“I would have been here sooner if I had known. I haven’t stopped thinking about you for even a moment.” His eyes roamed her face, her body. Anxiously looking for reassurance that she was well.
“How are you feeling? Has it been awful?”
“It’s not pleasant, but so far bearable. Just... exhausting. I want it to be over. I want to have the baby already. Why can’t I give birth? I’ve seen sheep do it. It doesn’t seem that complicated. Why can’t I be as efficient as a sheep?” she finished in a small voice. She sounded like a child, but at this point she was past caring.
“Because you are not a sheep,” he said, giving her a twisted smile and smoothing her hair from her forehead.
She had discarded the neat cap they had placed on her yesterday, and her hair was now a wild mass strewn haphazardly across the pillow. She must look a fright. But Gabriel was looking at her with infinite tenderness, his caress of her forehead a balm that eased her discomfort.
“I’m afraid.” She had not admitted this even to herself, but with Gabriel, it rushed out of her tight chest. Another pain seized her, and she gripped his hand as she endured it. He provided a solid strength to hold on to in a sea of pain.
“Don’t be afraid, my darling. You will be fine, I promise. A London doctor is due to arrive at any moment. He will give you something for the pain and will make you comfortable. You’ll see. Soon you’ll be holding your baby in your arms.”
He made everything seem possible. Her eyes closed on that lovely image, still holding on to Gabriel’s hand.
CHAPTER 40
GABRIEL PACED THE DUKE’Ssitting room, unable to sit still. The doctor Colin sent had arrived about an hour ago. He had not expected the man to be so young. He looked more like a rake than a respectable doctor, which was not reassuring. But Colin had endorsed him, and if his friend, who was a doctor himself, trusted the man, he would suspend judgment for now.
But the doctor had been in Hannah’s room for the best part of the hour, and so far, there had been no news.
“Calm yourself, Gabriel. You are going to blaze a trail on the rug,” the duke said from where he sat on a chair by the fireplace.
“I can’t sit still. How can you be so calm when Hannah is going through this?”
“I’m not. But there’s nothing to be gained by whipping myself into a frenzy. Nor do I have the energy for that. I have to conserve my strength and be calm for Hannah.”
Gabriel dropped into a chair and leaned forward. Resting his elbows on his knees, he leaned his head into his hands.
“I’m so afraid. What if something happens to Hannah? Or the baby? What if we are punished for this unholy scheme we have concocted?”
The duke’s hand fell on his shoulder. “If someone deserves punishment, it is only me. Don’t torment yourself, Gabriel. Everything will be fine.”
At that moment there was a knock on the door, and when the duke bid entrance, Dr. Finlay walked in. Gabriel jumped to his feet a moment before he remembered his place. Tryingto cover his reaction, he walked towards the window, as if he had intended to do just that all along. Pretending to give them privacy. He should leave the room altogether, but he was incapable of doing so. The doctor went to the duke.
“The duchess is well, and the labor is progressing normally.”
Gabriel let out a breath, relief weakening his knees... But then, why hadn’t she been able to deliver?
“I am immensely relieved to hear that, doctor. But why has the baby not been born? She started to have labor pains yesterday morning, it’s been almost two full days. My first wife delivered a scant few hours after the pains began.”
Gabriel looked surreptitiously. Wanting not only to hear the doctor’s words but also to study his face. He seemed reassuringly calm and confident when he replied.
“Not all labors are the same. I predict it might be still a few more hours, perhaps not until tomorrow, until the baby is born. With the duchess’s permission, I administered chloroform anesthesia. She needs to rest and conserve her strength for when the time comes to push the baby out.”
“Is this anesthesia safe for her and the baby?” the duke inquired, to Gabriel’s immense relief. It seemed they were of one mind when it came to their concerns.
“There are always risks associated with any procedure. Chloroform’s dosage needs to be carefully controlled. But I have vast experience with this form of anesthetic and have successfully employed it with most of my patients.”
“Most, but not all?” the duke pressed.
Far from taking offense, the doctor smiled. “Some of my patients have refused the anesthesia. Others were not suitable candidates because they had weakened hearts or lungs, so I refused to administer it. While it’s impossible to offer guarantees with medical outcomes, I have never lost a patient, or even had complications, because of the use of chloroform.”
The duke nodded, appearing satisfied. Gabriel was as well. “What should we do now?”
“My nurse and I will continue to monitor the duchess’s progress. For now, we will let her rest for a couple of hours. I suggest you do the same, Your Grace.”
With that, the doctor went back into Hannah’s chamber, and Gabriel resumed his pacing.
