Page 69 of Sutherland's Secret
Her expression softened and she touched his cheek. “I’m sorry I put you through that. I was alone in the woods until I stumbled across Oliver and Morna. She was already laboring. I didn’t know what to do, but she told me. Even in her pain, she walked me through it. It was a miracle, Brice. A beautiful, wondrous miracle.”
“We have to go in the direction of the soldiers to get her to the healer. I do no’ want ye that close to them.”
“They’re far ahead of us. I have to do this, Brice.”
He knew when he had lost, and he had definitely lost this battle. “Mount up,” he said, furious with her. Furious with himself. Furious with Morna for putting them all in danger. But more than these, he was furious with his life and the fact that everything conspired against him. All he wanted was to live peacefully with Eleanor at his side, but that was never to be. So instead he mounted up and watched as his men headed to the other safe houses.
The father and mother rode together. The boy rode with Oliver, and Eleanor and Brice rode their own mounts. He had to admit that the babe was quiet in her mother’s arms.
About halfway there, the mother was falling asleep from exhaustion and handed the babe off to Eleanor. For not having ridden, Eleanor was adept at handling her horse and cradling the wee babe in her arms.
The look on her face was pure joy as she gazed down at the baby.
—
Eleanor had wanted a child only because it was expected of her to provide Charles an heir. She’d never had an active maternal instinct. When months went by and she had not conceived, she’d thought very little of it. Both families would comment that it was time she and Charles start filling the nursery, but Eleanor would laugh them off, not overly concerned.
But watching this newborn baby come into the world, witnessing the mother struggling to expel it from her body and the joy on her face when she heard the lusty cries of her daughter, had tugged at something deep inside Eleanor.
She looked down on the baby, who was fast asleep in her arms, her hands tucked up around her cheeks. Tears welled in Eleanor’s eyes, and she had to blink them away in order to guide her horse.
Brice was watching her closely with a look on his face that she could not describe. It was as if he yearned for something he could not have and didn’t want to show.
Eleanor now wanted her own baby with a desperation that she had felt only one other time in her life, and that had been the desperation to escape Blackwood’s prison.
She wanted a baby. She wanted Brice’s baby. She wanted to live with Brice forever, and make and raise more babies, but that was not to be. They had only seven—now six—days left together. Six days to live a lifetime of memories, and none of them would be to see the children they could have together.
They reached the healer’s house. It wasn’t a hut, like Eleanor had been expecting. It was a two-story stone structure tucked far into the woods and accessible only by a very narrow path that they had to ride single file.
The baby was beginning to wake up in Eleanor’s arms. Soon it would want to be fed, and that was something Eleanor could not help with. They reached the healer’s front door. Brice held out his arms for the baby, and Eleanor hesitated before handing her over, knowing she would never hold her again. She hoped the family would make it to Canada and live a rich, full life, and she hoped the mother would tell the baby girl all about her birth and the woman who had helped her come into the world.
She watched as Brice curled a big strong arm around the tiny babe and took her to her mother.
The healer—Eleanor had heard Brice call her Cait—stood at the door, watching. Eleanor was surprised to see that Cait was young and beautiful, with red hair and sharp, observant eyes. Brice handed the baby to her mother and walked over to Cait. They conversed quietly, Cait shooting occasional glances at the small family. She nodded and then smiled at the family, who were huddled together as if protecting the baby.
Cait held out her hands to them and spoke quietly. The father and son entered the healer’s home, but the mother hesitated before walking over to Eleanor. “I thank ye,” she said with tears in her eyes. “If no’ for ye, I don’t know what would have happened.”
Eleanor smiled through her own tears. “It was an honor to help. I wish you and your family luck and a happy life.”
Morna nodded before she turned around and disappeared into the healer’s home.
“We must go, Eleanor.” Brice helped her back up on her mount, and they all turned to go home. Eleanor’s arms felt empty and her heart cold.
Chapter 28
They remained silent during the ride to the castle. Brice listened intently for sounds of the English. Only once did they encounter a few, and they hid in the trees until the soldiers passed. Brice watched helplessly, hating that he had to cower in his own country when they were the intruders, not he.
He hated that a woman had to give birth in the forest, stifling her cries of pain for fear of being caught. He hated that he had to hide the family in the healer’s home for fear of being arrested. This was their land, the land they’d all lived on for centuries. But not anymore. Now everyone had reason to fear the English. Even Eleanor. How horrible to have to run from your own countrymen.
As soon as they entered the bailey and the portcullis slammed down, Brice breathed a sigh of relief. They were safe for now. Until the next time they had to go out riding. Yet there were many, many out there who weren’t safe, and it was up to him and his men to help them.
Eleanor was standing beside her mount, stretching her neck. Brice grabbed her hand and dragged her around the side of the castle and into the deep shadows. He pressed her against the wall and kissed her hard. When he pulled away, they were both breathless.
“What was that for?” she asked.
He shrugged, unable to put into words his fear and his sadness and his love for this woman who had brought a babe into the world in the worst of circumstances.
She smiled and stood on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck. “Well, you can do that any time you please, even if you don’t know why you’re doing it.” He grinned down at her, but her smile slipped away and her brows furrowed in a frown. “What’s wrong?”
