Chapter 21
Seven months later...
Sorcha rubbed her lower back as she made her way carefully down the stairs, her burgeoning belly making it difficult to see her feet on the stairs. Liam had joked about her inability just the previous evening, and she was wishing that she could, in fact, see her feet again.
Amongst other parts of her body.
Not only that, it took her twice as long to get anywhere these days, her feet painfully swollen and her breath light, especially when the babe shifted during the day.
It was a wondrous thing to watch her stomach roll with movement, and even more wondrous to watch Liam chase their bairn in the evenings, grinning as he placed kisses on her stomach.
Reaching the landing, she made her way over to the table, giving their guests a tired smile. “Sit, love,” Liam replied, pulling out her chair. “Ye should be abed.”
“Yes, Sorcha,” her sister Fennella piped up, her brow furrowed with worry. “Especially since ye have started tae have pain.”
Liam glared at her. “Ye are in pain?”
Sorcha winced, shooting her sister a look in return. She had not wished for her husband to worry about her and this pregnancy any more than he already had. “Minor pain, love. I promise.”
Liam did not look convinced, but he settled in his chair anyway, his hand on her knee.
The last week she had been having pain in her stomach, not hard enough to have the bairn come, but enough to make Sorcha miserable.
It would not be long now, and she was looking forward to the day that she could hold their child in her arms and know that everything was going to be just fine.
“The pain can go on for weeks,” Moira added as she settled into her chair. “Mine lasted for nearly a month.”
“A month?” her husband Tavin replied, surprised at his wife’s words. “Ye didnae tell me.”
She patted his cheek, her own red with embarrassment. “’Tis not something ye needed tae know, Husband.”
Sorcha rolled her eyes as she watched the display between her sister and her brother-in-law, wondering if that was how she and Liam looked to the rest of their clan.
Another pain shot through her stomach and she winced inwardly, not wishing to alarm her family or her already nervous husband.
Liam had been attentive to her needs over the last few months, and true to his word, had not left the keep for more than a few hours, vowing to be in her bed every night.
And he was. Every night they huddled in their bed, sometimes just holding each other until they fell asleep.
Other times, she allowed her husband’s wandering hands to bring her pleasure, which had proven to be harder as the months had passed. Now her body was swollen, and she hurt everywhere.
Attempting to ignore the pain, she looked at her sisters. “Ye didnae need tae both come.”
Fennella arched a brow. “As if ye could keep us away, dear sister. ’Tis not every day that our baby sister has her own bairn.”
“And since we were not invited tae the wedding,” Moira added, “we were not going tae miss the birth of yer child.”
“The wedding was sudden,” Liam added, though it was not needed for explanation.
Moira glared at him. “Still, Sorcha could have used our help.”
“’Tis was fine,” Liam continued. “And now we are tae have our first child. Surely ye can see that it has all worked out in the end.”
More than she could have imagined. Sorcha gave her sisters a warm smile. “I know ye would have liked tae be here, but at the time, it was more of a business arrangement than a marriage.”
“She won me over by besting me with a dagger,” Liam said proudly.
“That I taught her,” Tavin grinned. “I knew those lessons would come into something good one day.”
“Who would have thought ye would be the one tae have the excitement in yer marriage?” Fennella remarked as her husband, Aleck, reached for her hand. “Our baby sister.”
“Mah love,” Liam added, a tender smile on his face.
Sorcha patted his arm and then grabbed it as a sharp pain shot through her, sharper than any of the others.
“What?” Liam asked immediately. “What is it?”
Sorcha felt a wetness in her lower region and bit her lip, looking at her sisters. “’Tis time.”
Hours later, Sorcha lay on the pillows, her skin sweating from exertion. “How much longer?”
“As long as the babe needs,” Agnes replied, wiping her brow. “’Tis normal tae have them come at their own time, love. Just rest now before another contraction comes.”
“Yer doing well,” Fennella added, patting her hand.
“And Liam?” Sorcha asked, worried about her husband and what he must be going through. “How is he?”
“He’s nervous,” Moira admitted, halting her pacing. “But the men are distracting him the best they can. He will be fine once this babe is delivered.”
Sorcha looked up at the canopy over her head and bit her lip, wishing that she could birth this child and put them all out of their misery, especially her husband. The laboring was not too terribly bad considering, but her body was growing tired and she desperately wished to sleep.
Another pain started and she gripped the sheets, pushing down with all her might. “That’s it,” Agnes cooed as the midwife watched her progress. “Just like that, Sorcha.”
Her sisters joined in and they completed the contraction, Sorcha falling back onto the pillow in a huff. She could not do it any longer. She was so tired and wanted to sleep.
The door opened and the women squeaked in outrage, causing Sorcha to open one eye. Her husband stood in the doorway, his cheeks reddened as he saw the state she was in.
“Sorcha,” he said in a raspy voice. “Lass, are ye alright?”
She nodded, reaching out her hand. He crossed the room, taking it and holding it against his cheek. “I cannae do this,” she whispered, her heart breaking. “I cannae bring this child intae the world.”
His gaze was tender, and he placed his hand on her swollen belly. “Ye have come so far, love,” he told her, his touch soothing. “Ye can do this. Ye are the strongest person I know, far stronger than I could ever be. Don’t give up on this.”
Sorcha shook her head, tears leaking out of her eyes. “I’m not.”
“Yes, ye are,” he told her. “I’m not going anywhere, love.”
“Ye cannae stay, Liam!” Agnes gasped. “’Tis not proper.”
Sorcha looked at her husband. “She’s right. ’Tis not proper.”
He chuckled as he wiped the tears from her face. “I’m frightened too, love, but taegether we can do this.”
“Then ye stay,” Sorcha replied evenly, giving him a tired smile. “If ye think ye can handle the pressure of watching me.”
His mouth twisted, and for a moment, Sorcha thought he would tell her that he could not. She would not blame him. This was not a place that a man normally was at and given his history, she was surprised he had broached the doorway at all.
“I will stay,” he stated, clenching his jaw. “For ye. For us.”
She nodded. “Then ye stay.”
So, he did. Whenever a pain started, Liam would talk her through it, giving her praise when she fell back onto the pillows in exhaustion. They continued their motions well into the afternoon, and finally the midwife gave them a grin. “I can see the head.”
Sorcha looked at Liam in surprise. It would be over soon.
“Come on, love,” he urged as she gripped his hand tightly. “Bring our bairn intae the world.”
Sorcha bared down and screamed as she pushed through the pain, rewarded with a weak cry seconds later.
“A boy,” the midwife announced as she cleaned off the babe. “’Tis a boy!”
“A boy,” Liam stated, tears in his eyes as he kissed her lips. “A son. Ye have given me a son.”
An heir. Sorcha watched tiredly as the midwife wrapped their son in a woolen blanket and then handed the bundle to the laird, the moment bringing the entire bedchamber to tears.
Agnes cried as she watched the proceedings, excusing herself when her sobs grew too much.
Sorcha did not mind. It was a reason to be happy and sad at the same time. The laird had his heir.
“Look Sorcha,” he said, coming over to the bed and pulling the blanket back. “He’s perfect.”
He was indeed perfect. Sorcha’s breath caught as she gazed on her son’s face for the first time, thinking that he looked a great deal like his father when he was angry, the shock of red hair not much of a surprise.
Liam handed off the baby to one of her sisters before coming back to his wife.
“Are ye alright?” he asked hesitantly, worry lining his face.
Sorcha reached out and touched his cheek, hoping that her weak smile would make him believe her. “I’m fine.” She was tired and likely going to be sore for a few days, but now that their son was here, her heart was full.
“Come now,” Agnes replied, having composed herself and returned to the room, tugging on Liam’s arm. “Let’s let her sleep.”
Liam leaned over and pressed his lips to her forehead. “I love ye. I will only be downstairs if ye need me.”
She smiled. “Dinnae drink too much whiskey.”
He gave her a wink and then exited the chamber, leaving the women to tend to Sorcha’s needs before handing her the babe. Sorcha touched her son’s downy cheek in awe, not believing that she had actually birthed her child.
A child that was already loved so much by his parents.
After feeding her son and marveling over his perfect little face with her sisters, the babe was taken and Sorcha fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of her son’s face and Liam’s amazed look as he held his son for the first time.
It would be a memory that was etched into her mind for the rest of her days, banishing any thoughts that the past would repeat itself.
Sometime during the night, she became acutely aware that he was in the bed next to her, his arms around her carefully. “Liam?” she asked drowsily.
“Aye,” he replied. “Who else would be in yer bed, Wife?”
She laughed softly, snuggling deeper into his arms. There was no other man she wished to be in his place. “Where is the babe?”
“Asleep in the cradle next tae the bed,” he said, pressing a kiss to her neck. “Yer sisters, they had him quieted for most of the evening so that ye could sleep. Ye labored a long time.”
“I’m so tired,” Sorcha admitted, still not feeling herself.
“I know,” he replied, hugging her close. “But I cannae tell ye how proud I am of ye, Wife. Ye have given me something wonderful, something that could never be replaced.”
“And ye have given me a son,” she added, wishing she could turn to face him. Her entire body felt as if it could not move.
“Sorcha,” Liam whispered, his voice full of emotion. “I thought...”
She shook her head. “Nay, dinnae think that way, Liam. ’Tis over. The past is behind us and our future is in that cradle.” She knew what he was worried about, but she was fine, albeit a bit tired. He had not lost her, nor had they lost their son.
“Sleep then, love,” he replied. “I am not going anywhere.”
His words touched her heart.
So, she closed her eyes and allowed the sleep to pull her under.