"Hawk and Lyon? I begin to believe that English nicknames are absurd."
"Perhaps. Hawk's formal name is Philip and he is married to Frances. They own a huge racing stud near Yorkshire. I wonder what the devil is going on."
They found out not five minutes later when Lyonel strode into the room, saying, "I must be off, Lucia. It's Frances. The marquess just got word from Hawk that she is in labor, several weeks early, and is in a very bad way."
"This is her second child. I would have thought that it would go more easily with her this time."
"Evidently not."
"Poor girl."
"I am off. I will keep you informed ---"
"Nonsense, my boy. I will accompany you."
"I as well," said Diana.
"Really, Lucia ---"
"You are wasting time, Lyonel. Have your carriage back here within the hour. Diana and I will be ready."
They arrived at Desborough Hall the following afternoon, the horses blown and the two ladies exhausted. Lucia got one look at the marquess's drawn face and felt hope plummet.
"She is still holding her own," the marquess said quickly. "Lucia, I am glad you came. Lyon, my boy. Go to Hawk. He is in a very bad way. And who is this?"
"I am Diana Savarol, sir."
"Charmed, my dear. Come along."
"I wish to see Frances," Lucia said as she trailed behind the marquess into the hall. "And speak to this doctor of hers."
Diana's first glimpse of Philip Hawksbury, the Earl of Rothermere, made her blink. He was of Lyonel's size, dark-featured, his eyes a brilliant green, and he was trembling, his large hands clutching Lyonel's shoulders. "Nearly three days, Lyon, dammit! Oh, God, what am I to do?"
Lyon felt helpless and angry. He'd hopedOh, God, how he'd prayed every cursed mile northward that Frances would have delivered the child and Hawk, a smile on his lips, would have yelled and clapped him on the shoulder in delight.
"Diana, my dear," Lucia said quietly, "there is Grunyon, Hawk's man. Tell him who you are and he will take care of you. I am going to see Frances now."
Diana nodded numbly. She looked toward the short, plump man, but he paid her no attention, his eyes on his master, his own face pale and drawn. She slipped into the library, unseen, and settled herself on a sofa. Until she heard the scream. It was high, broken, and filled with such agony that she sucked in her breath.
She heard pounding feet and rushed to the doorway. She saw both Lyonel and Hawk racing up the stairs. "God, I shouldn't have left her!"
Lyonel happened to look back at that moment and saw Diana, white-faced, standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Stay there," he yelled at her.
The two men burst into the master bedchamber. Lucia was beside the bed, bending over Frances, the doctor and a midwife on the other side. The doctor was speaking, wildly gesticulating, but Lucia was ignoring him.
"Frances!"
"Hawk." Lucia looked briefly up at him. "Come and help me. Lyonel, get this idiot out of here, now!"
It was the marquess who took the doctor's arm and pulled him away.
"Now, I've managed to turn the child into the proper position, despite that fool of a doctor. I want you to press down on her belly, Hawk, now. Frances, child, look at me! Frances, listen! I want you to push down with all your strength. Do you hear me?"
Frances groaned. She heard the words, recognized Lucia's voice, and stared blindly up at her husband.
"Get those covers off her, Hawk. Now, push, Frances!"
The wailing, thin cries made Lyon tremble. He saw Hawk pressing down on the huge mound of Fra