Chapter Ten
Beth had never delivered a human baby, but she’d assisted in plenty of animal births in the stables at home. She’d thought about asking her da to join them since he’d also helped with many parturitions, but her mam gasped in horror when she suggested it.
“Ye canno’ have a man help deliver a strange woman’s bairn, Beth. Whatever is wrong with ye? They doona even allow the husband to be there.”
“I was just thinking about all the animals Da had participated in birthing.”
“Beth! He would need to look between this woman’s legs!” Mam was so discombobulated, she blurted that out without thinking she was speaking to her unmarried daughter. But then again, her unmarried daughter was, herself, going to view the birth of a baby and her mam suddenly seemed to realize it.
“Now that I think about it, ye shouldna be here either. Unmarried lasses are no’ allowed to see this.”
Beth raised her brows. “I was there for Patrick’s birth when we were visiting Alisa’s keep.”
“Aye, something I would have chased ye from but yer sister insisted ye stay there to hold her hand.” Her mam was still breathing deeply, and Beth, feeling soundly chastised, remained quiet for the rest of the ride, realizing that yes, birthing a human was certainly different from birthing an animal.
They arrived at the bothy right behind the Mackenzie, who had summoned them. She really must learn these people’s first names since everyone she’d met so far had been a Mackenzie.
Why do you need to know if you’re going home?
The screams coming from the window drew Beth and her mam to the poor woman’s home. As they walked towards the door, Daniel wrapped his arm around the husband’s shoulders and moved him off. “Come, I brought some whisky with me.”
The man stopped in his tracks and shook his head. “Nay. I doona want to be too far from Gertie.”
Just then another loud bellow came from the bothy. Malcolm winced and looked over at Daniel. “I think maybe a bit of liquid might be just the thing right now.”
Beth grinned as he turned and hurried away, Daniel on his heels.
*
Hours later, Beth and her mam walked from the front door of the bothy and wiped the sweat from their foreheads. Gertie, whose name Beth had found out during their long session was resting peacefully, along with the healthy lad she’d delivered.
Right after Beth and her mam had arrived, the three bairns the new mother already had were taken home by Gertie’s sister. Then two neighbors came to help as well as another of Gertie’s sisters.
With all the women present, Beth and her mam really weren’t needed, but the others seemed to look toward her mother for guidance, most likely because she was an older woman and told the group she had birthed four bairns herself with no problems.
In all, it had been an easy birth for the mother in spite of all the screaming.
It was interesting to once again witness a baby being born.
While not terribly different from an animal’s birthing, there was something about watching the small infant as soon as he’d slid from his mam’s body that moved something in Beth’s mind and body.
Her mam looked at her as she held the slippery, screaming infant in her hands, making a point of mentioning the joy of it all several times.
Beth watched the smiling new mam reach out for the bairn once her mam had washed the tiny body, snugly wrapped it, and handed it to her.
The look of love and amazement on Gertie’s face, even though she had already birthed a few other children, brought tears to Beth’s eyes and a lump to her throat.
*
The sun was just making its appearance when Daniel and the new da stumbled up the path to the bothy, their arms around each other, singing a Scottish tune. It was hard to tell who was supporting who.
“How is Gertie?” Malcolm slurred.
At least that was what Beth thought the man said. He had obviously lessened his pain. She glanced over at Daniel and he looked almost as bad as Malcolm.
Malcolm stumbled past Daniel, Beth and her mam. “I must see my wife.”
Daniel swayed on his feet. “He will probably pass out. When he awakens in the morn, he can see the new…?” A bleary-eyed Daniel looked at her questionably.
“Lad.”
“Now, sweetheart, doona look at me that way. Malcolm will suffer for sure once he wakes up.”
Aware of the look that her mam passed between them at how Daniel had addressed her, Beth grew uncomfortable. Before Daniel could say anything else to encourage her mam, Beth grabbed his arm and walked off.
“I will see ye at the keep. I feel a tad exhausted,” her mam said, still smiling as she climbed on her horse.
Beth glared at Daniel, her hands on her hips. “How do ye intend to get home? Ye canno’ ride yer horse.”
The laird drew himself up. “I am perfectly capable of riding Atlas.” He stabbed himself in the chest with his thumb. “I am a warrior. And laird.” He leaned in and grabbed her shoulder to keep from stumbling.
Beth sighed and shook her head. “Ye will have to ride with me. Otherwise, ye will end up on yer foolish head.”
Daniel grinned. “Ride with ye?”
She walked off and brought her horse to where Daniel stood, leaning against a tree looking as though he would fall asleep right there.
“I will slap my horse and we can both ride Atlas since he is the bigger horse.”
“Aye. Like me,” Daniel said.
Ignoring him, she gave the horse she had ridden a slap on her rump, knowing she would return to the stables.
“Can ye mount up?” She was trying hard not to smile since she did not want Daniel to think she approved of how he had kept Malcolm occupied.
She had to admit she was pleasantly surprised at how agile the laird was in getting onto the horse, although for a minute she thought he was going to slip off the other side.
He turned to her and grinned. “Yer turn.”
Since her mam had asked one of Gertie’s sisters to send the dirty linens from the birth to the castle, Beth was free-handed.
Daniel put his hand out and pulled her up in front of him. The strength of his arm amazed her. He settled her on his lap, then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. They started off on their return to the castle with Daniel nibbling on her ear.
She elbowed his chest. “Stop that.”
“Does it make ye feel good?”
“Nay.”
She could feel him grin behind her. “I doona think ye are telling the truth, sweetheart.”
“Stop calling me that. I am no’ yer sweetheart.” Truthfully, the term did warm her. She ne’er thought to hear those words from a man since she’d always eschewed marriage.
“Ye could be my sweetheart.” He began nuzzling her again. “What say ye join me in my bedchamber when we get back to the castle.”
Beth sighed. “Nay. I will no’ join ye in yer bedchamber. ’Tis no’ proper.”
He pulled her closer while she tried to concentrate on keeping Atlas from wandering off the path to graze, or worse, to roll them off.
Once again he began kissing her neck, then his hand wandered up her body, cupping her breast. She sucked in a breath, about to push his hand away, when he pinched her nipple and she jumped. It felt strange. But good.
“Daniel, ye should no’ be doing this.” Her voice sounded strange to her.
“Shh, sweetheart. Just relax and enjoy it.”
His hand moved up to the top of her dress and he slid his finger in, circling her nipple. The kisses on her neck grew more intense and she was certain he sucked the skin under her ear.
She had to stop him; they were coming close to the castle. With the sun rising, the guardsmen were changing and they would give the men a wonderful sight to talk about for a while.
She pushed at his hand, pulling it from her bodice. “Daniel, ye must stop.”
“Nay, love, I would do this for the rest of yer life.” He fumbled again, trying to put his finger back.
Beth shook her head and swatted at his hand. “I dinna say ‘aye’ to yer proposal, Daniel.”
“Ye will.”
Just then they reached the lowered drawbridge which told her the men had seen them coming. Hopefully no one had eyesight good enough to see them from a distance.
Once they reached the outer bailey, one of the stablemasters helped her off the horse, and then Daniel all but slid onto the ground.
“Yer laird has had a busy night. I need one of the men to put him to bed.” She didn’t mention the busyness he’d had was helping the new da to get through his wife’s birthing by getting them both drunk.
Daniel reached out and grasped her forearm. “Nay, lass, I want ye to put me to bed.”
Beth could feel her face begin to flush. She shook his hand off and grabbed his shoulder as he began to fall. She turned to Gregory, who was grinning like a fool. “Please take yer laird upstairs.”
Gregory threw his arm over Daniel’s shoulders and moved him forward. “Let us go to bed, Daniel.”
He stumbled as he tried to turn around to look at her. “Is Beth coming? ’Tis no’ ye I want to go to bed with.”
“Nay, Laird. Lady Beth is finding her own bed.”
As they walked off, she heard Daniel say. “She can have my bed. With me.”
Beth took a deep breath and headed to the stairs. She pondered whether she should break her fast first before going to her chamber. Realizing she probably wouldn’t be able to sleep if she was hungry, she hurried upstairs so she could clean up before she ate.
Her mam was coming down the stairs as she was going up. “Is the laird well?” she asked.
“Aye,” Beth said. “Gregory is bringing—probably dragging—him to his bedchamber.”
Her mam smiled. “He seems to have a fancy for ye, daughter.”
She shook her head and closed her eyes. “Please. Doona ask.”
*
Daniel awoke to gloaming. There was a fire in the brasier in his bedchamber, which someone must have started. He was still dressed and his head felt as though someone had slammed the flat side of a sword on it.
His mouth was as dry as a virgin’s cunt. He sat up and held his head, trying to remember if he’d had a good enough time to make up for the pain.
He stumbled to the door and shouted, “Jesse!” He immediately regretted yelling like that and almost brought up whatever was left in his stomach as the pain in his head increased.
The lad from the kitchen rushed into his room a few minutes later, panting. “Aye, my laird. What is it?”
“Lower yer voice, lad.” His own sounded like a frog had taken up residence there.
“What is it laird?” Jesse whispered.
“Get me as much ale as ye can carry. Then send Gregory in here.”
Jesse nodded and left, walking on the tips of his feet.
Gregory knocked, then entered his bedchamber a few minutes later, a grin on his face. “How are ye feeling, my laird?”
“Like shite.” He moved to sit on the bed. “I think I remember coming home this morning on Atlas. Was Lady Beth with me?”
It was obvious Gregory was attempting to hold in laughter. “Aye, she was, and wasna too happy with the way ye kept touching her and suggesting she join ye in yer bed.”
“Devil’s bones, so it was as I remember? Was she mad e’ough to leave for home?”
“Nay. She dinna seem upset. More like she was embarrassed and verra tired.”
Jesse raced into the room, and handed Daniel a jug of ale which he gulped down, feeling a tad better. He held the jug back to the lad. “More.”
Daniel turned to Gregory. “What is the time?”
“About an hour past supper. I think it would do you well to have something to eat.”
“I need to clean up and then I will be down. I’d like to speak with ye after I eat.”
Gregory nodded and Jesse returned with another jug of ale, the poor lad completely out of breath. “Thank ye, lad. This will help a lot.”
Once he cleaned up, changed clothes and began to feel like a human again, Daniel headed for the great hall.
Beth was nowhere in sight, but, unfortunately, Lady Chisholm was still seated at the dais, almost as if she waited for him. “There ye are, laird. Lady Alice has been looking for ye all day.”
He doubted very much if the lass had been looking for him, but he merely nodded. On the other hand, he was quite sure Lady Chisholm had been waiting for him to appear. “How can I help ye, Lady Chisholm?”
He took his seat and one of the serving maids brought him a trencher full of wonderful smelling stew with a loaf of warm bread, butter, and a chunk of cheese.
Lady Chisholm moved from her seat to the one next to him. “Lord Chisholm has been wondering if ye need to speak with him before the Beltane festival.”
The woman’s push had gone from amusing, to uncomfortable, to downright annoying. “Nay. I dinna need to speak with yer husband.”
Her lips pursed and she glared at him. “I just wanted to give ye a chance now rather than leaving it to the last minute.”
When he continued to eat and ignored her, she leaned in close and said, “We all ken that Lady Beth is no’ suited to be yer wife. She doesna have the necessary ladylike manner about her and she seems a bit loose with her favors.” She nodded as if imparting a secret.
Daniel placed his eating knife carefully on the table.
He didn’t want to have to explain to the elders why he’d committed murder.
“Lady Chisholm, there is nothing wrong with Lady Beth’s manners and if ye dare to repeat what ye just said about her favors, which is completely untrue, I will personally put ye out of the castle in a verra uncomfortable manner. ”