Worth the Risk(62)

‘Everything will be just fine, Felicity,’ Ally soothed gently, stroking her patient’s hair and giving her shoulders a quick squeeze. ‘You’ve had an excellent pregnancy and there’s no reason why this birth shouldn’t be the nicest, calmest experience you’ve ever had. Now then, I need to examine you so let’s get you back on the bed.’

With Hugh and Sean helping, she manoeuvred Felicity onto the bed. Ally then scrubbed her hands and snapped on a pair of sterile gloves.

‘OK, let’s take a look.’ With infinite care she examined Felicity, discovering that the cervix was fully dilated.

‘Oh, that hurts so much!’ Felicity screwed up her face and Ally finished her examination, tugging off the gloves and giving the labouring woman a smile.

‘Well, this baby isn’t hanging around!’ She glanced at Sean, who was looking tense and edgy.

‘Can you open the delivery pack, Dr Nicholson, and draw up the Syntometrine?’ She turned to Felicity’s husband. ‘Hugh, can you fetch some candles and play a tape with something really soothing on it—any Schubert string quartets?’

Hugh gaped at her. ‘Well, yes, actually, but—’

‘Great.’ Ally rearranged the pillows and made Felicity comfortable. ‘Fetch them, will you? Now, Felicity, you can lie down if you like, but you might find it easier to go back on the floor where you were and squat. What do you think?’

Felicity clutched her hand. ‘I don’t know. I just think it’s all going so wrong.’

Ally slipped her arm round her patient’s shoulders and gave her a hug. ‘It’s not going wrong at all, Felicity. It’s perfect. Trust me.’

Felicity gave her a wobbly smile and allowed them to help her back onto the floor.

‘Pass me some of those towels, Hugh,’ Ally ordered, spreading them carefully beneath Felicity. ‘That’s it. There. Now, doesn’t the room look nice with those candles?’

It did. Warm and calm, and suddenly Felicity seemed to relax. ‘I’ve got another contraction coming.’

Ally snapped on a fresh pair of gloves. ‘OK, push down with the pain. That’s it. Good girl. I can see the head, Felicity. Lots of dark hair.’

‘Ooh…’ Felicity groaned and reached out for Hugh.

‘Stand behind her and support her under her arms,’ Ally suggested, and he did just that, holding her while she laboured.

‘Will it be all right like this?’ Felicity made a noise somewhere between a moan and a giggle. ‘I don’t want it to bang its head when it’s born.’

Ally laughed. ‘I’ve got my fishing net ready. It’ll be fine.’

She glanced up and caught Sean watching her, an odd expression on his face. With a soft smile she handed him the suction tube.

‘Can you clear the baby’s mouth and nose?’

He nodded and watched while she applied gentle pressure on the perineum with one hand, while placing her other hand on the head of the infant to control the rate of delivery.

The head slid out neatly, and emotion clogged her throat. It was so amazing, the birth of a baby. And she was going to have one of her own. She was going to have Sean’s baby. She blinked rapidly. But he’d never know. He didn’t want to know.

Sean cleared the baby’s airways and while they waited for the next contraction Ally rested her eyes on his hard, male features, memorising every line and angle of his handsome face. He glanced up to reassure Felicity and frowned as he caught her looking at him, his eyes suddenly questioning as he read the obvious yearning in her eyes.

Instantly she looked away, swallowing hard to subdue her feelings. Oh, help! Had she given it all away?

Felicity groaned. ‘I’ve got another one coming…’

‘OK, pant for me. That’s it.’ With gentle skill Ally delivered the anterior shoulder, aware of Sean giving the injection which would make the uterus contract. The rest of the baby followed, the cord was cut, and she lifted the infant gently into Felicity’s arms.

‘Oh, Hugh! Oh— I…’ Felicity burst into tears and Ally blinked rapidly to clear her own eyes.

‘Congratulations.’ Her voice was husky. ‘A little girl.’

‘Oh, Mummy loves you, darling.’ Felicity cuddled the bawling bundle close and sobbed quietly, while the tears streamed down Hugh’s cheeks.

Ally glanced up at Sean, but his face was like a mask, his expression totally unreadable as he cleared up some of the equipment they’d used.

Didn’t he feel anything? How could anyone see a baby born and not be moved?

Lost in her own thoughts, she applied traction to the placenta, which was delivered easily, and then checked that it was complete.