Page 156 of Tales of Highland Loyalty

Woosh!

A contraction like a landslide hit her hard. Groaning, Nora could no longer pretend that she was not in labor, and she clung hard to him.

"Nay, nay," she moaned. "The bairn is coming..."

William pressed her hand deeply. "I'm here," he said quietly.

Nora moaned again and thrashed to the rhythm of her contractions. There was nothing she could do now but go with it. With William supporting her, she felt the pains grow strong. Gasping, Nora knew there was nothing for it. An overwhelming urge to push came upon her. Groaning, she laid back, her head in his arms. For a moment, there was silence; all in the glen was calm and quiet. Then, it came. The big one.

The last final push was all it needed. Unexpectedly, Nora gave a scream. A baby's head pushed out. Total screaming followed, even more than before. It was only when she stopped herself that she realized William was making most of the noise himself.

Then push. One extreme extra contraction and Nora moaned. Shutting her eyes, she prayed for the best. It came in the form of a tiny little bundle with dark brown hair and a light-brown body. Shocked, Nora gaped.

Picking the bairn up, she held it carefully in her arms. Then she grinned.

"William," she murmured. "Meet yer son, Rabbie Duncan!"

Overcome, William took the bairn, wrapping it in the clan plaid flapping around his shoulders. He stared down at its serious little face.

"Wheesht," he whispered. "I cannae believe it, Nora. We did it. Ye made me the happiest man alive."

Nora smiled. "Och, he is perfect. And ye are right. We made it!"

"Well, actually, it was ye, my love," William said, and Nora's smile widened.

Nora gazed up. Staring at the son she had just delivered, she felt quite delirious. An overwhelming rush filled her with sweetness and ease. The bairn suckled lightly on her bosom, his tiny head heaving up and down with her breath.

He was perfect in every sense. Joy tingled through Nora. She looked at the lakeside. All the netting and lines they had brought were long gone, sinking deep into the water. They would never get them back.

"Ye didnae catch anything," Nora panted. She was still out of breath. She felt as if she would never get her wind back. But William just smiled.

Beaming, William put his arm around them both. "Dinnae fash, we caught something much better!"

He stroked the bairn's thick dark hair, then stroked her own dark red curls, as if fascinated by the difference in color. Smiling, he leaned in to kiss her.

"I love ye, Nora." He smiled, then added, "An' I just ken oor Rabbie will be a muckle braw fisherman!"