Christine Dorsey - [MacQuaid 02] (28 page)

“I want to help Caroline, but I must examine her first.”

A shadow of puzzlement deepened the dark eyes and Rachel sank to the floor beside Wolf. He probably knew no more about his brother’s knowledge of medicine than anyone else.

“Please let him. Please.” On her knees, beseeching Caroline’s husband, Rachel knew her plea sailed to a much higher authority. She let out her breath only when Wolf dropped his forehead onto the brightly colored quilt.

“Do what you can,” he murmured.

As if those words brought him to life, Logan hurried to the foot of the bed. Before raising the coverlet he took a deep breath. “Rachel, perhaps you and Wolf should leave.”

The emphatic, “No,” came from them both at the same time. Wolf’s fingers wove more tightly with his wife’s as if he refused to leave her... ever.

From where she knelt beside the bed, Rachel could not see Logan’s face. But she could hear his mutterings and prayed he knew what to do. When he finally stood, his expression seemed calm and determined.

“I need to turn the babe. Caroline, would you—”

“What are you doing?” Though he still held on to his wife, Wolf now grabbed Rachel with his other hand. “I can’t let you hurt her further.”

Sadayi seemed to agree with his words as she lowered her voice, giving the chant an unearthly ring, and stepped closer to the bed. She stopped, staring first at Logan, then Wolf. “I have called upon the spirits. It is in their hands.”

“No.” Rachel jumped to her feet, blocking the old woman’s almost hypnotic stare from reaching Wolf. “The spirits have sent Logan to help.” She turned toward Wolf. “We must let him.”

For one tense moment Rachel could almost see the two cultures warring within the man. In the end it was concern and love for his wife that won out. “Do what you must to save her life.”

He worked quickly and though Rachel knew what Logan did must be hurting Caroline, she hardly moved a muscle. When Logan stood again, he wiped blood, Caroline’s blood, from his hands. “The babe is in position but Caroline needs to push and I don’t know...” The rest of his words drifted off as his gaze fell upon the exhausted woman’s pale face.

Of course she couldn’t push. She’d been doing just that for nearly two days and her body could do no more. Except that it must.

Rushing around the foot of the bed—trying not to view the blood-soaked sheets, Rachel leaned toward Caroline’s ear. “You must,” she whispered. “You must try some more, Caroline.” Rachel brushed damp, moon-spun curls from her forehead. “For your new babe, Caroline, you must.”

Blue eyes that were closed before, now opened, staring into Rachel’s own. Tears clogged Rachel’s throat as she touched Caroline’s cheek.

“Do you understand what needs done?”

The nod was barely imperceptible, yet Rachel saw it. Saw Caroline’s face contort as another wave rippled across her distended belly. This time though she didn’t allow the torment to rule her. With a supreme force of will Caroline put the pain to use.

The tendons in her neck stood out in relief against her pale skin as she pushed.

“That’s good, Caroline.” Logan’s voice held an air of excitement which infused Rachel.

“Did you hear what he said, Caroline? You’re doing splendidly.”

With the next contraction Caroline fumbled to push up and Rachel supported one of her shoulders, calling for Wolf to grab the other. He leaped at the chance to do something other than watch his wife expire before him.

Rachel didn’t know how long this went on. Caroline seemed to gain strength with each of her efforts. Her face was covered with perspiration and between pains, Rachel wiped it with a linen towel. And she continued to talk to her. Words of encouragement. Words of support. They seemed to hang in the air, mingling with the Cherokee chants and Caroline’s grunts of labor.

They all ceased when the baby’s first cry filled the room. It sounded weak at first, then spiraled to a full crescendo as Logan lifted the slimy, blood-covered mass of humanity.

“You have a daughter,” he announced to Caroline, before bundling the infant into linens and placing her on her mother’s chest.

Tears streamed down Rachel’s cheeks but she hadn’t the wherewithal to wipe them away as she looked at Caroline staring at her newborn child. It was if she was trying to memorize the tiny puckered features... as if she feared there was little time to do so.

Wolf too seemed in awe of the tiny creature, and though he wasn’t crying, his dark eyes were suspiciously bright.

Sadayi had taken over for Logan, finishing the birthing process while Logan poured water from the pitcher into the bowl and plunged his hands in to clean them.

There were so many emotions freely spiraling about the room that Rachel felt dizzy. They seemed to all assault her at once. The joy, the exuberance, the gratitude... the fear.

Rachel’s eyes tore to Logan standing near the foot of the bed, staring down at Caroline. The fear was coming from him, and Rachel could sense that it was fear for Caroline.

But she’d delivered the child, with a great deal of effort, true, but surely now that she could rest all would be well. Except that as Rachel let her gaze stray back to the new mother, she could see the pallor of Caroline’s skin. Her eyelids drifted shut. Now that she’d finished her task, the spurt of energy dissipated like a mist before the summer sun.

She was going to die.

Rachel had no doubt it would happen... was happening.

Unless...

Crouching down, her lips mere inches from Caroline’s ear, Rachel began to talk. At first they were just words like she murmured earlier. Encouragement. And then it was as if it wasn’t her talking at all, as someone or something else took control of her tongue.

“It is not your time,” her mouth said, repeating the words spoken to her. “You are to stay here and take care of your family. Your children need you. The newborn child needs you. Your husband needs you. Do you hear me, Caroline? You must come back. You must stay here on earth.”

Rachel didn’t notice the three sets of eyes staring in wonderment at her. It was only Caroline’s she saw as the young woman opened her eyes. Her lips were dry, but her smile angelic when their gazes met.

Then Caroline was twisting her head, searching for her husband and the tense moment seemed forgotten. Except that Rachel felt as if she’d been wrung out like the shirts she tried to wash for Logan. Without another word she pushed to her feet and rushed from the room, then the house. She didn’t know where she was going, but she had to get away.

There was a hill beyond the clearing in front of the house, and Rachel headed that way, breaking off the path and rushing into the shadowy curtain of trees. Fallen leaves crunched beneath her feet as she ran. Her breathing came in gasps and her hands fought at the limbs and tangling branches that seemed to claw at her gown, pull at her hair.

It wasn’t until she reached an open meadow that she stopped, bending forward in exhaustion before dropping to her knees.

“What in the hell was that all about?”

At the sound of his voice Rachel jerked around. She hadn’t heard anyone follow.

Logan came forward, his expression the antithesis of his sharp words. When he dropped down beside her, his arms came around her shoulders. His embrace seemed as natural as the way her head fell toward his shoulder.

“Why did you run away, Rachel?” His long fingers sifted leaves and twigs from her hair. “Didn’t you hear me calling you?”

She could only shake her head.

“I was, you know.” He lifted her chin with his thumb, smiling down into her upturned face. “Is it because you are afraid for Caroline?”

“She will live. I know that.” Rachel twisted away from his hold even though staying there close to him, staring into his beautiful green eyes, was all she desired.

Perhaps this was the time to tell him again that she was not from this realm. He might believe her if she explained why she’d run... what she knew. But she couldn’t. It was he who deserved the credit for saving Caroline’s life. He who had fought his own demons and helped the babe enter the world.

Scrubbing the tears from her cheeks, Rachel told him as much. “I was so proud of you.” She sat in a puddle of petticoats and skirt, reaching out for his hands to pull him down beside her. “You should do more than read your great books, you know. I think you would be a wonderful surgeon. Perhaps I could even secure you a post. Queen Charlotte keeps one close by at all times to watch over the heir—”

Rachel’s mouth clamped shut. When would she remember to stop talking of her other life? As soon as she mentioned the queen, his expression turned from pleasure to disbelief... and sorrow.

She’d only wanted to show him what she could do. What he could be.

“Are you ready to go back now?” Logan pushed to his feet, offering Rachel his hand. With a sigh she took it. But when he pulled her up she slipped, falling forward, stopping only when her stomach flattened against the broad expanse of his chest.

They stood there a moment, hearts pounding in unison, gazes locked before Logan lowered his head. The kiss was all the sweeter for the anticipation.

What started as nearly chaste ignited, exploding over them like a firestorm. His arms swept around her, drawing her even closer. His mouth opened, consuming hers. Their tongues mated, dancing in the age-old ritual of desire.

Rachel clutched at his homespun shirt, feeling the corded muscle and sinew beneath. Reveling in the power of him, the raw masculinity. She wanted them gone. His clothes. Her clothes. She wanted to know again the magical joy of making love with him.

And Logan felt need and want. Such a burning want. It was all he could do to tear his lips from hers when he heard her name called.

“What is it?” Rachel asked. She looked as dazed as he felt.

“Sadayi. She must be looking for you.”

“Oh no,” Rachel said, her expression stricken. “You don’t think something has gone awry with Caroline?”

Before he could answer Rachel was running back, leaving him to follow.

~ ~ ~

By early evening it seemed evident that Caroline was recovering. She leaned against a bolster of pillows smiling at her children as they viewed their baby sister for the first time.

“Rachel told us it was a girl, just as pretty as me,” Mary said with pride. “Didn’t you?” She glanced back toward Rachel who stood beside Logan near the hearth.

“I did,” she agreed, smiling down at the little girl. It was Mary who had asked Sadayi to find her earlier. Who had interrupted Rachel and Logan. Rachel had forgotten all about her promise to visit the children and read to them. When Rachel hadn’t come for so long the children feared the worse. Rachel was glad she could prove to them that she hadn’t come from heaven to fetch their mother.

“Well, she certainly has your smile, Mary.” Caroline glanced toward her son. “And your eyes, Kalanu. Don’t you agree, Rachel?”

The only real glimpse she had of the baby was immediately after her birth, when she appeared to look like no one in particular. Even now Rachel doubted she did, but dutifully moved to join the children as they peered into the carved cradle beside the bed. As Rachel bent over, the baby let out a howl.

“I think she must want her mother,” Wolf said with a smile meant just for Caroline.

“Would you hand her to me please, Rachel?”

A simple enough request certainly, but for Rachel who never held a baby in her life, and who seemed to have some difficulty with everyday tasks.... So, it was with a bit of trepidation that she scooped up the child, blankets and all. It didn’t help that the child seemed to cry even louder.

But then all of a sudden she stopped. Her little mouth closed to form a rosebud and her eyes tried to focus. And Rachel almost dropped her.

“Elizabeth... Liz. It
is
you.”

“Rachel?”

She was aware of Logan coming up behind her, his arm curving down beneath the bundle of baby and blanket. Summoning all her faculties, Rachel tried to concentrate on what she was doing. But there was no denying that this child had her friend’s... What? Spirit? Soul?

Rachel wasn’t sure. But she did know it was there.

Of course the two looked nothing alike. Liz had hair as dark as Logan’s, while the child had only a fuzzy cap of red hair. There was nothing about them alike... yet they were.

She didn’t know how long she was staring at the baby, communicating how happy she was to see her again, but when Caroline finally spoke, Rachel realized it had been awhile.

“What a perfect name, don’t you agree, Wolf? Elizabeth.” Caroline smiled when he nodded. “And we shall call her Liz, just as you did Rachel. How very perfect.”

Perfect.

Rachel sat in her room later that night. She couldn’t sleep, though her eyes felt gritty from lack of rest. Perfect, Caroline had said. Yet nothing was perfect.

She had saved Caroline’s life... at least she had tried, yet she was still here. Of course, it wasn’t Caroline she was sent to save. It was Logan.

But he seemed in no need of her.

And the rebirth of Liz reminded her of her need. Her need to return to her own life. To tell everyone of what Lord Bingham had done to his wife. To demand justice.

But she seemed as far from that goal as when she appeared on Logan’s mountain over a month ago.

And the longer it went, the more difficult it would be to leave. Footfalls sounded in the hallway. Her heart beat faster as they paused before her door. She stood and walked forward cautiously, lifting her hand to the latch just as he opened the door.