“Ye had nay right to share my news wit’ anyone. Did it ever occur to ye that Gabriel and I may nae have wanted anyone to ken yet? We’ve only known for a few weeks now and what if we lose the bairn in the next months? Did ye think what that kind of news would be like to share?”
Isobel shook her head, refusing to look Elena in the face.
“Of course ye dinnae.”
“Do ye think ye’ll lose the child then?” Isobel asked in such a hushed tone that Elena had to lean in to hear.
“It’s possible,” Elena answered. “Which is why we dinnae want anyone to ken yet. If ye’d have told them in three months maybe my ire wouldnae be so harsh, but it is still too soon to tell how this pregnancy will go.”
“I’m sorry, I thought ye’d be pleased,” Isobel said, gulping air as she tried not to cry.
“What is goin’ on here?”
Elena turned her head to find Gabriel walking toward her. His eyes were soft with a hint of concern as his attention shifted from Isobel to Elena.
“Go on then,” Elena snapped. “Yer so good at talkin’, tell him what ye did.”
Isobel shook her head and turned on her heels. Elena threw her hands up and exhaled as Gabriel’s fingers curled over her shoulder.
“She wrote to my family,” Elena said, trying not to direct her anger at Gabriel.
“And that is a bad thin’ because?”
“Isobel told my family we are expectin’,” Elena said. Her lower lip trembled as she crossed her arms over her chest and breathed in deeply to steady her nerves. “Now they are all here. Well, almost all of them. Anna is still missin’ at the moment. But my sisters and mother are in the drawin’ room right this very moment.”
Gabriel pulled Elena to him. She found some comfort in his strong embrace. Wishing she could stay there in that nook, Elena wanted more than anything to cry. It wasn’t just the fact that Isobel had stolen her thunder by telling everyone, it was the pressure she felt now to deliver a child.
“It’s alright,” Gabriel said as he stroked her hair. “Yer sister dinnae mean anythin’ by it.”
Elena pulled away and glared at Gabriel. She wasn’t sure if he was defending Isobel’s actions, or didn’t really care about how the news got out.
“I never thought ye take Isobel’s side on the matter,” Elena said stepping away from him.
“I’m nae takin’ anyone’s side,” he said as his eyes shifted to the doorway down the hall for a moment. “But I do think ye were a bit harsh on her. All she wanted to do was please ye and look at how ye repay her kindness. If it were me who wrote yer family tellin’ them the news, would ye be so mad?”
Elena mulled over his question a moment and couldn’t answer. Of course, there was a part of her that wanted to be the one to tell everyone, yet she knew sending out the notices would make it official. As if somehow telling everyone would solidify in her mind that yes, she was going to have a baby.
“I daenae ken,” Elena finally answered. “Suppose I wanted this to be just ours, ye ken? A secret that we shared and nay one else.”
“My love, ye do ken yer goin’ to be showin’ soon, and then what would ye say to people? To yer self? Would ye deny the reality then too?”
“Nay,” Elena huffed. “It would be too obvious by then.”
“So,” Gabriel said as he reached for her and tucked the loose strands of hair behind her ear. “Then what is the problem? If ye ask me, yer sister did us a favor and sent out the notices for us. Now, we daenae have to worry about it. Yer sisters and maither will be happy to throw ye a ceilidh and help ye get the nursery ready for our new arrival.”
“What if it doesnae come though?” Elena asked. Her fears finally out in the open seemed like a mountain she had to climb.
“What makes ye think it willnae happen?”
Elena shook her head. “I daenae ken.”
“What I’m hearin’ is that yer scared. And ye have every right to be. But ye ken ye have family here now and I’ll always be here for ye. Yer nae doin’ this alone.”
Gabriel’s words soothed her weary mind. She gave a sharp nod as she relaxed her shoulders.
“Yer right,” she said. “I have ye, and my family to help me.”
“Whatever is troublin’ ye, I suggest ye talk wit’ yer family,” he said with a hint of a smile. “They’ll have a better idea of what ye can expect. Daenae worry so much, my love. Everythin’ will work out as it is meant to. Have a bit of faith that this child is a gift from God and it will be loved and cherished nay matter if it is a boy or a girl.”