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Mattheift, who had been silent so far, asked quietly, "Which road will you take?"

"The one leading east," Hunt replied

"I’ll take the west"

Daisy stared at Sith surprise and gratitude The storerous, not toto undertake it for Lillian, who had rees in Daisy’s estimation

Lord St Vincent said dryly, "I suppose that leaves e of biblical proportions"

"Would you rather stay here with Westcliff?" Silance rife with suppressed aet my hat"

Two hours passed after the ressed The pains becaripped her husband’s hand with a bone-crunching force that he didn’t see, wiping her face with a cool da her lower back and legs to help her relax

Annabelle proved so competent that Daisy doubted a midwife could have done any better She applied the hot water bottle to Lillian’s back and sto her that if she, Annabelle, had ed to survive this, Lillian certainly could

Lillian trembled in the afterhtly "You don’t have to be quiet, dear Scream or curse if it helps"

Lillian shook her head weakly "I don’t have the energy to screath if I keep it in"

"I was that way too Though I warn you, people won’t give you nearly as much sympathy if you bear it stoically"

"Don’t want sy her eyes as another pain approached "Just want…it to be over"

Watching Westcliff’s taut face, Daisy reflected that whether or not Lillian wanted sy with it

"You’re not supposed to be in here," Lillian told Westcliff when the contraction was over She clung to his hand as if it were a lifeline "You’re supposed to be downstairs pacing and drinking"

"Good God, wo her sweaty face with a dry cloth, "I did this to you I’ to let you face the consequences alone"

That produced a faint smile on Lillian’s dry lips

There was a quick, hard rap at the door, and Daisy ran to answer it Opening it a few inches, she saw Mattheift, dripping and muddy and out of breath Relief swept over her "Thank God," she exclaimed "No one else has come back yet Did you find soht Daisy that when one answered "yes and no," the results were seldom what one would have wished for "What do you mean?" she asked warily

"He’ll be upstairsup The roads have turned tolike hell--it was a " Swift removed his hat and swiped at his forehead with his sleeve, leaving a dirty streak across his face

"But you did find a doctor?" Daisy pressed, snatching up a clean towel fro it to hihton for a fortnight"

"What about atwo other woe who are in labor as we speak She said it happens so in the air brings it on"

Daisy stared at hi man with soft brown eyes appeared at Swift’s side He was damp but clean--cleaner than Swift, at any rate--and respectable looking "Evening, miss," he said bashfully

"His name is Merritt," Swift told Daisy "He’s a veterinarian"

"A what?"

Even though the door was mostly closed, the conversation could be heard by the people in the rooht hly recommended," Swift said

Since Lillian was covered with the bedclothes, Daisy opened the door wider to allow her a glimpse of the man

"How much experience do you have?" Lillian demanded of Merritt

"Yesterday I delivered puppies froh," Westcliff said hastily as Lillian clutched his hand at the onset of another cramp "Come in"

Daisy allowed the man to enter the room, and she stepped outside with another clean towel

"I would have gone to another village," Swift said, his voice roughened with a note of apology "I don’t know if Merritt will be of any help But the bogs and creeks have overflowed and the roads are i to come back without someone" He closed his eyes for athe ride through the stor a corner of the clean towel around her fingers, she wiped at the ht in his day-old beard The dark bristle of his jaw fascinated her She wanted to stroke her bare fingers over it

Swift held still, his head bent to make it easier for her to reach hi a doctor than I did"

"They s have progressed rapidly in the last hour"

He pulled his head back as if her gentle dabbing at his face bothered hi back in there?"

Daisy shook her head "My presence is de trop, as they say Lillian hates being crowded, and Annabelle is farto wait nearby in case…in case she calls forthe towel from her, Swift scrubbed the back of his head, where the rain had soaked into the thick hair and lossy as a seal’s pelt "I’ll return soon," he said "I’e into dry clothes"

"My parents and Lady St Vincent are waiting in the Marsden parlor," Daisy said "You can stay with the here"

But when Swift returned, he didn’t go to the parlor He ca back against the wall Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice his approach until he was right beside her Dressed in fresh clothes with his hair still da down at her

"May I?"

Daisy wasn’t certain what he was asking, but she found herself nodding anyway Swift lowered hied posture identical to hers She had never sat this ith a gentleman, and had certainly never expected to with Mattheift Colass filled with rich, plu it with some surprise, Daisy held it up to her nose for a cautious sniff

"Madeira," she said with a sh celebration is a bit premature since the baby still isn’t here"

"This isn’t for celebration It’s to help you relax"

"How did you knohat uess"