“Neither do I, Em. We’re going back to Kilchurn and Nora,” Dominic responded.
“I don’t think our bairn will live that long. The pain is—” Emelie moaned as the stretcher jostled. “I can barely breathe.”
“Stay with me, sparrow. I need ye,” Dominic whispered as Emelie’s eyes drifted closed. His heart lurched as he feared he was watching his wife die.
“I’m alive, wolf,” Emelie whispered. “Just hurts so much.”
Emelie struggled to stay awake, passing in and out of consciousness. Dominic supposed it was a small mercy that she wasn’t awake for the bumpy ride back to the birlinn or the swells that crashed against the hull. When they arrived at Kilchurn’s dock, Alec bolted from the boat to find Nora, and Garrett raced to the keep to rouse Aggie, Laurel, and Brodie. Davey and Tim helped Dominic carry the stretcher into the keep and up the stairs to Dominic’s chamber.
“Dom?” Emelie whispered.
“We’re home, Em. Nora and Laurel will be here in a moment. Ye’ll be all right.”
“Still hurts, but still naught’s happened. I don’t understand. My gown is even wetter than before, but the bairn isn’t moving. I don’t know if my body can get him out.” Emelie felt the panic rising in her chest as she thought about the child she was certain no longer lived within her. She feared she would die trying to give birth, or that she would die from not being able to give birth. “I need to hold your hand.”
“We’re almost to our chamber, sparrow. As soon as ye’re off the stretcher, I’m nae letting go,” Dominic promised. Davey helped Dominic ease Emelie onto the bed while Tim lit the fire and candles. The three men steeled themselves against the sight of Emelie on the bed. With plenty of light to illuminate the room, it was clear blood soaked Emelie’s gown. The men looked at Dominic before grabbing the stretcher and leaving the couple to a few moments of privacy.
“What happened?” Nora demanded as she stormed into the chamber. “Bluidy hell.”
Dominic stared at Nora before reaching for Emelie, horrified that Nora’s reaction would only make Emelie feel worse.
“Get her out of her gown and let me see her wound,” Nora barked at Dominic as Laurel and Brodie arrived. When they spied Emelie, Laurel pushed past Brodie and Dominic. She pulled a dirk from her pocket and began ripping Emelie’s kirtle down the middle. Nora glanced at the men. “Dinna stand there. Get me hot water, linens, and get Aggie in here.”
Brodie spun around, happy to leave the chamber while his wife undressed his sister-by-marriage. He went in search of Aggie. Dominic bellowed to a maid to fetch the water before he went in search of more linens.
“Nora,” Emelie croaked.
“Aye, lass. I shall get ye all mended.”
“The bairn is dead. You can’t mend that.”
“What makes ye think that?” Nora paused to look at Emelie.
“Dom’s horse threw me. I felt my waters. It soaked my gown. The bairn hasn’t moved.” Emelie fought to get every sentence out.
“Lass, I dinna think ye’re waters broke. It doesnae look or smell right to be the birthing fluids. It’s blood ye felt, but it doesnae soak all yer skirts. The bairn’s probably been a bit rattled aboot and is trying to stay in one place. Mayhap he’s even sleeping until all this upset is over.”
“Nora, don’t lie to me,” Emelie warned.
“Ma lady, I dinna lie. If I thought ye or yer bairn were dying, I would tell ye so. I’d tell ye to say yer last goodbyes to yer kin.” Nora looked at Laurel. “Help me get this gown off her. I need to find where the bleeding is from.”
Laurel helped Nora ease the mangled gown from Emelie’s arms. “Nora, over here. Look.” Laurel pointed to a long cut in the fabric. She slid her fingers along Emelie’s ribs until Emelie screamed, and Laurel’s fingers came away bloody. “Emelie, did someone stab you?”
“No.” Emelie looked between Laurel and Nora in confusion. “Dom’s horse reared when two men approached. He was ready to fight, but I couldn’t keep my seat. I fell off. When I hit the ground, all I felt was the worst pain I’ve ever experienced, and I couldn’t catch my breath. Everything got tight, but it hurt more when I tried to roll on my side.”
“This sheath is empty,” Laurel said as she held up the belt that had kept Emelie’s arisaid in place. “Did you have a dirk in here?”
“Yes. It must have fallen out when the horse threw me.”
“Let us have a look,” Nora said as she bustled around the side of the bed. With a touch gentler than Emelie expected, Nora shifted Emelie and looked at where the ripped material had been. “Och, a blade’s sliced ye deep.”
“I’m telling you, no one came close enough.”
“Emelie, where did you wear your knife on your belt?” Laurel asked.
“It was over my right hip, but I pushed it aside when I had to ride alone. I was leaning over the horse to protect my belly and to stay on.”
“Did you push it around to your back?” Laurel asked. She watched Emelie and realized that the injured woman’s mind wasn’t working as quickly as it normally did. “Em, where was the blade when you were falling?”
