Walking stooped over, Danica managed to reach the bed again, and slowly sank down on the mattress. She inhaled slow and deep, and willed her muscles to relax. Whatever she was doing seemed to work. Her stomach unclenched, and she breathed easier. She sat still, waiting for her racing heart to slow down. She couldn’t go into labor now. It was too soon.
“Please, God, no,” she whispered, and squeezed her eyes together. Fresh tears threatened to spill from her eyes. Hadn’t she done enough crying the night before?
“You can’t be born yet,” Danica spoke to her baby. “We have to get to Helena.” She rubbed at her stomach with slow circular motions, trying to reproduce what Josh had done that night. She conceded that he was much better at it. She couldn’t possibly go to him now, and ask him to perform the soothing ministrations that had worked to calm her muscle contractions before. He would surely not be happy if she told him she might be going into labor.
The minutes dragged on, and nothing else happened. The dull ache in her back remained, but her muscles didn’t contract again. Danica breathed a sigh of relief, and stood. As much as she enjoyed the comfort of Josh’s shirt, she had to get dressed. She couldn’t walk around the cabin wrapped in a blanket all day.
When she left the bedroom for the main room, warm air greeted her. The fire in the hearth had reduced most of the wood to charcoal, but the heat remained. Danica walked slowly toward the warmth. Carefully, she knelt and rekindled the fire, adding more wood from the box.
With a loud groan, she pushed herself off the ground, using the metal fire poker as a crutch. She glanced around the quiet room. Her eyes lingered on the closed door of the other bedroom. Surely Josh wasn’t still asleep. It had to be well past sunup, although it was difficult to judge by the gray skies outside. It didn’t look like it was snowing at present. Hopefully the storm had passed, and they could head out tomorrow.
Danica glanced around at the shelves and cupboards along the workbench. Her stomach growled. She might as well make herself useful and find some ingredients to fix breakfast. Besides, she needed something to do. She certainly didn’t relish the idea of being cooped up in this cabin. A full water bucket stood on the bench. She dipped a tin cup in it and held it to her lips.
Danica ignored the ache in her lower back that seemed to intensify as the minutes passed. She’d probably just slept on her back all night, causing the muscles and her spine to tighten. She was sure it would go away as the day wore on.
An hour later, she pulled a Dutch oven filled with fried potatoes and sliced venison from the fire. Groaning loudly, she lifted the heavy cast iron onto the workbench. A sudden sharp pain seared through her back and around to her stomach, traveling down the front of her thighs. She almost dropped the skillet on the ground, but she managed to deposit it onto the counter. Her hand shot out and she grabbed hold of the side of the workbench, and clenched her jaw.
“No,” she gasped. “Please, no.” This time there was no mistake in what the pain meant. Her baby wanted to come into the world. Danica breathed deeply as the wave of muscle contractions swept through her lower abdomen. Slowly, the pain subsided, and she inhaled normally again.
“Dear God, why is this happening now?” This child was going to be born early, whether she wanted him to or not. She thought back, counting the weeks and months she’d been stuck in the wilderness. Could she have been mistaken in estimating how long she’d been held captive? What about after, when . . . Danica gasped again, as warm liquid flowed down between her legs. She shuffled off in the direction of her room. Her leggings and the front of her dress were wet.
Anticipating another round of contractions, she hastily peeled the soiled leggings off, and awkwardly slipped the buckskin dress over her head. Shivering, she reached for Josh’s shirt that she had laid out on the bed. It was the only thing she had to wear now. Rolling the leggings up tightly, she shoved them between her legs to catch the fluid that continued to trickle uncontrollably down the insides of her thighs. She scrambled onto her bed, and scooted back against the headboard. Shivering from nerves and the cold, she pressed her lips together, and pulled a blanket over the lower half of her body.
Where was Josh? She was sure he wasn’t still in his room. The noise from her cooking surely would have woken him up. He was not the type of man who would sleep the day away. Perhaps he’d gone out to investigate the depth of the snow, to see if they could continue their journey. Danica emitted a short, desperate laugh.
“I’m not going anywhere right now,” she said softly.
Danica lay on her back, anticipating another contraction. How long would it be before the next wave of pain hit her? Tentatively, she glanced down between her legs. There was no blood, which was reassuring. The slow trickle of clear fluid continued, however.
“Josh, where are you?” Danica whispered. She craved his presence, yearned for his strong hands to hold her, and reassure her through this process. Don’t kid yourself, Dani. He doesn’t want to birth this baby. Would he even know what to do? Danica scooted on the bed slightly to adjust her aching back. She cried out in pain as another violent wave of muscle contractions ripped through her abdomen.
Chapter 13
The late afternoon wind whipped through his hair, and Josh adjusted his heavy buffalo robe more firmly around his shoulders. He trudged on through the deep snow, picking his way carefully through the drifts. Even with snowshoes on, the danger of falling down a crevice was ever present. He couldn’t believe the amount of snow that had fallen during the night. Although the blizzard had stopped, the icy chill in the air remained, ensuring that it would be some time before it all melted. Spring would be late this year.
His fears had been confirmed earlier, when he headed out to scout the trails and passes, to see if there was any hope of making the trip to Helena in the coming days. It would be impossible for horses to traverse the terrain. The only way was on foot, with snowshoes, and that was out of the question for Dani.
On his way home, Josh had managed to flush out a couple of pheasants, which he now carried, slung over his shoulder. He had plenty of supplies at the cabin, but fresh meat was always preferred over dried venison.
After tending the horses, and making sure they were stabled comfortably and had fared the blizzard unharmed, Josh had gone to Kyle’s cabin. He scoured the rooms, searching for anything useful to Dani as she prepared for the birth of her baby. He’d managed to find some soft blankets and a couple of tiny cotton gowns. Holding the infant clothing up in front of him, Josh had shaken his head, frowning. If he stuck his arm through the gown, it wouldn’t even reach his elbow. Were babies really that small?
Hastily, he’d bundled everything up and returned to his own cabin, depositing his finds in his room. He’d give them to Dani later, after they discussed the likelihood that they wouldn’t be going to Helena anytime soon. Mentally, he’d already prepared himself for a battle of wills with her. No doubt she would accuse him of thinking her to be too weak to make the trip. Josh chuckled. One thing he would never fault Dani with was weakness. Stubbornness, definitely, but she had a certain strength both in body and spirit that he’d found lacking among most white women he encountered.
Dusk had fallen by the time Josh reached the valley. Quickly, he checked on the horses one more time, throwing some fresh hay in their stalls. A rat scurried out of the way, darting along the sides of the barn. As Josh followed its movements, a large block of wood in the corner of the barn caught his attention, and an idea suddenly formed in his mind. Picking up the piece, he brushed some straw off its sides with his hand, and rotated it, assessing it for size, and visualizing his idea. He quickly lit a lantern that hung on a nearby post, and pulled his ax from the belt around his waist, and set to work. He wouldn’t finish his project today, but he’d at least get it started.
Engrossed in his work, the rumbling in his stomach reminded him that it was getting late. The barn was completely enveloped in darkness, except for the lantern hanging above his head. Josh set the
wood aside. It suddenly occurred to him that he probably should have gone to the cabin straight away before coming to the barn, to at least let Dani know he was nearby. He frowned. He usually came and went as he pleased, and never had to answer to anyone regarding his whereabouts.
Josh doused the lantern and gathered the pheasants he’d left laying by the barn door. They were stiff and frozen solid. The meat wouldn’t spoil if he simple left them hanging outside the cabin. He decided it was too late to pluck and clean them today. Jerked venison would have to tide him over until the morning. Perhaps Dani had taken it upon herself to fix some supper. His mouth watered at the thought. She’d cooked a tasty breakfast in Virginia City, and he wouldn’t put it past her to dig through his supplies while he was gone. He wondered what else she’d been up to all day.
Josh pushed the barn door shut, and turned toward his cabin. Only a dim light shone from the small window to Dani’s bedroom. The rest of the cabin stood in darkness. Alarmed, Josh lengthened his strides as he trudged through the snow. He hadn’t bothered strapping on the snowshoes for the short walk from the barn to the cabin. His nostrils flared and he inhaled deeply. He couldn’t smell any wood smoke, either. The cabin had to be freezing cold if she didn’t keep a fire going. He was sure he’d left enough wood in the woodbox this morning.
Josh stomped the snow from his moccasins when he reached the cabin door before he entered, and pulled off his buffalo robe. The eerie darkness caused his heart to speed up.
“Dani?” he called, and swung the door shut behind him.
“Josh?” Her voice sounded feeble and strained when she called his name from her room. Adrenaline flooded his system, and his legs went weak and rubbery. He rushed across the room. The door stood half ajar, and he pushed it fully open. His eyes fell on the woman lying on the bed. Her hair hung in limp strands on either side of her sweat-drenched face. Dani’s body stiffened at that moment, and her hands clutched at the covers at her sides. She emitted a strained cry, and Josh rushed to her side. He dropped to his knees by the bed, the beating of his heart pulsing in his ears.
“Dani,” he called softly, his hand brushing away some hair that clung to her cheeks. She writhed on the bed, her knees drawn up tightly, her breathing shallow. Slowly, her body relaxed again, and she turned her head toward him. Her eyes were glazed over with pain.
“About time you showed up,” she whispered weakly.
Josh reached for her hand, gripping it tightly in his, as his eyes darted frantically over her body. If she were injured, he’d know what to do. This . . . she was about to deliver her baby . . . he couldn’t think straight.
“I’m here, Dani. What . . . tell me what I can do.” His voice sounded foreign to him. Think, Running Wolf. What would your Aunt Sarah do? He swallowed repeatedly. “Dani, how long have you . . . when did it start?”
“Since I woke this morning. You were gone,” she said between quick gasps of air. She looked up at him, her eyes locked onto his in a silent plea for help.
Josh cursed under his breath. Why the hell did he leave this morning before making sure she was all right? Alarmed by what she told him, he rose to his feet. He inhaled deeply to calm his nerves.
“You need to get out of that bed, Dani,” he urged gently. His mind was thinking rationally again.
“What?” she asked, wide-eyed, just as her body clamped up as another wave of contractions hit her. She cried out, and grabbed for Josh’s arm.
“Hold on, Dani, breathe deep and relax your mind,” Josh whispered, sliding his arm behind her neck. Her grip tightened almost painfully on his arm, but he didn’t care. He’d do anything right now to take her pain away. She said she’d labored since this morning. How long did it take for a baby to be born? If one of his mares were in labor that long, he would have gone in and taken the foal by now.
Josh cleared his mind as Dani slowly relaxed again. He supported her back, and held her in an almost sitting position.
“Dani, you need to walk,” he encouraged gently. Her unfocused eyes looked up at him. When she released her hold on his arm, Josh slipped it under her knees, and pulled her off the bed.
“I . . . don’t have the strength to walk, Josh,” Dani gasped.
“You have to, pyihaa. Let your body work for you, not against you.” Josh had no idea where his words came from. Some inner voice told him she needed to be up and moving, rather than lying still. Her heavy-lidded, glazed over eyes scared the hell out of him. Women died in childbirth all the time. He would not let that happen to his wife.
Wife! Dani was his wife. The thought hit him with a force that knocked the wind out of his lungs. She was his responsibility. She would not die.
“Josh Osborne, are you trying to kill me?” she panted as he set her feet down on the ground.
“No, I’m trying to keep you alive,” he growled, and slipped his arm around her back to support her. “Lean on me, and walk, woman. Your baby needs you to be strong. Mares in labor often move around. They let gravity do the work. You need to do the same.”
He almost smiled at the angry look she managed to throw his way. He was glad they were nowhere near that cast iron skillet at the moment. Josh placed his other hand on her tight abdomen, and began to work his palm in slow circular motions across her belly. Dani groaned.
“I needed you to do that this morning,” she said, her eyes closed. She clung to him for support as he slowly guided her away from the bed and to the door leading into the main room. Josh’s insides warmed. He would do whatever it took to see her safely deliver this baby. Dani was too strong to die.
“I need to start the fire, and heat water. And you need to drink,” he said as he walked her toward the hearth. They’d almost reached it when Dani stiffened. She bit her lip and dug her hands into his skin. He ignored his own pain when her fingers came too close to his bullet wound. His discomfort was nothing compared to what this brave woman endured. He worked his hand across her stomach, feeling the wavy motion of her baby moving inside of her, as her muscles clenched and unclenched. His hand on her back tightened, until her contraction subsided.
Josh released his hold on her when they reached the workbench. A Dutch oven balanced precariously at the edge of the counter. The potatoes and venison in the pot were cold.
He dipped the tin cup that sat next to the bucket into the water, and held it to her lips.
“I’m not a complete invalid, Josh,” she said, and reached for the cup. Her cold hands trembled on his warm ones. Josh stared into her eyes, and his chest tightened.
“This is not the time for stubbornness, pyihaa,” he whispered. He didn’t let go of the cup, and tilted it further for her to drink. “Walk slowly, and don’t stop,” he said after she drained the cup. “I’ll be right back.” Dani nodded, and shuffled slowly past him. He watched her for a moment, then quickly rekindled the fire, and poured water into the kettle, his own hands trembling. Sweat beaded his forehead, and he hastily wiped it away with the back of his hand. He inhaled deeply for courage. He could not allow her to see his fear.
After hanging the kettle over the fire to get the water heated, Josh rushed back to Dani’s room. He pulled several furs off the bed and laid them out on the ground in front of the bedpost. Dani cried out, and his heart slammed against his ribs. He bolted from the room.
She stood, leaning over a chair, clutching the backrest as her body stiffened yet again. Her contractions were definitely coming in faster waves now. He left her standing where she was for the moment, darting into his own room to retrieve the blankets he’d brought from Kyle’s cabin this morning. Had he known he would be needing them so soon . . . Josh tossed the blankets over his shoulder. Within seconds, he was back at Dani’s side.
Time dragged on as he supported her and they walked endless circles around the room. She seemed to weaken with every contraction that tormented her body. Only a few times did she cry out, and each time Josh wished he could somehow absorb her pain into his own body. After every contraction, he offered her som
e water, and wiped her forehead with a damp cloth. The grateful looks she flashed him tore at his heart. It was all he could do for her, but it didn’t seem to be enough. When he noticed a slight trickle of blood running down her legs, his heart rate accelerated.
Josh had always controlled his emotions well, and he hoped he didn’t let his apprehension show. Wordlessly, he guided Dani toward her bedroom.
“It’s time, Josh,” Dani said. She already knew. Hoping the smile on his face was reassuring, Josh guided her to the furs he had lain out earlier. She gave him a puzzled look.
“Kneel and hold on to the post,” he urged. He guided her to her knees, supporting her back.
“Are you sure this is what I’m supposed to do?” Dani asked, her eyes wide. “Shouldn’t I lay in the bed?”
“That’s the white man’s way,” Josh answered, and scooted up behind her. Somehow kneeling, allowing gravity to do the work seemed the logical thing. Josh hoped and prayed he was right.
He sat behind her, supported her through each contraction, and wiped her sweat-dampened face. He spoke softly in his mother’s language, telling her she was a brave and beautiful woman, and that her child would be here soon. Somehow it seemed easier to speak words of endearment to her when she didn’t know what he was saying.
Dani suddenly gripped the pole as her body went rigid. A loud cry escaped her lips that tore Josh’s heart in two. She bore down and pushed. Josh pulled a blanket from his shoulder, and scooted around her to face her. His limbs had never been this unsteady. Before he knew it, Dani’s baby slipped into his waiting hands. It all happened so quick, he had no time to think. All he could do was react. Dani emitted a grunt of relief, and slumped fully to the ground.
Josh stared at the tiny human being in hands. Without thinking about his actions, he wiped at the infants nose and mouth, and rubbed the tiny body to stimulate the child to take a breath. With a loud wail and quivering mouth, the baby breathed. Josh smiled and continued to rub at the infant, then pulled his knife from his belt and sliced quickly through the umbilical chord, tying the end in a knot.
Yellowstone Dawn (Yellowstone Romance Series Book 4) Page 12