Hellion

Seven

"Put her on the table." Claire ordered.

Dougal didn't ask questions, he placed the unconscious Alexandria down on what served as an operating table. He stepped back to let Claire work. Unbeknownst to Dougal, he was covered in his wife's blood.

Claire cut the clothing away and removed Alex's jewelry. The jewelry was immediately given to Dougal by Jamie.

It was fairly obvious what was happening, Alexandria was having a miscarriage. What wasn't obvious was why. Alexandria was, at most, 12 weeks along but not less than 4 weeks.

Was it an ectopic pregnancy? Had that caused a rupture? Claire Fraser frowned. It had to be something significant. Alex wasn't far enough into the pregnancy to cause this sort of bleeding otherwise. She started an IV on her friend in order to get some fluids into her, but there wasn't much else she could do but wait. Cleaning her up, Claire took her time. Looking for something, anything, which would give her a clue.

"What is wrong wit' her Claire?" Dougal watched his wife.

"I don't know." She shook her head. "Has she been sick, hurt, or anything?"

"No. Tired but she was tired wit' Caillen too, ya ken?"

"Is she eating and drinking enough?"

"Aye. Alex has even been drinkin' tea instead of whiskey or wine."

"Does she prepare her own tea or does someone make it for her?" Claire was chasing a thought.

"In our chambers, she makes her own. Usually someone makes it for her durin' meals or when she takes it wit' her to tha stables."

"Jamie, will you go get Mrs. Fitz and bring what she makes Alex's tea with her please?"

Jamie nodded and left.

Dougal's eyes narrowed down at Claire. "Yer thinkin' somethin' Claire."

"I am. Dougal, please sit." She took a gentle tone. "I don't need you as a patient as well. You are pale. If I have to take care of you that takes time away from Alex."

He was about to argue when he realized the truth of Claire's statement. He sat. Dougal saw that Alexandria was starting to stir some. Claire was with her before he could say something. Immediately, Claire shoved her friend to her side as the mostly unconscious Alex began to vomit.

"Dougal! Help me!"

Claire had never seen the War Chieftain of Clan MacKenzie look as lost as when she told him to hold Alex with her head tipped down the side of the table. That way she wouldn't aspirate into her lungs. She saw it then. There was a tiny slit, Alexandria had her eyes open, barely.

"Alex? Alexandria? Can you hear me?" Claire rubbed her knuckles painfully across Alex's sternum.

A noise was made but nothing else until she started to have a seizure just a few seconds later. Bloody foam poured from Alex's mouth. She had bitten her tongue, lip, or cheek – possibly all three. The violent muscle contractions were horrifying to see, so much that Dougal crossed himself and prayed. The entire seizure only lasted 45 seconds but it was more than enough to keep Alexandria unconscious. The seizure caused more blood to spill and other bodily fluids. Claire cleaned her friend up once more.

Someone gave her an abortifacient and had used far too much, that had to be it Claire believed. Most abortifacients wouldn't do much to a woman that wasn't pregnant other than maybe nausea and vomiting. Hopefully, Mrs. Fitz could answer that question.

Thank god Alex had redone the infirmary to how she and Claire had always kept it, Claire thought. She also knew that Alexandria had used activated charcoal several times when people had gotten into something they shouldn't have.