendants to Fr. Robert Hatch’s and Mrs. Cassandra Lowen’s Hatch’s wedding, and were the nervous and doubtful fiances’ confidantes about matters of the heart. But there is still the matter of Lady Katharine’s parents’ baby that is due any minute, and her own baby with Lord Rafe that is due in September.

“Love is a Choice”, Ch. 31 (PG-13)--Babies Part 1

After finding their way together as newly married lovers last night, Fr. Robert and Cassie Hatch enjoy a peaceful sleep that night in each other’s loving arms.  Then after each of them rising at different times in the early morning of Monday to attend to personal necessities, they each shyly return to their position of sleeping naked together--with Cassie lying on her side cuddled up next to Robert and his arm around her. 

The first morning of wedded life when you wake up next to your beloved is magical in its newness--an awakening  joy of feeling loved and cherished. And for Robert and Cassie it is no different.    Cassie awakens first, and she gazes upon her husband Robert with wonder and adoration.  She had not known this precious and sacred intimacy before, of sleeping all night in her husband’s loving arms. She softly kisses his lips, then returns her head to his shoulder.  Robert stirs.

Robert: “Hhhhh!”  Robert sighs deeply in contentment as he opens his eyes and gazes adoringly at his wife, Cassie.

Cassie: She lifts her head up and smiles sheepishly at him. “I did not mean to awaken you, Robert.  I am sorry.”  Cassie leans back from Robert a bit and she shyly pulls the bed sheet to cover herself modestly.

Robert:   “I cannot think of a more pleasant way to be awakened.  Cassie, please promise me that you will do so every morning?”

Cassie: “I will try.  But there might be a problem.” She purses her lips impishly.

Robert:  “Oh?” He also smiles impishly.

Cassie:  “If you are already awake, then I will not be able to rouse you with a kiss.”

Robert:  “Hmmmm.”  He smoulders--being roused already.  “Then in those circumstances, I will just have to kiss you awake.” 

Robert tenderly kisses Cassie and they melt into each others’ arms.

Cassie: “Hhhhh!”   She sighs in contentment.

Uncertain as to the proper protocol of the timing and frequency of lovemaking in one’s married life--but desirous of his beautiful new wife--Robert ventures a suggestion, a request.

Robert: “Shall we tarry in bed a while longer, my wife?”  He caresses her face and then moves to caress her hips even as he lifts her to lie on top of him, cradled in his arms.  “Might that be acceptable  to you?”  Robert’s voice smoulders even as his eyes [(2) right] gazing into Cassie’s eyes convey his passion for her.

Cassie:  Blushing a charming pink, she nods.  “It is, my husband.”

Then Cassie and Robert make love again--with less nervousness on both of their parts as new lovers.  Afterwards, they put on their nightclothes and dressing gowns to have breakfast in their room--with nine month old baby Beatrice joining them. Robert has the next few days off to enjoy their honeymoon and to be a family man.  And with Robert’s and Cassie’s loving nights and loving mornings continuing, their family will soon expand.

***

Returning to London late in the afternoon of the day after Cassie’s and Robert’s wedding, Lord Rafe and Lady Katharine hope to make it in time to welcome her new baby brother or sister. So they elect to go straight to the Southwick’s London home, rather than their own London love nest home of four months.  The butler opens the door for them.

Butler:   “Lady Kathy, Lord Rafe.”  He bows with impeccable respect.   “Your parents will be glad to see you.  They have been much occupied with Lady Charmaine’s confinement and Lady Sinclair’s …”  his voice trails off with the practiced discretion of a long time family retainer.

Lady Katharine:  Alarmed, she asks the butler even as she absentmindedly but quickly hands her hat and gloves to a waiting maid.  “What about Grandmere?”

Butler:  “Lady Esme Sinclair came to stay for the birth, but a situation arose that precipitated a weakness of her heart, I fear.  She rests comfortably in her usual room.”  He does not mention the heated argument between Sir Antony and his mother-in-law, Lady Esme as the cause.

Lord Rafe:  “My Angel, see to your Grandmere and your Mama.  I will let Sir Antony know we are here.” She nods and Lady Katharine flies up the stairs, lifting her skirts high to avoid falling.  Lord Rafe looks at the butler.

Butler: He bows.  “Sir Antony is in his study, Milord.”

Lord Rafe:   “Then let me to him.”   Lord Rafe strides purposefully forward.

The butler motions in the direction of the study.  Lord Rafe firmly knocks twice, then enters Sir Antony’s study without being bidden.  Sir Antony lifts his head out of his hands as he turns his half enraged and half mournful face toward his son-in-law, Lord Rafe.

Sir Antony: He stands politely  “Thank goodness, you are back!   Where is Kathy?”

Lord Rafe:  “She has gone to attend to her Grandmere and her Mama.  The butler intimated her Grandmere is ill?”

Sir Antony:  “Typical of that old woman to feign illness just when she is found out on the cusp of My Charmaine entering her confinement.”

Lord Rafe:  “Found out?”  Lord Rafe queries in confusion.

Sir Antony:  Sir Antony gives his son-in-law a measured look [(3) right] for several moments before proceeding--holding aloft a faded letter.  “In preparing her usual rooms for her to stay in, the maids found this letter admitting Lady Esme’s guilt addressed to Lady Charmaine but thankfully routed it to me first. It was she, Lady Esme, who related the false gossip to My Charmaine eight years ago--and why My Charmaine believed it, because it came from her own Mama.   Lady Esme was the cause of our misery.   I will never forgive her.”  Sir Antony thunders this last statement with such whispered seething anger that even Lord Rafe is taken aback.

Lord Rafe: Trying to heal the breech, Lord Rafe offers what he considers to be a logical inference. “But surely Lady Esme was deceived as well and regrets her interference in your marriage.”

Sir Antony:   “Regret? Ha ha ha! Interference?”  Sir Antony laughs with sarcastic intent.  “No doubt she does.   I would banish her from this house and our lives forever, were not My Charmaine in a delicate condition.  I have not told Charmaine what I have discovered about her Mama’s complicity in our estrangement in deference to Charmaine’s current state of health.”

Lord Rafe: “So, the birth is imminent?”  Lord Rafe [(4) right] asks interestedly.

Sir Antony:  “Dr. Triton thinks so. But with Charmaine having had a stroke last Summer--as well as her advanced years of being 45 years old--his continual concern for her and the baby’s safety causes me to worry as well. Hhhh!   Oh why could I have not been more prudent once we resumed our marital intimacies?  But who has ever heard of a 45 year old woman being with child?”  The questions are rhetorical. 

Lord Rafe: “Of course.”  Lord Rafe dissembles in hopes of slightly changing the subject.   “Kate and I came straight here as soon as we arrived back in London--in hopes of being in time for the birth. We are ready to help in any way you deem acceptable and helpful.”

Sir Antony: “Thank you!” Sir Antony sighs gratefully.  “Just keep Kathy’s Grandmere from ruining everything again. It would be just like the imperious and attention seeking Lady Esme to die on the eve of her next grandchild’s birth--thereby casting sorrow over what should be a happy event.”  Sir Antony whines a bit.  Where his mother-in-law is concerned, Sir Antony will always feel like the youthful disapproved suitor for her daughter’s hand who was only grudgingly accepted into the family oh so many years ago.

Lord Rafe:  “Kate and I will do whatever we can to help.” He nods deferentially to his father-in-law.

Sir Antony: “Thank you.”  He nods gratefully.

Meanwhile, Lady Katharine having peeked into her Grandmere’s bed chamber and found her sleeping peacefully continues to her Mama’s bed chamber.  After knocking and entering her Mama’s spacious and elegant boudoir, there Lady Katharine finds her immensely pregnant Mama [(5) right]--well for the usually quite slim and petite Lady Charmaine--glowing beatifically and ensconced on her bed surrounded by pillows propping her up for comfort.  But the haphazard arrangement of pillows clues four months pregnant herself Lady Katharine into the notion that her Mama cannot find complete comfort in her currently waiting to birth her baby circumstances.  Lady Charmaine’s ladies maid Miss Morgan sits quietly reading nearby in case her assistance is needed.

Lady Katharine:  “Mama?”

Lady Charmaine: “Mon cher!” She holds out her arms in greeting.

Lady Katharine rushes to her Mama’s side, then climbs onto the bed and snuggles up to her Mama.

Lady Katharine: “I am so glad that I did not miss the birth!” She sighs.

Lady Charmaine: “Oh do not fret about that.  Dr. Triton thinks that I might have a few more days before the baby is ready to come.”

Lady Katharine: “How can he tell?”

Lady Charmaine:  “He cannot, he is only guessing.”  She shakes her head with a rueful smile.  “If I have my way, the baby would come now.”  She says tiredly. Then Lady Charmaine becomes aware of a need.  “Kathy, Your Papa has been carrying me back and forth to the water closet, but I think if you and Morgan assist me, I can walk the few  feet on my own.”  Morgan rises and silently walks to Lady Charmaine’s bed side.

Lady Katharine:  “If you think so, Mama.”  Lady Katharine bites her lip worriedly.

Then Morgan and Lady Katharine stand on either side of Lady Charmaine to help guide her to the water closet.  Once seated on the commode, Lady Charmaine’s water breaks.

Lady Charmaine:  “Well, at least I did not make a mess this time.”  She looks sheepishly at her daughter.  “Fetch your father dear.”  Lady Charmaine says calmly as she is about to give birth to her third child.

Lady Katharine:  “I do not want to leave you, Mama.  Morgan, please ask the Butler to send a footman for Dr. Triton and the midwife.  Then inform Sir Antony in his study that it is time.”  Morgan curtsies and leaves to do their bidding.  “Rafe is there talking with Papa, Mama.  Is there anything I can get you for your comfort, Mama?”

Lady Charmaine:   “Not at the moment.  We will let your father carry me back to bed.  Ohhhhhhhh!”  She cries out as a birthing pain hits her.  Lady Katharine looks alarmed at her Mama.  After panting a bit through the pain, Lady Charmaine’s breathing normalizes. 

Downstairs, the butler sends a footman for the doctor and midwife and then knocks and enters the study.  Both Sir Antony and Lord Rafe turn to look at him from their conversation while sitting across from each other in club chairs at the fireplace.

Butler: “Beg pardon, Sir Antony.”

Sir Antony:  “Yes?  What is it?”  He asks a tad frostily--still annoyed with his mother-in-law.

Butler:  “It is time.”  He states calmly.

Sir Antony:  “Time? Time for what?”  Sir Antony looks at him obliquely.  Well, he can be pardoned from forgetting the protocol of baby birthing since it has been nineteen years since Lady Katharine was born.

Butler: “Lady Charmaine has started her birthing trials.”  He states primly.  “The doctor and midwife have been called for.”

Sir Antony: “Well, why did you not say so?”   Sir Antony jumps up in alarm and races out the door and up the stairs.

Lord Rafe rises more slowly and perfectly composed. After all, it is not his baby being born.

Lord Rafe:  “I will join them presently.  Please send the doctor up when he arrives.”  Lord Rafe states sanguinely as he exits the study and walks toward the stairs.  And Lord Rafe thinks that Sir Antony seems rather agitated for a man welcoming his third child.  Most men are at their club when their wives give birth.

But, the doctor and midwife are out of the office attending to another birth and they still have not arrived an hour later as the anxious father to be of three, Sir Antony, paces his wife’s bed chamber after having carefully carried her  back to bed an hour ago. Lady Katharine holds her Mama’s hand on one side of the bed. While Lord Rafe stands discreetly out of the way.  Lady Esme is still sleeping in her bed chamber.  Though with Lady Charmaine’s screams, Lord Rafe thinks that sleeping must be impossible.

Lady Charmaine: “AAAaaaaaah!"   Lady Charmaine wails with another pain--they are starting to come very close together now.  Sir Antony strides back to the bed, sits down next to her, and kisses her hand.

Lady Katharine: “Oh Mama! Is there anything we can do to ease your comfort?”

The fatigue and strain of the birthing pains are beginning to show on Lady Charmaine’s face.

Lady Charmaine:  “I just want this done and my baby girl in my arms.”

Sir Antony:  Trying to distract her, he asks impishly.  “Are you so certain it is a girl, Charmaine my Love?”

Lady Charmaine:  “It has to be!   I want to give her Mama’s name as her middle name.”  Sir Antony wrinkles up his nose at her suggestion, but says nothing. Then another pain wracks her body.  “Aaaaahhhh!”

Lady Katharine bites her lip and looks worriedly at her husband Lord Rafe--both for her Mama’s current state of birthing trials and her own in five months.  Lord Rafe walks over to his wife’s side, gently embracing her and kissing her temple.

Lord Rafe:  Whispering to Lady Katharine   “Kate, is there no one in the household who might serve as a midwife or nurse until the doctor arrives with the midwife?”

Lady Katharine: “None.”  She shakes her head.

Then the situation becomes more imminent.

Lady Charmaine: “AAAAaahhhh!  I think I feel something!   I think the baby is coming.”  Lady Charmaine looks with surprise between her husband and daughter.

Sir Antony: “Lord!   What do we do?”  Sir Antony looks from his wife to his daughter to his son-in-law.

Ladies maid Miss Morgan cowers in the corner, fearful that some birthing duties will fall to her.  No one moves.

Lady Charmaine: “Help me, please!”   She wails while looking around at her family.

Sir Antony:  “Kathy?”  He pleads looking at their daughter who feels as helpless as he does.

Lord Rafe: “Right!”   Lord Rafe removes his coat, vest, cravat and rolls up his sleeves. “Morgan, fetch a pitcher of hot water, a basin and towels.”  Morgan looks at him in utter surprise. “Move!”  He commands

Lady Katharine: “Rafe!   What are you doing?”  She asks as she follows him as he strides into the watercloset and washes his hands.  She washes her hands also in case she may help.

Lord Rafe: “Lady Charmaine needs assistance.  I have been present at several of our ponies’ births.  It cannot be so much different.”  Lord Rafe shrugs his shoulders with the forced confidence of a man who is boldly going where he had never thought to go. Lady Katharine looks at her husband in stupefaction.  Walking back into the bed chamber, he turns his attention to his mother-in law with calm resolve  [(6) right].

Morgan:  Morgan has returned with some towels and says that “A maid will bring the hot water.”  She curtsies.

Lady Charmaine:  “AAAAaaaah!”  She wails as the baby’s head crowns.

Lord Rafe:  Talking control of the situation, Lord Rafe barks some orders.  “My lady, I have been present at several births on our estate when circumstances demanded it.”  He omits the species that he is referring to--horses. 

Sir Antony: “Are you in earnest, Sir?”  He asks incredulously of his son-in-law.

Lord Rafe:  “Yes!”  He replies curtly.  “We must stand you up, My Lady, so gravity may assist you.”  After all, horses’ give birth standing up, he thinks.

Lady Charmaine: “I am too weak.” She protests.

Lord Rafe:   “On your knees, then.”  He gestures for her to get up.

Sir Antony:  “I will help you, My Love.”  Sir Antony carefully lifts his wife up to a kneeling position on the mattress at the side of the bed as he kneels behind her supporting her.

Lady Charmaine:  “Aaaaahhhh!  She wails as she strains, but the baby does not progress yet.

Lady Katharine: “What can I do to help?”  She gazes with love and admiration forher husband, Lord Rafe [(7) right] .

Lord Rafe: “Kate, for your Mama’s modesty, you must be the one to catch the baby.”

Lady Katharine:  Shrinking back in fear of doing something wrong that might harm the baby or her Mama, she says hoarsely.  “I cannot.”

Lord Rafe:  Lord Rafe stares at his wife.  “Right!” Then he turns his attention to his mother-in-law. “Madam, my abject apologies for my familiarity.  Please close your eyes and picture the doctor in my stead if that will ease your mind.”  Lord Rafe lifts Lady Charmaine’s nightgown over her hips and bundles the fabric behind her. “Kate, hold that fabric out of the way so I can see to catch the baby.” 

Lady Charmaine is now exposed most indecorously, but she is in too much pain to care.  Lord Rafe grabs a towel to wrap the baby in once it arrives.

Lady Charmaine: “AAAAAAAAAhhhhH!”  A long blood curdling scream sees the baby’s head pop out.

Sir Antony:  “Oh my!”  Sir Antony has not been present--not in the room anyway--when his other children were born.

Lord Rafe:  “Do not faint on me, Sir Antony.  Lady Charmaine needs your strength!”

Lord Rafe feels the baby’s head and finds it suitably warm and he can feel the pulsing blood just underneath its scalp.

Lord Rafe:   “Lady Charmaine, you must push with all of  your might with your next pains so the shoulders will come out. 

Lady Katharine:  “You can do it, Mama.”  But Lady Katharine wonders about her own birthing endurance when her time comes.

Lady Charmaine nods her head.  Lord Rafe holds the towel between Lady Charmaine’s legs to catch the baby safely.

Lady Charmaine:  “AAAAAAAAHHHhhhhhH!”  Another excruciating scream from Lady Charmaine and the baby’s shoulders and then the rest of it pop out and Lord Rafe catches and swaddles the baby.

Lord Rafe:   “I have her.”  He says, telegraphing the baby’s sex as he lifts it up into his arms. Lady Katharine lets her Mama’s nightgown fabric return to covering her.

Sir Antony:  “Thank you!”  He looks relievedly at his son-in-law.  Then he kisses his wife’s temple and she smiles wanly.

Lady Charmaine slumps backward in fatigue against her husband Sir Antony and he gently lays her back down on the bed.  Of course, there is still a connection between Lady Charmaine and the baby via the umbilical cord as Lord Rafe places the swaddled baby in Lady Charmaine’s arms. 

Baby Girl Southwick:  “Hh hh hh!”  The baby coos.

Lady Charmaine:  “Oh Antony!   We have a little girl!”  Lady Charmaine smiles happily, forgetting her pain as she examines her daughter’s fingers and toes.

Then happily, the doctor and midwife arrive to attend to the rest of the birthing necessities.

After washing his hands and such, Lord Rafe and Lady Katharine embrace as they stand off to the side while the doctor tends to Lady Charmaine.

Lady Katharine:  “You were wonderful!”  She kisses her husband adoringly

Lord Rafe:  His face having gone ashen, realizing the enormity of what he just did--him helping Lady Charmaine give birth--Lord Rafe falters.  “Hhhhh!   I am glad that all is well--and that the doctor finally came.  I did not remember about cutting the birthing cord.”  He shakes his head ruefully.  He must have left the stables before that part.

Sir Antony:  Sir Antony strides over to Lord Rafe and Lady Katharine with a broad smile on her face. “Rafe!  We are indebted to you, Sir!   I would wager there are not too many men who can claim that they delivered their own sister-in-law.  Ha ha ha ha ha!

Lord Rafe:  “Indeed, there are not.” He smiles wanly.

Sir Antony pours champagne--recently brought up by the servants--and they toast the birth.

Sir Antony:  “To my Charmaine, our baby daughter, and to Lord Rafe and Kathy for their help.”  Sir Antony is greatly relieved that Lady Charmaine did not have another stroke with the strain of child birth.

Lady Katharine: “Mama?  Do you have a name for my baby sister?”

Lady Charmaine:  Gently rocking her sleeping baby daughter, she whispers. “We have a few names picked out.” She smiles and winks at her husband. 

Sir Antony:  Pleadingly, and not wanting to reveal why, he asks.  “Let us give our daughter her own names so that she is not in the shadow of others.”  For he does not want his new daughter to have the name Esme, after her Grandmere--due to her role in his estrangement from his wife.

Sir Antony and Lady Charmaine confer in whispers back and forth to each other.  Then nod their heads and smile.

Lady Charmaine:  “Our baby daughter will be called, Lady Rosalind Marie Southwick.”  Lady Charmaine beams at the name that gives honor to the baby’s English and French heritages.  And though the English decry all things French--such as the baby’s middle name of Marie--since they fight them in war so often--little girls are above such politics.

The doctor returns to the little family gathering after washing up himself.

Dr. Triton: “So, Lord Rafe.  I must say that my curiosity about your midwifing skills is unbounded.”  It is perhaps a slightly snide remark in that Dr. Triton, did not refer to Lord Rafe’s medical skills

Lord Rafe merely smiles cryptically.   Then he is saved from admitting his midwifing skills pertain to three horses and one baby when a smiling and impeccably coiffed and groomed Lady Esme Sinclair [(8) right] appears at Lady Charmaine’s bed chamber entrance, assisted by her ladies maid.  Sir Antony stiffens at seeing his meddlesome mother-in-law.   However, Lord Rafe also goes to Lady Esme and assists her to a chair by Lady Charmaine’s bedside. 

Lady Esme:  “Bon soir, ma chere.” Lady Esme smiles warmly at her daughter Lady Charmaine holding her baby daughter in her arms.

Lady Charmaine:  “Maman, I have another daughter, Lady Rosalind Marie Southwick.”  Lady Charmaine beams as she holds up her bundled baby daughter [(9) right] so her Mama may see her.

Lady Esme:  “Bon!  Rosalind est belle!”  She lightly claps her hands together.  Lady Katharine lays a gentle hand upon her frail Grandmere’s shoulder and the look at each other with fond smiles.

The Southwick family women are united, if only by the discretion of Sir Antony in not revealing Lady Esme’s letter of apology--for he would not cause anguish to his dear wife Lady Charmaine on this most joyful day. 

And now having witnessed a birth, Lady Katharine feels a bit more at ease contemplating her own birthing trials in a few months time.  Though she knows that her pain will be great.

To be continued with Chapter 32

“Love is a Choice” Ch. 31 References (Featured Images in Wattpad are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9),  7/29/13  Gratiana Lovelace

1)      “Love is a Choice” story logo is a composite image comprised of:

a) Gold wedding gown (cropped to fabric of skirt) found at http://0.tqn.com/d/honeymoons/1/0/C/w/belle2.jpg

b)  Oval picture frames were found at http://www.inlineovals.com/product_images/q/675/602agp__91104_zoom.jpg

         c)  Image (cropped, masked, brightened, color) representing Lord Rafe Wingate is that of Richard Armitage as John Thornton  in North & South  (BBC, 2004) episode 2, picture 66 was found at http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/nands/album/episode2/ns2-066.jpg

         d)  Image (cropped, masked, brightened, color) representing Lady Katharine Wingate is that of Carla Gugino  as Nan St. George in “The Buccaneers” (1995), 

                Episode 1 vlcsnap-ooh09m21s203 Mar1313 Gratiana Lovelace screencap (my cap)

2) Image of Robert in his marriage bed isthat of Matthew MacFadyen as Darcy found at  http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m247/beckhamsgurl/Matthew%20Macfadyen/Matthewonabed.jpg from http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/42101435.html

And

Image of  Mrs. Cassandra Hatch in her wedding nightgown is a manip of :

a)is that of Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antoinette in the 2006 film of the same name and was found at http://www.marieantoinette.info/kirsten%20dunst%20marie%20antoinette%202.jpg  and

b) Cassie’s wedding nightgown was  found at   http://blog.vintage-bliss.com/images/10.2008.Vintage-Nightgown-6.jpg

3) Lord Antony image is Daniel Day-Lewis found at http://sbiff.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/ddl_cropped-300x300.jpg

4) Lord  Rafe image is Richard Armitage as John Thornton in North & South (2004) episode 1, pix 105, Mar2513 found at http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/nands/album/episode1/ns1-105.jpg

5) Lady Charmaine image (manipped to make her look pregnant) is of Michelle Pfeiffer in the 2009 film Cherie  found at http://people.theiapolis.com/actress-008B/michelle-pfeiffer/gallery/michelle-pfeiffer-as-lea-de-lonval-in-cheri-1001911.html

6) Lord Rafe Image is Richard Armitage as John Thornton in N&S epi4-pix285 Apr1913 and was found at.   http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/nands/album/episode4/ns4-285.jpg

7) Lady Katharine image is of Carla Gugino as Nan in The Buccaneers 1995epi2 28mpix218 Mar2313GratianaLovelaceCapMaskHi-ResHairRev.

8) Lady Esme Sinclair image is of Catherine Deneuve from the Lines of Wellington tv series promo in 2012 was found at

http://www.linesofwellington.com/fr/cast/catherine_deneuve.html

9) BabyGirlRosalindSouthwickImage was found at http://www.purplecrying.info/userfiles/image/Swaddled%20Baby(2).jpg

“Love is a Choice”, Ch. 31 Wattpad images Link is:     

http://gratianads90.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/zr_ygxloveisachoicech31imagesjul2913gratianalovelace.jpg

“Love is a Choice”, Ch. 31 Link on my blog “Something About Love” with embedded illustrations is:

http://gratianads90.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/love-is-a-choice-ch-31-pg-13-babies-part-1-july-29-2013-gratiana-lovelace-post-432/