My Highland Rogue - Karen Ranney Page 0,5

Hall for a month after the child’s birth.

A great many other traditions—or superstitions, depending on your opinion—accompanied the birth of a baby.

Mrs. Farmer, being the renowned midwife that she was, should depend less on superstition and more on her medical expertise. That was not, however, a comment Jennifer was going to say to the esteemed lady. Mrs. Farmer also had a temper.

The woman excused herself, no doubt to go and badger the cook or Mrs. Thompson, the housekeeper.

Lauren had dropped off to sleep again, being nearly to term. She slept a great deal, which was, according to Mrs. Farmer, a good sign for a propitious birth. Jennifer had every intention of leaving the room without disturbing her sister-in-law, but when she reached the doorway, Lauren spoke.

“Are you going to leave me to Mrs. Farmer?”

Jennifer glanced back at the bed, then at the doorway.

Mrs. Farmer had unexpectedly shown up on their doorstep two weeks ago and announced that Hamish Campbell, Lauren’s father, had hired her to care for his daughter. Since Jennifer had been under the impression that Mr. Campbell was in America, she’d been surprised, at least until talking to Lauren.

“My father plans everything,” she said. “He leaves absolutely nothing to chance.” She’d smiled down at her burgeoning stomach. “Not even his grandchild.”

That is how Mrs. Farmer had come to rule their days and nights. Both Jennifer and Lauren were somewhat in awe of the woman, who didn’t seem to understand the word no. Nor did she accept excuses, regardless of the topic. Therefore, it was just easier—for Jennifer—to avoid the woman.

Poor Lauren had no such escape.

Jennifer walked toward the bed. Lauren scooted over so she could sit on the edge of the mattress.

Her sister-in-law was petite, nearly dwarfed in the massive four-poster. Her hair, black and normally lustrous, had dulled in the past few months. Her distinctive blue eyes were rarely filled with laughter now.

Jennifer put that down to Harrison’s absence. It had been obvious from the beginning that Lauren adored her husband. Unfortunately, it had been as telling that Harrison barely tolerated his bride.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

Lauren smiled. “Like I’m all baby and nothing else.”

“Mrs. Farmer said that the baby should be born shortly.”

Lauren sighed. “I do hope so, if for no other reason than not to disappoint her.” She levered herself up, then swung her legs off the bed. “I feel that everything I do is somehow wrong.”

“Nonsense, you’re perfect. I’m the one who gets lectured every hour of the day. Adaire Hall is too large, too sprawling, too cold, too hot, too isolated, too filled with strange noises. We have creatures, in her words. Animals creeping past her window all hours of the night.”

“She’s in the room next to me,” Lauren said, her brow furrowing.

“Exactly. How can anything creep past her window on the second floor?”

Lauren’s smile was delightful to see. “Maybe it’s a bat.”

“Or a bird. Maybe some type of Highland monster ferret with wings.”

“She truly doesn’t seem to enjoy the Highlands very much,” Lauren said.

“Or Adaire Hall.”

“Silly woman. It’s a beautiful place.”

Jennifer smiled at the other woman, feeling in perfect accord. She loved her home, and it had been evident from the beginning that Lauren had taken to the Hall as well.

She’d been as surprised as anyone when her brother announced, two years ago, that he was about to be married. She’d learned later that Harrison had met Lauren because of an introduction from Jennifer’s godmother. Normally, he went out of his way to be unpleasant to Ellen whenever she visited Adaire Hall. However, Ellen knew a great many people in Edinburgh, with the result that Harrison had married an heiress, the only child of a wealthy Scottish industrialist.

From the moment Jennifer was introduced to Lauren, the two had been friends. In all honesty, she thought Lauren was a better wife than Harrison deserved. The fact that he had ignored his bride for the past eight months was proof.

Jennifer helped Lauren on with her shoes. Although Mrs. Farmer would have been content for Lauren to remain in bed until her confinement, the younger woman refused. She very carefully navigated the grand staircase once a day and back up in the evening. Although the trips were becoming more difficult, Lauren had a streak of stubbornness that was nearly the match of Mrs. Farmer’s.

“How long do you think she’ll stay?”

“After the baby is born?” Jennifer asked. When Lauren nodded, she added, “Much longer than we want her to.”

It was the perfect moment for Mrs.