‘He enjoyed himself immensely, Saint,’ Byrony said. ‘He was itching to bang some heads together and got his wish.’
A 7 r-
Saint watched Byrony with a professional eye. The child was large and it worried him. And Byrony, despite her smiles, looked tired. He heard her speak to Jules about their school.
‘Little Tony, bless his heart, practically taught himself how to read and do figures. He’s now in charge of deeds, births, deaths, and all the rest of the record-keeping.’
‘Yes,’ Brent said with a wry grin. ‘Little Tony – the fellow’s nearly as big as you are, Saint.’
It wasn’t until that afternoon that Brent managed to get Saint alone. They were walking in the garden behind the house, Brent explaining what crops they were planting and how it was decided who did what. He broke off suddenly. ‘Well, what do you think, Saint?’
Saint didn’t pretend to misunderstand. ‘She needs to be tied down,’ he said.
Brent cursed softly. ‘Lord knows I yell at her enough, but she’ll turn those big eyes on me and say, ‘But there’s so much to be done,’ and I always fold. Some gambler I am.’
‘Tie her down,’ Saint repeated. ‘The child has dropped, Brent, which means that she’ll go into labor in, say, three or four days. She needs to stay in bed now. I won’t lie to you. The child is large, even larger than I’d
A 7,(–
expected it would be. She needs to have all her strength because her labor will probably be long.’
Brent turned white.
Saint put his hand on Brent’s shoulder. ‘I don’t mean to scare you. Byrony will be all right, I swear it. But I don’t like to tempt fate.’
‘I’ll tie her down.,’ Brent said. ‘Excuse me a moment, Saint, and I’ll do it right now.’ ‘Better yet,’ Saint said, ‘let me examine her
now. I’ll give her the orders. You’re only her husband, Brent, I’m her doctor.’ Saint paused a moment, then said, ‘You haven’t seen any strangers about, have you, Brent?’
‘As in Wilkes, you mean, Saint?’
‘Yes, as in Jameson Wilkes. I really don’t know just how extensive his spy system is, but 5
‘Yes, but,’ said Brent. ‘Try not to worry. I’ll ask about.’
Saint said nothing more, but Brent knew he was worried. Hell, all his friends were worried and would be until the vermin was destroyed.
They found Jules and Byrony in the parlor laughing and drinking tea. Byrony was busily sewing something. Brent said firmly, ‘Hello, Jules. Byrony, come along now, Saint’s going to take care of you.’ He
A77
held out his hand to his wife.
Byrony grumbled a bit, but allowed her husband to help her out of the chair.
‘Jules,’ Saint said, ‘would you please see to Brent here? Byrony, at last I’ve got you to myself. Let’s go upstairs, Mrs. Hammond.’
Brent looked as if he would follow, but instead sighed and flung himself down in the chair Byrony had just vacated. ‘Damn,’ he said. ‘Excuse me, Jules,’ he added.
‘You’re worried, Brent. I don’t blame you, but Michael is the best doctor in the whole world.’
He gave her a crooked smile. ‘He’s also going to be the busiest doctor in the whole world. Everyone in town knows he’s here by now. A goodly number have aches and pains. There’ll be a line two deep tomorrow.’
Upstairs, Saint helped Byrony sit down in a chair, then sat down on the edge of the bed. He said very gently, ‘Tell me how you feel.’
‘I’ve had pains already, Saint. Then they go away. I do try to rest., but – ‘
‘Yes, I know. These pains, Byrony, tell me about them.’
She told him of the sharp, low pains, finishing with, ‘I thank my lucky stars I didn’t tell Brent. He would have gone crazy.’
‘Yes, it’s just as well. Now, I’d like to feel
A70
this child of yours.’
Byrony undressed while Saint waited outside in the hallway. She was swathed in a long white cotton nightgown when he came back into the room. He helped her lie on the bed, then very gently slipped his hands beneath the gown to feel her belly.