by Fiona Faris
Ethan’s heart stopped before it started to beat again in triple time. “But…is the wee bairn alrigh’? She was ill, after all.”
Mrs. Campbell sighed. “Ye’ll have to send to Edinburgh for a physician I’m afraid if ye want the answer to tha’ question. None of the local lairds will help ye.”
“Och aye…I ken that,” he sighed thoughtfully, “I shall send Fergus.”
“Aye. Ye do that.” He looked out the window and frowned. “That Mackenzie is still here?” he asked, seeing the figure of Monroe standing near the gate.
“Aye. He hasna shifted for two days. Are ye going to tak’ him on?”
“He’s a Mackenzie. Why does he no go tae the clan lands?”
Mrs. Campbell shrugged. “Why dinna ye ask him?”
Ethan sighed, walking out the door to see the man. He had chased him away days ago, but he kept returning. Even though he had not been at fault in Georgiana’s plunge into the loch and subsequent illness, aside from having scared her, he was still a reminder of the fear Ethan never wanted to experience again. There was no way he would have the man in his employ.
He came to a stop just inside the gate. “Good even’ Mr. Mackenzie. I see yer still here.”
“I dinna want to leave afore I had a chance to speak to ye and see how yer wife fares.”
“She is well, thank ye. Will that be all?”
“Ach, nae. Yer in need of a tacksman, and I need a position. We could help each other.”
“I dinna think-”
“Ah apologize for scarin’ yer wife sae bad. It wasna my intention. But this isna aboot tha’. Ye need someone and ah’m here. Ye ken weel that nae many will want to join wi’ ye when all the lairds aboot have turned their backs on ye and yers.”
“And ye? Why d’ye want to work for me sae bad then?”
Monroe shrugged, “They turned their backs on me too. I was also cast oot. I have nae loyalty to any…but ye.”
“And why were ye cast oot?”
Monroe looked away, sighing. “I fell in love with the wrong woman. And she wi’ me. I dinna mean it tae happen, and they caught us when we ran away. They sent her awa’ and cast me oot.”
“I... see. Ye dinna seem like the type to risk it all fer love.” Ethan said.
“Aye weel…” Monroe shrugged.
* * *
Lachie was sulky all the way back to London.
“I canna believe yer son could do such a thing.”
Barclays laughed in amusement. “Aye, I dinna think he had it in him, but maybe he’s a true Buchanan after all.”
Lachie glared at him. “Ye’re surprisingly chipper for a man who just lost his hame.”
“Ach! Ethan willna turn us oot.”
“Ye ken that fer sure?”
“Oh, aye. He is my son. He craves a faither more than anything. Why d’ye think he did this? Tae get my attention.”
“Well, tis my bride price he stole.”
Barclays laughed. “I thought ye dinna even want it.”
“That’s nae the point, and ye ken it weel. I was relying on that money.”
“Weel…then what d’ye intend tae dae aboot it?”
Lachie sneered. “I’ll get it back. I’ll get them back.”
“And how will ye dae tha’? Remember, he holds our mortgage.”
“Ye’re sure it’s him?”
“Who else?”
“Mmmph.”
“Weel? D’ye have a plan or no?”
“A course ah do.”
“Let’s hear it then.”
Lachie sighed. “That laird, Viscount Ashness. He means to revenge himself upon the Duke Bellingwick. He asked if we wanted to join him. We should meet him.”
“Oh aye, and then what?”
“We hear him out, and then we see if we can join his effort or no.”
“Join his effort?”
“Aye. If’n the duke is destroyed, the daughter hasna any protection.”
“And we can deal with Ethan.”
“Aye.”
* * *
Ethan called Fergus to his study, so they could talk.
“Ye ken my ideas for this place, do ye no?”
“Aye. I do.
“I canna make it work wi’out help. And around here, we have none.”
“Ye got yerself a tacksman.” Fergus grinned.
“Aye.” Ethan grinned back, “What else could I do when he insisted?”
“So what d’ye need from me?”
“I need ye tae go doon tae Edinburgh, get us a crew, and a physician for Georgie. I need ye tae hurry. Can ye do tha’?”
“Have I let ye doon yet?”
“No. Ye havena. And I ken ye willna start the noo.”
“I willna. Three days to Edinburgh, one day to gather what we need, three days back. Expect me in a week.”
“Aye. Go wi’ God, my friend.”
* * *
Mrs. Campbell brought her some porritch to eat, and Georgiana forced a smile. She really did not like oatmeal, but it seemed to be a staple of Scottish diet, and so she did not want to look contemptuous of their culture.
“Ye have to keep yer strength up,” she said.
“I really do feel better. Even the nausea goes away after I am sick. Then I become famished.”
“Aye.” She nodded absently, gesturing to the bowl, urging her to eat some more.
With an inward sigh, Georgiana picked up the spoon and scooped up some oatmeal. She put it in her mouth and then smiled at the housekeeper. Mrs. Campbell nodded firmly and then left. Georgiana sighed with relief and put her spoon down, leaning back on the pillows as she stared out of the window. She caught sight of Fergus, loading saddlebags onto a horse. She leaned closer, frowning, wondering where he was going. He cantered out the gate and disappeared down the road. She got to her feet and shuffled out of her sitting room and went in search of Ethan, bumping into him in the corridor. “Oh!”
He grabbed her to steady her. “Och, are ye alright?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, shaking off the momentary dizziness.
“Where are ye going?”
“I was looking for you.”
He smiled, looking pleased. “Weel, here I am.”
“I was just wondering where Fergus was going.”
“Oh, he’s off to Edinburgh.”
“Edinburgh? Why?”
“Weel…ye need a physician for one…”
“A physician? I told you I’m fine.”
“I ken that. But-”
“No buts! I’m fine.”
“Alrigh’. But he also had some other things tae dae there.”
“Other things like what?”
“Tis nothing for ye to worry aboot-”
“Why not? Is this not my home too? I deserve to know what-”
Ethan lifted his hands in surrender. “Alright. Alright. We need men tae work the land. No one from around here will do it because of what I did. So Fergus is off in search of men.”
Georgiana nodded thoughtfully. “That’s a good idea. Since they’re from far away, they won’t be loyal to any but us. And they’re likely to accept me easier.”
Ethan frowned. “The locals accept ye.”
Georgiana snorted.
Chapter Nineteen
Viscount Ashness met with them in the very same inn as before. He sat down opposite them with a smirk, surveying them with satisfaction.
“So…Bellingwick has played you for a fool, as well. I did warn you.”
Lachie snorted. “Tis not so much him as it is my idiot of a half-brother who managed to trick the duke into giving him his daughter.”
“Or so he wants you to think.”
Lachie raised an eyebrow. “I dinna think he would ha’ condoned tha’. He seemed like the kind who values his honor.”
Ashness sneered. “Oh yes, his honor is everything to him. Thus my plan to humiliate his daughter. Nothing would hurt him more than besmirching his name.”
“So what is yer plan the
noo? What is next?”
“I think you should follow your brother and his bride to Scotland, expose them for the frauds they are. And claim your rightful bride.”
“And what will ye dae?”
“Me? I will make sure all of London knows what a disgrace that Lady actually is. A fraud for marriage, living in sin…the duke will never survive the scandal.”
Lachie rubbed at his chin. “If’n I did that, will I keep her dowry?”
“Consider it well-earned payment for doing your part.”
Lachie grinned wide and pleased. “Och aye. It’s a bargain then.”
* * *
Oh, no.
Not again, please, not again.
Georgiana clutched at her gently curved belly with one hand while the other covered her mouth. She tried to get her breathing and heart rate under control, but as soon as she felt better, the bile rose up in her throat, burning all the way up and attempting an escape from her mouth. She tried her best to swallow it down even as it increased her need to retch. Glancing over at her sleeping husband, a frown marred his face even in sleep, and she decided not to bother him and thought wistfully of the days when Misty would sleep in a side chamber next to her, ready to help at any time, day or night. Georgiana gritted her teeth in frustration, it was way too early to disturb anyone, be it, Ethan or Misty. They both woke up very early to get to work while she was allowed to lie in bed until much later. It wasn’t fair to disturb their sleep because of her persistent retching. She had had no idea how hard people could work until she moved to Eastcairn. There was always something that needed to be done. Life was very different here than the endless rounds of social activities that required only sitting about and changing gowns in London.
As little as she did, compared to everyone else, she found herself falling exhausted into her bed every night, every muscle aching. It was a good kind of ache…however, one brought about by hard work. She liked that she contributed to the well-being of her household when she went out to feed the goats or pick wild berries for a pie. Nobody was exempt from the work.
She remembered the first day Mrs. Campbell had placed a tray of leftovers in her hands and sent her to feed the pigs. She hadn’t felt as if she could protest as nobody else batted an eye – not even Misty. Being the mistress of the house certainly meant something different here. It was more about leadership than being waited on.
That was another reason she hated this constant weakness she felt. She just wanted to be hale and hearty again. Perhaps her husband did have the right idea in fetching a physician to see to her.
Her quivering hands rubbed at her queasiness in slow circles, trying to soothe her upset stomach. It wasn't working even after a couple of minutes, and the longer she sat up in bed, trying to keep the sickness down, the worse she felt.
She couldn't keep it down, and Georgiana moved the covers back and tossed her legs over the edge of the bed, using it as leverage to help her stand. After a few seconds of struggling, she was finally on her own two feet. She walked slowly towards the screen separating the commode from the rest of the room.
Her slightly swollen feet ached in protest with each step, and as much as she wanted to lie back down, she would be disappointed in herself if she just sat in bed and retched all over the sheets without even making an attempt to get to the chamber pot.
She had always been an extremely healthy child, and not much could bring her down. She was not used to being fragile. It scared her quite a bit, and she did not want to die. Her close shave with death in the loch had taught her that much. Not knowing what was wrong with her, the constant vomiting…it was weighing on her mind just as much as she could see it weighing on Ethan. That frown on his forehead was not about the farm or his brother… it was about her. She knew it, and he knew it. They both simply tried to pretend that they weren’t worried.
Still, they had chosen not to have the herb woman return, but wait for the physician since it was clear that she had done all she could. Now it was up to Georgiana to manage her illness until the doctor arrived in a few days.
It’s only a few days, and I’m fine most of the time. I’m not dying.
It was a mantra she repeated to herself every time she began to feel overwhelmed.
She had always had a fear of being sick. It had begun the first time she did it at five years old. The smell of it, the look, and the sound of it made her feel she was ejecting her insides out, and it scared her badly. So badly, in fact that she suffered hysterics, breaking down into tears and crying so hard she couldn't see. But what had scared Georgiana the most about throwing up was the thought of possibly choking on it and dying. Whenever she did throw up she couldn't breathe, it blocked her airways, and that terrified her. She had eventually got over it as she grew older, but the fear remained.
She shuffled around the partition, thankful there was still a taper burning from earlier, just for this exact purpose. Her heart was beating at an abnormal pace, and she was already breaking out into a cold sweat as she stared in fear at the glistening porcelain as if it was her worst enemy. Getting down to her knees, she knelt there for what felt like minutes until she felt her stomach lurch and quickly moved both her hands to her mouth, swallowing to keep the bile down, an instinct she could not entirely control.
No, she couldn't do this, she couldn't.
Tears sprang to her eyes, and she closed them, trying to hold them back, but it was too late, she was already near sobbing.
Her stomach lurched again, and this time, she gagged out loud, choking back a loud sob that threatened to escape her throat. She didn't want to be in here alone; she wanted her husband to be in here to hold the hair from her face, rub her belly and tell her that everything would be okay while she disgorged the contents of her stomach from her system. She had known that eating that fish at supper was a mistake that would come back to haunt her, but she’d been so hungry at the time.
She jumped when she heard the loose floorboard creak and turned to smile apologetically at her husband when she noticed the dark circles under his eyes. Ethan worked for many hours every day, and on top of that, he worried about her, worried about how to manage the estate, and she felt so bad for being the reason why he could not sleep through the night.
"Oh, I woke you, didn't I? I'm sorr--"
Ethan quickly cut her off as he got down on the floor, holding a finger over Georgiana's mouth, while his other hand reached down to soothe her belly by rubbing gentle circles into her flesh.
"Hush, we're in this together, remember?" Ethan grabbed one of the cups beside the washbasin and filled it with water from the pitcher before handing it to his wife.
"Here, drink the water and try to calm down for me, would ye?"
Georgiana was eternally grateful she had such a wonderful husband. While Ethan could be moody at times, he could also be sweet, caring and very gentle.
She downed the water in tiny sips until she was done and leaned against Ethan's shoulder, sighing in relief as he rubbed her stomach and ran his fingers through her thick, brown locks.
Closing her eyes, she listened to the sound of their synchronous breathing and the ticking of the clock hanging on the wall.
Just when she was about to announce that she felt better and was ready to get back in bed, her stomach lurched again. She barely had time to shove her head into the bowl. She wanted him to leave…she was in pain… it was all too much.
But it was finally over.
After many tears and hugs from Georgiana, Ethan was finally back in bed with his wife and sighed in contentment as her head hit the soft feather pillow, pulling the covers up over her body so she could get warm.
"...Ethan?"
"Aye...?"
" I just wanted to thank you. For being patient and supporting me and also that...that I love you."
Ethan smiled and leaned over to peck Georgiana innocently on the lips.
"I love ye, too. Now, go to bed."
He then put a hand on Georgiana's stomach, "Just a fe
w more days, and the physician will make it all better."
Georgiana sighed. “I really hope so. I can’t stand this for much longer.”
“Mrs. Campbell says it’s nothing tae worry aboot.”