“It’s nearly time, Mr. Cunningham.” Fergie hustled him from the room. “You’ll be all right, Miss Laurie.”
By the time the doctor arrived, followed a few minutes later by a frantic Blair, Laurie was in the last stages of labor. Her whole body was being slowly ripped apart.
“I’m sorry, my darling.” Blair kissed her trembling lips. “I got here as soon as I could. Is the pain very bad?”
“It’s awful, but I feel better now you’re here.”
“Out, Mr. Blair.” Fergie hunted him from the room. “This is woman’s work, now. Oh, and the doctor.” She sniffed huffily.
He knew the old housekeeper was unhappy because Matthew Cunningham had followed his instructions and sent for the doctor. He wouldn’t hurt Fergie for the world. She had delivered numerous babies over the years, but she was old now, and he wasn’t prepared to take any risks. If complications arose, he wanted the doctor to be on hand. Laurie was so young and fragile, the fear of losing her made his gut clench.
“Push, Miss Laurie, push.” Tears of pain and exhaustion trembled on Laurie’s lashes. She felt a sudden sliding sensation, followed almost immediately by the lusty crying of a baby.
“It’s a boy!” Fergie’s eyes filled with tears. You’ve given Mr. Blair a son.”
“You have a fine, healthy boy, Laurie,” the doctor said as he made her comfortable. “Rest now. You’ve done a good job. Mrs. Ferguson will see to the baby.”
“Let me look at him first, doctor.” She felt too tired and weak to hold him, but love filled her heart to overflowing when she gazed upon her baby’s tiny wrinkled-up face and thatch of dark hair.
Blair came to see her first. “Are you all right?” His face was strained with worry as he kissed her. “You’ve given me a son, Laurie. Coolibah has an heir. You can’t know how I’ve always dreamed of this moment. I’ll get Fergie to tell your father, he’s nearly going off his head outside.”
He let go her hand and leaned across to pick up the baby. Holding him in the crook of his arm, he inspected him carefully. “My God, you are a splendid little man. Do you think he favors me?”
“Of course he does, just look at that head of hair.” She gave a weary smile.
“I’ll have to show him to Wally and Angus, they’ve been pacing up and down the verandah for an hour or more. I can see this little chap is going to be rather spoilt.” He grinned, and his skin started returning to its normal color.
“I don’t know how I would have survived if everything hadn’t gone so well, Laurie.” His eyes became suddenly somber. “I don’t think I would be able to go on if something happened to you.”
“Oh, rubbish. I’m as strong as an ox, but get Dad. I’m really tired now; I haven’t slept properly in days. He’s been a tower of strength and so has Fergie. I wouldn’t have been able to cope without them.”
“I should have been here to support you more, but I couldn’t get away from camp.”
When her father came in, Laurie noticed tear stains on his cheeks.
Blair reluctantly handed the baby over to his grandfather.
“What will you call him?”
“We haven’t decided yet, Dad.”
“Yes we have,” Blair said adamantly. “His name will be Daniel Richard, after the other two men in Laurie’s life.”
Blair watched tears spring to Laurie’s eyes. He was glad to be able to do this for her, after she had given him so much.
“They are good solid names. I’ll take this young fellow out to meet the men. You stay with Laurie.”
“Thank you, Blair,” she whispered. Her eyes felt so heavy now she could hardly keep them open. “Danny would be glad to have our baby named after him, and Dick, too.”
“Go to sleep now. You’re exhausted, darling, and it’s nearly midnight. I have to be back at Broadmeadows tomorrow, but I’ll see you before I leave in the morning.”
“I wish you didn’t have to go.”
“You can’t wish it as much as I do, but I have to do the best I can for those boys back at camp. If my knowledge of battle can save even one soldier’s life, leaving you and our son is a small price to pay.”
“I know. I’m proud you feel that way, but I can’t help being selfish and wishing you could stay with me. Oh, a letter came for you the other day. It’s from France. I put it on the mantel.”
Laurie’s green eyes were glazed with tiredness, her hair a flaming auburn mass against the pillow. She was so brave and beautiful. Blair swallowed down a lump in his throat. He dragged his eyes away from her and glanced at the cradle where their son would sleep, once his grandfather returned from showing him off to the men. He truly believed himself to be the luckiest man in the world.
*
Who would be writing to me from France? Blair collected the letter and shoved it into his pocket. After opening some champagne so they could toast the baby’s birth, he flopped into bed, exhausted.
It wasn’t until he arrived back at camp that he suddenly remembered the letter. On opening it, he was surprised to find it was from James McDonald, a one-time neighbor of theirs.
Dear Blair,
When you receive this letter I shall be dead. There is a big push on soon, and I won’t be coming back from it. Don’t judge me too harshly. I will leave it up to you as to when you pass this information on to the appropriate authorities. Anne and the children have moved to Western Australia to be with her parents. I have caused them so much hurt, I cannot believe the things I have done.
Dick McKinlay didn’t kill Helen, I did. I was besotted with her when I met her at your party, and we started seeing each other in Melbourne and became lovers.
Disgust curdled his stomach, but he forced himself to keep on reading. Thank God Laurie hadn’t read it.
I ruined my wife and children’s lives to be with Helen, and just before I sailed for overseas she spurned me, said she had been trifling with my emotions and wouldn’t wait until I got back. I followed her up to Coolibah to get her to change her mind.
Yes, I killed her. I didn’t rape her as the papers said, she had been quite willing, but afterwards she said we were through, she had found someone else. I went crazy, and started hitting her, and I couldn’t stop. I swear, I didn’t know Dick would be blamed, when he was, I was too cowardly to own up to what I’d done. I consoled myself with the thought he would get off because of his mental state.
I am truly sorry for all the pain I caused everyone.
Major James McDonald.
Blair folded the letter and put it away. It sickened him to realize how Helen had betrayed him. She was beautiful on the outside, but filthy and twisted on the inside. As for James McDonald, what kind of fiend would remain silent and let an innocent man go to the gallows for a crime he, himself, had committed?
He would have to hand the letter to the police, of course, but for the sake of Anne McDonald and her children he hoped they would be discreet. He would tell Laurie and the McKinlays later, when he was out of the army and back home.
Epilogue
One afternoon in November of 1918, Laurie was in the homestead alone. Her father, Blair and Fergie had gone into town for supplies, and little Daniel was taking a nap. The windows stood wide open in the sitting room to let in the early summer breeze. As she sat in an armchair she drifted between sleep and wakefulness.
“Laurie, Laurie.” She opened her eyes and Danny stood near the fireplace. He was in uniform. His head was bare, his brown curls just as windblown and unruly as she remembered.
“The war is over.” He gave a boyish smile. “You can be happy now.”
“Laurie, great news.” Blair dashed into the room and pulled her to her feet. “Heard it in town. They’ve signed an Armistice at last. The war is over.”
“I know.” She did a little jig.
“What! How could you?”
“Danny told me. He was here a minute ago.”
“Laurie.” Blair was shocked as he stared into her over-bright eyes. “There’s only us in t
he room.”
“He stood over there, by the fire. I know it sounds crazy, but I saw him.”
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes burning vividly green, but otherwise she seemed normal.
“You dreamt it, my darling,” Blair soothed, not wanting to upset her, because she was expecting again. He vaguely recalled reading somewhere that pregnant women had flights of fancy.
“Maybe I did, but I’m so glad it’s all over and the soldiers can come home now.”
She smiled. Her face suddenly took on such a serene beauty the breath caught in his throat. She blew him a kiss. Laughing, he reached out and pretended to catch it.
“I think I hear your spoilt son calling out.” She danced out of the room.
After Laurie left for the nursery to attend little Daniel, Blair suddenly became aware of the bittersweet smell of herbs wafting around the room. Some instinct drew him towards the fireplace. There on the hearth lay a sprig of thyme.
The End
About the Author
Margaret Tanner is a multi-published Australian author. She loves delving into the pages of history as she carries out research for her historical romance novels, and prides herself on being historically accurate. No book is too old or tattered for her to trawl through, no museum too dusty, or cemetery too overgrown. Many of her novels have been inspired by true events, with one being written around the hardships and triumphs of her pioneering ancestors in frontier Australia.
As part of her research she has visited the World War 1 battlefields in France and Belgium, a truly poignant experience.
Margaret is a member of the Romance Writers of Australia, the Melbourne Romance Writers Group (MRWG) and EPIC. She won the 2007 and 2009 Author of the Year at AussieAuthors.com. Her novel Frontier Wife won the Best Historical Romance Novel at the 2010 Readers Favorite Award, and another novel, Wild Oats was a 2011 Finalist in the EPIC awards.
Margaret is married with three grown up sons, and a gorgeous little granddaughter.
Outside of her family and friends, writing is her passion.
Website: http://www.margarettanner.com/
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