Once her head cleared she thought over the morning and tensed. Carefully she tried to recall when she had had her last woman’s time and felt her heart beat faster. She grabbed the bonnet Matthew still frowned at and started walking toward the big house, as they had begun to call it. She was almost certain she was with child but wanted to hear another woman give her opinion.
Finding Matthew and the boys there made it a little awkward to have a moment or two alone with the women, but she finally got Emily and Mrs. O’Neal cornered in the kitchen. They both stared at her expectantly as they sat around the table. Abigail suddenly had no idea how to start the conversation.
“Spit it out, child,” said Mrs. O’Neal.
“I think I might be with child.”
“All the signs are there?”
“Yes, no bleeding times, sick this morning, had to eat plain toasted bread this morning, and nearly fainted in the garden.”
“Certainly sounds like it. Have you told Matthew?”
“No, I needed to be sure. I know he wanted a child but he never, well, pestered for one.”
“Well, tell him carefully. Even men who really want a child can get a little crazy when their woman says one is on its way.”
Abigail kept that in mind as she went back home, linked arm in arm with Matthew as the two boys skipped along beside them. The puppy flopped on the grass the moment they reached the front yard of the house. Abbie felt sick as she realized how warm she was. She let go of Matthew and raced for the washroom.
Matthew quietly went in and held her hair back as she was wretchedly ill. He then handed her a cloth wet with cool water and waited as she washed her face and rinsed out her mouth. She glanced at him and he wondered why she looked a bit guilty. She had to know he would be delighted.
“I guess it will be no surprise when I tell you I am with child.”
“Nay, but I do wonder why ye suddenly realized it. I have suspected it for two months.”
“How?”
“I sleep with ye. I ken the time every month that ye dinnae really appreciate any attention.”
“Oh. Are you happy?”
He laughed. “How can ye even ask? Of course I am.” He pulled her into his arms. “I just need to ken that ye are all right.”
“I am. It was the vomiting that clued me in and I nearly swooned in the garden.”
“Ye will have to be careful then. It is only going to get hotter.”
Abigail sighed. “I know. I guess gardening will be kept to a minimum.”
“There is always next year.”
“True.”
“I love ye, Abbie.”
She hugged him. “I love you, too. I cannot believe I had to be hanging my head over the basin before I knew.”
“I didnae think women liked a mon to ask about their woman’s time.”
“Ah, no.” She pulled away. “Thank you for holding my hair out of the way. I have lost my ribbon again.” She laughed when he pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Thank you again.” She tied back her hair. “I had best get the dinner started.”
“Ye sure ye ought to do that?”
“I can do anything I did before. Just have to recognize when the sickness hits.”
“We’ll be fine, Abbie, and I ken we will be verra pleased with what we have made.”
“Oh, we will be.” She grinned at him over her shoulder. “I think this family will be the better for another girl.” She laughed when he groaned and hurried down the stairs still laughing when he followed her complaining about having to fight off rowdy young gents.
*
“Why cannae I go in there?”
Emily stood between Matthew and the door to his wife’s room. “If she wants you, she will ask. Having a baby is not a very tidy business and a lot of women would rather their husband didn’t see it all.”
He heard Abigail cry out. “But she is in pain!”
“Of course she is. She is having a damn baby!” Emily looked at her husband as he came up behind Matthew. “Oh, good. Do something with him, will you please?”
Matthew stared at the door as Emily went back into the room and slammed it in his face. Then Iain grabbed him by the arm and marched him downstairs. When they reached the kitchen and he was shoved into a chair, Matthew sighed. He did not understand why he could not be with Abigail. It was a husband’s place.
Iain sat down across from him. “Some women really don’t want their mon in there watching them do this. All dignity is gone and it is messy. I had a hard time keeping my food down when Emily was birthing. Thought I understood because I’d been with animals when they birthed, but an animal isnae your woman who is in pain.”
“But . . .”
“It is appallingly messy, Matthew. There is the blood to consider, too. It can look to a mon as if she is going to bleed to death, there is so much. Or what looks to be too much.”
“Weel, the blood would trouble me because it would be Abbie’s. I’ll admit that.”
“Good. I dinnae think it will be long, but be ready because there might be a screech or two.” He grabbed Matthew by the arm when it looked as if he was about to race back up the stairs. “It is a lot to get out and it hurts. But, and this never ceases to amaze me, they seem to forget about it all once they have the bairn.”
“Good thing or we would have all died out by now, I think.”
Iain laughed. “True.”
It was two long hours before a hot and exhausted Emily came down to get him. Matthew ran up into the room, barely missing knocking over Mrs. O’Neal. She also looked exhausted and hot but she kissed him on the cheek and walked out. No one had told him which he now had, a son or a daughter.
He cautiously approached the bed. Abigail looked exhausted as well but she was breathing and that was all he cared about. He sat down on the side of the bed and brushed her hair back from her face. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him. His fears eased even more.
“How are ye?”
“Tired, hot, and sore,” she replied. “The baby is fine.”
She pointed toward the cradle near the wall and he moved to go look. New babies did not look like much, he decided. He just took note of the fact that the child slept, and looked whole and healthy. He looked back at her but her eyes were closed again so he knelt down and unwrapped the child. A heavy sigh escaped him as he wrapped the baby back up and returned to the bed.
Abigail felt him sit down near her again and looked at him. He was frowning at her and she grew a little worried. “She is still all right?”
“Aye, she is. Ye couldnae have just told me I had a daughter? Even Mrs. O’Neal wouldnae say which when I came in.”
“You have a daughter, Matthew.”
“I noticed. Noah will be disappointed.” He smiled when she laughed.
“So will Jeremiah. Are you?”
“Nay, lass. It is only that we have so many lads one just expects it but, nay, I love the little lass. I suspect ye will have to yell at me from time to time so I dinnae spoil her.”
“I can do that.”
“I love ye.”
“I love you, too. I was a little concerned when we were married two years and no child, but that was silly.”
“Aye, it was. We may nay get what we expect all the time but MacEnroys have never had a problem getting a child.” He brushed a kiss across her mouth. “So what are we going to name her?”
“I have no idea. We didn’t try out girls’ names for all I teased you about it.”
He nudged her to the side a little and settled down on the bed with her. “Caitlin.”