Chapter Nine #2
“I hurt my ankle last week and ’tis still a tad sore.”
The woman reached out for her and took her arm.
“Come inside, lass, and I’ll fix ye some tea.
I have lovely teacakes I made this morning and if I wait too long, this group,” she motioned with her head to the bairns, “will eat them all. And I have a salve the healer gave me for my husband’s sore muscles that might help ye. ”
Feeling welcomed, which felt familiar from visits with her own clan members, she wondered what Mrs. Mackenzie thought of her being with the laird. Too polite to ask, of course, she could imagine what ideas were going through the woman’s mind.
The inside of the bothy was just as well-kept as the outside gardens. The furnishings were worn but clean. The house smelled of biscuits and the dishes piled in the sink were a testimony to the baking the woman had done.
A woven basket filled with clothes sat on the kitchen floor. In all, the bothy looked like a warm, welcoming place with everyone well-fed, and two caring parents for the little ones.
There had been times when she had visited her own clan members’ homes, that she would wonder what her life would have been like if she hadn’t been born into a laird’s family.
While she and her parents worked hard in their keep, they had servants to do the heavy chores, they had more room than those who lived in the bothies, and most likely more of the better food.
She knew her sisters had plenty of help with their children. When the bairns had their tea and biscuits, there were maids to help with the messes the little ones made.
There were also maids to help with bathing and dressing the children. That was all the things she would have if she married Daniel.
So why was she holding out to continue her life as it was with no changes, no differences, no husband, no bairns?
Who will take care of ye in yer old age?
She did as much as she could to avoid too close contact with her nieces and nephews when her sisters visited, mainly because she never liked the look in her mam’s eyes when she watched her with the bairns.
But what if she had one of her own?
Nay.
She and Mrs. Mackenzie spent more than an hour speaking of all things that women seemed to be able to share and talk about regardless of their station in life or ages.
At one point during their conversation, Beth looked down at the bairn with big brown eyes staring up at her. At some point, she had climbed into her lap. She had crumbs from a biscuit mixed with drool sliding down her chin.
Instead of the normal uneasiness she would have felt had it been one of her sisters’ bairns, she actually drew the warm, soft little body closer.
Until she began to wail. Then she handed the mite back to her mam without qualms.
The two men arrived back just as Mrs. Mackenzie was rounding the little ones up for a nap, the crying one tucked firmly against her hip.
She smiled at Beth. “Doona fash yerself about little Asa. She always cries when ’tis time for her nap.”
Still feeling uneasy, she joined Daniel as he and Mr. Mackenzie shook hands. A bit stiff from sitting all that time, he had to again help her onto her horse. Once settled, they left the area.
“Did ye and Mrs. Mackenzie have a nice visit?” Daniel asked as they rode away from the bothy.
“Aye.” She shook her head. “She is a charming woman and does a wonderful job of taking care of all those bairns.”
Daniel gave her a strange look. “It looked like a lot of work to ye?”
Beth shrugged. “Nay. Mrs. Mackenzie had it all in hand.”
He smiled, apparently encouraged by her response. “How many bairns were there?”
She had to think for a minute. “Four.”
Then they entered the path through the woods and there was no more conversation.
*
The Mackenzies, Munros, and Chisholms had just begun to eat their supper, with Lady Chisholm once again holding court in her usual annoying voice, when a man raced into the great hall, looking frantically around. “Where is the laird?”
Daniel stood. “Aye, Malcolm, what is the problem, lad?”
The lad looked frantically around. “My wife is having bad pains, and I doona ken what to do.”
Daniel walked around the dais and approached the man, putting his hand on his shoulder. “Calm down, lad. Is it close to her time?”
Malcolm ran his fingers through his hair. “I think so. Maybe no’. No’ sure.” He twisted his cap in his hands and looked as if he was about to cry.
“Where is the healer?” Daniel asked.
“I doona ken.” His voice cracked. “I went to her bothy but she wasna there.”
One of the serving maids who carried in a platter of food said, “Emma is off to visit her sister. She said no one was due to give birth for another three weeks.”
Poor Malcolm grew even paler and looked as though he was going to faint. “Three weeks? Gertie is having pains now.” He looked toward the dais where the women sat. “Can her pains last three weeks?”
Beth left the table and walked up alongside him. “I can help ye, just take a couple of deep breaths.”
Despite the serious situation, Daniel could not help but smirk at the lass. “I am sure ye can help.”
Beth immediately took over. She grabbed one of the passing maids and said, “Go to Emma’s bothy and gather as many linens as ye can.” Next she looked over at Daniel. “Have the horses readied.”
Lady Chisholm stood, aghast. “Ye are an unmarried lass, Lady Beth. Ye cannot possibly go near a woman giving birth. ’Tis no’ allowed.”
Lady Munro also stood. “I will go with ye. I assisted at many of my grandchildren’s births, plus I had a few of my own.” She rounded the table and joined the maid. She turned back to Beth. “I will help the young maid gather the necessary medicants for the lass.”
Malcolm appeared a combination of relieved and confused. He didn’t seem to know where to go or what to do. Daniel took him in hand. “Come with me to the stable, lad. We will ready the horses so they will be available when the women join us.”
Lady Chisholm was not to be quieted. “My Laird, I canno’ believe ye are allowing yer guests to get involved in the birthing of a bairn. Especially to one of the farmers. ’Tis unheard of.”
Lady Munro had already left the great hall with the maid, their two heads together.
Daniel, Malcolm, and Beth made a quick exit from the keep to the sound of Lady Chisholm’s bellowing and fanning herself, insisting she was about to faint.
Daniel sincerely hoped so; he was ready to knock the vile woman unconscious himself.
As he looked back, he saw that Lady Alice continued to sit still, studying her trencher of food.