Part 27 (1/2)

Frances Catherine shook her head. ”Agnes runs things,” she explained. ”And because I'm the laird's sister-in-law, she will insist on delivering the babe. If there are other midwives, they keep quiet about it. They wouldn't want to get Agnes riled.”

”I see.”

Judith suddenly felt sick. Panic was beginning to take hold inside. Dear heavens, she wasn't qualified to take on this duty alone. Yes, she had gathered information about the latest birthing methods, but she'd never been allowed to witness an actual delivery, and she felt completely inadequate overseeing Frances Catherine's care.

Why wasn't anything ever easy? Judith had pictured herself mopping her friend's brow during the pains, holding her hand, too, and occasionally whispering ”There, there,” while the experienced midwife took care of the more necessary duties.

Tears were once again streaming down Frances Catherine's face. Judith let out a little sigh. ”Only one thing is certain,” she announced. ”You're going to have this baby. I'm here to help you, and surely between the two of us, we can solve any problem, no matter how impossible it seems.”

Her matter-of-fact tone of voice soothed Frances Catherine. ”Yes,” she agreed.

”Is it possible to win Agnes over or do we give up on her?”

”We give up,” Frances Catherine answered. ”She won't change her ways. She's cruel-hearted, Judith. Every chance she gets, she makes horrid remarks about the pain I'm going to have to endure. She likes to tell stories about other difficult birthings, too.”

”You mustn't listen to her,” Judith said. Her voice shook with anger. She had never heard of anything so appalling. Agnes did sound cruel-hearted. Judith shook her head while she thought about this bleak situation.

”I know what you're doing,” her friend whispered.

”You're trying to understand Agnes, aren't you? Once you come up with a reason for her behavior, you'll set out to change it. It won't matter to me,” she added. ”I don't care if she turns into an angel. She isn't coming near me.”

”No, I'm not trying to understand her. I already know why she acts the way she does. She's after power, Frances Catherine. She uses fear and a woman's vulnerability to get what she wants. She feeds on their weakness. Maude told me there are women like her. Nothing I can do will change her att.i.tude, either. Don't you worry. I won't let her near you. I promise.”

Frances Catherine nodded. ”I don't feel so alone any longer,” she confessed. ”Whenever I try to talk to Patrick about the birthing, he gets very upset. He's afraid for me, and I always end up comforting him.”

”He loves you,” Judith said. ”That's why he's worried.”

”I can't imagine why he loves me. I've been so difficult lately. I cry all the time.”

”There isn't anything wrong with that.”

Frances Catherine smiled. Judith had always been her champion. She felt very fortunate to have her for her friend. ”I've talked long enough about my problems. Now I want to talk about yours. Are you going to try to see your father while you're here?”

Judith shrugged. ”It has become a little more complicated. First, I didn't realize how large these Highlands are,” she said. ”And second, I heard the Macleans were feuding with the Maitlands.”

”How did you find that out?”

Judith explained about the discussion she'd had with Isabelle's mother. Frances Catherine was frowning when she finished.

”What she told you is true. The Macleans are enemies.”

”My father might be dead.”

”He isn't.”

”How do you know?”

”I asked Patrick to tell me what the Maclean laird was like, pretending only mild curiosity, of course, and he said he was an old man who had ruled his clan for many years.”

”What else did he tell you?”