Aishlinn was miserable. Her back ached, her feet were swollen to the point she could barely get her shoes on, and she was not able to sleep comfortably at night. “I do not think I will last another day!” She said as she let out a heavy sigh and stretched her back. “I feel as though I’ve been with child for ten years!”
Nora smiled as she poured tea into cups. They were sitting in Nora’s kitchen and enjoying each other’s company. “I’m sure it is positively uncomfortable, Aishlinn. But think about the bonny babe you’ll soon be holding in your arms!”
“It better be bonny, after all this kicking and rolling around he’s doing in there!” she said playfully as she rubbed her hand over her belly.
“You think it’s a boy then?” Nora asked as she took a sip of tea.
“Aye, I do! A stubborn, energetic boy, just like his da. A girl child, I am certain, would not be causing her mother this much grief. She’d be a quiet lass, like me.”
Nora snorted but immediately pulled her lips inward when Aishlinn glared at her angrily. “You do not find me quiet?”
“Nay, Aishlinn. You’re as quiet as a church mouse on a winter’s eve.”
They looked at one another for a moment before Aishlinn burst out laughing. “Even I know I’m not that quiet!”
After the giggling subsided, Aishlinn asked the question she’d been dying to ask for days. “So, Nora, how do you like being married to Wee William?”
Nora’s lips curved into a very bright smile. “He’s a very good husband! He is so kind and patient with John and Elise.”
Aishlinn nodded her head and sipped on her tea. “I did not doubt that he would be anything but good to you and the children,” she said. “How is his eye?”
Nora burned red from head to toe. She was hoping no one would ask how her husband came to have not one, but two black eyes. “Um,” she stammered, trying to find the right words. She and Aishlinn had become such good friends that Nora felt she could talk to her about anything. “Well, it really was entirely his own fault.”
Aishlinn sat forward in her chair with great anticipation. Duncan had refused to tell her how the black eyes came to pass. “How exactly was it his fault?”
Nora cleared her throat and took another sip of tea. “Well, you see, he has this thing he does to undo me.”
Aishlinn raised an eyebrow, “Undo you?”
Nora nodded her head and looked at Aishlinn as if she should readily know to what she was referring. “You know. Undo me.” When she saw that understanding on Aishlinn’s part was not immediately forthcoming she went on to explain it. “Its this thing he does. With his tongue,” she continued to blush and stumble over her words. “It undoes me.”
Aishlinn searched her mind for the term undone and then, it suddenly dawned on her what Nora was speaking of. She could not help but laugh, for she herself had some close to blackening Duncan’s eye the first time he’d sprung that little surprise on her.
“But you needn’t worry over any more black eyes on my husband,” Nora offered with a sly smile.
“No? Why?” Aishlinn could barely contain her excitement.
“Well, you see, he came up with a rather inventive way of keeping my feet in place.”
Aishlinn’s eyes grew as wide with curiosity while her mind raced, wondering what on earth she meant.
Seeing her friend’s curiosity piqued, Nora leaned in. “You see, he made these scarves out of silk,”
Just as Nora was beginning to explain the proper applications of the scarves, Elise came crashing through the front door, with John following on her heals.
“Aishlinn!” she shouted as her eyes fell on Aishlinn’s large belly. “You haven’t had the babe yet?” she asked looking disappointed.
Nora admonished her for her poor manners. “You do not come crashing into the house, Elise!”
“I’m sorry, Nora,” Elise said as she climbed up on the bench with John taking a seat next to her.
Aishlinn willed her burning face back to its natural color before answering Elise’s question. “Nay, Elise. I’ve not had my babe yet. It won’t be long now.”
Elise nodded her head as if she understood. “They take a long time to make, don’t they?”
Nora and Aishlinn laughed and agreed.
Elise was apparently done talking about babies. “Do you have any biscuits left, Nora? John said that if we asked very nicely we might have one.”
Nora shook her head and rolled her eyes. “The both of you are incorrigible.” She stood and went to the shelf where she kept the biscuits. There were only four left! William, she said his name as though it were a curse. She could not keep the tin completely filled for more than a few hours. His appetite was as large as he. With her back thankfully turned, she smiled and bit her lip. Aye, he had very large appetites for things other than biscuits!
She composed herself and brought the biscuits to the table. She gave one each to Elise and John and the remaining two to Aishlinn, a fact that did not go unnoticed by Elise. “Why does Aishlinn get two?” Elise asked, taking a bite of her biscuit.
“One for her, one for the babe. Now don’t be rude.”
Married life, in itself, was a wondrous thing as far as Wee William was concerned. His love for Nora grew with each passing day. In his eyes, she was perfection.
It was the children that were making his head pound.
Elise questioned everything. Why must we sleep at night and not the day? Why are you shaving? How do whiskers grow? Why don’t women have whiskers? Why can’t I sleep in bed with you and Nora? How do seeds turn into apples? How did Aishlinn get the baby in her belly? Will Nora get a baby too?
His favorite question in the past week from the curious child was why did he and Nora sleep without any clothes on. He nearly choked on his breakfast when she asked that particular question.
Wee William was finding it rather difficult to find time alone with his wife during the day. With the children waking at the crack of dawn, all the chores that needed to be done around their home, taking them to their morning lessons with Isobel, and Nora working in the castle in the afternoons, there was little time nor energy left at the end of the day for making bairns. Still, he relished that time of the day, when he would climb into bed with his wife and hold her closely. He had been given heaven on earth and he would cherish these small moments all the rest of his days.
As he donned his tunic and trews, someone began knocking loudly at the cottage door. Soon his home was filled with excited voices. Wee William raced into the kitchen only to find Duncan standing next to the table. Nora was smiling as she pulled her shawl from the hook.
“William!” Elise squealed with delight as she sat breaking her fast. “Aishlinn’s is having her babe!”
No wonder Duncan looked as though he were about to pass out.
“Isobel has asked that I help her, William,” Nora explained as she blew him a kiss. “I’ve never helped deliver a babe before, but I think I should get along well enough.” Nora tried to sound far more excited about the prospect of helping deliver a babe than she actually felt. Truthfully, the thought terrified her to no end. But she had promised Aishlinn she would be there when the time finally arrived.
Wee William smiled down at his wife and grabbed her in his arms before she could leave. “Ye’ll no’ be getting’ away without a proper kiss, wife,” he murmured into Nora’s ear. “It could be hours before I see ye again.”
Nora giggled and stood on her tiptoes and waited for him to bend toward her. He gave her a proper kiss that left her momentarily breathless. Elise giggled and John grunted, much like the Highlander men he’d been surrounded by.
“John,” Nora said as she tried to regain her composure. “Please, keep Elise out of trouble while I’m gone. If ye need anything, just come to Aishlinn’s cottage, but knock before you enter!”
Nora laughed when she finally turned her attention away from her husband. Duncan hadn’t moved from his spot by the table and he looked just as pale as when
he had first arrived.
“Duncan! For heaven’s sake, you best sit before you faint!” she told him as she headed for the door. “William, I think you might want to keep Duncan away from his wife for a time.”
Wee William crossed the room, laughing at his friend. He took his arm and helped him to sit at the table.
“Are you ill?” Elise asked.
Duncan could only shake his head.
“He’s just a bit unsettled, Elise. This be his first babe,” Wee William tried to explain. Duncan hadn’t said a word. His eyes were focused on something that only he could see and his skin seemed to grow paler by the moment. Wee William hoped that if he and Nora were blessed with babes of their own, that he wouldn’t come apart like Duncan was doing.
“John,” Wee William said. “Take Elise to the keep and ask Bree or Eilean to watch over her.”
“But I don’t want to go to the keep. I want to help Aishlinn have her babe,” Elise protested.
Wee William chuckled. “Nay, lass, ye be a wee bit young yet to help. Now do as yer told, or I’ll make ye help Auld Phillip in the stables for the next sennight.”
Elise wrinkled up her nose. “But the stables smell funny,” she told him.
“Aye, and if ye do no’ want to be smellin’ funny yerself, ye’ll do as yer told. Now go, with John to the keep.”
Elise let out a heavy sigh. “Will I be able to help when I’m older?”
“If ye do as yer told and mind yer manners, aye.” Wee William said as he stood up from the table. “Now go.”
John nodded and stood, staring questionably at Duncan. “Are you sure he’ll be well?”
“Aye,” Wee William nodded.
“Come Elise,” John said as he held his hand out. “Mayhap Mary has some sweet cakes for us.”
Wee William knew he had to get Duncan’s mind off his wife. The poor man looked positively lost at the moment.
“John!” Wee William called out, as an idea to keep Duncan busy had quickly formed in his mind.
John stopped in the doorway and waited patiently.
Wee William studied the lad closely for a moment. The boy had gained weight over the past weeks and he was growing taller. His attitude had improved as well and Wee William knew that with the right guidance, John could grow to be a fine man and warrior.
“After ye take Elise to the keep, meet Duncan and me on the training fields.”
John’s brow twisted into a knot of confusion. Children were not allowed any where near the training fields, at least not while the men occupied it. Not only was it dangerous for the children but it caused too much of a distraction for the men training.
“The training fields?” John asked.
“Aye,” Wee William smiled. “I believe it be time fer you to learn how to use a sword. And I think Duncan be just the man to teach ye.”
John looked even more confused. “Him? I doubt he could tell you his own name at the moment.”
Wee William chuckled as he patted Duncan on the arm. “Aye, but we need to keep his mind off his wife at the moment. And there be no better way to keep a Highlander occupied than either by fightin’ or drinkin’. And ye be too young to help with the latter!” Wee William knew there was yet a third way to keep a Highlander occupied, but John was a bit young yet to share that with him.
“So is it just for today that you want me to learn?” John asked.
“Nay, I think its time ye started trainin’ to be a warrior. Ye’ll be three and ten soon, won’t ye?”
John swallowed hard. “Aye, I will.”
“Then it be time.”
John was not sure at the moment if he even wanted to learn how to fight. He had no desire to go into battle or to fight in wars. Wee William sensed the boy’s reluctance.
“Lad, ye want to ken how to defend yer family, don’ ye?”
John’s shoulders relaxed a bit at that thought. He supposed it would be useful to learn how to protect his family, if such an event was ever necessary. “Aye, I do.”
“Good,” Wee William smiled thoughtfully. “Now off with ye!”
Once John had closed the door behind them, Wee William turned his attention back to Duncan. Wee William had never seen a more terrified looking warrior in his life. Wee William shook his head in disbelief thinking it was a poor sight indeed to see his friend so bewildered that he could not move or speak.
“Duncan!” Wee William said gruffly as he slapped Duncan on the back. “Ye need to snap out of it, lad!”
Duncan blinked twice before looking at Wee William. “Women die in childbed, Wee William,” Duncan said quietly. “I canna stand the thought of losin’ Aishlinn, or me babe.”
Wee William gave him a nod of understanding, believing he too would have that same worry were their roles reversed. “I’ve met yer wife, Duncan. She be a feisty, determined young lass,” he offered consolingly. “Why, if it were a battle between Aishlinn and the devil himself, I’d place me wagers on Aishlinn every time.”
Duncan chuckled slightly. Aye, his wife was a determined woman. But things sometimes happened that were beyond anyone’s control. His wife, at that very moment, was lying in their bed attempting to bring forth the life the two of them had created. She was going up against nature, not the devil.
Wee William sighed, shook his head and slapped Duncan’s back again. “What say we walk by yer cottage and ye can see how yer wife fairs? Then we’ll keep ourselves busy with training me brother-in-law on proper sword fightin’.”
Duncan nodded and stood, the wood bench creaking as he scooted it away. “But if she needs me, Wee William, I’ll stay by her side. She’s such a tiny thing, ye ken that as well as I.”
“Again,” Wee William said as he led Duncan out of doors. “She’s a determined lass.”
“Aye, that may well be true. But she’s such a wee thing! And she never asks fer much. And she never complains when she’s in pain or no’ feelin’ well.”
The air was warm this fine spring morning, but neither man paid much attention to the beautiful surroundings as they walked down the path that led to Duncan and Aishlinn’s home.
“I remember the journey here,” Duncan said moments later. “Aishlinn had taken such a beatin’ from that bastard earl. There were times when I thought she’d no’ survive beyond another hour, let alone another day. And not once did she complain. Not once did she say that she hurt, when I knew in fact she did.”
Wee William remained quiet as they walked along, allowing his friend to reminisce.
“I think I began to fall in love with her then, on our journey here to Gregor. I think ’twas her quiet and reserved manner and her inner strength that drew me to her.” Duncan said as his lips began to form a slight smile.
Highlanders seldom, if ever, shared their inner most feelings with another Highlander. He supposed, however, that Wee William could very well understand how it might feel to love someone more than you loved your next breath.
Wee William remained quiet. He imagined that Duncan felt very much the same way about Aishlinn, as he did about Nora.
“I worry that if something is wrong, she’ll no’ say anything to Isobel. She’ll keep her pain to herself, as she so often does, Wee William.”
’Twas then, as they were just steps away from Duncan’s home, that they heard to most awful of screams. Wee William thought it sounded like a selkie screeching from the sea! Both men paused, looked at each other with wide eyes, and then ran for the cottage.
Duncan pushed the door open causing it to slam against the wall. His heart was pounding in his chest, as he was quite certain the scream had come from his wife. He rushed to the doorway to their bedchamber and came to an abrupt halt. As he stood in the doorway, with Wee William peering in over his shoulder, Duncan felt the air rush from his lungs and his legs turn to jelly.
There was his sweet, beautiful, kind wife, naked, covered in sweat, and squatting over the birthing chair. Isobel and Nora were crouched on either side of her, giving her words of encouragemen
t. Nora was wiping Aishlinn’s brow with a wet cloth and Isobel was rubbing her lower back.
“I swear, if that whoreson even thinks about doin’ this to me again, I’ll cut his ballocks off with a dull knife!” Aishlinn said through gritted teeth and gulps for air.
Isobel had promised Duncan it would be hours before Aishlinn delivered her babe. First babes always take the longest, Isobel had assured him. Go about yer day and we’ll send fer ye when ’tis all over and done. That was little more than an hour ago. Now she was sitting on the birthing chair!
“What the bloody hell,” Duncan whispered.
Isobel and Nora finally took notice of his and Wee William’s presence. Isobel looked more perturbed at seeing the two of them standing in the doorway than she looked concerned over Aishlinn. Isobel shot Duncan a look that warned him to be quiet else his wife would direct her wrath directly at him.
“Yer doin’ fine, Aishlinn,” Nora soothed as she ran the cloth across Aishlinn’s forehead.
“This is all his fault!” Aishlinn spat between waves of pain. “Damned Highlanders and their want of pleasing their women and having a hundred bairns! I’d like to see him try to squeeze a babe out of his damned manhood!”
Duncan had forgotten about Wee William until he heard the man chuckling behind him. Duncan spun and began pushing Wee William out of the room. “Ye canna see me wife in such a state!” Duncan whispered harshly as they walked toward the table. Duncan’s face was red with anger. “Ye will do well to ferget what ye just saw and heard, William!”
Wee William smiled down at his friend. “Do no’ worrit, lad. I could no’ see a thing from where I was standin’.”
It was a full out lie, for he had been peeking into the room over Duncan’s shoulder. He had also heard every word Aishlinn had said. Now was not the appropriate time to needle his friend. Duncan looked mad enough to draw his sword and chop Wee William’s head off.
“Isobel said we had hours before Aishlinn had her babe!” Duncan said as he ran a hand through his hair. “This canna be good!” He began pacing around the room, worry etched into his brow.
Wee William's Woman, Book Three of the Clan MacDougall Series Page 26