Read Online Celtic Stars (Celtic Steel Book 4) by Delaney Rhodes - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Delaney Rhodes
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another fortnight.”
“Aye,” Darina signed, patting her belly as she rose from the sturdy wooden bench. Straightening her over robe as she stood, she grasped the edge of the bench with her left hand when she stumbled forward. She was ripe , like her sister Dervilla would say, and it was getting harder just to breathe, let alone stand up.
“Well, ye know,” continued Vynae, “I can make ye a brew that will bring it on sooner, and save ye the struggle, lass. That one there, she pointed with her bony index finger, is gonna be like passing a camel through the eye of a needle, she half-laughed, half-warned.
Darina grimaced and fiddled with the torque around her neck, stroking it for good luck as she remembered her cousin Kyra’s difficult delivery. The twins had been hard on Kyra, but Kyra was a strong one and the twins were healthy, after all. That was really all Darina needed to know.
“Yes, I think he is gonna be large, like Patrick,” Darina agreed.
“He?” chuckled Vynae. “Ye think it’s a boy, even after all these years with the Burke curse? Darina, ye know a male child hasn’t been born to an O’Malley family in many, many years. Odetta Burke saw to that, milady.”
“Except for me brathair Braeden, remember?” Darina interjected sarcastically.
“Aye, yes, except for Braeden,” Vynae agreed.
“And – Aiden,” she added, referring to Kyra’s twin son.
“Aye, that’s right milady,” Vynae agreed, “But those bairns were conceived elsewhere Darina. Yer brathair was conceived in Scotland and Aiden most likely was conceived in Burke lands.”
“Aye, and Patrick and I have been elsewhere as well,” Darina added, glaring purposefully at the nosey woman, “’Tis not like we haven’t stepped outside our territory ever, Vynae. Besides, Odetta is in our charge now, any curse that may have been, having long since been broken, I’d say, wouldn’t ye?”
“Well, I guess I wouldn’t know,” Vynae added feigning disinterest. “I should like to see ye, every other day now, for at least the next six days, more as it gets closer. I’m thinking as big as this ‘boy’ is – ye waters will break first and then we’ll be in the thick of it. Does Patrick plan on being with ye?” she asked hesitantly. “Ye young ones, ye do it different than I’m accustomed.”
“Of course, he does,” spat Darina, “He was there for the conception; he’ll be there for the birth. He was there with me cousin Kyra, why wouldn’t he be for me?"
“Well, I didn’t rightly know that, seeing as how I wasn’t there for Kyra’s delivery.”
“I’m sorry, Vynae,” she said, “I forgot ye were asked to leave. It was a difficult birth and Parkin was terrified, I can’t think of any other reason you wouldna’ be welcome to attend to the matter. Patrick’s brathairs, well all of them, the whole lot of them MacCahan boys, they are stubborn as wild mules. Ye will most definitely attend to mine, will ye no’ though?”
“Of course I will Darina, I attended ye own birth meself. I wouldna’ think of leaving ye to anyone else.”
The sound of pounding footsteps down the hallway broke the conversation and Kyra burst into the chamber. “Darina, ye must come at once, at once.”
“What is it Kyra,” Darina asked, looking puzzled as her face switched between Kyra and then back to Vynae.
“’Tis Fanai” Kyra gasped, “He hasno’ returned? Yer hound, he hasno’ returned and Jamie has called a council meetin'. Parkin is gathering his men from the ship and they are all set to leave, Patrick needs ye at once.”
“Aye,” Darina replied, “I’m close behind.”
N INE
Burke Lands
The trio was nearly exhausted, having run, walked, trudged and dragged themselves through the forest for the past five hours. They had still not reached the border between O’Malley lands and Burke lands and now their hunger was getting the better of them. The two lasses sat down beside a babbling brook,
“Aye,” Darina signed, patting her belly as she rose from the sturdy wooden bench. Straightening her over robe as she stood, she grasped the edge of the bench with her left hand when she stumbled forward. She was ripe , like her sister Dervilla would say, and it was getting harder just to breathe, let alone stand up.
“Well, ye know,” continued Vynae, “I can make ye a brew that will bring it on sooner, and save ye the struggle, lass. That one there, she pointed with her bony index finger, is gonna be like passing a camel through the eye of a needle, she half-laughed, half-warned.
Darina grimaced and fiddled with the torque around her neck, stroking it for good luck as she remembered her cousin Kyra’s difficult delivery. The twins had been hard on Kyra, but Kyra was a strong one and the twins were healthy, after all. That was really all Darina needed to know.
“Yes, I think he is gonna be large, like Patrick,” Darina agreed.
“He?” chuckled Vynae. “Ye think it’s a boy, even after all these years with the Burke curse? Darina, ye know a male child hasn’t been born to an O’Malley family in many, many years. Odetta Burke saw to that, milady.”
“Except for me brathair Braeden, remember?” Darina interjected sarcastically.
“Aye, yes, except for Braeden,” Vynae agreed.
“And – Aiden,” she added, referring to Kyra’s twin son.
“Aye, that’s right milady,” Vynae agreed, “But those bairns were conceived elsewhere Darina. Yer brathair was conceived in Scotland and Aiden most likely was conceived in Burke lands.”
“Aye, and Patrick and I have been elsewhere as well,” Darina added, glaring purposefully at the nosey woman, “’Tis not like we haven’t stepped outside our territory ever, Vynae. Besides, Odetta is in our charge now, any curse that may have been, having long since been broken, I’d say, wouldn’t ye?”
“Well, I guess I wouldn’t know,” Vynae added feigning disinterest. “I should like to see ye, every other day now, for at least the next six days, more as it gets closer. I’m thinking as big as this ‘boy’ is – ye waters will break first and then we’ll be in the thick of it. Does Patrick plan on being with ye?” she asked hesitantly. “Ye young ones, ye do it different than I’m accustomed.”
“Of course, he does,” spat Darina, “He was there for the conception; he’ll be there for the birth. He was there with me cousin Kyra, why wouldn’t he be for me?"
“Well, I didn’t rightly know that, seeing as how I wasn’t there for Kyra’s delivery.”
“I’m sorry, Vynae,” she said, “I forgot ye were asked to leave. It was a difficult birth and Parkin was terrified, I can’t think of any other reason you wouldna’ be welcome to attend to the matter. Patrick’s brathairs, well all of them, the whole lot of them MacCahan boys, they are stubborn as wild mules. Ye will most definitely attend to mine, will ye no’ though?”
“Of course I will Darina, I attended ye own birth meself. I wouldna’ think of leaving ye to anyone else.”
The sound of pounding footsteps down the hallway broke the conversation and Kyra burst into the chamber. “Darina, ye must come at once, at once.”
“What is it Kyra,” Darina asked, looking puzzled as her face switched between Kyra and then back to Vynae.
“’Tis Fanai” Kyra gasped, “He hasno’ returned? Yer hound, he hasno’ returned and Jamie has called a council meetin'. Parkin is gathering his men from the ship and they are all set to leave, Patrick needs ye at once.”
“Aye,” Darina replied, “I’m close behind.”
N INE
Burke Lands
The trio was nearly exhausted, having run, walked, trudged and dragged themselves through the forest for the past five hours. They had still not reached the border between O’Malley lands and Burke lands and now their hunger was getting the better of them. The two lasses sat down beside a babbling brook,
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