“It’s Charles Harris.”
“Mr. Harris?”
“Yes, you see, his own child ... that is, his wife Katherine’s child was born this night.”
He saw Charlotte’s face harden at his words, and for a moment he was relieved. He hoped she might rebuke the man without a second thought.
“But he lived for only a short time,” Daniel continued. “I revived him but was not successful in keeping him alive.”
“Poor Katherine.”
“Yes, though Mr. Harris is distraught as well.”
“Is he?”
The door creaked slowly open and both turned to look.
“Charlotte?” Harris’s voice was both plaintive and determined.
“Sorry, Taylor, I could not wait any longer.” He stepped into the room, closing the door quietly behind him. “Charlotte, I had to see you.”
He approached the bed, hat in hand. “What has Taylor told you?”
Charlotte stared up at him. “That your ... that Katherine’s newborn child died this night.”
“Oh, Charlotte. I am laid low indeed.” Charles dropped to his knees beside the bed and grasped her arm, his hat falling unnoticed to the floor. Now he looked up at her with tear-streaked eyes.
“A little son—did he tell you?”
Charlotte nodded mutely.
“I held him in my hands as he died... .” A sob broke through his throat, and Daniel looked away from the painful scene. Still, Harris must have suddenly remembered that he was standing there. “Taylor. Give us a moment, will you?”
Daniel wanted nothing more than to flee from this room, filled with one man’s pain and likely to soon flood with another’s. But he feared the older man might pressure Charlotte, who was clearly susceptible to his persuasion. And given her fragile emotional condition as a new mother ... No, he couldn’t leave her to face this alone.
“I am staying.”
Charlotte looked over at him, clearly surprised. She opened her mouth as if to argue but then closed it, saying nothing. She returned her gaze to Charles Harris.
“Katherine will be insane with grief as you might imagine.”
“Any woman would be.”
“She does not yet know. The nurse sedated her while Taylor here tried to revive him.”
She stared at the man, clearly perplexed. “I am sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you. That means a great deal to me. I know I made an immense mistake where you are concerned. That you could still say that, well, I thank you.”
Her brow wrinkled as she listened to him, perhaps trying in vain to follow his line of thought.
“And you, Charlotte? How do you fare?”
Harris was evidently avoiding the issue—that is, the baby—a mere arm’s length from his nose. Waiting, most likely, for Charlotte to bring him into the conversation.
“Quite well, actually. Everyone here has been very kind to me, and my son and I are in good health.”
“Your son, yes. Taylor mentioned him.”
