Bobbi had an arm buried in the cow up to her elbow, manually manoeuvring the breeched calf. Finally, her gentle twist managed to release the calf and it was expelled from its mother in a rush. She landed on her backside with the bloody calf cradled in her arms.
"We did it!" she gasped, smiling up at John who had been assisting her.
John was Exmoor's acknowledged animal healer and farmers would send their ailing animals to him. Bobbi assisted him once in a while because she was interested to study the animals and learn his skills. She knew that John was uncomfortable having the Countess soiling her hands helping him but as usual, Bobbi got her own way. There was no naysaying her once she'd decided on something.
The cow's labour had lasted through the night and she was exhausted. Gratefully passing the calf to John's assistant, she got up and looked ruefully at her soiled gown and blood smeared hands and face.
"I need a bath," she said with a chuckle.
"You certainly do my lady. And a rest," John said empathetically.
The Countess had started helping him almost two years ago but he was still uncomfortable with it. It wasn't right! The Countess shouldn't be troubling herself with such work. And he shuddered to imagine what the Earl would say when he returned... if he returned, he amended.
John sighed when he thought of the Earl. Lord Alexander had been gone for more than five years and most at Exmoor doubted he'd ever return. But the Countess refused to accept that and so her people humoured her and pretended they all believed, as she did, that he would come back one day.
In the beginning of the King's campaign in France, regular letters had come from the Earl, informing the Countess and Lord Anthony the progress of the war. But at the end of the second year of the Earl's absence, they received word that the Earl and a company of his men had gone missing, presumed dead. They later found the bodies of most of the Earl's company but for a remaining few men. The Earl's was never found either.
John remembered how the Countess had been prostrate with grief for almost a year after that. Lord Anthony had been as grief stricken as his twin sister. He had sent out agents and spies to find out the fate of the Earl. All the deRothchild brothers too had gone to France but no word had been heard of the Earl. After a while, the search had been called off and most simply assumed the Earl had died.
But not so the Countess. She'd fly into a rage when anyone tried to convince her that the Earl had died and after a while, the people who loved her never mentioned it again. When she made remarks like 'when the Earl returns', they smiled and simply agreed with her.
In the past five years since Alex had been gone, Bobbi had grown into a beautiful, regal lady. Her grace, courage and bravery beyond compare. No other lady in the land could hold a candle to her and her people all loved her and simply wanted her to remain happy. If clinging to the hope that the Earl would return kept her happy, then they would indulge her.
Because of her beauty and wealth, within a few months of the Earl's disappearance, suitors had been lining up for her hand. All had been turned away. Bobbi had been so angry at the suitors, her knights had turned them away before the Countess lost her head and ordered an attack on them, provoking unwanted war.
"Wake up sleepyhead!" Tony said loudly, bounding into Bobbi's room.
"Ugghhh... go 'way," she replied, pulling her blankets over her head. Trust Tony to disturb her sleep.
"C'mon, its past noon!" he said cheerfully, whacking her bum through the blankets.
"I just got into bed, you pig!" she replied, still under the covers.
"Oohh... poor little countess all tuckered out?" Tony teased in a babyish voice.
"What do you want?" she grumbled, sitting up.
"Nothing important. Just wanted you to get up and keep me company at lunch."
"OOhhh! Get -- OUT!" she yelled, flopping back down and pulling the blankets over her head.
Then she heard an amused chuckle ... a woman's amused chuckle! She peeked out and spied Annette standing at the door, her adorable little twins peeking from behind their mother's skirt.
"Annette!" Quickly bounding out of bed, she hugged Annette then bend down to gather the twins in her arms and kissed them exuberantly.
"When did you arrive? Who else is here? How long are you staying?" Her words tumbled over in her excitement at seeing her sister in law and niece and nephew.
"I'm here too and I'm staying for a while -- " Jacques said in amusement, coming through the door. Before he could say more, Bobbi had jumped into his arms and hugged him, stopping his words.
Tony laughed at seeing her excitement.
After twirling her around, Jacques set her back on her feet. Looking down into her excited face, he asked, "you're never going to change, are you?"
"Nope," she assured her brother, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before turning back to Annette.
"I'm so happy you're here! It's been ages since we've seen you. Is Ron here? Stephen and Maggie?" she asked about Annette's husband and her eldest brother and his wife.
"Ron is downstairs," Annette replied, her French accent making even the ordinary words sound exotic. "Stephen and Maggie couldn't come. Stephen didn't think it wise for Maggie to travel in her condition."
Bobbi nodded. Her sister in law, Margaret, Duchess deRothchild was heavily pregnant and had miscarried her last two pregnancies. It was understandable that Stephen didn't want his wife to travel.
"Let me get dressed and I'll be down soon," she said, heading to her wash basin. On the way there, she passed Tony and smacked his arm hard.
"What's that for?" he exclaimed.
"That's for not telling me they're here."
When she reached the hall, she saw Ron was in earnest discussion with Sir Reginald - head of the Exmoor forces, Sir Ian and Sir James -- the heads of Tony and her '20'.
She rushed to Ron and gave him a hug. She opened her mouth to greet him but noted his serious mien.
