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“Ye look like a burnin’ man,” Damon said with a chuckle as he walked down the hall. Conner glanced at him and turned his attention back to Olivia’s room.
“Come on,” Damon said, patting Conner on the shoulder. “Ye look like ye could use a drink.”
“I’m nae leavin’ my wife,” Conner fired off as he puffed out his chest defensively.
“Who said anythin’ about leavin’? We’ll be in the same castle. Besides its nae like ye can dae anythin’ out here that ye cannae dae in yer study. Now come on.”
Damon pulled Conner from the doorway and lightly pushed Conner to keep him moving forward down the hallway.
“A shillin’ for yer thoughts,” Damon said, as they reached the bottom of the steps and guided Conner to the study.
“I want to be wit’ my wife,” Conner said.
“But ye cannae be in there,” Damon said. “So ye might as well listen from the next best place.”
“I’ll nae be able to hear her screams from the study,” Conner said, feeling a bit panicked and guilty.
“Precisely,” Damon said. “Trust me when I say that is a good thin’. That woman of yers has a good set of lungs on her. Suppose she’ll be needin’ them. She is pushin’ out yer bairn after all.”
Conner couldn’t help but smile as he plopped down into the plush chair. Damon walked to the small table with the various liquids on it and poured Conner from the tallest bottle.
“This is all too strange,” Conner said, taking the glass from Damon’s hand.
“How so?” Damon asked as he poured a drink for himself before sitting across from Conner.
“I never thought I’d be one to have a family, ye ken?” Conner leaned back in his seat and sipped the liquid. The burning sensation coursing through his throat eased his troubles and his pain. His mind danced over the idea of picking up his child in his arms. Loving his flesh and blood and watching his legacy continue. The thought nearly brought tears to his eyes as he let the fantasy play out.
Conner could so easily imagine holding his child in his arms and rocking it back and forth. He could see Olivia’s face so clear and beautiful in his mind. Clinging to his thoughts, he tried to block out another bout of screams.
“So what dae ye think?” Damon asked as he glanced at his empty glass.
“About?” Conner asked, pinching the bridge of his nose as the fantasy faded.
“Yer sister,” Damon said in a huff. Conner’s face scrunched as he tried to remember what Damon had been talking about, but his mind was a blank.
“What about her?”
“Aye, ye werenae listenin’ to a word I said did ye?” Damon said, throwing his arms up into the air and shaking his head.
“Conner.” Sadie’s voice was panicked and rushed causing Conner to jump to his feet.
“Is it…”
“Nay,” Sadie said, backoning him to come. “They need ye up there.”
“What’s goin’ on?” Conner asked as he dropped his glass. He was at the door by the time he heard the glass shatter on the hard stone floor.
“They are losin’ Olivia,” Sadie answered. Damon’s mouth dropped as Conner’s chest tightened. He raced up the stairs to Olivia’s room and pushed through the doors. Sweat dripped from Olivia’s brow and trickled down to her neck. It looked as if she had been standing out in a rain storm.
“Ye need to talk to her,” the midwife said. “She’s nae respondin’ to me or the servants.”
Conner swallowed hard. He had no clue what he was going to say to her. As he drew closer he noticed how pale her skin was. It was as if she were already a ghost. The light in her eyes still flickered as Olivia glanced at him through the slits of her eyelids.
“My love,” Conner whispered as he slipped onto the bed beside her. Carefully, he pulled her to his chest and cradled her. “Oh my darlin’.”
“I’m sorry.” Her voice was raspy and faded. Conner couldn’t stop his lip from trembling as he stroked her hair.
“There is nothin’ to be sorry about, yer goin’ to get through this,” Conner said as he noticed another round of linens coming in while the servants gathered the dirty ones.
