Chapter Ten
It took her a while before she got to speak with the doctor. She had to help him clean a wound first, one that had begun to show signs of infection. After they cleaned up he took her to the small room he used as an office. She saw the blanket-covered cot in the corner and decided it must be where he collapsed to sleep at the end of a long day. Abbie wondered if this war had given the man as much doctoring as he had the stomach to take or if he intended to continue when the war was over.
“Drink?” he asked as he poured himself some whiskey.
“A very small one as I believe I will need to stay awake for a long time.”
He laughed and poured her a small amount of whiskey. “What did you want to ask me? And thanks for the help. I think we caught that infection in time.”
“Good. There is too much lost to it.”
“Indeed. So, your question?”
“It is time or very near time for Julia to have her baby. She thought it was time yesterday, but despite having pains and all, it stopped, just stopped. Does that mean something is wrong?”
“No. Women can even have fraudulent labor. I have had the husband drag me out in the middle of the night, rush me to his house and then, by the time we get there, the woman is fine.”
“So she is not having the baby now? Does this wait last long or is it just a quickly passing thing?”
“Sometimes it can happen long before the true time. Those times we usually try to stop it or make the women stay abed with her feet up, both actions I have never decided on the worth of. Sometimes it is a warning and the true time will come along soon after. Point is, it is not usually a sign that something is wrong.”
“All right.” She sipped her whiskey. “So she may well start up again before too long.”
“I fear so. I thought you said you had helped in a lot of births.”
“I have, but they all started and stopped as one hears they should.”
“Ah, well, every woman is different. I have had women scream as if they are being ripped apart and others who sit there calm and smiling, chatting away with anyone who stops by, then suddenly she is a mother.”
“A strange business,” she said, shook her head, and finished the last bit of her whiskey.
“No question about it. Ah, I believe we are about to have some company.”
Wondering why the doctor suddenly looked amused, she turned and saw Matthew. He walked into the office, glared at the empty whiskey glass, and then scowled at her. “What are ye doing?”
“I was talking to the doctor about Julia’s baby coming. I had a few questions.”
“With whiskey?” he grumbled.
“It was courtesy that made him offer and I was in need of something after spending a few hours with Julia. I got the answers I needed and the whiskey was much better than Reid ever offered me or my father’s brew.”
Matthew glanced back at the doctor who was hiding a big grin behind the sipping of his drink and failing to disguise his intense amusement. Muttering to himself, he led Abbie out of the infirmary. He decided it was just luck that kept him from meeting James, Dan, or Boyd as he left.
“Why are ye out wandering around? I thought Julia was having her bairn?”
“I thought she was too, and then she stopped. Everything just stopped. I was afraid something nasty had happened, that the baby would be hurt, but the doctor says it is normal enough. So I had to get away from her for a bit.” She looked at Matthew. “Why were you looking for me?”
“I wasnae. I was just going to look in on Boyd and saw ye drinking with the doctor.”
Abbie wondered why that sounded like an accusation but followed him as he led her away from town. “I am not sure I ought to go far now. Julia could need me again at any time.”
“I am sure we will hear about it,” he said as he led her into the trees.
She was looking around at the trees and realizing it was a very private spot but not the one he had taken her to before. Then Matthew pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Her surprise quickly faded and passion rose as he went down onto the ground, pulling her down with him. When his body settled over hers she snuggled up against him as close as she could. She knew what he was planning to do and she found she had an eagerness for the same.
As she tilted her head so he had an easier time in kissing her throat she felt him undoing the buttons on her bodice. It struck her as odd that his doing that was enough to make her blood heat in anticipation. When his hand settled on her breast she arched into his touch, welcoming it. The touch of the heat of his mouth there made her shiver. Then he began to kiss her again and she sank into the kiss, losing the ability to follow his every move.
Matthew did his best to keep her drunk on his kisses discovering that he was finding it nearly as heady himself. Her mouth was addictive, a sweet and hot magic in every kiss. He moved his hand under her skirts eager to feel the heat of her. A soft groan escaped her when he stroked her and he savored the sign that she was as caught up in the moment as he was.
Abbie closed her eyes, savoring the feel of his touch and his kisses without letting the world interfere. She just let the sheer pleasure of it wash over her, savoring every tremble that came as he kissed her breasts. Threading her fingers in his hair she tried to hold him there but he slipped free. A moment later he kissed her between her legs and she shook with both surprise and delight. She was just thinking she needed to push him away when he began to lick her and she lost all urge to make him stop. Her insides tightened until it was almost painful.
When he pushed her legs up, she made no protest, focused on the sensations pounding through her. Then, abruptly, she wanted something and tried to pull him up her body. He rose over her and was inside her before she could complain and she clutched at him as he thrust into her. It took very few times before she shattered and cried out, pleasure rippling throughout her body. She wrapped her arms around him as he moved in her then stiffened and groaned out her name, then held him close when he slumped against her.
For several moments, they lay entwined, silent, and still joined, but then Matthew pulled away and rolled onto his side to fix his trousers. He looked at her and smiled. Sprawled on her back with her gown undone, Abbie looked deliciously wanton. He felt himself harden a bit at the view and almost grinned, knowing he should feel pleasantly satisfied and not hungry again. He bent and kissed her breast before fixing her clothes.
Although she suspected a proper woman should be thoroughly embarrassed, Abigail felt nothing but a lazy contentment. Whatever he had just done had left her feeling soft and relaxed in a very pleasant way. She now understood why people did this, married or not. A glance at Matthew was enough to tell her he was in an extremely pleasant mood as well.
When he bent his head to kiss her again she shook her head. “I still have to see to Julia.”
“Ah, of course.” He reached out to toy with her tangled hair. “It was just a kiss.”
“Well, we just saw what just a kiss can lead to and I don’t want to be interrupted during, um, that, by Maude’s pig call.”
“Maude’s what?”
“She said if Julia needs me again and they don’t know where I am she’ll just go to the door, stick her head out, and give her pig call. She said it can be heard for miles around.” She cocked her head. “I doubt it is miles, but I bet it can be heard from a pretty great distance. Also Mrs. Beaton looked horrified, but that won’t stop Maude.”
He sat up and rubbed his knees. “Is Julia having a lot of trouble in birthing the babe?”
“I don’t know. She thought she was having it and then she wasn’t.” She sat up as well. “That was what I went to talk to the doctor about. It was just a false alarm but the real could follow the false real soon so . . .” She shrugged.
He nodded. “So a false alarm but also a warning sign.”
“Yes, and Julia doesn’t handle pain well at all. She seemed quite dismayed that it should hurt. She also claimed to be seeing Robert in the corner of the room, telling her things. I had meant to ask the doctor if delusions were any sign of problems.”
“I can take ye back there if ye want.”
“No. I believe it is just a touch of hysteria and the pain she had not been ready for. She also is still sunk in grief so I suppose it is not that strange that she would see him in her time of need. I think he had become the rock she clung to in the misery her life is now.”
He was about to comment on that when a piercing yodel cut through the silence. “What the devil?”
“I believe that is Maude. It is quite an impressive call. No wonder she is proud of it.”
Abigail stood up and brushed off her skirts. She idly noted there were a few grass stains but shrugged. If Maude was calling because Julia was in labor again, she doubted many would take note of the grass stains on her skirt.
“Well, after such a fine performance, we should hurry.”
“I agree,” said Abigail and sprinted away.
Laughing softly, he followed her, easily catching up to run at her side. Once they reached the house he complimented Maude on her call as Abbie and he stepped into the hall. Since nothing was planned for his afternoon, he decided he would linger and wait for some news before he wandered back to his bunk.
Abigail ran up the stairs and quickly hung up her coat. Julia was already making loud complaints about a pain. It was clear the girl had no idea of what was coming.
“So, Julia, you believe your babe is coming this time?” Abbie said as she went to stand by the bed.
“Yes. You need to get the doctor. This is much worse than it was yesterday.”
“Doctors don’t usually attend births unless something is going wrong.”
“Then who else does the work?”
“Midwives.”
“Why?”
“I have no idea. I believe some very rich ladies can pay to have a doctor but most women do it themselves, maybe have a few friends to help, or get a midwife.”
“Oh,” Julia said, and her reply turned into a long moan of pain. “Like before with just you and Rose. Are you a midwife?”
“No one has named me one but I have attended and helped in many a birth with midwives and with doctors and they were all satisfied.”
“They are not the ones having the baby.”
“True enough. I was just telling you how much assistance I have done and learning I have gained.”
“All right. But you will get the doctor if something happens you do not know or something goes wrong, right?”
“Yes, but nothing is going to go wrong.”
“Why does it hurt so much? It didn’t hurt like this the last time,” she whined.
“Maybe because that was a false alarm. Now your body is trying to push the baby out and the baby doesn’t feel like coming out. Last time was clearly false labor. That can feel pretty real but it isn’t and that is why it stopped. I have no good answer, just that it does and always has.”
“That seems grossly unfair.”
“Most certainly.”
“How does this not rip a woman apart?” Julia asked in a swiftly rising voice that hurt her ears. “Something has to be wrong!”
“It isn’t. I’m sorry you were never informed about the whole process.”
“Why should I be? I was not supposed to be doing this until I was safely married.”
“True, but you are married now and it is time to stop fretting on how much it hurts or how hard the work to birth is, and just get on with it.” Abigail could tell by the wide eyes Julia stared at her with that some of her irritation with the woman had sounded in her voice.
Julia opened her mouth to say something that Abigail thought was probably another complaint and then screamed softly. Abbie felt her stomach and felt sure this time it was real labor. She looked across the bed at Rose who had come into the room and taken her seat.
“Real?” asked Rose.
“I certainly think so.”
“Good. My cousin had false labor several times before she got down to business, and it was a relief when she did. So we settle in for a long time.”
When Julia screeched again, Abbie winced. “I hope for the sake of my hearing it is not too long.”
Julia obeyed nearly everything they told her to do but her temper flared several times. Abbie was tempted to tell her what kind of messes she and Rose were having to deal with just to make Julia be quiet but decided that would be mean. She was not yet tired enough to be mean.
“I am so tired,” Julia said in a soft voice after about three hours of complaining and yelling.
“It is almost over,” Abbie said in as soothing a voice as she could muster. “Now comes the time when you need to start pushing.”
“You certain she is that close?” asked Rose even as she stood up.
“I believe so although this hasn’t taken as long as I thought it would.” She suddenly looked at Julia. “Did your pains come earlier than you said?”
“Don’t think so. I was sitting up here being careful and then my back hurt. I tried to ignore it but it kept right on hurting. I went to sit downstairs for a while and visit with everyone when all of a sudden I got a real pain. Rose told me that was a sign to get to bed.”
Abigail sighed. “That discomfort was early labor, Julia. You have been in labor for quite a while.”
With Rose standing in a position to be ready to take the baby, Abbie stood and held Julia’s hand in hers. Despite her growing questions about Julia’s sanity, Abbie was determined to see this birth completed. When Julia began to stare off into the corner of the room and smile, she still pushed with admirable strength when told to. Soon Rose joined in the encouragement and Abbie knew the baby would arrive soon. A healthy baby boy slid into Rose’s hands. They smiled at each other when the child let out a strong wail and then Rose placed the baby on Julia’s chest.
Suddenly there was clarity in Julia’s eyes and Abbie was certain that Julia actually saw her child. While Rose helped Julia attempt to settle the baby at her breast, Abbie tended to the cord and cleaned up Julia and the bed. Abbie waited tensely for Julia to have another spell. From what she could see of the other woman’s face, so was Rose. Then the blank eyes returned as the baby went to sleep and Julia held the child out to Abbie.
“His name is Jeremiah Robert Collins.” She smiled at whatever she could see in the corner.
“A good strong name.” Abbie tidied up the stem of the cord still attached to the child, tying it off before wrapping the baby in a small blanket. “He has a good head of hair for a newborn.”
When Julia said nothing, Rose nodded. “Have to see how long it lasts. Babes tend to lose it at first.” Rose looked at Julia who had fallen asleep. “She has lost her mind, you know.”
“Actually, I think it is broken. She’s lost too much. Her family, her home, and all that.”
“So have we all and more.”
“I know, but Julia doesn’t have the strength the rest of us do. When she lost Robert too, it broke her.”
“So what happens to the babe?”
“I don’t know. I can only hope Julia pulls herself together. Now I have to go downstairs and relieve Matthew. He is watching the children.”
“Want me to take the babe?”
“No need, but thank you. He is lying quiet and it is a small weight.”
“So, what do we do?”
“Wait and see.”
Abigail could tell Rose was not happy with that answer but she had no other. The child would either pull Julia out of her obsessive grief or not. They would have to wait to see what choice she made, then decide. As she had feared, the child was small and she was glad it had been born when the weather was warm and would be for a few months. She headed down the stairs to show the other women and was not surprised when Noah appeared at her side.
“Is it a boy?” he asked as he hopped down each step at her side.
“Yes, his name is Jeremiah Robert Collins.”
“That’s a big name for such an itty, bitty baby. And he is red.”
“That will fade and, yes, he is small but he will grow. Babies grow fast in the first year or so.”
“Probably so they learn to run quicker and get away from danger.”
She looked at the boy and shook her head in surprise at his remark. It was a surprisingly astute observation for such a small boy. Abbie had to admit she adored the child because he talked so well, was mischievous, and he seemed attached to her, but she was beginning to think there was a very clever brain hidden behind those big eyes.
“Puppies learn that fast, too.”
“They do indeed.” She reminded herself that she had a puppy she had to collect soon. Abigail walked into the main room and all the women got up and ran over to her. She let Maude take the baby and then went to sit on the settee. She was tired but knew she had to hold on until she was certain it was safe to leave the baby in Julia’s care. She also had to relieve Matthew, she remembered, and slowly pushed to her feet.
Noah edged next to her. “Why are they all making those funny noises at the baby?”
“Because he is a sign of hope. He shows that there is a future when this war can make us often forget that.”
He frowned and Abbie knew he was turning that over in his clever little brain. “Babies are always a sign of hope but, I think, more so in times like now.”
“Why isn’t he with his mother?”
“Because Julia is very tired right now. Having a baby is very hard work.”
He nodded and looked over at the child who was being passed around. When no further questions came, Abbie decided it was time to go and relieve Matthew. He had been kind to take watch over the children, but she suspected his patience might be waning after so long. She walked over to the parlor.
Abbie took one step into the room and stopped. Matthew sat on the settee laughing while Mary promenaded around in his hat. A boy sat on each side of him, also laughing. He appeared to be quite content where he was.
“Ah, Abbie,” he said as he turned toward her and smiled. “Is Julia a mother now?”
“Yes.” She started toward him as she ran her hand through her hair. “It went well, as far as I can tell.” Peter moved so Abbie sat down next to Matthew.
“Tired?”
“To the bone.” She noticed the children talking to each other and then they started toward the door. “Where are you going?”
“To see the baby,” replied Peter.
“Don’t get underfoot.”
“We’ll be careful,” said Sam. “Are you going to read us a story in a while?”
Even though she just wanted to go and crawl into bed, Abbie said, “Yes, so go to your room and be ready after you see the baby.”
When they left, she sighed and leaned against the settee back. “I guess I must read a story soon.”
“Can someone else not do it? You need to get some rest.”
“If they can, they will offer as I leave to go up the stairs, but I suspect it will be me. Maude is out with your major and Rose is just as tired as I am and probably already in bed.”
He put his arm around her and let her rest against his chest. “Is Julia truly well?”
“The birth was fine but I think she is still well, unwell in her mind.”
“Ah, so you are still keeping a watch over her.”
“I am, but not as closely as before.” She started to close her eyes and sat up quickly. “No, that was too comfortable and I will fall asleep. I think I will go collect the baby, read the story, and find my bed. I am hoping Julia has a restful night.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you for keeping the young ones busy.”
He stood up and helped her to her feet. “I did not do too well in keeping Noah corralled.”
“I doubt anyone could successfully manage that.”
He bent to kiss her and idly wondered if she knew how completely exhausted she looked. “I will come around sometime tomorrow.”
“I will see you then,” she mumbled as she left the room and headed to the sitting room.
Matthew picked up his hat from where Mary had tossed it and left. If she was not rested when he came tomorrow, he would see to it that she got away from this house and to somewhere she could actually get a good sleep. He grinned. It was an odd thing for him to want to get her alone for.
* * *
Abbie put the sleeping baby into the small crib Betsy had loaned them before they had come to stay with Mrs. Beaton for a while and then went to the children’s room. She did her best to read them a story and was relieved when they all looked more than ready to go to sleep as she got up to leave. She only went a few steps when her skirt pulled at her and she turned back to find that Noah had grabbed hold of it.
“What is it, Noah?” she asked softly as she went to his bedside.
“Are you going to keep a watch on the baby?”
“Yes, until his mother can do so.”
“Good.” He let go of her skirt and closed his eyes. “He needs to be watched because I don’t want him to be shot like my baby sister was.”
Abbie sighed, reached out to brush the hair from his forehead, then went to find her own bed. She did not even want to know how his baby sister had died. She had had enough of sad stories. Despite her effort to put it all from her mind, she did feel a surge of pity for Noah. The boy had seen too much, lost too much.
So had Julia, she decided as she checked the woman to be certain she still slept deeply. The woman had not had a particularly difficult birth, but it had been enough to put her to sleep for what Abigail prayed would be a full, long night. She undressed and crawled into bed after tying a small bell she had found to the door. Just in case, she told herself as she lay down and closed her eyes.
* * *
Abbie opened her eyes and wondered what had woken her. Sitting up abruptly she looked toward the open door of the bedroom, and realized the bell she had tied to the door must have chimed. A curse escaped her as she got up and started dressing. She glanced at the crib and her heart sank. The foolish woman had taken her child with her.
As quietly as she could, yet keep up a decent speed, Abbie left the house. She went straight to the graveyard behind the house. It did not surprise her to find Julia sitting by Robert’s grave, talking to him, but it did anger her that she had the child out in the cool damp of the evening. Walking over to the woman, Abbie took the baby from her and wrapped it more tightly in its blanket before holding it close.
“I was just showing him our son,” Julia said and reached for the child, only to have Abbie step out of her reach. “A father needs to know his babe.”
“Julia, there is nothing wrong with you coming to speak to him although it might have been better for you to dress warmly first. But to bring a newborn, a small newborn, out into the damp of night was foolish.”
Jumping up, Julia stared down at the child in Abbie’s arms. “Is he too small? Is there something wrong with him?”
“He is small. I think he may have been a little early. But I have found nothing wrong with him. Let’s go back into the warm house.” She did not even wait to see if Julia followed but began to make her way back to the house.
Julia stood by Robert’s grave for a minute, said farewell, and quickly followed. By the time they got inside and up to the bedroom, she started to complain. Abbie ignored her until she had the baby settled back in the crib then turned to Julia.
“Get in bed, Julia,” Abbie said.
“I don’t understand why you are being so unkind,” Julia said as she crawled into bed. “I just wanted Robert to see his son.”
“Neither you nor the child should be seeing anyone in the dark and cold.”
“It was not that cold.”
“Cold enough to give a small baby a chill and a mother who wasn’t dressed warmly as well. You and the baby must stay warm and get a lot of rest for now.”
“I feel fine.”
“Good. Let’s hope it stays that way.”
Abbie walked back to her bed and snuggled down into the covers. It had definitely been chilly out there and she could not believe Julia had not noticed. She was going to have to keep a very close watch on both of them now.