Page 39 of Never Kiss a Highlander

“How long has she been laboring?” Finn asked.

Old Kilmead leaned back on his heels and wiped his forehead. “Going on three hours. It looks like the foal needs to be shifted, but my hand is too big and I’m afraid I’m going to hurt her.”

Both men turned to Alison. “I remember ye doing this a few years ago, lass.”

“Aye. Since my hand is smaller, I have a better chance to turn the foal without hurting the mother.

“Move back and let me take a look.” She crawled over and took Old Kilmead’s place. She ran her hand over the suffering animal and spoke softly to her.

“I need more light. The gloomy weather outside makes it seem like evening.’

Finn fetched a couple of torches from the wall and lit them. He handed one to Old Kilmead who raised it above the animal’s head. Finn held the other one and came close to her hands.

Once the animal calmed down and accepted Alison, she allowed her to put her hand inside and feel the foal. “Aye, she needs to be turned. If the mother has been in labor for three hours, we need to get the foal out immediately.”

By now Alison was sweating, afraid to lose the mother and baby. The mother continued to groan, and it appeared she was no longer helping with the birth.

“The foal needs to come out front hooves first, and then the nose. This one doesn’t need to be turned too much. Right now I’m concerned about the mother.”

Finn moved closer with the torch. Alison inserted her hand inside the mare and gently turned the foal. One of his hooves seemed to be stuck and she had to push back a bit and then turn again.

She expelled a sigh of relief as the foal slid into her hands. After she quickly cleaned the foal off it began to breathe. Not long after the placenta slid out.

Alison turned her head to look at Finn. “We saved her.”

Finn smiled at her. “Nay, lass. Ye saved her.”

He stood and reached out to take her hand but she shook her head. “Nay. I need to wash up.”

“’Tis no matter. Let me help ye.”

She smiled at him and he gripped her sticky, dirty hand. After making sure everything was well with the mother and foal, Finn and Alison left Old Kilmead to take over.

They headed to the kitchen scooped out a handful of soap and went to the small pond behind the keep.

“Ye did verra good, Alison. I’m proud of ye. I doona think I would have been able to do it because my hand is too big, too. It appears ye have many talents.”

“Well, ye helped me in the kitchen and I helped ye in the stables. It seems we are a team.” She waited for him to say ‘nay’ because in a team no one has control.”

He waited for a minute and said, “Aye, wife. We are a team.”

Finn and Alison lay side-by-side in their bed, holding hands as they slowly recovered from another enthusiastic bout of love making.

She looked over at her husband. For good or not good, she was beginning to have strong feelings for the man. So far he had not shown any indication that he would abandon her and find another woman to warm his bed. But she wasn’t yet ready to trust him.

“Husband, do ye intend to take a mistress?”

Finn sucked in a breath so quickly he began to cough. After he recovered, he said, “Why would ye ask that?”

She shrugged. “Archie Sinclair had a mistress. When my cousin Mairi was here for the wedding, she mentioned two of her friends’ husbands tired of them after a year or so, and found some of the maids to warm their beds. She said it was well known that lairds do that.”

He laughed. “First of all, nay, I would no’ take a mistress. With yer enthusiasm in the bedchamber, I would ne’er have the strength to bed another lass.”

When she opened her mouth to speak, he held up his hand. “And, I wish to add, I donna take my vows lightly, whether it’s fealty to my laird, or loyalty and respect to my wife. Also, one day we will take a trip to Dun Ugadale, my family home, and ye can witness my brothers’ marriages.”

He grinned and said, “If either Craig or Robin’s wives found someone else in bed with her husband, I’m afraid murder would take place.”

Her eyes grew wide. “Yer brothers would allow their wives to control them so much?”