Too Scot to Hold (The Hots for Scots #8) - Caroline Lee Page 0,36

be! Tomas and Liam will adore her as much as Malcolm will.”

“I ken it, lass, I ken,” he murmured, seeing she’d already delivered the afterbirth. The bairn Davina still held—cautiously, as if afraid of dropping her—was still connected to the placenta via the life-giving cord. So, first things first.

Motioning Davina not to move, he pushed himself to his feet and reached for Evelinde’s hands. “Come now, Evie,” he coaxed, prying her fingers away from the wooden pole. “Let us get ye to bed.”

When she finally let go of the poster, he was there to catch her and keep her from falling backward. She was still crying when he scooped her up, carefully stepping around Vina, and carried Evelinde to the bed. “Ye were thinking to spare everyone, were ye no’? Ye’ve been in labor for hours if I dinnae miss my guess.”

“I dinnae want anyone to fuss over me,” she said with a sniff.

From where she knelt, Davina called out, “She said ‘twas like this with Tomas; she birthed him alone with only Liam there.”

Not knowing what Merewyn would need to do for the new mother when she arrived, Graham didn’t bother tucking her under the covers, but just patted Evie’s shoulder as he turned back to the bairn and the woman holding her.

“Then Evelinde was extremely lucky to have ye, Vina.” When the terror on her face relaxed slightly, he nodded firmly and squatted beside her. “Now, let us see who we have here.”

The bairn did indeed seem to be healthy. Murmuring softly to her, he cut a piece of his plaid off and laid it on the floor. “Place her down there, aye? ‘Tis important to allow as much blood to travel from the sack to her as possible. When the cord has turned pale like this, we ken enough time has passed to cut it.”

“Dinnae throw it out,” Evelinde called weakly from the bed.

Graham chuckled drily as he used his knife to cut the cord, pleased he’d taken such care to clean it. “I ken enough to ken I dinnae ken nearly enough on the rules of afterbirth, so I’ll leave it for Merewyn and ye.”

“That almost made sense,” Davina murmured.

He shot her a quick glance, the corners of his lips twitching. “Ye did well, Vina.” He couldn’t wait to gather her in his arms and kiss her, but first he had to tie off the wee bairn’s cord.

That done, he wrapped the newborn in the piece of his plaid and rose to his feet. The bairn had settled but was still waving her small arms angrily as she made fussing sounds. Knowing she would quiet when her mother held her, Graham took the time to reach down and offer to help Davina to her feet. His love didn’t seem to mind the state of his hands, since hers were just as bad.

As she gained her feet, they both heard running feet in the corridor, and heard Malcolm bellow, “Evie!” moments before he burst through the doorway. When he saw them standing there, Graham with a bundle in his arms, he switched his gaze to his wife in the bed. “Evelinde?” he ventured again; his tone hesitant.

“I’m fine, love.”

“Aye,” Graham stated firmly, “she’s strong and brave. And so is yer daughter.”

“Daughter?” Malcolm repeated weakly.

Davina nudged his arm, so Graham stepped forward, holding the plaid-wrapped infant out. “A fine lassie, Malcolm.”

His brother wouldn’t be the next laird, but from the joy in the man’s blue eyes as he reached for his child, it didn’t matter to him.

“A daughter,” he whispered again, his gaze on the bairn as he shuffled toward the bed. “Ye truly are aright, Evie?”

“I will be better when ye hand me my lassie, husband.” Evelinde’s words were stern, but her tone was light as she held out her arms.

When Malcolm placed the bairn in her arms, she loosened the neckline of her gown for the infant to nurse, and the three of them seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

With that sound—that peace—Davina whimpered just slightly and relaxed against Graham. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and steered her around toward the door just as a panting Merewyn appeared in it, the serving lass and Moira behind her.

“What’s happened?” she barked.

Graham, recognizing the worry in her tone, and the need to keep calm for her patients’ sakes, hurried to update her. “Evelinde has been laboring alone, apparently. It looks like she didnae retire here with Davina ‘til the last possible moment.”

“She birthed the bairn