swore under her breath and then widened her smile.
Declan tried to mask a guilty look. What possible excuse could he offer for taking the healer behind the bushes alone? Damn. For the second time, he found himself in this predicament.
“Lady Campbell…” Cranborne’s coolly impersonal tone broke the stillness.
The healer stiffened at his side and Declan stepped between them. “Listen, Cranborne.” There was a cold edge of irony in his voice. If the man accused him of another improper dealing with the lass, he might see Declan’s fist.
“The babe comes and Elizabeth is calling for you. Could you please come with me at once?”
“Of course.”
***
“Push, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth screamed out in pain. “I can no longer push. I simply cannot,” she cried. Her face was pale and pinched as her maid wet a cloth and gently wiped her brow. “I think I’m dying.”
“Ye arenae dying. Ye can do this. Now I want ye to take a deep breath and then give me one more strong push,” Liadain ordered as the bairn’s head was crowning.
“I can’t. Why would Robert do this to me? Why? If he ever touches me again, I swear…” Elizabeth cried.
“Elizabeth,” she spoke calmly. “Ye are in childbirth. ’Tis normal to have such feelings and ye can kill the viscount later, but right now, I need ye to push.”
“I can’t,” she moaned, turning her head from side to side.
“The only way to cease the pain is to bring the babe into the world. Now push, Elizabeth, push!” When she had made one more straining attempt, the bairn’s head was through. Liadain gently pulled him out. She barely had to lift him before the babe gasped for air on his own and began to wail. “Ye did it. Ye have a bonny son.”
Elizabeth cried out joyfully.
Liadain reached for the knife and cut the cord. Grabbing a towel, she wiped off the bairn and then swaddled him in a blanket. He had a full head of honey-colored curls, and his eyes were the color of the bluest sky. He was a delightful little treasure. She carefully placed the bundle in the arms of his mother. She never ceased to be amazed at the look of pure wonder upon the faces of new mothers. Every child was simply a miracle. All her pain forgotten, Elizabeth smiled in delight at her new son.
“Would ye like me to seek your husband now? If ye arenae still planning on sending him to his maker,” Liadain said, raising a brow.
Elizabeth nodded, her gaze never parting from her son.
Liadain swung open the door to find Robert clearly distraught. “Elizabeth?”
“Is well and so is your bairn.” She gestured him into the chamber and Robert immediately looked relieved. With brisk steps, he moved to Elizabeth’s side and smiled at her tenderly.
“We have a son, Robert.”
He closed his eyes, but not before a lone tear escaped down his cheek. He pecked a kiss on the top of his child’s head and then kissed Elizabeth tenderly.
Not wanting to impose on their private time together, Liadain cleared her throat. “I will be taking my leave.”
“Wait, Liadain!” Elizabeth called out. “Robert, could you please hold your son?”
He chuckled at her question. “Dearest, you do not need to ask me that twice.” Robert picked up his bairn and gently rocked him in his arms, walking toward the window and making cooing noises under his breath.
“Liadain, please come here,” said Elizabeth, extending her hand.
Liadain grabbed her hand and smiled.
“I cannot thank you enough for all you have done for me…for us. I don’t know what I would have done without you. You were truly sent from the gods and for that I am grateful. If there is anything that you ever require, please don’t ever hesitate to ask. I owe you much.”
“Ye owe me naught. The health of ye and your bairn are reward enough.”
She cast a glance at Robert holding his child tenderly. The sun bathed their features in a shimmering light. Perhaps if events had played out differently, that could have been their son,
Declan tried to mask a guilty look. What possible excuse could he offer for taking the healer behind the bushes alone? Damn. For the second time, he found himself in this predicament.
“Lady Campbell…” Cranborne’s coolly impersonal tone broke the stillness.
The healer stiffened at his side and Declan stepped between them. “Listen, Cranborne.” There was a cold edge of irony in his voice. If the man accused him of another improper dealing with the lass, he might see Declan’s fist.
“The babe comes and Elizabeth is calling for you. Could you please come with me at once?”
“Of course.”
***
“Push, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth screamed out in pain. “I can no longer push. I simply cannot,” she cried. Her face was pale and pinched as her maid wet a cloth and gently wiped her brow. “I think I’m dying.”
“Ye arenae dying. Ye can do this. Now I want ye to take a deep breath and then give me one more strong push,” Liadain ordered as the bairn’s head was crowning.
“I can’t. Why would Robert do this to me? Why? If he ever touches me again, I swear…” Elizabeth cried.
“Elizabeth,” she spoke calmly. “Ye are in childbirth. ’Tis normal to have such feelings and ye can kill the viscount later, but right now, I need ye to push.”
“I can’t,” she moaned, turning her head from side to side.
“The only way to cease the pain is to bring the babe into the world. Now push, Elizabeth, push!” When she had made one more straining attempt, the bairn’s head was through. Liadain gently pulled him out. She barely had to lift him before the babe gasped for air on his own and began to wail. “Ye did it. Ye have a bonny son.”
Elizabeth cried out joyfully.
Liadain reached for the knife and cut the cord. Grabbing a towel, she wiped off the bairn and then swaddled him in a blanket. He had a full head of honey-colored curls, and his eyes were the color of the bluest sky. He was a delightful little treasure. She carefully placed the bundle in the arms of his mother. She never ceased to be amazed at the look of pure wonder upon the faces of new mothers. Every child was simply a miracle. All her pain forgotten, Elizabeth smiled in delight at her new son.
“Would ye like me to seek your husband now? If ye arenae still planning on sending him to his maker,” Liadain said, raising a brow.
Elizabeth nodded, her gaze never parting from her son.
Liadain swung open the door to find Robert clearly distraught. “Elizabeth?”
“Is well and so is your bairn.” She gestured him into the chamber and Robert immediately looked relieved. With brisk steps, he moved to Elizabeth’s side and smiled at her tenderly.
“We have a son, Robert.”
He closed his eyes, but not before a lone tear escaped down his cheek. He pecked a kiss on the top of his child’s head and then kissed Elizabeth tenderly.
Not wanting to impose on their private time together, Liadain cleared her throat. “I will be taking my leave.”
“Wait, Liadain!” Elizabeth called out. “Robert, could you please hold your son?”
He chuckled at her question. “Dearest, you do not need to ask me that twice.” Robert picked up his bairn and gently rocked him in his arms, walking toward the window and making cooing noises under his breath.
“Liadain, please come here,” said Elizabeth, extending her hand.
Liadain grabbed her hand and smiled.
“I cannot thank you enough for all you have done for me…for us. I don’t know what I would have done without you. You were truly sent from the gods and for that I am grateful. If there is anything that you ever require, please don’t ever hesitate to ask. I owe you much.”
“Ye owe me naught. The health of ye and your bairn are reward enough.”
She cast a glance at Robert holding his child tenderly. The sun bathed their features in a shimmering light. Perhaps if events had played out differently, that could have been their son,
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