Chapter 70 - Olive

"Alright," Vincent sighed, rubbing his hands over his scarred face and up through his hair, "Let's go see them. I'll call for the carriage."

Delaney looked at him in surprise, "What... what do you mean?"

"I love you and I want you to be able to see your friend and her baby. Besides you're right. Bernard is one of my best friends. When we have a baby I'm sure he'll come with his wife to see it."

Delaney clasped her hands together in excitement, "Oh Vincent! Do you mean it?"

He rubbed the back of his neck and nodded, "Yes. You can tell them to ready the carriage if you'd like. We can both change while they do so."

"I will right now!" Delaney got up and moved towards the door before coming to a halt. She turned and rushed back to her husband, taking his face gently in her hands, she gave him a deep, loving kiss before hurrying on her way.

Delaney told the butler to have a carriage ready quickly for them before dashing up to her room and ringing for Mrs. Bird again. The old maid came and Delaney told her the exciting news.

Ms. Bird gushed with her own excitement for her mistress and hurried off to get her a lovely plum gown and gems to pin in Delaney's hair. Once the young woman was dressed and her hair done in an intricate design, Ms. Bird pinned in the gems and hung a diamond necklace around her neck.

"You don't think this is too much?" Delaney asked nervously, running her fingers over the beautiful necklace.

Ms. Bird laughed, "My Lady you are the Duchess of Edgewood now. If anything, this might not be fancy enough."

Delaney took the woman's word on it and thanked her for her help. She hurried outside and down the stairs, finding Vincent waiting for her. She paused halfway down the stairs to take in the sight of him.

He was a striking figure in tight black breeches and tall leather boots. He wore a perfectly white tunic and black vest over it. His long black hair was combed back and tied at the nape of his neck. His flashing green eyes met hers and Delaney felt like she might melt.

Hurrying down the rest of the stairs, she met him and put her arms around him, kissing him hungrily. Caught off-guard, he chuckled against her lips and kissed her back.

"You look deadly handsome," she breathed.

He grinned, "And you look ravishing my love. Are you ready to go?"

Vincent took her on his arm and led her out to the waiting carriage. He helped her inside before climbing in behind her. One of the men closed the door behind them and a moment later, the carriage took off.

Delaney sat across from Vincent, beaming and so excited she could burst.

Finally they were leaving the estate and traveling to visit her friends. They had been married nearly two months and not left at all. She was thrilled to be out now with her husband.

Looking at Vincent, she saw he did not look excited. The farther away from Edgewood the carriage traveled, the less pleased and more panicked he seemed to look.

At first, the carriage hitting bumps seemed to not bother him but by the time they were nearing Olive and Bernard's home, he would wince and close his eyes.

"Is the pain awful?" Delaney asked quietly, feeling guilty and beginning to regret the trip.

"It's alright," he spoke evenly with a forced smile.

"When we get there and you get a chance to not be in the carriage for a while, do you think it will make it start to feel better?"

"I'm not sure," he managed through gritted teeth as they hit another large bump, "I haven't done enough traveling since being injured to know quite what will happen."

Delaney nodded and watched him. He was pale and his scars were growing darker red. Studying his face she frowned, the scar on his chin went to the middle of his chin? She could have sworn it was only to the edge.

She scolded herself on not paying enough attention and, at the same time, paying too much attention, to her husbands scars. They were a part of him and for that reason they were important but how big or how far they stretched didn't matter. She loved him anyway.

As they grew closer to their destination, Delaney moved to the seat beside him and took his hand in hers. He looked down at her from the corner of his eye but did not turn his head, trying to keep himself rigid so the bumps might not jostle him so much.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her, "I'm sorry you have to deal with this."

"Shh," she frowned at him, "I'm not dealing with anything. You are dealing with pain because you chose to do something to make me happy. I'm sorry for that."

"I want to make you happy," he managed a harsh chuckle, "It's not fair to you that a simple trip in a carriage is such an ordeal."

"It's not fair to you that a trip in a carriage has to be so painful," she countered but then smirked, "I think I should kiss you though and we should see if that helps at all."

Again, a harsh chuckle came from him and he turned to look at her, "I do believe kissing you can make anything better."

Delaney smiled and gently took his pale, scarred face into her hands and kissed him. Gently at first, but their kisses grew more and more passionate until Vincent actually scooped her up against his chest and sat her on his lap.

Careful not to mess up his hair, Delaney cradled the back of his neck as she tasted Vincent's sweet lips and tried for more. Vincent's hand on her hip slowly worked it's way up her waist and to her ribcage before he stopped.

Breathing heavily, he dropped his head until his forehead rested against her collarbone. When the carriage hit another bump she felt him stiffen beneath her and a strangled noise escape him.

Delaney moved off his lap and looked at him anxiously.

"We're almost there," she said quietly as he locked his jaw against the pain.

"Thank you my love," he managed, his posture not changing.

The sound of the carriage wheels crunching on gravel let them know they'd turned onto the drive that would lead to Olive and Bernard's home. The carriage slowed and came to a stop.

Delaney looked at her husband with worry, his eyes pressed closed. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, relaxing as he did. When he opened his eyes and turned to look at his wife, she saw he at least seemed to be calm now.

Their man opened the carriage door for them then and Vincent got out, gritting his teeth. Standing on solid ground, he turned back to help Delaney down.

"Please don't look so concerned," he whispered to her once she was standing in front of him, "I don't want to look like some pathetic creature you're stuck caring for."

"Shh," she frowned at him, "No one will think that... I'll try not to look overly concerned though."

"Thank you," he muttered as the door to the house swung open. The butler was nearly knocked aside as a young woman dressed in pink came dashing outside to them.

"Cora!" Delaney beamed, "You're here!"

Cora didn't pause though and grabbed Delaney's hands in hers. It was then that Delaney saw the stricken look on her face and her red rimmed eyes.

"Cora what is it?" Vincent asked urgently, seeing the expression as well.

"It's Olive," Cora whispered, her voice hoarse, "There's something wrong."

"What do you mean there's something wrong?" Delaney demanded, her voice growing higher as panic struck. Her heart began to race and her stomach twisted into knots.

"We-we don't know," Cora stammered as tears began to slide down her cheeks.

"Cora," came a voice from behind them and Delaney looked past her to see Miles coming quickly toward them.

"What's going on?" Vincent questioned his younger brother sternly.

"Something's wrong with Olive..."

"Yes, Cora told us that," Vincent snapped, "What is it?"

Miles swallowed and shrunk back a bit under his brother's obvious displeasure. "Bernard said her labor was long and hard. He said it went on all day yesterday and the baby wasn't born until late in the night..."

"They thought she was better this morning," Cora interrupted, her voice urgent, "When she sent word to all of us this morning she seemed to be recovering."

"We arrived a few hours ago and she was alright at first," Miles continued, "but since then she's gotten worse and worse. The doctor came and he said... he said..."

"He said her bleeding won't stop," Cora sobbed, "He said he can't stop it!"

Delaney looked up at Vincent, her mouth open and her eyes wide with fear. He looked down at his wife and swallowed, setting his face into a hard expression.

"Take us to them."