by Sherry Ewing
“’Tis much to take in, and unheard of in this time, but, I will concede to my lady’s wishes. Let us get her into the bed,” he suggested.
“Sorry, Lord Riorden,” Juliana answered, taking Katie’s arm. She began walking by her side. “But that’s the worst thing to prolong the delivery process. She needs to walk as long as she can.”
“But she is about to have our child and must needs lay down,” he protested in worry with the thought of his child being dropped on his head whilst being born.
Emily came over to him and gave him a reassuring pat on his arm, as if this simple act would calm his nerves. “She’ll be in labor for a long while still, Riorden, Trust us when we tell you this is the best thing for Katie right now.”
He shook his head in wonder. “I cannot believe the things you are telling me, but who am I to argue with four future women and their knowledge. If I could leave to attend to a matter or two, I will return momentarily, if that meets with your approval, Katherine?” he asked with a grin. She threw him a look, and he watched as she shuffled back to his side again.
“I love you, Riorden,” she whispered and pulled his head down for a kiss. “Please just remember that, if I get grumpy in a while, okay?”
“I will remember,” Riorden replied and kissed her lips once more, “and I love you, as well, ma chere. I will not be long.”
“I’ll hold you to your word,” Katherine answered and went back to her pacing of the room.
Riorden left her in the care of her friends, knowing she was in good hands ’til his return. He was not looking forward to what he must do next, but whether she was sane or no, Marguerite would be on her way come the morn. At least, at her dower house, she could no longer cause any problems here at Warkworth. He stepped into the passageway and made his way to her chamber. ’Twas long past time to put his household in order.
Chapter 37
Riorden opened Marguerite’s chamber door, and a cold blast of air assaulted his senses. He gazed around with the distinct feeling the sensation had nothing to do with the temperature of the room. A fire burned brightly in the hearth, and the shutter was firmly in place at her window.
His eyes traveled to the woman who had meant all to him at one time in his life but no longer held any of his affections. His only feelings towards her were of anger and contempt. She had poisoned him into the stupor that had become his life of late. She had been the cause of Katherine’s flight and near death in the icy river. And, if what he had learned recently were true, then she had even gone so far as to kill his sire. It could have so easily been him, as well.
He watched her for several minutes, unsure how to proceed with their discussion and whether ’twould send her over the edge of whatever sanity she still held onto. Such stability could not be abundant as she did not so much as even acknowledge he had entered the room. Her lips were silently moving as she sat at the edge of her bed, rocking to and fro whilst her hands shook, tugging at her hair. She was pulling at it so hard, he was surprised she was not yanking the long dark strands right out of her head by the handful. He pulled up a stool next to her side and sat.
“Marguerite.” Riorden spoke her name softly so as not to startle her. It did not matter, for she continued to stare straight ahead with vacant, expressionless eyes.
“He never lets me rest,” she whispered with a flash of anger and finally turned her attention to him, “and you are lost to me, yet again.”
He was about to rant at her about how she made her choice years ago, but, for some reason, all the anger he had been holding onto no longer seemed to matter. What good could come of dragging their past through the mud, yet again? Their relationship was in the past. Let it remain there, and good riddance.
“I will provide an escort to take you to your dower house come the morn and also have someone come up to pack your belongings,” he told her calmly.
“You will not take me there yourself?”
“Nay. You have done enough damage with your lies and deceit. It almost cost the life of my wife and unborn child. You are no longer welcome at Warkworth.” He stood, not really seeing the need to have further speech with the woman who had almost cost him everything, including his future children.
He had just opened the door with his hand on the latch when she called out his name and he turned to gaze at her one last time.
“She will never make you happy, Riorden,” Marguerite said whilst she raised her tormented eyes to him.
He pushed the door open wider afore answering her with a smile on his face. “You are wrong, as always, Marguerite. Katherine already does make me completely happy and will continue to do so for the rest of my days. No thanks to you, we have many years ahead of us to look forward to. Be prepared to leave come sun up and do not ever grace Warkworth again.”
He began to walk through the portal to leave, but not afore he heard her final words. “Mayhap, I will at least find some peace away from this place.”
Riorden shut the door and released the deep breath he felt he had been holding in for months. Peacefulness settled around his heart, even as he again felt a draft sweep through his body. He focused his vision down the passageway as a wisp of smoke began to take shape. He supposed he should not be too surprised that it took the form of his father.
“Well done, my son,” Everard said with a proud look in his eyes. Riorden could only stand there speechless as he heard his sire’s voice for the first time in years.
“Father,” Riorden managed to at last gasp.
“We have much to discuss, once you have seen to your wife.”
“Aye, but can I ask one question that has haunted me for years afore I go to Katherine?”
“You wish to know why I married Marguerite,” Everard stated as a matter of fact, “putting a rift between us that I did not have the chance to mend whilst I yet lived.”
“How did you know?”
Everard gave a short snort then recovered himself. “’Tis what I myself would want to ask. I would expect the same of my son,” he murmured.
They walked side by side down the dimly lit passageway ’til they halted at Riorden’s chamber door. He gazed down at his scuffed boots and hid a smile. Perchance, walking is not exactly what his sire was doing, as he all but hovered off the ground several inches. He at last raised his eyes to his father’s and, for the briefest of seconds, saw all the agony the man had been feeling for many a year. ’Twas a mirror of his own feelings for the loss of a man he had looked up to and wished to become.
“I must humbly beg your pardon, Riorden, and ask your forgiveness for what I put you through all these years,” Everard began. “’Twas not my intent to deliberately harm you, but I could see no other way to prevent you from making a terrible mistake by marrying Marguerite. I saw her for what she was, and yet, I knew you only observed what she showed you. I could tell you believed the best in her when nothing was further from the truth.”
“I was even blinded to her true character when my own wife warned me to beware of the wench. I thought no harm would befall me,” Riorden confessed.
“’Tis the conceit of men such as we, who think we are infallible and nothing in this world could be our downfall. Imagine my surprise to find myself done in by my own wife and doomed forever to roam my hall in such an existence,” Everard replied and looked Riorden up and down. “But, if I could spare you the agony I now am in, then ’twas worth it. I would do anything for my sons, although you did not know it at the time.”
“I have missed your council over the years,” Riorden professed, “among other things. I suppose you will leave us, since this is perchance your unfinished business, and your soul can now rest in peace.”
Everard gave a hearty laugh. “We shall see. I think I may stick around to see how my grandchildren turn out and see how you deal with the issues of being a father.”
Aghast, Riorden barely could speak, especially when he heard Katherine on the other side of the door. “Merde, what do you know?”
; His father’s laugher rumbled deep inside his soul. “I think, I shall keep such information to myself, but you will certainly have your hands full, my boy! Now, go. Your wife needs you, and we will have plenty of time to have speech together later.”
The door to his chamber magically opened without any assistance from Riorden. He looked back to reply to his father only to find him gone, and yet, he could still feel his presence. ’Twas a good sign that they would mend what had been broken between them. With a welcoming smile to his wife, he entered the chamber, wondering what these future ladies had in store for him. He had a feeling it had something to do with Karma. He could almost already feel the bite of its sting.
Chapter 38
“Good Lord, I want an epidural!”
“Sorry Katie, but you know that’s not happening, even if I did have the ability to give you one,” Juliana replied as she busily went about the chamber preparing for the birth.
“I swear this child is going to come out weighing at least twenty pounds.”
Emily gave a laugh. “That’s hardly likely, Katie. Just breathe during the contractions.”
“This is entirely your fault,” Katherine muttered, glaring at Riorden while he wiped at her brow.
“Kat, you are being unreasonable. Surely, you played your part in your predicament, as well,” he answered. “Come, my love, let us take another turn around the chamber. It may ease your suffering.”
“You have no idea of the suffering I’m in, and just so we understand each other, I’m never going through this again!”
“Yes, you will!” came the response in unison from the occupants of the room. They all laughed, including Riorden, who shrugged his shoulders when she glared at him. When she looked at her sisters of her heart, they quickly cast their eyes downward but kept the same shit-eating grins plastered annoyingly on their pretty little faces.
“Perhaps when I’m done having my child, the four of you will kindly fill me in on the private joke you all seem to be sharing at my expense!” Katherine huffed and clutched at her belly as another wave of contractions overtook her. After what seemed like an eternity, it finally subsided, and Katherine felt as though she could breathe again.
Juliana stood up from bending over the bed. “I think it’s time we get her over near the hearth.”
Riorden looked around the room in confusion. “But, where is the birthing chair?” he said quietly.
“Completely impersonal, although they were on track about the whole sitting up thing,” Emily responded. “You know...it’s all about gravity.”
“Why would you have a woman lie down on her back the whole time, anyway? It certainly doesn’t make any sense, does it?” Brianna added.
Julianna moved a blanket over several layers of straw near the hearth. A chair had been turned with pillows up against its back. “We’ve had to take into account how to go about having a medieval birth. Normally, in our time, Katie would be in a bed that would break down for easy access for the whole birthing process, but that’s not possible here. We’ve made a few adjustments to the whole scenario, since your bed would be ruined afterwards.”
“I will not fathom to even attempt to guess what you future women are chatting about,” Riorden exclaimed as Katherine and her friends burst into fits of laughter...again.
Emily shrugged. “Childbirth is messy, my lord. There’s no getting around it, I’m afraid.”
Riorden paled.
“You’re not going to faint on me now, are you? Don’t you dare,” Katherine warned as Riorden stood, shaking his head at the whole conversation. She squeezed his hand and gasped when her stomach tightened again. Everyone seemed to stop their conversations, waiting for her. “That was a strong one.”
“My lord, if you will sit here against these pillows, then Katie can come rest against your chest,” Juliana said, pointing to the floor.
“I do not know what you are having me do, and I would happily comply with your wishes if ’twill help Kat. I do, however, have need of my sword arm.” He grimaced. “Unless you can persuade my lady to release my hand, she is going to break all my bones, and I will be of no use to her, or anyone else, in the future.”
Katherine was almost embarrassed, since she hadn’t realized she had been holding on to his limb with such a death grip. “Sorry,” she mumbled and let go of the lifeline that had been of such help to her. It was so reassuring, knowing Riorden was being such a dear and staying by her side the whole time when, clearly, he would have preferred to be downstairs with the men.
“’Tis fine, Katherine. I but jested with you,” he said as he pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her and their child. He squeezed his hand into a fist a couple of times in front of her. “See, ’tis good as new.”
She rested her head for a moment back against his shoulder. “Talk to me,” she whispered softly.
“What would you like me to talk about?” he asked just as quietly, almost as if it were only the two of them in the room.
“Anything, just do it in French,” she answered.
Katherine had no idea how long they sat there. It could have been minutes. It could have been hours. She only knew she was surrounded by the people who meant the most to her in this world. The contractions came and went until the urge to push overcame her. Again, time meant nothing to her. She had completely lost control as her body naturally took over to force out the child from her womb.
She was right in the middle of pushing when a commotion occurred outside their chamber. But she couldn’t care less who it was, as her eyes were squeezed tightly shut while she was writhing in pain.
“Is this her bedroom?” a woman’s voice was heard saying. “Oh, never mind.” She apparently must have brushed past whoever had been barring her way as she pushed the door open wide. Considering the view, it was most embarrassing. “I see I’m just in time!”
Katherine’s eyes flew open in surprise. “MOM?”
Her mother shut the door and threw her coat onto a nearby chair as she quickly made her way to Katherine’s side. “Hello, baby girl. What are you doing on the floor?”
“MOM?” Katherine repeated herself.
The woman before her only leaned over to give her daughter a peck on her forehead with lips that were cold from the storm outside. She began to shake the snow from her hair. “What? Have you forgotten me, already, or is it a bad time for a visit?”
“What the hell are you doing here?” Katherine screeched as she blew out a gust of air, knowing another contraction was building up in her belly.
“I would think that’s obvious. I’m here to see the birth of my grandson.”
“You realize this is still like rustic camping here, don’t you?” Katherine gasped until any further choice at conversation was taken from her. She began to push yet again while conversations continued all around her.
Emily gave a laugh as she answered Riorden’s unasked question. “Mom’s idea of camping is pretty much like my own. We prefer a nice hotel with a hot shower, don’t we?”
Katherine’s mother only stood there with a welcoming smile. “It’s good to see you two ladies made it here. You gave us all quite the scare.”
“How did you find them?” Brianna asked.
“I had some help from two very irate husbands who are downstairs waiting, rather impatiently, for their wives. You must be Riorden,” she continued. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Madam,” he murmured, nodding his head in greeting, as his hands were quite full.
“My, oh my, you really are just flat out gorgeous, aren’t you? I know I had the video you and Katie made on her phone, but it’s another thing entirely to see you in person. Juliana and Emily sure didn’t lie when they described you. I can certainly see why Katherine crossed time for you,” she said, taking a seat out of the way. “I just might have done the same, even if I would have to give up the luxury of indoor plumbing.”
“Mom, stop! You’ll embarrass him,” Katherine said, between clenched
teeth.
“Embarrass him? I doubt it, dear. Just look at him. He appears to have all the confidence in the world, but let’s see how he holds up after he’s holding his newborn son, shall we?”
Katherine may have groaned out a reply, or not. She only knew that Juliana called for her to push while she felt Riorden place a gentle kiss on the side of her temple. Juliana continued to give words of encouragement as her family stood to watch the miracle of birth. Katherine lost track of time until she let out a scream as she felt the baby expelled from her body. She sagged against her husband, much like a rag doll.
Katherine heard the baby’s soft cry after being ripped from the warm, comforting surroundings he had known for nine months. She could hardly contain her joy as Juliana placed the babe on her stomach. The four weeping women crowded around the couple, and Juliana finished with quiet words to Brianna.
“She didn’t tear, so that’s good, but, if this happens the next time, you may have to put in a couple of stitches, here and here,” Juliana pointed out. “I know you can do this, Brie, so just take special care to ensure everything is clean and sterilized, okay?”
“I can do it,” Brianna said confidently as she was handed the tiny baby so they could clean him up.
Katherine lay there exhausted. She tried to form some kind of a response, but words escaped her. Everyone around her seemed to be in a haze as she drifted on a cloud, she was so tired. Riorden carefully lifted her, and a clean gown was draped over her shoulders while Juliana finished cleaning up the afterbirth. Placed onto the bed with warm blankets on top of her, she was handed her son, who she quickly put to her breast. She was startled at the feeling of the tiny baby when he began to nurse, and her eyes filled with unshed tears.
The chamber quietly emptied, leaving the three of them the privacy they stood in need of. Riorden came and lounged next to her in the bed, marveling at the tiny miracle they had created. He leaned over and tenderly kissed her lips.
