inside. Or the craving to fully submit to the emotions running through her crazed veins. But she shouldn't think of herself right now, only Clara.
Chapter Five: Addition & Subtraction
At Precious's insistence, Gareth put on a fresh shirt and breaches. He didn't quite see the purpose since birthing was a process that left things soiled. And difficult ones meant a great amount of soiling. He left his chambers at the darkened end of the hall and went back down to the kitchen.
After scrubbing his hands for the third time, he plodded back into the parlor. Surely he would pass inspection now. He swallowed. Turmoil built inside. This was again one of those time where good intentions and best efforts didn't lead to success. I get it, Lord. Let Your hands drive mine. There had to be joy in this house for a few more hours, if even if war drove it away tomorrow.
Letting his hands air dry, he trotted up the stairs. With a breath and another quick prayer for guidance and mercy, he crossed Mrs. Narvel's threshold.
"Captain." The woman's eyes shone brightly though her voice was weak. "So glad you are safe."
He nodded and approached the bed. "May I?"
Her head whipped up and down as she bit down on a whimper. "No need for shyness now, Captain. Seems we are going to be very familiar soon."
"About that familiarity. For the record, I know some about births. My ship rescued a slave ship during the war. It had women from Jamaica on board. I had to deliver a child or two, but that's it."
The poor woman nodded as she gritted her teeth. "That will have to be enough, Lord Welling. Precious knows some things. She's helped me to last until your return."
He looked over to Precious as she mopped Mrs. Narvel's brow. She looked threadbare, about to fall over with concern. The lovely girl had a big heart. He couldn't let it break with the loss of Mrs. Narvel. Pivoting back to the panting woman, he nodded. "I suppose together, we'll make a good team."
"We're gonna have to be."
He leaned down and started to poke at the blanket covering the lady's legs. Then stopped himself.
Precious crept closer to his shoulder. The whisper of her soft breath fell upon his neck again pushing his thoughts far from this bedchamber to his own.
"Go on, Gareth. We can't delay."
He stood back and folded his arms. "It's not that simple, Precious. This may not be England, but I'm an English gentleman about to compromise a widow woman to view her privacy. "
The feisty governess latched onto his shoulder. "Clara just told you she didn't care."
"Captain." Clara's strained voice came between them. "You're going to marry Precious. She's the captain's woman. I heard her tell that to someone yesterday. Nothing changes that. Isn't that right, Precious?"
He tried to hide a smirk, but failed miserably. "So that is what you told Mzwamadoda? Well, you made your own bargain this time or did your dear friend hear wrong?"
Precious thinned her lips as if she tried to think of an excuse. She spread her shoulders back. In a voice that sounded almost prideful, she said. "Yes. That's exactly what I told the bounder. Now, help me bring this baby in the world."
He wasn't going to hold her to something said in duress, but she didn't have to know that now. Smiling, he moved back to the sheets. "I'll do my best, my intended."
The glint of humor in Mrs. Narvel's eyes faded as another contraction hit. "You have my permission to do what ever is needed to save this baby. And if you have to do a caesarean do it. My dearest husband's baby must live.
Precious whipped her head from side to side. "But that will mean you'll bleed to death." Her voice became a strangled tumult. "Gareth, no. Don't let that happen."
He took her hand and squeezed it hard. "I'm not going to let any more bad happen to those you love. You've heard my words."
The frown lines on her temples cleared. "Yes."
He took a peak at the bed-ridden woman. She was quite ready for life to spring forth, but he didn't see
Chapter Five: Addition & Subtraction
At Precious's insistence, Gareth put on a fresh shirt and breaches. He didn't quite see the purpose since birthing was a process that left things soiled. And difficult ones meant a great amount of soiling. He left his chambers at the darkened end of the hall and went back down to the kitchen.
After scrubbing his hands for the third time, he plodded back into the parlor. Surely he would pass inspection now. He swallowed. Turmoil built inside. This was again one of those time where good intentions and best efforts didn't lead to success. I get it, Lord. Let Your hands drive mine. There had to be joy in this house for a few more hours, if even if war drove it away tomorrow.
Letting his hands air dry, he trotted up the stairs. With a breath and another quick prayer for guidance and mercy, he crossed Mrs. Narvel's threshold.
"Captain." The woman's eyes shone brightly though her voice was weak. "So glad you are safe."
He nodded and approached the bed. "May I?"
Her head whipped up and down as she bit down on a whimper. "No need for shyness now, Captain. Seems we are going to be very familiar soon."
"About that familiarity. For the record, I know some about births. My ship rescued a slave ship during the war. It had women from Jamaica on board. I had to deliver a child or two, but that's it."
The poor woman nodded as she gritted her teeth. "That will have to be enough, Lord Welling. Precious knows some things. She's helped me to last until your return."
He looked over to Precious as she mopped Mrs. Narvel's brow. She looked threadbare, about to fall over with concern. The lovely girl had a big heart. He couldn't let it break with the loss of Mrs. Narvel. Pivoting back to the panting woman, he nodded. "I suppose together, we'll make a good team."
"We're gonna have to be."
He leaned down and started to poke at the blanket covering the lady's legs. Then stopped himself.
Precious crept closer to his shoulder. The whisper of her soft breath fell upon his neck again pushing his thoughts far from this bedchamber to his own.
"Go on, Gareth. We can't delay."
He stood back and folded his arms. "It's not that simple, Precious. This may not be England, but I'm an English gentleman about to compromise a widow woman to view her privacy. "
The feisty governess latched onto his shoulder. "Clara just told you she didn't care."
"Captain." Clara's strained voice came between them. "You're going to marry Precious. She's the captain's woman. I heard her tell that to someone yesterday. Nothing changes that. Isn't that right, Precious?"
He tried to hide a smirk, but failed miserably. "So that is what you told Mzwamadoda? Well, you made your own bargain this time or did your dear friend hear wrong?"
Precious thinned her lips as if she tried to think of an excuse. She spread her shoulders back. In a voice that sounded almost prideful, she said. "Yes. That's exactly what I told the bounder. Now, help me bring this baby in the world."
He wasn't going to hold her to something said in duress, but she didn't have to know that now. Smiling, he moved back to the sheets. "I'll do my best, my intended."
The glint of humor in Mrs. Narvel's eyes faded as another contraction hit. "You have my permission to do what ever is needed to save this baby. And if you have to do a caesarean do it. My dearest husband's baby must live.
Precious whipped her head from side to side. "But that will mean you'll bleed to death." Her voice became a strangled tumult. "Gareth, no. Don't let that happen."
He took her hand and squeezed it hard. "I'm not going to let any more bad happen to those you love. You've heard my words."
The frown lines on her temples cleared. "Yes."
He took a peak at the bed-ridden woman. She was quite ready for life to spring forth, but he didn't see
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