Page 77 of From Rakes to Riches

He hopped over the side of the pen, knelt in the hay near Hecate’s back end, and lifted her tail. “I beg your pardon, Hecate, but I assure you this is as uncomfortable for me as it is for you.”

Helena tucked the coat around the squirming kittens nestled in the hay then leaned closer, her fingers clutching the edge of the pen. “Can you see anything?”

“Yes. A leg, and the back end of a, er…” Well, there was really no other way to put it. “A slimy creature I can only assume is a kitten. I don’t know much about kitten births, but I suspect I shouldn’t be seeing its leg.”

“No. It’s coming out backwards. I’ve read a bit about this. Hecate won’t be able to push it out on her own.” Helena’s steady gaze met his, her early distress giving way to determination. “There is a way for us to help her, but it’s a bit tricky.”

“Tricky or not, I don’t see that we have much choice.”

She tried to peek around him. “I can’t see much. Your shoulders are in my way.”

“I beg your pardon, but there’s nothing to see at present but a leg protruding from Hecate’s…that is, from Hecate. Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

“Yes, alright. You’ll need a steady grip on the kitten’s leg and as much of the torso as you can reach, but be gentle. Don’t squeeze, but hold firmly.”

“That sounds easier than it is. She’s a bit slippery, I’m afraid.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “How do you know it’s a she?”

He gave her a quick grin. “Who else but a female kitten would cause such a lot of fuss and bother? There, I’ve got her. Do I just pull her out?”

“No! Don’t pull. You’re going to ease her out by rocking her gently from side to side, but you have to wait until Hecate pushes again.” Helena stroked her hand over Hecate’s head. “I knowyou’re tired, poor thing, but we’re not quite finished yet. Come now, Hecate, another push, if you please.”

Hecate only spoke cat, of course, so there wasn’t any chance she understood these instructions, but damned if she didn’t do just as Helena bid her, and gave a weak little push. He peeked under her tail. “Another leg has popped out. Well done, Hecate!”

“That’s it, Hecate. Good girl!”

“Surely, the legs are the worst bit? It should be easy enough from here, yes?”

“Er, no, my lord. You’ve forgotten that the head still has to come out.”

The head, yes, and it was rather a bulbous appendage, unfortunately.

“Another push, Hecate,” Helena crooned. “Come now, you can do it.”

Hecate responded to this plea by giving another push, this one a bit harder than the last. Adrian rocked the kitten from side to side as Helena had instructed, another few inches of the torso emerged. “This kitten looks to be a bit bigger than the others.”

“How much of her is out now?”

“There’s perhaps a bit more of the torso still to come, then the front paws, shoulders and head.” Good God, there was quite a bit of kitten still to go, and Hecate’s breathing was becoming more labored.

“She’s exhausted, Adrian. I don’t think she’s got many pushes left in her. We’ll have to have the kitten out with the next one. Did you hear that, Hecate? Just one more push, and then it will be all over, and you can see to your nine beautiful kittens. One more push, Hecate, and that’s all.”

But this time Hecate didn’t respond with a push. Her breathing had become more erratic, and she let her head drop down flat against the stable floor.

“Oh, no, Adrian?—”

“Hecate, I’ve brought you some lovely prawns from the supper buffet tonight. One more push, and they’re all yours.” It was pure nonsense, of course, to imagine Hecate knew what a prawn was, but he didn’t give a damn how foolish it sounded if it got her to give them one last push.

He waited, his fingers wrapped loosely around the kitten’s torso, one breath, two…then all at once Hecate let out low, guttural yowl, her body stiffened, and she gave one final, mighty push. “Good girl, Hecate!”

He rocked the small body side to side and watched, fascinated as the remainder of the kitten’s torso gave way to the shoulders, then two little curled pink paws, and finally a head, with tiny ears no bigger than his fingernail pressed flat against her head. “I’ve got her, Helena! She’s out!”

“Oh, my goodness, Adrian, I’ve never seen anything like that before!”

“And I’ve neverfeltanything like it. Well done, Hecate!”

“You’re going to make a wonderful mother, Hecate,” Helena murmured, pressing a kiss on the top of Hecate’s head.

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