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Sophie’s nerves skittered. “Is everything all right?”
“I think so,” Elspeth said. “There’s just an awful lot of blood…”
That did not sound good. Sophie worried her lip. “I do hope the doctor gets here soon.”
“As do I, milady,” Elspeth said. “The afterbirth has come out, but the bleeding is not stopping.”
No! Please, no. Sophie’s insides churned. What if Elspeth couldn’t stop the bleeding? What if the doctor never got here? Where were Evan and Mother? Why was this happening? These two little girls needed their mother, and selfish though she may be, Sophie needed her little sister.
Sophie continued holding Ally’s hand. Beads of perspiration emerged on Ally’s forehead, her eyes still closed in what appeared to be a dreamless sleep.
“Oh, Ally, hold on,” Sophie said. “You have two baby girls who need you.”
The blood still came. Sophie gulped as Elspeth soaked towel after towel with the sticky redness.
The door to the parlor thundered open, and Evan, a true mountain of a man, entered loudly. “Where is my wife?” he demanded and then cast his gaze to the unconscious Ally, Elspeth between her legs trying to staunch the bleeding. “Oh my God! What is happening?”
“Thank God you’re here, Evan,” Sophie said. “We’re still waiting for the doctor, and Ally is bleeding from her womb. But look”—she pointed to the two bundles in Millicent’s arms—“you have two baby daughters.”
“Two? But my Alexandra… What’s going on?” Evan’s face turned pale. His eyes glowed with extreme happiness and extreme fear at the same time. “Where is the goddamned doctor?”
“We don’t know, my lord,” Millicent said. “Mr. Bertram went to fetch him, and they’ve not returned yet. You should leave. This is no place for a gentleman.”
“You’ll have to drag me out of here unconscious then,” Evan said. “I will not leave my wife’s side.”
“Come around to the other side, Evan, and take her other hand,” Sophie said. “She needs to feel your presence. We need to give her our will to be strong. Talk to her. Perhaps she’ll hear you.”
Evan did as Sophie bid and took his place on Ally’s other side. He grabbed her hand and clasped it to his cheek. “Oh, my sweet love, please fight for us and our two precious daughters. Where is that fucking doctor?”
Haley returned with two bottles of milk for the babies. She took one child from Millicent. “Let’s get these two to the nursery,” Haley said.
“I haven’t even gotten to hold them,” Evan said, his eyes sunken and sad.
“You’ll have plenty of time to hold them, Evan,” Sophie said. “Haley and Millicent will take good care of them for now. Right now our focus has to be on Ally.”
Evan nodded.
Time passed slowly, and Sophie thought the doctor would never arrive until finally, the parlor door burst open, Iris, the earl, and a gentleman who looked to be a doctor entering.
Iris gasped. “What is going on here?”
The doctor took immediate charge. “I need everyone out of here right away. Except for you.” He nodded to Elspeth.
Sophie gathered all her strength to release Ally’s hand, stand, and leave the room.
Evan was not so quick to leave. “I’ll not leave my wife, Doctor. She needs me.”
“I’ll not deny she needs you, my lord, but I must be able to do my work. You are too emotionally involved and will hinder what I need to do. Please.”
Evan must have agreed, because when Sophie turned around, he had let go of Ally’s hand and was walking toward the door.
Sophie ran into her mother’s embrace. “Mama, I’m so scared. She’s bleeding so profusely.”
Iris sniffed and wiped away a tear. “She is strong, Sophie, as strong as a woman can be. I’ve never known anyone stronger than your sister.”
Sophie agreed. “Nor have I.”
The doctor requested a few more maids and then asked not to be disturbed, that he would have news when some was available.
