“Didna mind it?” Emelie repeated. “It felt like the next few months would be interminable with no way for us to couple. I admit I worried it might put distance between us. Now I don’t worry. Unless Nora tells us otherwise, this is the only way we can couple. I can’t promise I’ll always be up to it, but I’m relieved to know we can.”
“Did you worry that distance would be the width from here to me in another woman’s bed?”
“A little, at times. But I trust you, Dom. I only feel that way when I’m feeling sorry for myself. I know coupling isn’t more important to you than being a good husband,” Emelie assured him.
“Em, one of the intimacies I like best with ye is talking as we do. I’m glad ye ken ye can tell me aught. I ken I can do the same.”
“You’ve put me at ease since the very beginning. I trusted you before it even made sense to, but I just knew I could. I might be uncomfortable or uneasy aboot telling you something, or even afraid it might disappoint or hurt you. But I’m never afraid of the actual telling part,” Emelie explained. She leaned against Dominic as his arm slid beneath her neck. She nestled closer to him. “There must be things you should be doing right now instead of coddling your wife.”
“The married men are doing just what I am.” Dominic tried to stifle his laugh and ended up coughing. “Mayhap nae exactly what I was doing, but they are with their families, too. There will be work to do this afternoon and tomorrow, but right now families are celebrating their warriors’ homecomings. Nay one will fault us. Brodie is likely with Laurel right now. And I am certain they were doing just aboot the same thing as us. He practically pushed me down the bluidy stairs in his hurry to get past me. I canna believe he remembered this is our chamber, nae his. I half expected him to pound the door down rather than let me knock. I dinna ken—and dinna want to ken—how Laurel came up with calling him bear, but it fits. He’s beastly.”
Emelie smirked as she tickled Dominic’s ribs. “He isn’t the only wild beast who resides under this roof. How did you not hurt yourself further during all our rambunctiousness?” Emelie rested her hand near his wound.
“It smarts, but Nora put plenty of salve on it, and I wasna turning down the opportunity to make love to ye.” Dominic kissed Emelie’s lips and sighed. “Now rest, sparrow. Ye’ve worn me out. I need a nap.”
“I’ve worn you out?” Emelie giggled and burrowed further against Dominic’s side. They were asleep within minutes. Dominic dragged himself from the chamber that afternoon when duty demanded it, but he hurried back to Emelie’s side to share the evening meal and their bed with her.
Twenty-One
It had been three-and-a-half moons since her fall from Dominic’s horse, and Nora had finally agreed a fortnight earlier that she could walk on her own and leave her chamber. Emelie suspected Nora relented because she knew Emelie wouldn’t last long on her feet anyway. She no longer walked but waddled around the keep. Everything felt squashed, but Nora told her that was a sign her time would come soon. She prayed the midwife and healer was right.
It had also been three moons since the battle against the Pringles in the bailey. Brodie sent word to King Robert, informing him of Henry’s stalking of Emelie and the Pringles’ attempted invasion. Dominic had been livid when the Bruce insisted he appear before the monarch in Stirling. He took himself for a long ride lest he tear through the keep, throwing things. He refused to leave Emelie, and there was no way he would consider her traveling with him. He returned calmer but just as resolved. Had the Campbells not been so influential, both during the Wars of Independence and now during peacetime, Brodie wouldn’t have let Dominic refuse. But King Robert still relied heavily on the Campbells to support his claim to the throne and to govern a large segment of the Highlands.
It was Emelie who crafted the response to King Robert’s demand, tactfully explaining that Dominic could not leave Emelie when her pregnancy remained such a risk. He would attend court once he was certain Emelie and their child were well enough for him to be away. Emelie eloquently pointed out that the outcome wouldn’t change just because Dominic wouldn’t stand before the king for another four moons.
There’d been grumbles from some of the other clans about the Campbells living with impunity from everything, but a missive from Blythe explained that once people learned of Henry’s lack of honor—hisattemptto seduce Emelie with lies, then stalking her in a jealous rage over Dominic marrying her—gossip ceased. Blythe noted that while people bemoaned the Campbells’ long reach, no one pitied anyone foolish enough to test the powerful clan.
As Emelie now stood in her chamber, she pressed against her aching lower back, then rubbed her hand over her belly, still amazed that it could stretch so far. She’d been uncomfortable all day, starting the previous night. She felt unsettled and irritable, though she couldn’t pinpoint a reason. She paced the width of her chamber, unwilling to get into bed since she didn’t have to, but not wanting to risk the stairs alone. She conceded that she couldn’t see well enough to manage them on her own. Her short stature made her belly more pronounced and harder to see around. As she walked, restless and bored, the baby seemed to drop until she was certain he wished to slide out. She stopped walking when tightness in her belly stole her breath. Just as she straightened and was able to breathe easier, a gush between her legs had her staring at a puddle.
Emelie froze until another contraction brought her back to the present, snapping her out of her stupor as she looked at her soaked gown. Wincing and waddling, she cradled her belly as she went to the second-floor landing. She searched for her husband but didn’t see him.
“Wolf!” Emelie called out. She was in such great pain that she didn’t consider what she called Dominic. People turned to look at her. “Can someone fetch my husband, pleeee—” Emelie gripped the railing in front of her. She watched as people scurried in different directions, understanding why her need was pressing.
“Wolf!” Emelie screamed this time, the pain growing exponentially worse with each contraction.
“I hear you, Em. I’m coming.” Dominic’s voice floated up to her as he came into the Great Hall from Brodie’s solar. He looked around but didn’t see Emelie.
“Now!” Emelie screeched. Dominic spun around and spotted her leaning over the railing. He sprinted up the stairs, moving faster than he ever had before.
“Where the devil is Nora?” He bellowed just before he swept Emelie into his arms. He kicked the door open, slamming it against the wall.
“You know, the carpenters are going to stop fixing our door if you keep kicking it off its hinges,” Emelie pointed out before her face contorted in pain. “I remember Laurel being in pain, but why didn’t she tell me how bad it is?”
“I did,” Laurel said as she rushed in. “But no woman believes it until she feels it. God bless us all that it’s women who give birth. We’d have died off eons ago if men were left to procreate. It bluidy hurts.” Laurel had already pushed Dominic out of the way as she efficiently stripped Emelie of her gown and stockings. Now she pushed Dominic back toward his wife, ordering him to help her onto the bed. She ducked out of the chamber but soon returned with drying linens and sheets. Nora arrived, breathless, moments later.
“Aboot time, ma lady. I dinna ken how ye kept this giant in ye for so long,” Nora mused. Emelie shot a panicked glance at Dominic. Her fear that people would question her when her babe wasn’t as large as Rick still plagued her. Laurel was already carrying again, and people were guessing that her second bairn would be even bigger than her first. All the women subscribed to the wives’ tale that each babe was larger than the last. Emelie couldn’t imagine giving birth to anything larger than what she feared she would deliver soon.
Dominic kicked off his boots and eased Emelie forward, catching her just as a contraction made her grasp his hand in a grip that he was certain would crush half his bones. He slipped onto the bed behind her, bracing her against him. Nora examined Emelie and tsked.
“How long have ye been in labor, ma lady?”
“I don’t know,” Emelie gasped.
“Ye’re crowning already. It must have been several hours. When did the pains start?”
“When my waters broke.” Emelie looked dolefully at Laurel, who’d swiped up the puddle. “I’m sorry aboot that.”
“Were ye restless and edgy?” Nora persisted, ignoring Emelie’s comment to Laurel.
