Christmas Ever More by Christina Mcknight

Author:Christina Mcknight [McKnight, Christina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Christina McKnight

Chapter 8

RUBY WAS PUSHED back, her helplessness the only thing she recognized as Lord Haversham and Harold rushed to Vi’s side.

Something was wrong—they’d been arm in arm walking toward the lounge when Vi had stopped, clutching Ruby’s arm in a grip sure to bruise by morning as she doubled over in pain. A faraway looked had settled in her eyes, and then she’d started to crumble. It’d taken all of Ruby’s strength to keep Vi from the floor until Brock rushed to them.

“Mrs. Dutton, take the children and go to their quarters,” Harold barked, while Brock attended to his wife. “William, escort Lady Ellington to the stairs—she is too innocent for this matter.” Ruby didn’t understand what matter he spoke of. “Mother.” Mrs. Jakeston was already at his side. “You have experience…”

“Birthed every child on Haversham property for the last ten years.” She turned to Alex, and the instructions flew. “Have Cook prepare plenty of hot water and gather all the spare cloth in the house.”

Births? Hot water? Cloth? The voices around her continued, but Ruby was unable to make sense of any of it until a hand lay gently on her sore forearm.

Blinking rapidly to clear her vision, Meredith stood next to her—her age never appearing greater than at this moment.

“Yes?” Ruby didn’t know if she’d missed a command or a question.

“Do buck up, my girl,” the older woman scolded. “She is having a young, not going to the good Lord—or at least not with me here. I have never lost a mother in all my years.”

Did she remember Harold speaking of his mother’s skills as a midwife—certainly not?

She heard Harold’s voice, calling for the butler—and another footman. Taking her eyes briefly from Meredith, Ruby searched the room for him, startled to find that most everyone had fled.

“But I thought the baby would not be here for another several weeks—“

Viola let out a bloodcurdling scream, cutting Ruby off and sending a chill of unease down her spine.

“Oh, dear,” Meredith patted her arm one last time. “This young is coming, and soon by the looks of it.”

Ruby stumbled behind the entourage, who partly lifted, partly dragged Vi to the back servant’s stairs.

She felt lost, unable to help her dearest friend, who’d always known exactly what to do in every situation.

When faced with the duty of climbing the stairs, the men made a decision without saying a word. Vi’s feet left the floor and Brock—with the help of Harold, the butler, and a footman—carried Viola up the flight of stairs.

At first, Vi moaned in either pain or protest, but soon quieted herself when Brock spoke softly to her.

Ruby laid her palm against the knotty wooden walls as she climbed the stairs behind the group, desperate to keep her balance and not tumble back down to the landing.

Before her, Meredith lifted her skirt high to avoid tripping on her feet—her demeanor eerily calm and composed. She wanted to take the older woman by her shoulders and shake her, yell and rant about the dire situation before them.

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