Page 88 of Silver Lining
Louise was surprised by him, too. She'd expected the man who was making a misery of her life and Max's would look like the ogre he was. But Houser was her height, balding, and he looked more ordinary than she had imagined. Right now, he was a man half-sick with worry for a beloved daughter.
"Shouldn't someone be with her? She's alone."
As the sharp words were directed to her, Louise supposed the statement indicated his grudging approval. Howard Houser would have welcomed the devil if the devil could help his daughter.
Now Houser flicked a hand at Wally. "It's early, but I could use a drink. It's going to be a long day."
"We all could," Wally said, meaning the men.
Before she hurried after Livvy, Louise sought a quick word with Max. He stood before the fireplace as if he'd taken root there, staring into the flames.
"You haven't said two words."
He didn't look at her. "If she dies …"
"She ain't going to die, Max. I promise you, I won't let her die." Philadelphia was the mother of his child, and she should have been his wife. He loved her. Never had Louise been more aware of that than now as she watched knots ripple up his jaw, saw his hand working the green marble in his pocket.
"How soon will something happen?" he asked in a low voice.
"I imagine it'll be several hours yet."
He nodded. "Tell Ma I'm going to borrow one of her horses. I need to do something or I'll lose my mind."
She didn't let herself dwell on his feelings because it would hurt too much. And she walled off her own emotions because they hurt, too. To get through today, she needed to forget that her husband loved Philadelphia and that Philadelphia would give him a child before this day ended.
There was something else that she didn't let herself think about, although she knew she would later.
Philadelphia 's child would be half sister or half brother to the child that Louise carried. It was another reason, maybe the best reason, to do everything she could to help mother and child come through the delivery safely.
Livvy waited outside Philadelphia 's bedroom door. "I'm sorry to ask you to help after the abominable way Philadelphia has treated you. But there's no one else."
"It doesn't matter." She gave Livvy a steady, direct look. "Now the whole truth."
"I had an idea you'd know there was more." Livvy shook her head and wrung her hands together. "I don't know what to make of this. I ran to the barn and brought back two cowboys to help me get her upstairs and into bed. That's when I noticed that she was bleeding profusely. Once I got her into a nightgown and lying down, the bleeding slowed. I packed her with absorbent cotton."
"You've got a rubber sheet on the bed?"
Livvy nodded. "We've been ready for a couple of weeks. And I have plenty of sheets. We're going to need them since we'll have to remake the bed periodically, especially if the bleeding continues." Livvy glanced toward the bedroom door. "She's having chills and stomach pain down low. Some nausea."
Louise's thoughts raced. "After a fall like that, I'd expect labor to begin at once, particularly since she's overdue. But you're describing—"
"Take a look and tell me what you think."
The instant Louise walked into the room, she smelled the thick coppery scent of blood. Philadelphia was curled on her side in bed, shivering, her arms wrapped around her stomach. Louise exchanged a glance with Livvy before she approached the bed.
"Howdy, Philadelphia . You look like hell."
One eye was swelling and beginning to discolor; she was going to have a dandy of a black eye. And the cut on her forehead would leave a scar. It had bled into her hair and the blood had dried there. Her wrist was wrapped in a stiff bandage to hold it steady, but Philadelphia seemed unaware of wrist pain as she cupped her stomach. That indicated greater pain in her stomach than in her wrist.
Her eyes fluttered open. "You! Get out of my room!"
Louise pulled back the covers and examined Philadelphia 's bloody nightgown and the bloody sheet beneath her hips. She raised her head and stared at Livvy. "Someone should fetch Doc Pope right now."
"That's what I've been saying!"
"No!" Philadelphia glared at them with burning eyes. "It's not your decision! No, no, no!"
"Is the pain constant or intermittent?" Louise snapped.
