Page 80 of Hold Fast

Una smiled as she watched the lads flee up the stairs and away. A short time later, David strolled into the kitchen, bringing the smell of woodsmoke and the outdoors with him.

“Good day, Fenella, Una.” David dipped his head at each of them in turn. “What’s this I hear about you giving birth to a dog in a box?” he said, winking at Una.

At that, Una could contain her laughter no longer. Fenella threw up her hands.

Una said, “David, we need a pen. A large box will do if we can build it, but Fenella has decided that Greer shall have her pups in the kitchen, and we need to contain them.”

“Aye,” Fenella said with a fierce nod just as Fiona rushed into the kitchen.

“What’s this I’m hearing about you locking a dog in a chest until she gives birth?” Fiona panted.

Fenella whirled around, brandishing a large, wooden spoon, which she waved around as she spoke. “You,” she said, pointing at David, “Build us a pen over there. It only needs two sides since it is in the corner. Is that simple enough now?”

He nodded and strode with purpose from the kitchen. Fenella then pointed the spoon at Una, “And you will eat something, Una, because I willnae have you keeling over whelping a litter of pups and have our laird all over me for allowing you to come to harm. As for you,” she said, looking at Fiona, her face softening, “if you’ll be a dear and gather up rags and old linens for our darling Greer, I would be much obliged.”

Fiona smiled and nodded before following after David. Fenella thunked a bowl of stew down in front of Una with a large piece of bread slathered with fresh butter. “Eat,” she commanded before returning to the hearth. Una did as she was commanded, keeping an eye on Greer, who continued to pant and pace in the kitchen.

After a time, David returned with several boards under his arm and Rabbie on his heels. Rabbie waved shyly at Una before dropping to his knees next to David and helping to fit together the cut slabs.

“It isnae much,” David said, “and you’ll be needing a more permanent solution before long, but it will do for today.”

“I thank you, David,” Una replied. “’Tis perfect.”

And it was. Large enough for Greer to spin and lay fully on her side with Una in the box next to her, but not so large that she would feel separated from her pups or lose track of them. It was close enough to the hearth to be warm, but not so close that anyone would be overheated. David brushed off his hands and stood, bidding them all farewell before striding off to manage the next crisis that demanded his attention.

Una smiled. She imagined that David spent his days in much the same way she did, only instead of setting bones and stitching wounds, he solved problems great and small. Una expected Rabbie to follow after David, but when she looked up, she found him sitting on the floor, gently stroking Greer’s ears and whispering to her.

“She likes you,” Una said.

Rabbie looked up, a shocked look on his face, as if he’d forgotten she was there.

“Do ye like animals, Rabbie?”

He nodded. She knew he didn’t like to speak except around close family, that he was sensitive about his stammer.

“Would you like to help me? I’ll be in the box with Greer, and Fenella will be busy feeding everyone. If you would help me, I’d be in your debt.”

Robbie smiled shyly, nodding. “I w-w-would l-like that,” he said quietly. “Verra m-much.”

Fiona bustled into the kitchen with an armful of cloths. Una spread a layer of soft fabric in the bottom of their pen and gestured to Rabbie, who gently led Greer to the box. She followed, licking his hand affectionately.

It wasn’t long before Greer lay down on her side. Una watched her belly tighten with contractions.

“Have you attended a birth before, Rabbie?” Una asked as she stroked Greer’s side.

Rabbie nodded. “I spend a l-l-lot of time with the horses. I’ve helped with the f-f-foaling the past th-three years.”

Una smiled. She could picture Rabbie with the horses, stroking their long, velvet noses and playing with the long-legged colts while their mothers grazed.

“Then none of this will surprise you in the least,” she said. “This is the first dog birth I’ll be attending, but I cannae imagine the main principles are any different from sheep or people.”

At that moment, Greer began licking at her back end. Una noticed a small puppy head, still encased in the sac. A few breaths later, the puppy slid out and into Una’s waiting hands. Greer immediately began licking the puppy, and Una helped to clear the puppy from the membrane. Una held the umbilical cord tightly between her fingers while Greer chewed it away from the placenta so that her teeth didn’t accidentally hurt the puppy. Once the puppy was clean, Una helped it to find its way to one of Greer’s teats to nurse.

The puppy, a male, was round and soft, his eyes tightly closed. He was light gray, though that wasn’t an indicator of what he would look like when it was older. Una smiled, imagining a litter of puppies with Greer’s grace and Mathan’s shaggy coat running roughshod around the keep.

Rabbie handed her a clean bit of toweling, and Una traded him for the dirty one. A small while later, the process began anew, this time with a female pup that was white with gray patches. She was even bigger than her brother and yipped angrily until she was settled in and nursing.

And so the afternoon passed, with Una helping to rub the puppies clean and make sure their airways were clear before Rabbie helped to settle them against Greer’s teats. It was evening when Greer delivered her eighth puppy. The litter of tiny, round puppies were nursing happily, squeaking and making the most adorable racket.