Alexander: A Seventh Son Novel (McClains Book 1) Read online

  “Really?” He’d never heard of such a thing. “Can you show me?”

  Now that it was September, she wasn’t perpetually hot, so she didn’t want to have it snow on them. “How about a warm breeze?” she asked, closing her eyes and allowing the wind to sweep through the room.

  “I like this!”

  “When I’m embarrassed, it snows inside. When I’m ashamed, it hails. If I’m sad, it will rain indoors. Living with me means you need to be prepared for any weather at any given time.” Madelina rubbed her hands over her face. “And now you need to prepare for me to be ill at any given time.”

  “I actually came to see you because I was told your mother had the power to heal. I was hoping she would be willing to see to my son.” Philip seemed hesitant to ask, but she could understand the need. If her child was ill, she’d move heaven and earth to get help for him.

  Madelina gratefully accepted her bag of medicine and a tankard of hot water from Alex. She found the right powders in her small pouches and added two different powders to the water. “What is wrong with your son?”

  “He was born with a leg that doesn’t work properly. He drags it everywhere.”

  “Mama will be here in two days. If you can bring him here, I’m sure she’ll be happy to see if she can help him.” She knew that her mother could help the boy, but she wouldn’t promise her mother would use her gift for another. It was not her place. She’d never seen her mother refuse to heal someone, even if that person was bad, but she still wouldn’t promise.

  “That would please my wife and me a great deal.” Philip sighed. “When he was born injured, many said we should let him die, but I couldn’t see doing that.”

  Madelina frowned. “No, of course you couldn’t. How old is he?”

  “He’s ten, and he hates being different. I’m afraid he is starting to be very unhappy. He worries that he’ll never be able to fight.”

  “At ten, that should be the last of his worries,” she said with a smile. “I’m sure something can be done. Please bring your wife with you when you bring him. I’d love to meet her. How far from here do you live?”

  “’Tis a two-hour journey on horseback. I will certainly bring her.”

  With Alex back beside her, she smiled at him. “Why did you not tell me of your nephew’s affliction? Mother would be happy to help.”

  Alex shrugged. “Sometimes I think some are born with afflictions because they have need of learning a lesson that can only be taught by their difference from others. I wasn’t sure if your mother should be brought in for that reason.”

  Madelina studied him for a moment, understanding his meaning. “I’m sure if there is a lesson to be learned, your nephew has long since learned it.” She peered into her medicine, touching a finger to it to see if it was cool enough to drink. It wasn’t, so she set it down again.

  Philip got to his feet. “I will go and get my wife and son and bring them to you two days hence.”

  Madelina nodded. “Mother and Father should be here by then.”

  “Father?” Alex groaned. “You didn’t tell me your father was coming.”

  “Did you expect Mother to travel across England on her own when you won’t even allow me to go an hour away by myself?”

  “I guess I was hoping someone else would bring her. Your uncle Roland or mayhap your uncle Hugh.”

  Philip smiled down at Madelina. “It was a pleasure meeting you, sister. I look forward to seeing you in two days.”

  “We will welcome you,” Madelina said softly as she watched him leave. Once he was gone, she looked at Alex. “Which number brother is Philip?”

  “He’s the eldest, and his son Joseph is the one with the affliction. His oldest as well. All of his other children are girls, and his only son walks with a limp. I’m sure it’s difficult for him.”

  “I hope Mother can help. I have seen her work miracles with many different types of things. She has been known to regrow a hand that was cut off.” Men tended to cherish sons over daughters, so she understood his brother’s sadness over the problem.

  Alex shook his head. “The powers your family possesses are amazing.”

  “They are. I have a feeling they will continue to get weaker through generations, now that the need for them is over, but perchance I’m wrong. ’Twould be nice to see some of my granddaughters have powers as well.” She reached for the tankard and started slowly sipping her tonic. She prayed that it would work this time, and she would be able to eat and nourish her son.

  Twenty minutes later, Alex was carrying her up the stairs. “Mayhap the medicine will help tomorrow.”

  She nodded, exhausted. If she couldn’t eat, she couldn’t be expected to help her baby grow.

  When Madelina woke hours later, Letice was sitting at the side of her bed. She was holding a doll that she had found somewhere, but Madelina had no idea where. She presumed Alex’s mother had kept dolls in the house for her other grandchildren.

  “Is that your baby?” Madelina asked.

  Letice nodded. “She was in my tummy, like my brother is in your tummy.”

  Madelina smiled at that. “Did you know my mama will be here soon?”

  “She made me not sick.”

  “Yes, she did. I’m glad you remember her.” Madelina hadn’t been sure if Letice would be able to remember her parents at all. She was very young, and they had been gone for two months now.

  “She’s nice.”

  Madelina rolled to her side carefully, hoping it wouldn’t upset her stomach again. She had precious little inside her, and she couldn’t afford to lose any more. “Did you have your supper?” she asked, unsure of what time of day it was. In her weakened state, she slept more than she was awake.

  “No. Papa says we’ll eat when you wake up.”

  “Well, I seem to be awake.”

  Letice nodded. “Are you going to be better soon?”

  “That’s why my mama is coming. She’s going to try to help me feel better.” Madelina just needed to hold out until her mother arrived.

  “Oh!” Letice seemed excited by that idea. “I know she can!” She obviously wanted her mama back, and Madelina understood perfectly.

  “Well, let’s see if I can get out of bed, and we’ll go down to supper with Papa.”

  “Wait!” Letice jumped to her feet. “I get Papa!” She ran from the room, and though she wasn’t certain why, Madelina waited where she was.

  A moment later, she was back with Alex. “I told her to come get me when you were ready to go below stairs. I don’t think you should waste what little energy you have on the stairs.” He scooped her off the bed, much to Letice’s obvious delight. “And I don’t trust you not to fall!”

  “You can’t carry me everywhere for the next seven months,” she protested.

  “Hopefully your mother will be able to help. How long do you think they’ll stay?” he asked.

  “You’re worried about how long my father will be in your house, and the most honest answer I can give is, ‘I don’t know.’ Mama will stay as long as she needs to for me to feel better. I don’t think they’ll stay until the babe is born, but they might.”

  He groaned softly. “Your father will blame me for your illness.” He dreaded coming face to face with her father again.

  She laughed. “You did have something to do with me becoming this sick.”

  “Yes, but I didn’t know you’d be this ill.” He deposited her in a chair in the great hall and sat beside her. “Cook made you a broth she is certain your stomach won’t object to.”

  “I certainly hope Cook is right. It would be nice for my mother to arrive and for us to be able to tell her I was better.” She seriously doubted the power of Cook’s broth, though. Her mother’s herbs hadn’t worked, and if they didn’t work, nothing would.

  “That would be my greatest wish—and not just because I don’t want your father to be here.”

  She smiled at him, truly understanding his problem with her father. “Mayhap you’l
l find something in common this time other than a mutual love for jousting.”

  “Make certain you have your scarf ready. It may come to that quickly.”

  Ten minutes later, they knew the broth Cook had worked so hard on hadn’t worked for her, and she was back in her bed. “I pray your parents come on winged horses,” he said softly. He wasn’t sure she’d live much longer without them. He’d never seen someone become so ill from carrying a baby.

  It was late the next evening when there was a pounding on the front door. When Alex rushed to open the door, he stood face to face with his wife’s father, who still had a look of anger on his face. How could a man stay angry for two months? Would he ever come to grips with Alex being his new son?

  “Come in. Where is your wife?”

  Marina stepped around her husband with a frown. “He bade me to stay behind him in case this wasn’t the right place.” She looked around quickly, taking everything in. “Where is she?”

  “Upstairs. We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow.” Even as he said the words, he said a silent prayer of thanksgiving. They were in time!

  “We left immediately, taking no time to prepare,” Charles said. “Our daughter is ill.”

  “She’s very ill.” Alex led them up the stairs and to the first room at the top. “She is sleeping, but feel free to wake her. She will be thrilled to see you both.” He opened the door.

  Marina put her hand on his arm, stopping him from waking her. “I can start healing her in her sleep, and it will be better for her.” She walked over and sat on the side of the bed, her hand hovering over her daughter’s stomach. “She is definitely expecting, and your son seems to be growing well. He is not ill. He’s taking the nutrients from her, though.” She looked back at Alex. “Christiana said she’d been using the herbs we give to expectant mothers?”

  “Yes, and they’ve not helped a bit from what I’ve seen. Cook made a special broth last night, and she couldn’t even keep that down.”

  Marina nodded. “I’ve seen this before. Mayhap you can show Charles to the room we’ll have for the next few months.”

  “Months?” Alex gulped. He didn’t want her parents there for months, but if it meant Madelina’s life, he would gladly allow it. He just hoped he’d heard her wrong.

  “I’m afraid we will need to stay until the babe is born. I hope this is her only pregnancy that is this bad.” With those words, she closed her eyes and put her hands over her daughter’s stomach, concentrating as hard as she could.

  Alex quietly left the room, taking Charles to the bedchamber he’d used as a child, as far from his room with Madelina as possible. It was bad enough that the man was going to have to be a guest in his house for so long; he didn’t want to have to have a room next to him. “Will this room work for you and Marina?” he asked.

  Charles nodded. “Yes, this will be fine. How long has Madelina been this ill?”

  Alex saw a true concern for his daughter on Charles’s face, and he realized that the man truly loved his daughter. “More than a week. At first, we thought she’d be all right, but it just won’t stop. She takes all the potions that she knows will help, and she drinks the broth made for her. But she is still not getting better.”

  “Is it possible she is sick as well as carrying the babe?”

  Alex shrugged. “I don’t know. She and your wife are healers. Surely one of them would have mentioned that if it were the case.”

  “True.” Charles clapped Alex on the back. “Whatever it is, I’m sure Marina can help her. We’ll be staying here for a long time, but at least our daughter will be well.”

  “Yes, that’s what we really care about.” Alex studied the man who had seemed to hate him. “Are you hungry? I can have Cook make something.”

  Charles nodded. “Marina wasn’t letting me stop for regular meals. We made the trip much faster than we probably should have.”

  “All right. I’ll go have something made for you, and they can bring a tray up for Marina.” Alex paused on his way out the door. “Thank you for coming to help her. I was afraid she wouldn’t make it.”

  “Now that Marina’s here, she’ll be fine.”

  Alex descended the stairs, feeling that a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. His wife would be fine now that her mother was there. There was no doubt in his mind.

  Chapter Nine

  When Madelina woke the following morning, she was able to sit up more easily. Her stomach still rocked a bit, but it didn’t go beyond that. She looked over to see if Alex was still there, but instead saw her mother sleeping beside her. “Mama?”

  Marina sat up, her hand immediately going to hover over her daughter’s stomach, assessing her. “You were very ill. Much worse than you told your aunt about.”

  “I’m sorry. I did my best to express how bad it was, but I was so weak and tired.” Madelina shook her head. “I’m feeling slightly better this morning.”

  “Good. I healed you while you slept. We’re staying until the babe is born. There’s no choice. You’re going to need some healing every day. I think at first you’ll need some before every meal. This is much worse than I’ve ever seen.” Marina reached over to hug her daughter. “Now lie flat and let me heal you. I want to get some breakfast into you immediately.”

  Madelina reclined onto her back. “I would dearly love to be able to keep some food inside me.”

  Marina worked on her for a full ten minutes before nodding. “I think you’re ready to try something. We’ll start with broth.”

  “I think that’s wise.” Madelina rolled to her side and put her feet on the floor. “I’ve been so weak, Alex has been carrying me up and down the stairs.”

  “I think that should continue for at least another day or two. I’m afraid you’ll become lightheaded from lack of food on the stairs and fall. That’s my grandson you’re carrying.”

  “Could you tell that it was a boy?”

  Marina nodded. “Yes, it’s definitely a boy. Not that anyone expected anything different.” She got out of bed, still wearing the traveling dress she’d ridden to the castle in. “I’ll go and fetch Alex to carry you down the stairs. Please don’t attempt it on your own.”

  “I won’t, Mama. I don’t want this baby harmed any more than you do.” After her mother had left the room, Madelina took a deep breath. She didn’t feel like she would be sick, but it was hard to tell. She did feel too weak to try to stand on her own.

  Alex walked into the room a moment later, scooping her up in his arms. “Are you ready for breakfast?”

  “Mother says I may only have broth.”

  “She told me that last night. I’ve informed Cook to always have some ready for you.” He carried her down the stairs as if she weighed nothing. “I do think you weigh less than you did before you were expecting my child. I don’t think it’s supposed to work that way.” Once he set her in a chair, he rubbed at the wound on his chest.

  Madelina frowned. “Does carrying me pull at your injury?”

  He shrugged. “Just a bit. It’s mostly healed.”

  “Mother,” she said to someone behind his back. “Alex was cut the day after we arrived here. He is still in some pain from the injury. Would you mind?” It was good to be able to call on her mother for these things again.

  Marina shook her head. “Where?”

  “It’s nothing.”

  “Where?” Marina was obviously not going to back down. She came from a long line of strong women, and she wasn’t used to not getting her way.

  “My left shoulder,” Alex finally said.

  Marina hovered her hands over the shoulder and closed her eyes. “There. It was still not quite healed, but my daughter did a good job on it. You used the right herbs.” She smiled at Madelina with pride. “You paid attention to all I taught you.”

  “Of course I did!” Madelina thanked Cook for setting her broth in front of her. “I appreciate you going to extra effort for just me.”

  “Not just you, milady. You a
nd the babe you carry.” Cook hurried back out of the room. She was a woman of few words, and that was a long speech for her.

  Madelina sniffed deeply of the broth, making sure the smell wouldn’t upset her stomach, before she took a spoonful. She didn’t notice when the others sat around her and began eating as well. When the bowl was empty, she pushed it away and patted her stomach. “I think it worked, Mama.”

  “For this meal. We’re going to be healing your stomach before every meal, hoping that enough food will stay inside you that you can grow. Every bite taken and kept down will be rejoiced over. The baby is fine, but you’re not. You look like you’ve lost all of your flesh. You’re just bones now.” Marina pushed her own plate away. “I want you to either spend the day in bed again or in the sitting room. Which would you prefer?”

  “I’m tired of being in bed. Can we go to the sitting room?”

  “Absolutely.” Marina nodded to Alex, who carried her to the sitting room. Once she was there, ensconced on the window seat, Marina sat across from her in a chair. “How do you like your home?” she asked. “It’s not as big as ours.”

  “I do like it. Oh! And before I forget. Alex’s oldest brother will be coming with his son soon. He wants you to heal him. He was born with one of his legs deformed.”

  Marina nodded. “I can do that. It’s hard to believe I’ll be without my sisters for so long. When you feel well enough, you’ll have to take me to the spot where you can talk to Christiana, so I can let her know we’re all right.”

  “The men could do that today, if you’d like. Alex knows where it is now because he had to take me there.”

  “I would like that very much. Christiana and Eva will worry until they receive a report from us.” Marina got up and hurried out of the room. When she came back a few minutes later, she had Letice with her. “They’re heading out now.”

  “Oh good. I knew they wouldn’t mind. What’s the news from home?”

  As her mother filled her in on the happenings back at her uncle’s home, she realized that she was no longer as homesick as she’d been at first. She didn’t wake up every morning wanting to ride to where she could contact her aunt because she was content. She had her daughter, her husband, and she was carrying a son. All was right with her world.