by Fiona Faris
Alexander gave him an assessing look. “Have ye done this before?”
“Yes sir I have. Once.”
The assessing look intensified before he nodded, “Aye, alright then. But ye better not kill my wife.” He leaned back on in the seat he had pushed next to the bed so he could be near his wife who lay on the bed without crowding her too much. Chris stepped forward to assess the situation.
Chris knelt in front of Emily, who lay on the bed with her feet resting flat on it. She was groaning and wincing, her body covered in sweat. Alexander held on tightly to her hand.
“Ye can do this.” Alexander seemed to be more nervous than the lady who was actually in labor.
“Hush up!” Emily cried, her voice angry, breathing audibly, clearly in a lot of pain.
Chris looked up at the two. “I think you’re ready to give birth, this is about the right size for the baby to arrive.”
Alexander paled but he leaned in to kiss the lady’s head with encouragement.
“Y’hear Em? Soon now.”
The string of curses that emerged from her mouth as she squeezed Alexander’s hand were certainly nothing a lady would be caught uttering. Alexander winced but said nothing about the strength of the squeeze.
“Push.” Chris was surprised at how calm he was but grateful for the fact that his hands weren’t shaking.
“Alexander!” Emily looked at her husband. “You did this!” she hissed, “You caused this pain!” She glared. “You put this baby inside me.” She accused, her voice hoarse from screaming in pain.
“Aye. I did.” Alexander responded, unable to hide the smugness of his tone. Chris went back to observing the lady’s canal, not wanting to be part of the fallout.
“Emily! Damnit, that hurt!”
“Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t think about if I was hurting you… I’m too busy pushing a living being from my womb!” Emily screamed at him, clenching Alexander’s hand so hard that he couldn’t feel it anymore.
“The head has appeared,” Chris commented, and Alexander looked over excitedly, actually getting to his feet to have a look.
“Heavens…” he mumbled.
“What’s heavens? Alexander!” Emily growled at her husband, and he looked back at her.
Alexander sweated nervously. “It’s just-- that’s an actual baby! We’re having a child!” he said, going back up and holding Emily’s hand yet again.
“One more, come on,” Chris called.
Emily looked down. “Get this thing out!” She tried to breathe calmly like Alexander was telling her to but gave up soon enough. “Oh stop it, Alexander!” Still she kept up with the measured breaths, as she pushed herself up with a loud yell.
“C'mon, love. One last push. Ye can do it. Ye're almost there.”
As Emily bore down for that final push, her husband's hand on her shoulder, while he wiped beads of perspiration with the other, catching it as it trickled down her forehead in a stream. She took a deep breath and pushed as hard as she could so the baby would finally be free of her.
There were a few moments where the only sounds were Emily’s breaths, and then Chris stood up. “It’s a girl,” he said, smiling softly.
“Emily!” Alexander had tears in his eyes. Emily was barely awake, and she looked tiredly in the baby’s direction. “Ye did it. That’s our child. We are parents now.” Alexander paused. “We’re parents…” he gasped, his eyes going wide. When the baby was out, Chris quickly cut and tied the umbilical cord, grateful that he had more than a boot knife this time.
“Oh, she's so bonnie, Emily. She looks just like ye.”
While the baby was still crying, Chris placed her in Alexander's arms. He cradled her delicately, fearing he would break or drop her. His daughter began to be quiet. The swaddling was doing its job. A pang of fear clutched at his heart as he wondered if he could raise a child.
His knees wobbled, and he lost his balance for a few seconds, shaking his head. Emily sat up, having gotten her second wind.
“Let me see.” She whispered.
She was tired, and sore but still watched and smiled weakly to see her hard-shelled, protective, obstinate husband at a loss for words and beaming with happiness.
“Alexander…” She mumbled, her voice too weak to reach far. “Come here.”
Alexander leaned down, and Emily kissed him gently, smiling.
Chris took the baby from Alexander and slowly and gently lowered her into Emily’s arms, smiling at the newborn.
“We’re parents…” Alexander whispered. Emily’s eyes lit up with happiness as she raised a brow. Alexander trailed his hand down the baby’s soft cheek a helpless smile lighting his face. His daughter grabbed at his finger with her whole entire fist.
“Oh…” Alexander’s vision blurred as he chuckled nervously, feeling the strength of her grip.
“Ye did it, Emily. I'm so proud of ye. Ye were absolutely brilliant. Look how bonnie she is. Ye were perfect. I love ye.”
Then her husband gave her the gentlest of kisses.
“I love you too, Alexander.”
They turned to gaze upon their daughter. For she was glorious, truly glorious.
Chris felt what felt like envy twist in his chest. He wondered if he would ever have such a family of his own.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Rebecca came riding into the yard amidst a cloud of dust, followed closely by Frances and the midwife in the wagon. She leaped from her horse even before it had completely stopped and then she was running into the house.
She bumped into Connell in the front hall. “How is she? Where is she?” she grabbed onto his hand to ask.
“Shh, calm yer wheest lassie. She is fine. The wain’s come.”
“Oh, really?” she blew past him, taking the stairs two at a time and not waiting for a reply. She reached the top of the stairs only to find Chris waiting for her, sitting on a chair outside her brother’s room. He got to his feet and reached for her. She pushed him away, trying to evade his grasp. “I dinna have time for this right now Chris. I have to-”
“She is fine. The baby is fine. They are resting now.”
She stared at him, frowning. “I brought the midwife.”
Chris smiled. “Too late.”
Rebecca surveyed him in bewilderment. “But…who helped her to give birth? Surely Alexander isna well enough-”
“I did.”
Rebecca blinked a few times in utter befuddlement. “…ye?”
“Yes, me.” Chris worked very hard not to smile smugly.
“But..ye canna…”
“Yet I did.”
Rebecca’s mouth was open in utter shock. “Ye…”
“Yes I did.”
She turned abruptly and opened the door to Alexander’s room without knocking and barged into the room before stopping short and staring. Emily was fast asleep while Alexander laid beside her, holding his daughter and smiling as if the sun shone from inside of him.
“Becca,” he said, his voice wet with emotion, “I have a daughter.”
Rebecca’s eyes filled with tears. “You have a wee bairn.”
She walked slowly forward, eyes on the little bundle in his arms. “May I?” she whispered, holding out her arms. Alexander nodded with a smile and she bent down and took the baby. She stared down at it, marveling at its little face, watching her yawn wide.
“Have ye picked a name?”
Alexander shook his head slowly. “Emily has been too tired. She has been asleep ever since she fed the bairn.”
Rebecca rocked the child in her arms. “She is bonnie.”
“Isna she no?” Alexander smiled wide and Rebecca reached one hand to squeeze his.
“I am so happy for ye, brother.”
Chris was feeling quite euphoric ever since he’d brought the child into the world. It felt like a new beginning for all of them and hope bloomed forcibly in his chest.
Toby. I still have to deal with him.
He sighed in frustration. With everyth
ing that had happened, he had not had a chance to deal with his wayward lieutenant. He got up from the chair outside his in-law’s door, confident that Rebecca and the midwife were quite capable of handling anything that might arise in the meanwhile. He trooped down to the cellar, where Toby was imprisoned.
He walked down the row and opened the door, still not sure what he would say to the man. He opened the door and peered into the cell, looking up and down in disbelief. The room was empty.
He turned at once, headed for the stairs, and ran to the kitchen. “Onesmus!”
“Yes cap’n?” the man appeared suddenly from the pantry, covered in white dust.
“What..?”
“The mistress has me making bread.” Onesmus said.
“What?”
“Yes, she asked what domestic skills I had and when I told her I was an expert bread maker, she set me this task.
“I…” Chris was at a loss. “What is going on here?”
“The mistress said that if we mean to live here we must learn to do more than fight and eat.” Onesmus grinned.
Chris raised an eyebrow about to say something about it before he remembered why he had come here. “Toby isn’t in his cell.”
Onesmus’ eyebrow rose in surprise. “Isn’t he? How strange. He was there when I had Ronald take him food last night.”
Chris frowned, “Ronald has been feeding him?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Well, he volunteered ever since Toby got locked up.”
“So none of the rest of you have actually seen Toby since he was locked up?”
Onesmus frowned. “Well now…now that you ask I’m not sure anybody’s laid eyes on him since he was locked up. A lot’s been happening.”
“Would you fetch Ronald to me, please?”
“For sure.” Onesmus took off for the paddock where the other men were undoubtedly hard at work. Chris gave a sigh, seating himself down on the kitchen table and tried to think about the next move should Ronald prove to also have disappeared. He knew for a fact that Toby was a threat who could not be left free to do as he pleased. No doubt he would try and do exactly what Chris had done, take over Dun Alba as he clearly wanted to do. Chris did not understand why Toby was doing this. Were they not a family? He had practically brought that boy up.
He could not help the sense of betrayal that suffused him at the thought of Toby turning against him at this late stage. Onesmus walked into the room and the look on his face was telling enough.
“Not just Ronald missing but Frank and John too. I’m sorry, I do not know how I let this happen.”
Chris’ mouth twisted. “I let this happen. But instead of self-recrimination we should find out exactly what they mean to do.”
Onesmus sighed. “Before the shooting incident, Toby had been complaining that you bend too much to the girl. He felt as if you were losing sight of why we were here. I tried to set him straight, explain that we needed the girl to execute the plan but…” Onesmus shrugged, “Well Toby has always been one to lead with his fists and not his mind.”
Chris snorted. He knew that well.
“And what? He feels as if he could come up with something better?”
Onesmus sighed. “I expect his plan involves killing everybody.”
“We have to find him.”
Onesmus nodded. “Indeed…” then he gave Chris a look.
“What?”
“This might be your chance.”
“My chance at what?” Chris’ brow furrowed with confusion.
“Your chance to get the MacTavish on your side. If you tell him of Toby’s plan and offer an alliance in foiling it, he might just give us what we want in reward.”
Chris smirked. “I thought that was why we have Rebecca.”
Onesmus pointed at him. “Rebecca is your leverage. But you do this and you have earned the man’s goodwill. He will come to trust you. Then instead of wrenching this town from him by force, he will give it to us.”
“We need this, Onesmus. I’m too old for running.”
“I know that cap’n. Whatever it takes.”
“Whatever it takes.”
Chris waited until Alexander ventured out of the room to give Emily a chance to bathe, assisted by Rebecca and Frances. He was strong enough to make it to the parlor on his own, as Benjie attended to him. Chris walked into the room and waited for Alexander to notice him.
The other man glanced up at him, and raised an eyebrow. “May I sit?”
Alexander shrugged. “According to ye, it’s yer hoose.”
Chris smiled, recognizing the concession. “In that case, I shall sit.” He took the armchair opposite Alexander with a sigh.
“We need to talk.”
Alexander nodded. “Aye.”
Chris sighed. “The man who tried to kill you – Toby – he uh, he escaped from the cellar assisted by two of my men. I expect they mean to try something soon.”
Alexander frowned. “What d’ye mean by that?”
“I have discussed things with my second and we have concluded that he might have decided to go his own way.”
Alexander looked away with a snort.
“Yes yes, I know. What kind of leader am I etc. etc.?” Chris waved a hand dismissively.
Alexander smiled. “Actually I think ye’re a fairly good leader, but ye have too much loyalty to yer people and so ye dinna see them as they are. Ye see them as ye are.”
“Did you just pay me a compliment?”
It was Alexander’s turn to wave away his words. “So why are ye telling me?”
“Because he tried to kill you. I thought I’d offer you the chance for revenge.”
“I appreciate it. But I just had a child. Revenge is the last thing on my mind.”
“Alright then. I shall deal with it myself.”
“However…”
Chris smiled.
“I shall lend you five of my men to help you apprehend this fugitive. When we have him back, we shall decide how to deal with him.”
“We?” Chris asked with a raised eyebrow.
Alexander looked him in the eye, “We.”
Rebecca came into the parlor where Alexander was lounging, watching some of his men trying to milk the cow by the paddock under Benjie’s instruction and trying not to laugh.
“What are ye up to?” she asked sitting next to him.
“Just watching the disaster about to happen in the paddock.” Alexander turned to her with a smile.
She leaned back on his shoulder and sighed.
“What is it, sister?”
“I dinna ken. Just…Chris birthed yer bairn?”
Alexander laughed. “I was surprised too. I dinna think he means us any harm anymore. If’n ye want to pursue something with him, tis alright by me.”
“He shot ye.”
“Did he?”
Rebecca lifted her head, “What d’ye mean by that?”
“I mean when I was shot, I felt the impact first…in my back.”
“But…”
Alexander nodded. “I ken. But I’ve had some time to think about it and I’m sure. Some coward shot me in the back.”
Rebecca looked thoughtful. “But who? Toby?”
“No. He was already apprehended.”
“So Chris wasna lying when he said he dinna shoot ye?”
“Aye.”
Rebecca sighed, relaxing so suddenly against Alexander that his chest twinged. “Thank the lord. I’ve been so torn. Blaming mysel’ for having these feelings for the man who shot my brother.” She sniffed as a tear rolled down her cheek. Alexander brushed her hair gently.
“Sometimes we canna help who we love.”
Rebecca laughed wetly. “Ye’ve become a romantic in yer auld age?”
“Hey! Careful who ye’re calling auld.”
Rebecca snaked her hands around his waist and held on tight.
“There is a reason that those four followed Toby.” Chris said to his remaining
brigands.