Page 62 of Highland Spirit

“I dinna want to see this. I canna watch,” said Gil, heading to the door.

“Da, take Isobel down to the great hall,” said Alana, handing her father his grandchild. “And send the servants up with boilin’ water and lots of rags.”

“Bring whisky, too,” said Ethan, hurrying over to the bed. “Mountain Magic if you have it.”

“Do ye think the whisky will help her pain?” asked Alana.

“I dinna ken,” answered Ethan. “The whisky is for me. Gil – send someone down to the cove to get Caleb and Finn as well.”

Trapper heard Caleb’s name and started barking. Kirstine started screaming in pain again.

“Never mind,” said Ethan. “Trapper, go get Caleb.”

The dog continued to bark but didn’t go.

“Go get Slink,” he said this time and the dog’s ears perked up. Then it turned and ran out the door.

“I’ll be in the great hall if ye need me,” said Gil, leaving with Isobel in his arms.

“Have ye ever done this before?” Alana asked Ethan.

“Nay. Have ye?”

“Nay.” She shook her head. “But I’m sure it canna be that hard. Can it?”

“We’ll find out,” said Ethan. “We dinna have time to wait for those rags. Start tearin’ up the bedsheet. And find a soft blanket to put the bairn in once its born. We need to keep it warm.”

As Alana rushed around the room getting things ready, she smiled inwardly watching her husband. He was brave and jumped right in when family was in trouble. She loved him more than anything. This proved to her that she could always count on him. He would help her and her family be free of Diarmad and also clear their names. She didn’t know how he’d do it, but she was sure he would. Now she wondered why she hadn’t told him about her problem the first time she saw him.

“Alana,” said Kirstine holding out her hand. “I dinna want my bairn to die. I dinna want to die either.”

“Shhhh, Sister. Ye willna die.”

“Oooooh,” she cried out in pain, squeezing Alana’s hand. “I will die, Alana. I do no’ deserve to live, bein’ Diarmad’s wife. His child will die, too, because it should have never been. This bairn is unwanted.”

“Haud yer wheesht!” said Ethan. “I willna hear talk like this again. I was an unwanted child, too. What ye need to remember is that the bairn had no choice in the matter. Ye need to be strong. Ye need to be strong for yer bairn, Kirstine. Dinna let this child live with guilt because it was born. It might be of that cur’s seed, but dinna forget that the bairn is part of ye, too.”

“Aye, he’s right, Kirstine,” said Alana. “Think of Mathair. She is watchin’ ye and wants her grandchild to live. She loved children.”

Kirstine sniffled. “Yer are right. Both of ye. I will be strong. For Mathair . . . for my bairn.”

“Guid. Now that we have that settled,” said Ethan, positioning himself at the foot of the bed, “I ask that ye forgive me for this, but just think of it as if I’m naught but a midwife.” He flipped up her skirt and Kirstine and Alana exchanged glances.

“It’s all right, Kirstine. Ethan would never do anythin’ to hurt ye or yer bairn.”

“That’s right,” said Ethan, examining the situation. “But I need to ask ye two to stop talkin’ now. And Kirstine I need ye to push.”

“Already?” asked Alana in shock.

“Alana, where is that blanket?” asked Ethan. “And I need those rags.”

* * *

A half-hour later, Ethan’s efforts were rewarded when he snipped the umbilical cord, holding Kirstine’s little baby in his big hands.

“Ye’ve got yerself a fine lookin’ daughter,” he told Kirstine with a smile. The baby had trouble getting out but between Ethan and Alana, they did it.

“Kirstine, she is beautiful,” cried Alana, taking the baby from Ethan, wiping it down and wrapping it in a blanket. The soft whimper of the newborn filled the room.