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Kinnacraig Castle, November 1609
Moonlight illuminated the bedchamber, as Kila pushed herself up in bed and wrapped her arms around her enormous abdomen. Clenching her teeth, she waited for the pain to subside.
Duncan lay sleeping beside her. He'd come to bed exhausted, after spending the day with his father overseeing the lands. She hated to wake him, but it couldn't be helped.
She shook his shoulder. "Duncan?"
He didn't move.
She shook him harder. "Duncan, wake up."
He stirred. "What is it, lass?" he asked sleepily.
"Tis the bairn."
He sat up. "Is it time?"
"Aye," she said, preparing herself for another pain.
He jumped out of bed, tripping over his boots in the process. "I'll send for the midwife," he said, racing to the door and flinging it against the wall. "Fetch the midwife," he shouted from the doorway, "the bairn is ready to be birthed."
Wyn hurried down the corridor. "I'll send a servant to fetch her from the village."
Duncan's father came out of his bedchamber, grinning, still dressed in his nightshirt and his white hair sticking out in all directions. "My grandchild will be here soon."
He nodded. "I dinnae ken how soon for the midwife hasnae yet arrived."
"Do ye mind if I speak to Kila, son?"
"Nay," he said, wondering what the devil his father was up to.
Duncan followed him to Kila's bedside.
"Lass, I've something for you."
"What is it, Dermit?" She clenched her teeth until the pain subsided.
He handed her an exquisite amulet of deep amber, engraved with a cross. "This belonged to Duncan and Aileen's mother, and her mother before her, and so on. 'Tis a birthing stone, to provide comfort to the mother while she is giving birth. I wish you to have it."
With her eyes swimming with tears, Kila smiled up at Dermit. 'Tis lovely and most appreciated, but should no' Aileen have it, since it belonged to her mother?"
He smiled. "My dear Elspeth had two birthing stones. I gave Aileen the other a few months before she gave birth to wee Ian."
She smiled. "Then I thank you and will give it to our own daughter one day." Another pain racked her body and she clutched the birthing stone in her hand, whispering a prayer that she and the bairn would live, as many women and their offspring did not.
Duncan took her hand, and she held on tightly, until the pain slowly faded away.
Dermit bent and kissed Kila on the forehead, then turned to his son. "Dinna fash, Duncan, all will be well. I'll leave you be for now, but fetch me if you need me."
Duncan nodded, as he was so filled with emotion, he was unable to speak.
Soon the corridor was overflowing with people. Agnes, the midwife, accompanied by her assistant, shoved her way through the crowd, and closed the door to the onlookers. After examining Kila, she smiled. "'Twill be a while yet, m'lady."
Duncan, a Highland warrior who was afraid of naught, was now as pale as the morning mist. Kila smiled, and took hold of his hand. "We'll be fine, Duncan. Dinnae fash."
He nodded, but his brow was creased with worry.
"Why no' send for Cin and Claire?" Kila asked him. "'Tis but a short distance from Dunvegan. I'm certain you would feel much better if they were here, as would I."
"I'll do just that." He opened the door, and after speaking with someone in the corridor, he again closed it and returned to her side.
Agnes patted her arm. "Rest while ye can, m'lady. Ye'll be needing all the strength ye can muster to birth this one. 'Tis no wee bairn ye carry inside ye."
She nodded, and closed her eyes.
Duncan pulled a chair up next to the bed and sat down, watching Kila sleep. He'd not let her know it, but he'd worried about the birthing since she'd first told him she was with child. He well remembered what a terrible time Kade's first wife, Isabelle, had had birthing their son, Cameron. Her screams had made their way into his nightmares many times since that awful day. In the end, Kade had lost them both.
Duncan must have dozed off, for Kila's cry woke him. With heart pounding, he took her hand. "I'm here, lass."
Her hair was damp with perspiration, but she forced a smile.
Agnes examined her again. "The time is near, but no' yet."
"Duncan, go break your fast. I'll be fine," she said, pressing her hand against his cheek.
He knew Kila was only trying to keep him from seeing her suffer, and it ripped out his heart to know she was in such pain.
"I'll no' be long." He turned to the midwife. "Have someone fetch me if need be."
The old woman nodded.
Over the next few hours, Duncan made many a visit to their bedchamber to check on Kila. And each time, was told there was little change. It seemed the bairn was taking its time.
On one of those visits, he was met outside the great hall by Connor and Eadan, returning from Scotland's mainland. "'Tis Kila's time," he said, anxious to see how she fared.
"How is she doing?" Connor asked, genuinely concerned.
"The same, it seems. I've sent for Cin and Claire. They should be arriving at any moment.
Eadan nodded. "Good. Is there anything we can do?"
Duncan shook his head. "Nay. Have the servants fetch you something to eat. I'll let you ken if there's a change in Kila's condition," he said, before heading upstairs, where he quietly slipped into the bedchamber.
Kila was awake, and looked as pale as a snow bank.
He smoothed her damp hair away from her face and kissed her forehead.
Pain racked her body, cutting him like a knife.
"Push, ye must push, m'lady."
He frowned."Take my hands, lass."
She squeezed his hands and pushed, surprising him at her strength.
"I can see the bairn's head," Agnes said, a smile on her wrinkled face.
The contraction eased, and Kila relaxed back against the pillow and closed her eyes, releasing her death grip on his hands.
A knock sounded at the door, and the midwife pulled the covers up over Kila.
"Come," Duncan said.
Claire entered, with Cin on her heels. "How are you doing, Kila?" she said, patting her hand.
"Well," she said, unconvincingly.
Claire turned to Duncan. "Go with Cin. I'll let you ken when the bairn is here."
He looked at Kila. "Do you wish me to stay?"
"Nay. I will be fine." She said, smiling weakly.
He would have stayed, if she'd wished him to, but he didn't know if he was strong enough to see her endure the pain of having their child. He followed Cin out of the room, closing the door behind him. He raked his fingers through his hair. "I'm scared to death, Cin, and I'd admit such a thing to very few people."
Cin grasped his shoulder. "I felt the same, Duncan, both times Claire birthed our sons. Now she is with child a third time."
Duncan's brows shot upward.
Cin grinned. "What can I say?"
Duncan paced up and down the corridor outside the bedchamber. An hour passed, then another. What was taking so long? He prayed Kila and the bairn were well. The door finally opened, and Claire stepped aside. "Would you like to see your wee bairn, Duncan?"
He grinned and raced past her.
Kila smiled up at him. "'Tis a wee daughter we have, Duncan. I'd like very much to name her Ilisa, after my mother." She handed the tiny bundle up to him.
"'Tis a good name you've chosen, lass." Emotions he'd never encountered washed over him, as he took hold of his daughter. He swallowed hard. Duncan carefully held Ilisa in his large hands away from his body. She was so tiny, he was afraid he might hurt her.
Cin laughed. "She'll no' break, Duncan. Here, let me show you how to hold her."
He gently took Ilisa from Duncan and held her close to his chest. "Hold her this way. Take great care with her head. Bairn's heads tend to flop about. Now, you do it."
Duncan took her back, and did as Cin had done. He grinned. "Aye, I see."
Dermit, a smile on his proud face, watched his son hold his granddaughter.
As exhausted as she was, Kila was having a hard time not chuckling at the sight of two Highland warriors discussing the best way to hold a bairn, and noticed Claire and Duncan's father were having a hard time not chuckling themselves.
Claire slipped her arm through Cin's. "Come, they need this time alone."
"Fetch me if ye need me. I'll be just outside the door." Agnes said, before she and her assistant followed them out of the room.
Once they were alone, Duncan gently placed the wee lass back into her mother's arms. "Are you well, Kila?"
She nodded. "Aye. I told you no' to fash."
"I ken, but I'm afraid I couldnae keep from it." He slipped his finger into Ilisa's tiny hand, and her hand closed around it. "Look, she's a strong lass, like her mother. He gently ran his fingers over her tiny head. "Is her hair red?"
"Aye. The same color as your own, when the light touches it. I've always loved that about your hair."
He leaned down and kissed his wife passionately, then lifted his head. "I love you, Kila, more than life itself."
She stroked his cheek. "As I do you."
Duncan grinned, as his heart spilled over with happiness.
About the Author
Gwyn Brodie feels a strong connection to Scotland and travels there whenever she can. While in Scotland she enjoys learning about her ancestors the Murray, Clark, Boyd, Ramsey and McTavish clans. She lives with her husband in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina and besides writing Scottish historical romance she enjoys gardening, reading, her many pets, and refinishing old furniture.
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