She dilated more quickly than Mary had expected. Much to her dismay, she was forced to enlist the help of each of us to help in some way. Blaire did whatever Mary asked of her while Eoin and I set on either side of Bri, coaching and calming her with each set of pains.
When it came time for Bri to push, I watched in awe and astonishment at her strength. It was a miraculous thing. The love that filled the room in the moment the tiny bundle arrived into this world was enough for me to momentarily push away my worries over Hew.
While here, there was nothing I could do, and my heart nearly burst through my chest when I held my granddaughter in my arms for the first time.
I’d heard it said before that grandchildren filled you with a kind of love that was not even matched by your children. I’d always thought it a crazy notion, but as I latched on to her tiny fingers, I finally understood.
To hold a little human, one that came from a very piece of me, allowed me for an instant to believe that I would truly live on forever, in Bri, in her daughter, and in whatever children this child would one day have. It was all that one could ask for in life, more than I ever thought I would receive.
“Mom, you’re crying more than I am, more than Eoin.”
I glanced over to see Eoin practically blubbering in the corner and laughed as I carried the child to Bri’s loving arms. “I don’t care. I have never seen anything more perfect in my entire life.”
Bri smiled, bending to kiss her daughter’s head. “I know. Me either. Where’s Arran? I’m sure he’s ready to meet his niece.”
I didn’t wish to burden any of them with bad news, but I knew I must tell them. “It’s nothing to worry over I’m sure, but I had a dream about Hew. I became worried that perhaps something had happened to him on his journey. Arran and Kip rode after him to make sure that he is all right.”
Bri looked up at me, clearly seeing past the calm fa?ade I was doing my best to put on. “Go.”
I shook my head, dismissing her. “No, I’m not going to leave you so soon. You just had a baby for goodness sakes.”
She raised her left hand and shooed me from the room. “Mom, go. Everything is fine here. I know you need to be there. Just promise me you’ll be careful.”
I couldn’t deny she was right. I bent quickly to kiss her and the babe on the forehead before turning to leave the room. “I will.”
I ran to the stables, mounting the first horse I saw and took off at full speed away from Conall Castle.
Chapter 22
I’d left the castle before sunrise, and it neared dusk when I found them. The vision before me was just as I’d seen it in the dream. I had been right. I was certain it was Morna who’d sent it to me.
“Is he…” I could hardly force the words out of my mouth. “Is he alive?”
“Aye, lass. I am verra alive and intend to stay that way.”
When Hew’s voice answered, the relief that washed through me was enough to nearly bring me to my knees.
My legs were shaky as I approached him, the adrenaline that had allowed me to ride to him so quickly suddenly receding. I knelt next to him, grabbing both sides of his face as I examined him for injuries. I spoke to Arran and Kip behind me, “Why haven’t you moved the horse off of him? He’s going to lose his legs if the horse stays on him much longer.”
“We only just arrived as well, lass. Ye must have been riding verra quickly to have caught us.”
Hew reached his right hand up to touch my face. The other arm still dislocated. “Nay, lass. If I hadna thrown me shoulder out of place, I would have been able to scoot out from under him. I willna lose me legs.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” I stepped out of the way so that Arran and Kip could get on either side of him. Together they lifted him, avoiding his injured shoulder so that they could pull him out from under the horse whose breathing was shallow. My heart winced in sadness at the creature’s pain. His suffering would have to be ended.
Once his legs were free, Arran had me move to Hew’s right side so that I could hold him down and steady while Kip secured his feet. Once he was as still as we could get him, Arran asked him to bite a rag as he jerked the shoulder into place. It was a horrible sound but after the initial pain, the relief became instantly visible on Hew’s face.
With help, the two men pulled him to his feet. After a few moments of allowing his blood to re-circulate, he moved about to get his footing under him.
Eventually, he turned to address all of us. “I am verra grateful for yer help. I hate to ask it of ye, but would ye all mind riding ahead a ways, only for a few moments?”
“Why?” The word slipped out quickly, but as I looked at the way he stared down at his horse, sadness in his eyes, I knew.
“It must be I that end this for him, and I wish to do it alone.”
Silently, we turned and left him.
He’d not taken long. Once he joined us, we made plans to stay in the village where Hew was heading when his horse had fallen. Close to Mae’s grave, Hew was determined to complete the journey he had intended.
Although I couldn’t stand the thought of leaving him alone once again, I understood his need to do this one last time.
*