“My back a bit,” Maggie admitted. “It’s been nagging me all day.”

“Mmmm. Well, you just breathe easy now and relax. No, no more tea for her just now, Brianna,” she said before Brianna could pour. “We’ll see by and by.”

“I’m not in labor.” Maggie’s head went giddy at the idea. “It’s just the mutton.”

“Might be, yes. Brie, you haven’t given your young man any tea.”

“I’m fine.” Gray looked from one woman to the other, wondering what move to make. Retreat, he decided, would probably be best for all of them. “I think I’ll go back to work.”

“Oh, I do enjoy your books,” Lottie said cheerfully. “Two of them I read while we were on our holiday. I wonder how you can think up such tales and write them down in all those nice words.”

She chattered on, keeping him and everyone as they were until Maggie caught her breath. “There you are, only about four minutes apart, I’d say. Breathe it out, love, that’s a girl. Brie, I think you should call Rogan now. He’ll want to meet us at the hospital.”

“Oh.” For an instant Brianna couldn’t think, much less move. “I should call the doctor.”

“That’ll be fine.” Lottie took Maggie’s hand, held it tight as Brianna dashed off. “Now, don’t you worry. I’ve helped bring many a baby into this world. Do you have a case packed, Maggie, at home?”

“In the bedroom, yes.” She shuddered out a breath as the contraction passed. Odd, she felt calmer now. “In the closet.”

“The young man will go fetch it for you. Won’t you, dear?”

“Sure.” He’d be glad to. It would get him out of the house, away from the terrifying prospect of childbirth. “I’ll go get it right now.”

“It’s all right, Gray.” With the new calm cloaking her, Maggie managed a chuckle. “I’m not going to deliver on the kitchen table.”

“Right.” He gave her an uncertain smile, and fled.

“I’m going to get your jacket now,” Lottie told Maggie, and sent Maeve a telling look. “Don’t forget your breathing.”

“I won’t. Thank you, Lottie. I’ll be fine.”

“You’re scared.” Gently Lottie bent down to cup Maggie’s cheek. ” ’Tis natural. But what’s happening to you is just as natural. Something only a woman can do. Only a woman can understand. The good Lord knows if a man could do it, there’d be fewer people in the world.”

The thought made Maggie smile. “I’m only a little scared. And not just of the pain. Of knowing what to do after.”

“You’ll know. You’ll be a mother soon, Margaret Mary. God bless you.”

Maggie closed her eyes when Lottie left the room. She could feel the changes inside her body, the magnitude of them. She imagined the changes in her life, the enormity of them. Yes, she would be a mother soon. The child she and Rogan had created would be in her arms instead of her womb.

I love you, she thought. I swear to you I’ll only show you love.

The pain began to well again, drawing a low moan from her throat. She squeezed her eyes tighter, concentrated on breathing. Through the haze of pain she felt a hand cover hers. Opening her eyes she saw her mother’s face, and tears, and perhaps for the first time in her life, a true understanding.

“I wish you happy, Maggie,” Maeve said slowly. “With your child.”

For a moment at least, the gap was bridged. Maggie turned her hand over and gripped her mother’s palm to palm.

When Gray hurried back, the overnight bag clutched in his hand, Lottie was helping Maggie toward Brianna’s car. Every guest in the house was outside, waving them off.

“Oh, thank you for being quick.” Brianna snatched the case, then looked around distractedly. “Rogan’s on his way to the hospital. He hung up before I could even say goodbye. The doctor said to bring her right in. I have to go with her.”

“Of course you do. She’ll be fine.”

“Yes, she’ll be fine.” Brianna nibbled on her thumb nail. “I have to leave—all the guests.”

“Don’t worry about things here. I’ll take care of it.”

“You can’t cook.”

“I’ll take the lot of them out to dinner. Don’t worry, Brie.”

“No, it’s silly of me. I’m so distracted. I’m so sorry, Gray.”

“Don’t.” Steadier himself, he took her face in his hands. “Don’t even think about any of that now. Just go help your sister have a baby.”

“I will. Could you call Mrs. O’Malley, please? Her number’s in my book. She’ll come tend to things until I get home again. And if you’d call Murphy. He’d want to know. And—”

“Brie, go. I’ll call the whole county.” Despite the audience, he gave her a quick, hard kiss. “Have Rogan send me a cigar.”

“Yes. All right, yes, I’m going.” She hurried to the car.

Gray stood back and watched her drive away, with Lottie and Maeve following behind.

Families, he thought, with a shake of the head and a shudder. Thank Christ he didn’t have to worry about one.

But he worried about her. As afternoon became evening and evening became night. Mrs. O’Malley had come, bustling into the kitchen barely half an hour after his SOS call. Rattling pans, she chattered cheerfully about the childbirth experience, until queasy, Gray had retreated to his room.

He fared better when Murphy came down and shared a glass of whiskey with him in toast to Maggie and the baby.

But as the inn grew quiet and the hour late, Gray wasn’t able to work or sleep—two activities he’d always used for escape.

Being wakeful gave him too much time to think. However much he wanted to avoid it, the kitchen scene played over and over in his head. What kind of trouble had he caused Brianna simply by wanting her, then acting on the wanting? He hadn’t considered her family, or her religion. Did she believe as her mother did?

It made him uneasy to think of souls and eternal damnation. Anything eternal made him uneasy, and damnation certainly topped the list.

Or had Maggie spoken Brianna’s mind. That was hardly less disturbing. All that talk of love. From his point of view love could be every bit as dangerous as damnation, and he preferred to dwell on neither on a personal level.