“Tomorrow afternoon. I got a new grandchild trying to make its way into the world and I’d like to be close by for a while. And I don’t doubt there will be some who want to speak to this on the record. Ethan, you think we can take care of this tomorrow afternoon?”

“Yes. As long as Bookman hasn’t ridden off somewhere.”

Jemima had been watching this exchange stony-faced, but now she turned her attention to Ethan. “You want a hearing, you had better be ready because I got stories to tell too.”

Ethan seemed to have not heard her at all. To Levi he said, “If you need a hearing, then that’s what you’ll get. Right now I think we all need to get moving.”

“I’m going up to Lake in the Clouds with you,” Levi said. “I’m not letting her out of my sight.”

Chapter LXVI

Luke was a patient man and never balked at stepping out of the way when he wasn’t needed, but for once his calm had been shaken. When Elizabeth came to find him he was red-eyed and his hair stood up in peaks. He was frantic with worry, and she was here to tell him that there was indeed reason for concern. Ben sat with him, and for once there was nothing in his expression of good humor.

“She never screamed like that before,” Luke said. “With the girls, she didn’t scream like that.”

He hadn’t been with Jennet when Nathan was born, something he had always regretted; Elizabeth had heard him say it.

“It is not the easiest of births,” she said. She sat down across from him and wished for Nathaniel. Maybe Ben saw that in her expression, because he cleared his throat and leaned forward a little.

He said, “If you’ve got news it would be best if you’d come out with it.”

“Yes,” Elizabeth said. “The child is very big, and Jennet’s not making progress the way we would hope. But it’s not time to despair yet. She wants to see you, Luke.”

He followed her up the stairs and along the hall, passing the empty rooms where his children would normally be sleeping. They had all been sent to Uphill House with Birdie, to sleep two and three to a bed with their cousins.

There was no reluctance in him, but dread and confusion and a contained fury.

Jennet’s moaning could be heard clearly, though the door was shut, and as they approached it spiraled up into a hoarse scream, the kind of scream a man has rarely heard unless he has been in battle. Elizabeth hesitated, and Luke reached past her and opened the door.

The room was well lit, at Hannah’s direction, so that shadows danced on the walls. Both windows were open, but covered with cotton gauze pulled tight and pinned in place to keep the insects out. Whatever breeze this would have provided was countered by the fire in the hearth, where water was kept at a simmer and Hannah burned herbs.

Hannah and Curiosity did not even look in their direction. Curiosity was bent over Jennet’s straining form, her head turned to one side as she felt her way by touch alone, measuring what progress there might be.

Jennet’s scream fell away and Curiosity straightened to look at her while she took a damp cloth from Hannah and wiped her hands.

“You working hard, I know it. The child has got itself stuck, and I’ma have to turn it.”

“Then turn it,” Jennet whispered, her voice cracking. “But let me talk to Luke for a moment.”

Hannah said, “Just a moment, Jennet. Time is of the essence.”

She stood with one hand resting lightly on the mound of Jennet’s stomach, waiting for the first sign of the next contraction.

Elizabeth went to the far side of the bed to refold the pile of linen that needed no refolding, because while Jennet and Luke deserved privacy, it was a luxury Jennet could not afford. Curiosity turned to tend the fire, and Hannah began to organize the tray of medications and herbs. All of them trying not to listen, but of course they heard, every word.

Jennet said, “I’ve made a muddle of this.”

“So you have.” Luke’s voice firm and tender at the same time. “But you’ll figure a way out, you always do.”

“If things gae wrong—Luke, dinnae shake your heid, ye mun hark. Should things gae bad, then the bairns should be raised here. Lily and Simon wad take them, I’ve already talked to her about it—”

“You what?”

“As women wi a speck o sense talk of sic things before the travail starts,” she said with a hint of her old spirit. “Mind me, man. Will ye do as I ask?”

“No,” Luke said. “Because you’ll come through this. You will come through this.”

“Ordering me aboot,” Jennet said. “As ever. I will do my best, but ye mun promise.”

“I promise,” he said.

“Then leave me tae my work. But kiss me first, before ye go.”

It was a full minute after Luke had closed the door behind himself before Elizabeth could trust her voice enough to speak.

“What do you need me to do?” she asked Hannah.

“Talk to me,” Jennet said, answering for her sister-in-law. “Tell me the story of the first time ye saw Luke.”

Hannah turned suddenly. She said, “Oh, I can do better than that. Look Jennet. I found this letter you wrote me more than twenty years ago when Luke first came to stay with you at Carryck.” She pulled it from her apron pocket. “I think it would make you laugh to hear your first opinion of the man who got you on your back—”

“Hannah!” Ma sounded truly shocked and so was Birdie. Curiosity laughed out loud.