Lisa Kleypas - Give Me Tonight

"It's Caroline," he said in panic. "She's having pains. The baby-"

"Did her water break?" Addie asked, and he went scarlet, opening and closing his mouth like a fish. Either he didn't know or was too embarrassed to tell her. Irritation rose in her throat, and it was all she could do to keep from snapping at him. "You'd better go get Dr. Haskin," she said, brushing by him and going into Caro's room.

Caroline was curled up on her side, holding her stomach and biting her lip in agony.

"Caro?" At the sound of Addie's voice Caroline began to sob uncontrollably. "Caro, has there been any bleeding?" Addie took hold of her shoulders and repeated the question, her hands biting into Caroline's upper arms. The pain of Addie's grip seemed to break through her fear. She stared up at Addie, the flood of tears slowing a little. "Yes, some bleeding. And labor pains… but it's too soon… it's too soon for… " she broke off and gave a little moan, her face filmy with perspiration. "My water just broke," she whispered. "It's too soon."

She was having a miscarriage. Addie read the terror in her eyes and knew a moment of panic before an unnatural calm came over her. "I'm going to get some more pillows to prop you up," she said, "and a few other things. I'll be right back."

"I want Mama here. Get her… please."

"She'll be here in just a few minutes. And Peter's on his way to get the doctor right now."

Caroline closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling against her cheeks. She writhed with a contraction. "Adeline…" she gasped. "Is he really dead?"

Something inside Addie twisted in anguish. "Yes, Caro," she said softly.

"Adeline, I don't want to die. I'm so afraid. I think… I think I'm going to die too. "

It was hard for Addie to suppress a wave of helpless anger. All she wanted to do was find a private comer and cry. Hadn't enough happened tonight without this too? She didn't want to bear up under any more disaster. She didn't want to be strong for Caroline when she needed all her strength for herself.

Then she was horrified at her thoughts. How selfish she was. "You're not going to die," she said. "Don't waste your energy worrying about ridiculous things." Her voice was full of remorse, but it was doubtful Caroline heard her. Addie flew out of the room and ran to Russell's door, flinging it open madly. Startled, May looked up with her hands still clasped in prayer. "Caro's having her baby," Addie said hoarsely. "She needs you there."

May blinked and spoke as if in a dream. "She's upset because of Russ-"

"It's more than being upset. Her water broke, and she's bleeding. She's having labor pains. Stay with her while I find some things to clean up the bed with." She left without waiting for an answer, and nearly ran into Leah, who was standing in the middle of the hallway.

"What's the matter with Mama?" the little girl asked, her eyes wide and her lips white.

"Leah, honey, go to bed." There was no use lying to her. "Your Mama's having the baby. You must stay in your room and keep out of the way."

Even at a tender age Leah had overheard enough conversations about childbirth to know it was often mentioned in the same breath as pain and death. To an observant child who'd heard the horror stories women liked to tell of their trials in labor, the mysterious condition of pregnancy was something dangerous and fearful.

"Is she going to-"

"She's going to be just fine," Addie said swiftly, giving her a push in the direction of her room. "Now, go, and don't get out of bed again."

THEY GAVE CAROLINE ENOUGH LAUDANUM TO TAKE the edge off the pain, but she still knew what was happening. The past months of discomfort, joy, and anticipation were coming to an abrupt end. Addie knew Caro's physical pain hardly compared to the emotional anguish of knowing she was losing the baby. It took Peter almost four hours to find Dr. Haskin, who was on another call, and bring him to the ranch. Addie suffered every minute of that time, silently cursing the doctor for not being there.

May sat by the bedside, calm but a little blank, slow to answer questions or to say anything at all. Instinctively Caroline turned to Addie for help, clutching her hand when in pain, asking her to talk when she needed distraction. Addie worked ceaselessly to keep her as comfortable as possible, bathing the sweat off her face, rearranging the mountain of pillows when Caroline's back hurt, changing the towels they had placed underneath her hips.

Addie was only dimly conscious of what was going on outside the small room. She was aware that long ago the sheriff had arrived and Ben had taken him up to Russell's room, that there were strangers' feet walking up and down the stairs, and men's voices outside as the ranch was awakened by the news of Russell Warner's murder.

Finally Cade knocked on the door to signal that the doctor had arrived. Wearily Addie went downstairs to meet him, heedless of the blood on her dress or her straggling, hastily tied-back hair. She started in astonishment at the sight of Doc Haskin. She'd been expecting an old man with a shock of silver hair, crinkly eyes, and a weather-lined face. Slim shoulders, slightly 'stooped. A man who shuffled slightly when he walked. That was the Doc Haskin she had known all her life.

The man in front of her was young, well-built, and dark-haired, probably only a year or two older than Caroline. His face was strong, his gaze clear and direct. but he had the same shaggy eyebrows as the old Dr. Haskin she'd known, and the same comforting smile. She half-expected him to ask after Aunt Leah's health, before she remembered Leah wasn't her aunt anymore.

"D-Doc Haskin," she stammered, and he smiled briefly at her as they started up the stairs.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you, Miss Adeline. A year or two, at least. "

Try fifty, she wanted to say, but held her tongue. "Pete couldn't tell me much about your sister," he continued, and he was so blessedly calm she wanted to weep in relief at having someone there who knew what to do. "Has she gone into labor?"

"She's had the baby," Addie blurted out. "Stillborn. But no afterbirth."

"Has she retained all of it or just part?"

"I think all of it," she said, grasping the stair railing as she felt herself sway. Doc Haskin's steadying hand was on her shoulder.

"Why don't you go somewhere and rest?" he suggested gently. "I'll take care of her now."

Would it be deserting Caroline, not to go back to that room? Addie hesitated, her forehead creased with misery. She couldn't go back and face May's blank eyes any longer, or Caroline's suffering. She had to be somewhere quiet for a few minutes or go insane.

"Maybe I will rest a little while," she whispered. "Please see to Mama too . I'm worried about her."

"I will. And Miss Adeline… I'm sorry about your father."

Slowly Addie went down the steps, keeping hold of the railing. The sense of being small and ineffectual came over her, and she was too tired to fight it. A thirst welled up from inside, a desperate need to see Ben. He would hold her in his arms and let her lean on him as long as she needed. Only he could assure her that the world hadn't gone mad.

There was a murmur of voices from Russell's office.

Silently Addie drew closer to the half-closed door, her ears pricking at the mention of Russell's name. The voices belonged to Ben and Sam Dary, the sheriff, and one or two others she couldn't identify.

"… I agree," Ben was saying, his voice weary.

"No horse was used. Whoever did it was on foot, and possibly still is-"

"We have a coupla men out lookin'. He couldna gotten far. If he ain't in the bunkhouse. Most likely we're lookin' for one of your own, Ben."

"The boys swear they didn't notice anyone coming or going out all night. And we've got a lot of light sleepers in there."