Plead Forgiveness (Loyalty Series) (46 page)

Rachel remained unconscious during the delicate
procedure.  After a thoroughly bath and dressed in a fresh sleeping gown,
she awakened briefly.

Lady Esme pulled Ella aside to speak with her
privately. “What are her chances?”

“Her chances are better now that she no longer bleeds,
but the next few hours will be critical.”

“What can I do to help?”

“The babe will need a wet nurse, and I will need apple
vinegar cider or malt ale.”

“Thirsty are ye?”

Ella gave a humorless chuckle, then said, “Nae, I will
bathe Rachel with it.”

The older woman’s jaw dropped in stunned disbelief
before she stammered, “But we have just bathed her.”

“The brew lowers fever when applied to the skin.”

“Is she feverish then?”

“Nae, but she soon will be. The birth was difficult,
the babe overly large, and she lost more blood than most. Aye, she will become
feverish, but the yeast in the cider and ale will help more so than cool water
alone.”

When Ella saw doubt lingered on the older woman’s
brow, she explained, “After my Aunt Eleanor delivered a stillborn eight years
ago, she was told by the midwife she was barren. Refusing to accept such a
fate, she dedicated her life to learning all she could about pregnancy and the
birthing process. She researched medicinal texts written by the greatest minds
to ever live. The monks at the Westshire abbey travelled to foreign countries
to gather research for her. Philip rewarded my aunt’s efforts by funding these
quests. We applied the knowledge she gained and in the last two years, in over
a hundred births, we lost less than a handful of women. All whom delivered
twins.” Ella paused for a moment then added, “My methods may sound strange, but
they work. Please trust me in this.”

“I should nae have doubted ye. I’ll leave now to do
yer bidding and return with all due haste.”

Sheets of rain pelted the thatched roof above and
lightning illuminated the darken sky, as Lady Esme rushed out of the cottage.
With the winds roaring like an angry beast, Ella felt a stab of guilt for
sending the older woman out on such stormy night.

The ominous sound of crackling thunder startled Helena
as she was tilting a goblet of water to Rachel’s mouth and Ella as she opened a
window to allow a breeze into the cottage. They waited patiently and within the
hour Lady Esme burst through the cottage door with two jugs in her hands and a
wet nurse in tow. The younger women were vastly relieved to see that she was
hale and hearty after enduring such foul weather.

Rachel woke long enough to swallow a small amount of
water before succumbing to a sleep once again. As Ella predicted, fever came
with a vengeance an hour later. Rachel’s peaceful sleep became fitful, followed
by delirious speech and moments of uncontrolled thrashing. Ella advised Helena
to take the babe and the wet nurse to her own cottage so they could have a
peaceful night’s sleep.

The havoc beyond the walls of the cottage did nothing
to alleviate the fear in Ella’s heart as she bathed Rachel’s burning body with
vinegar and ale. Although her fever broke soon after, it returned continuously
over the next few hours.

Midnight had come and gone when Gavin arrived, and
upon Ella’s request, he escorted his mother to the castle for much needed
sleep.

By mid afternoon the following day, Rachel’s fever
broke yet again, but this time it did not return. Regardless of the new
mother’s improving health, Ella was adamant about not allowing anyone in the
cottage, including the women who assisted with the birth and Boyd, Rachel’s
husband.

Boyd stoically remained outside the cottage since Ella
had evicted him and soon became irate.

“I want to see my wife!” This had been said at least
ten times since dawn.

“Nae, you will only endanger her further.”

“When?”

“Soon.”

“Ye said this hours ago.”

“Aye, I did.”

“I canna take this waiting.”

“The wait will soon be over, my friend. She improves
each hour, and your son is quite hearty. For now, I implore you to bathe, eat
and sleep. Your wife will have great need of you in the days ahead. I will send
for you when I am confident that Rachel’s fever will not return.” When his face
lit up, Ella quickly said, “But, it will be a very short visit and you must
keep your distance.”

Rachel mood matched her husband’s.

“I want to see my son!”

Ella sighed as she repeated, “Nae.”

“Why will ye nae let me see my son?”

Ella sat down on the stool and started to brush
Rachel’s freshly washed hair as she explained, “You know why. If the fever
returns, your son would be at risk. After all the work you did to bring him
into this world, it would be wise to practice a bit of patience. Also, you are
weaker than a newborn kitten. Mayhap tomorrow. ”

Rachel folded her arms across her chest then glared
over her shoulder at Ella as she spat, “And ye are naught but a vicious harpy.”

Her friend’s normal sweet disposition was masked by
bristling indignation, but it did not dampen Ella’s high spirits. She
understood the new mother longed for her child and was oblivious to the fragile
state of her own body. Ella would not be swayed. Rachel’s life was too
important.

By the break of dawn the next day, as the red and
orange glow of the horizon began to crawl into the cloudless sky, Ella stood
just outside the cottage staring down at Boyd. He sat on a bench next to the
front door, with his son cradled in his arms, and a huge smile on his face,

“Is she well . . . may we see her?

Ella stroked the bairn’s head, then said, “Aye, Boyd,
your wife will be just fine. Or she will be once she sees you and the bairn.
You may go in now.”

“Lady Ella, I canna thank ye enough for what ye have
done for me and my family.”

“There is no need for thanks. All I ask is that you
look after Rachel for a few hours, while I get some rest.” Then in a stern
voice, she added, “You will check each hour to see if she becomes feverish,
aye?”

Too happy to be ashamed of the tears that streamed
down his face, he replied, “Aye, milady.”

Ella heard the couple’s tearful reunion as she shut
the door to the cottage. She remembered her mother once saying that the cries
of joy heard after aiding someone was the greatest reward possible for a healer
.
Aye, Mama, you were right.

She was escorted back to the castle moments later by
Iain, who was ecstatic about being an uncle. He thanked her numerous times for
saving the lives of Rachel and his nephew. He also informed her that the wet
nurse agreed to continue feeding the babe as long as was necessary.

By the time Ella reached the corridor that lead to her
chamber, the effects of the two sleepless nights, added with the emotional
strain, had caught up to her. She swayed with exhaustion as she passed Gavin’s
chamber, then was startled when the chamber door across from his opened and
revealed Alice.

“Good morning, milady,” the maid said with a
triumphant smirk on her face.

A sennight ago, Ella learned that Gavin’s leman had
occupied the chamber across from his, but had been cast out when he returned
from England with his intended bride. She had not been angry at the time, since
he had bedded the whore before they were married. But now, seeing Alice emerge
from that chamber, made her immediately suspicious of the buxom maid.

Not bothering to conceal her ire, she demanded,
“Explain yourself!”

“Yer husband ordered me to return to the chamber I
occupied before yer arrival,” Alice snickered.

Shocked and held immobile, Ella stared at her
husband’s lover. Dejection soon yielded to fury that he had reclaimed his
leman.
God must hate me
.

Once again her heart was brutally ripped apart, this
time by Alice’s words. The scattered pieces blackened with soul deep hatred as
she thought about two days hence, when Gavin had tried to make love to her.
Like a scared rabbit, she had run from him, thus pushing him back into this
whore’s welcoming arms.

Brushing passed Alice, she retreated to her chamber
and crumbled to the bed, then allowed anguish to engulf her.
Let him take
Alice to his bed, I no longer care. Not for happiness lost once again.

Gavin had slept very little the past two days, due to
his overwhelming concern for his wife. He had ridden out during the early
morning hours to assess the damage the storm at done to his land. When he was
satisfied all was well, he returned to the keep.

Upon entering the hall midmorning, he had been
informed that Ella had returned and was slumbering in her chamber. He was
anxious to see her and express his pride in the miracle she had accomplished
with Rachel, but had no intention of apologizing for trying to make love to her
two days prior.

He refused to feel any guilt over his attempt to
seduce her or take the blame for the deaths of her aunt and uncle. He
understood that her pain was so great it made it difficult to see clearly that
her loved ones would have died regardless of her marriage. He believed in time
she would see the truth, but his hope and patience were rapidly dwindling.

After a few hours sleep, Ella woke to Lady Esme sweet
voice.

“Good morrow, lass.”

As the peace of her short slumber evaporated, reality
and misery set in, but she gave no evidence of it in the presence of her
mother-in-law.

“Since you are smiling, I will assume Rachel is well.”

“Aye that she is . . . thanks to ye.”

She shrugged as she left the bed and went to sit on
the window seat, stubbornly refusing to engage in any conversation.

Lady Esme suspected something was amiss, but did not
voice her concern. Instead, she said, “I have ordered ye a bath and will assist
ye-”

“I nae need assistance. As you well known, I am quite
used to bathing myself.”

When Ella saw that her terse words had hurt the kind
woman, she was immediately contrite and said, “Please, take nae offense. You
are that last person I wish to hurt. ‘Tis just that I need some time alone.”

Lady Esme was not offended and sensed that her son’s
wife did need some time to herself. In that maternal, understanding voice she
said, “Take all the time ye need, sweetling.”

Once the servants finished filling the huge wooden tub
and Ella was finally alone, she sank into the soothing bath. Engulfed by the
steaming water, she tried not to think about Gavin's infidelity.  She felt
foolish for allowing him into her heart. But her thoughts were interrupted by
the sound of the door closing and the appearance of an unwelcomed guest within
her chamber.

Ella growled, “What do you want, Alice?”

With mock innocence, she said, “I have only come to
help.”

“I neither need nor wish your help. Leave!”

Ella was proud that she had recovered her backbone and
was more than ready to confront this manipulative bitch standing so brazenly
before her.

With her hands on her hips, Alice glared down at Ella
and said, “I can see why yer husband dinna seek yer bed. Nae man would want a
wife whose body will be forever marred by those hideous scars that cover yer
back. Do ye honestly think a man would want to look, let alone touch-”

Ella jumped out of the tub, threw on a robe, and then
screamed, “Get out now before I kill you.”

Alice had not been prepared for the threat or the
malevolent expression that came with those words. However, when she turned to
leave she was confronted in the doorway by Thea, whose innocent eyes confirmed
that she’d heard what passed between her and Lady Ella.

“Get out of my way, brat.”

“Ye canna talk to Ella that way. I’m gonna tell-”

Thea’s words were cut short when the blow to her cheek
sent her sprawling to the floor. Fighting through pain and tears, she covered
her cheek with her hand, then scrambled to her feet and took flight.

It was not the first time Alice had been cruel to
Thea, but she had never slapped her in the face before now. Frightened for
herself as well as Ella, the little girl race down the corridor to her parent’s
chamber, then dove under their bed.

Ella’s seething rage was unleashed when she saw Alice
slap Thea. She lunged at the harlot, knocking her into the wall of the corridor,
and then with a closed fist, punched her in the face. Ella felt no sympathy
when she viciously threw Alice to the ground and dug her knee into the whore’s
back.

Grabbing the back of her head and twisting her red
locks in her hand, Ella snarled, “If you ever touch that child again, I swear
only God will recognize your face after I’m through with you. And I will nae
stop there. Think you a man will want a woman who has stumps instead of hands?”

“What is the meaning of this,” Gavin bellowed as he
ripped Ella off Alice.

Ella continued to scowl at the vile creature, even as
her husband tightened his grip on her upper arms.