by Alisa Adams
"Wonderful Mr. McLean," she said and giggled. "But may I remind you that I am not yet your wife?"
"Damn! I nearly forgot!" He laughed. "How could I hae missed a wee thing like that?"
"I don't know, but you had better fulfil your marital duties now before I find another husband," Una replied, beginning to unlace the front of her bodice.
Mungo looked on in wonder as the dress dropped from her shoulders. Although he had seen her naked many times before, he never ceased to be amazed at how flawless she was. She had borne two children and suffered several miscarriages but there was no sign of any of that on the creamy skin of her belly or her high, youthful breasts. He could tell she was a mature woman, but there were no lines on her face. She lay down on the bed and watched him as he undressed for her. He did it slowly because he knew she loved to watch him. That alone aroused him even more.
Una could not wait. As soon as he lay down beside her she grabbed him and wrapped her legs around him. When they became one it was only a few seconds before they both reached climax and lay face to face, spent, breathless, laughing with happiness.
"Noo, Mistress McLean, did ye get whit ye wanted?"
"Oh, yes." She looked into his bright blue eyes and smiled.
"Now I am really Mistress McLean."
Mungo kissed her tenderly then caressed her breast with one rough hand. "Did ye notice how big these ladies are noo?" He laughed kissing her nipple.
"I think you are imagining things, husband." Una laughed. "But would you not rather have more than less?"
"Aye," he said with great relish, "withoot a doot."
The day after the wedding, Una woke up feeling very out of sorts. She was queasy, her back ached, and her breasts were tender. She put it down to her monthly courses, then forgot all about it as the day went on. She and Mungo were going to Inverness the next day for a few days to visit Una's friends Shona and Lachlan McGregor. Mungo was looking forward to meeting Shona since she was exactly what he was: a common peasant who had married a noble. She was reputed to be a great beauty and a witch, although he was inclined to take the story of her rescuing her husband from the jaws of the Loch Ness Monster with a large pinch of salt.
By the afternoon, Una was pale and sickly, and Mungo and Davina were beside themselves with worry. Una had vomited several times, although she had no fever. Davina remembered the dark days of the poisonings and she was terrified. Una smiled, reassuring her.
"Davina, darling, it was all the rich food I was eating yesterday. Maura is dead and there is no reason for anyone else to want to harm me." Then suddenly she remembered something. "Would you get Elisaid to come and give me some physick anyway? Just to put your mind at rest."
"I will." Davina scurried away, her face betraying her anxiety. Una's symptoms looked remarkably like the ones she had endured when she was suffering the effects of the arsenic. She got to Greanoch as quickly as she could to fetch Elisaid. She hefted the old lady into the saddle by herself and galloped all the way back to the castle, then they ran to the McLean house with Davina almost dragging Elisaid behind her.
When they went inside Una looked a little better. She was sitting up in bed drinking milk and eating a dry bannock.
Elisaid greeted her and surveyed Una with a practiced eye. "Whit kind o' things have been happenin' tae ye?" she asked.
"Vomiting, nausea, that sort of thing," Una replied. "Do you know what it is?"
Elisaid nodded. "Ane mair minute," she bent over Una and gently palpated one of her breasts. Una screamed, and Mungo jumped to his feet, putting out a hand to stop her.
"Wait!" Una cried, catching his hand in hers. She had a strange feeling she knew what was coming as Elisaid pressed down on her stomach.
"Have ye missed yer monthly courses, milady?" Elisaid asked shrewdly.
"Twice," Una admitted. "But I thought it was the change of life." She swallowed nervously.
"Well, there's nothin' here that time an' patience willnae cure," Elisaid declared, smiling. "Milady, ye are wi' child."
"But I am over forty years old!" Una was shocked. "You must be mistaken, Elisaid."
"There's nae mistake." Elisaid shook her head. "Ye're pregnant withoot a doot."
Mungo could not speak for a moment. When he did, his voice was husky. "Elisaid, is she no' ower old fer this?"
"Her body doesnae lie, Mungo." She shrugged, then smiled. "Son, I've seen hundreds o' women wi' child an' birthed hundreds an' a'. Yer wife is healthy. A' she needs tae dae noo is get good food an' fresh air."
Mungo was ecstatic. He embraced Una tenderly, then Davina kissed them and left them alone. She and Elisaid walked to the castle and Davina mounted her on Daisy again. Davina was so shocked she could hardly think. Nothing made sense. She's too old, she thought. Maura was young and look what happened to her.
"Elisaid," she asked, "do ladies my mother's age have a bad time giving birth? Are they in any more danger than young ones?"
"No' really, mistress," Elisaid answered. "She is a strong healthy woman who eats well an' looks efter hersel'. An' she has a good man by her side."
"Yes, she does." Davina smiled. "I have not known him long but he loves her very much, and I like him."
"Aye, lass. Me an' a'." She smiled at Davina as she dismounted from Daisy. "Mistress, it will be yer ain turn soon. I can feel it."
"From your lips to God's ears, Elisaid." Davina laughed, dropped some coins into Elisaid's hands, and turned Daisy's head for home.
"Mungo, I'm afraid," Una whispered. "I have had one dead baby already, three miscarriages and if this one dies it will break my heart."
Mungo, who had never been so happy, kissed her softly. "Whitever happens, lass, we will face it together." He would not let any unhappiness, present or future, cloud this day. He was going to be a father again. It hardly seemed real! There was no swelling in Una's stomach and until he saw her beginning to look like a pregnant woman he would find it hard to believe.
"We can pray," he suggested, "often, an' I will wrap ye in lambs' wool and hold ye in my arms every chance I get. When the bairn is born - we will be so proud. I cannae wait!"
Una was exhausted but had a very hard time sleeping that night. Long after Mungo's breathing had settled into its soft night time rhythm, she lay awake going over the heartbreak she had felt when her son had been born dead. She could still see in her mind's eye that perfect little face. But the eyes would never open and the mouth would never smile. If it happened again she would kill herself, for she knew that now she would never be able to handle the pain.
84
Gifts
Life went on as usual for a few months. Davina, looking at her mother, agreed with the old saying that pregnant women glowed. Una, pink-cheeked and lively, looked in the peak of health and happiness. She had conquered her early fears and misgivings about the pregnancy and was taking life one day at a time. The sickness stopped, and Mungo made sure that she hired the best cook in Greanoch to satisfy her appetite and give her the best nourishment at all times. And if it could be said that men glowed, then Mungo certainly did. He was bursting with pride, and rarely to be seen without a big foolish grin on his face.
The one unhappy person among them was Grant. Since Maura's death, his life had been utterly without purpose or love. Davina and Athol adored each other. So, did Mungo and Una, Lyle and Mary. He missed Maura. He knew what kind of woman she had been but when he looked back all he could see in his mind's eye were good memories. He remembered the way she talked, laughed and teased him. But most of all he remembered the way she surrendered to him and her soft moans of pleasure when they loved.
It hurt him to see a pregnant, healthy woman like Una walking around, perfectly content, with no other aim in life but to give birth to her baby and look after it and her husband for the rest of her life. He began to drink again and Davina started to worry about him.
"He feels useless," she said to Athol. Grant was standing looking over the battlements toward the sea with a glass of wh
iskey in his hand. "Is there nothing we can give him to do?"
Athol thought for a moment. It was a pleasant enough evening in early October and the days were shortening fast. Soon it would be winter, then Yule and New Year. He wondered how Grant would cope with the freezing days of winter. It often happened that as the temperature dropped, so did a person's spirits. And worst of all, he had been looking forward to becoming a father, the sole purpose of most men's lives, and now that had gone, he felt he had nothing to live for. He must be feeling absolutely wretched, Athol thought, looking at Grant's slumped shoulders.
"He is selling the property in Fort Augustus anyway," Athol told her. "He says it's useless to him now."
"He needs to find another wife," Davina observed. "Looking at all these newlyweds and pregnant ladies cannot be good for a man who has just lost his love."
Just then, Una and Mungo came upstairs. Mungo had his arm around her waist and he was smiling, as he always seemed to be these days.
Una looked at Grant and frowned. "Grant," she said slowly, "I have been thinking about your future."
Grant nodded his head slowly. "I can leave forthwith if you want me to," he said glumly. "I have some money and farming experience."
"That is exactly what Laird Shaw needs now," Una smiled, "he has been elevated, his estate manager has retired, and he needs a new one. I recommended you."
Grant shook his head, unable to believe what Una had just said. "Why would you do that for me?" he asked, incredulous.
"Blame my husband," Una sighed. "He is a most forgiving man, and he made me realize that yes, you were weak, and perhaps you should have told us about Maura's true nature, but I think you would have told us if you had known what she was planning. So, I could either spend my life hating you, which would make us both feel bad, or forgive you so that we can feel better. I choose to forgive. So, go and see Laird Shaw!"
"Thank you, Auntie!" He gasped, smiling from ear to ear. He could scarcely believe it. Laird Shaw was rumored to be one of the best lairds to work for, and his staff loved him. And best of all, he had been forgiven.
"Another problem solved!" Una said happily. Suddenly she thought of Ruaridh. She was sure he was smiling.
Davina had been standing beside Athol, who had his arm around her waist. All of a sudden, her knees felt weak and she clutched him to stop herself from falling. "Athol…" she moaned, then the world spun around her as she collapsed in a dead faint.
Athol caught her just before she hit the ground, then he cradled her in his arms, patting her cheeks to wake her up. "Davina, sweetheart!" His voice was panicky and as he looked up at Una, he experienced a feeling of utter helplessness. He could do nothing to help his beloved wife if anything was badly wrong with her.
"Mother, shall we send for Elisaid?" he asked urgently.
"Wait," she answered. "I have seen this before."
Then, just as Elisaid had done, she pressed her hand onto Davina's stomach and kept it there for a few seconds. Then she took Athol's hand and placed it where her own had been. He felt under his palms a little series of faint tap-taps and frowned in puzzlement.
"What is that?" he asked. His heart was hammering so hard he thought it might burst out of his chest.
"It's called 'the quickening,' darling," Una smiled. "It's the first time a mother feels her baby kick, and sometimes it affects them this way. Congratulations Athol. You're going to be a father."
Davina moaned a little and her eyelids fluttered open. "What happened?" she asked dazedly, "I don't feel well."
Athol helped her to sit up, then held her close. Davina relaxed into the warmth of his arms, then gasped as she felt the movements inside her.
"It's real," she breathed and the smile she bestowed on Athol was rapturous.
"Why did you not tell me?" he asked, kissing her forehead.
"When I missed my flux the first time I thought it might be all the stress of Maura's death," she explained. "Then the second time I did not want to give you false hope. You have wanted me to give you a child so much. After Maura, I did not want you to worry." She looked down at her stomach again, where the first faint bulge had already appeared.
"This has been a wonderful day!" Grant stooped down to kiss Davina then helped Athol to lift her up.
Una and Mungo had gone downstairs, and Grant did so too, leaving Athol and Davina alone. "Thank you," Athol murmured. His heart was overflowing with love and joy.
Davina looked up at him, smiled, then put her head on his shoulder. "Don't thank me, sweetheart," she said and laughed. "I couldn't have done it without you!
Extended Epilogue
"I want Athol!" Davina screamed. "This is his baby too!" Davina had been in labor for six hours and was weeping tears of pain and rage. Una and the midwife, Bets, were attending her. They both knew that many first-time mothers reacted this way, but Una was sure she had never behaved like this.
Una had given birth to a son, whom she and Mungo had called Alan, a few months earlier. A hugely pregnant Davina had been the godmother. If Davina had thought that her pregnancy would cool Athol's ardor for her, she was mistaken. If anything, it fueled it. Every time the baby kicked he wanted to feel it, and when she undressed for bed at night he would feast his eyes on her greedily. The thought that she was carrying his baby made him feel powerful and protective as if he were a male lion defending his pride from marauders. He had been invaded by a strange tenderness, a need to put his arms around Davina every chance he got.
His passion for her almost overwhelmed him sometimes, but her widening girth made intimacy impossible. However, like many a man before him, Athol decided that it was a small sacrifice to make. Athol was pacing outside their bedroom listening to Davina screaming, and he wanted to kick the door down so he could be with her.
"I'm going to let him in, Bets," Una said wearily," this is wearing me out." She opened the door and Athol rushed in then went straight over to Davina's bed. He looked white with worry and Davina was flushed with exertion and anger.
"Athol, thank God you're here!" She gasped, then screamed as another pain hit her.
Athol felt like crying himself and wished that he could bear the pain for her. He looked up at Bets helplessly. "How much longer?" he asked Bets. His voice was hoarse as tears threatened to overwhelm him. He had been holding Davina's hand during the worst of the contractions and she had almost broken the bones in his, so tight was her grip as she squeezed.
"No' long noo, sir," Bets replied, "the pains are comin' close thegither, so any minute."
"Did you hear that, sweetheart?" He smiled. "Soon, very soon."
Davina nodded weakly, then grimaced as she felt another contraction. this time she could only manage a gasp and a feeble moan. "I can't do this," she said her voice weak and hoarse, "I am too tired."
"Yes, you can," he whispered, "I know you can, and it will be over soon. Oh, darling, I wish I could do it for you."
"So do I, believe me!" She laughed feebly. Just then she was attacked by another pain.
"Right, laddie, let us get her to the tae the birthing' chair," Bets ordered. Athol helped Davina out of bed, but instead of waiting for Bets to walk with her, he picked her up and put her down gently on the strange-looking seat.
It was just like any other wooden chair, except that instead of a solid wooden seat it was shaped like a horseshoe so that the mother could deliver and the baby could be caught as it left the womb. Athol thought that it looked like an instrument of torture.
Just then, Davina began to strain. Her face was red and contorted, and she almost crushed his hand as she squeezed it. Athol was holding his breath. His heart was hammering and he thought he might faint at any moment. Then, just as Athol let go of his breath Davina screamed so loudly that it hurt his ears, and the baby came slithering out. Bets caught it deftly with the ease of long practice and then gently laid it on a blanket to cut the umbilical cord.
"It's a boy!" Athol cried joyfully, but any further words were cut off by the baby who
set up an indignant cacophony of sound the likes of which neither Davina nor Athol had ever heard before. It sounded as if he was in great pain.
"Dinnae worry, master, mistress," she said and smiled. "They aye make that noise. It's so that ye cannae ignore them."
As Bets put the baby on his mother's chest so that she could deliver the afterbirth and tidy up, Athol gave her a radiant smile and kissed her. Then he kissed the tiny newborn who was still complaining about this sudden harsh exit from his warm dark home.
"Thank you," he murmured, "Davina, thank you for our son."
Davina managed an exhausted smile. Una had been waiting in the background, feeling rather superfluous, but now she came forward and kissed her daughter. "Well done darling," she whispered, "what is his name?
Athol and Davina exchanged glances, smiling.
"Ruaridh," they chorused.
For a moment, Una was dumbfounded, then she burst into tears of joy. "He would have been so proud," she sobbed.
Athol stood up and put his arms around her. "I'm so glad you're pleased." He kissed her on the forehead.
Una wiped her tears away. "I will leave you alone," she said, smiling at both of them. "I must go and tell Mungo. Of course, it will be all around the castle tonight!"
"I want to tell the whole world!" Davina laughed as Una waved goodbye.
"I want to tell all our friends first, but I don't want to leave you." Athol could not stop smiling. "I do not want to miss a second of our son's first few moments on earth." He watched them both for a moment, feeling a warm glow of happiness inside, thinking that he had never seen Davina looking so beautiful.
Just then, Bets came and helped Davina to latch young Ruaridh onto her breast and they watched as he began to suck vigorously, waving his arms and making little baby grunts and slurps. They both laughed.
"It was worth the pain," Davina murmured.
"Pain?" Athol asked, puzzled. "What pain? I didn't feel a thing!"
