“Not yet. I made a poultice to keep her warm,” Nora said, holding up the cheesecloth package.
“Good. I changed my mind,” Ruth announced. “If we do keep her here, we’ll need milk she can drink between Ellie’s visits. I’ll tell Cook to get goat’s milk and show her how to mix it into the sugar water.”
“Will that work?” Julia asked.
“Usually.” Nora put her pinkie into the tiny mouth to check for sucking reflex. The child resisted, unsure what to do.
If only I had milk.But that required a child first. Nora tried to push away the sudden threat of tears as she took the almost weightless infant into her arms. She’d never felt anything softer than the thin, dark hair atop the little head, still damp from Ruth’s sponging.
As she ran her finger along the mottled cheek, a minute thrum shook Nora.
She turned her wide, startled eyes to Ruth, who was discussing the cost of wet nurses with Aunt Wilcox. After pushing the baby into Julia’s surprised arms, she pressed her palms to her own stomach.
“Nora?” Julia’s eyes widened with fear.
“What’s the matter?” Ruth demanded.
Nora shook her head, listening, feeling.
“Is Nora hurt?” Aunt clutched Ruth’s arm, her voice climbing.
“Did the strong bleeding start?” Ruth’s stern eyes swam with worry.
Nora shook her head, shushing them all.
Another flutter.
Nora exhaled a broken breath, scrambling for a chair and collapsing into it. She was already crying, her hands wet when she pulled them from her eyes. “The baby.”
“Yours?” Ruth spoke in urgent shorthand.
Nora nodded.
“You felt it?” Julia asked breathlessly.
“Yes.” The most beautiful word. It soared out of her mouth and swelled in the morning air.
“Are you certain?” Ruth insisted.
“I’ve never been so sure,” Nora promised.
Aunt’s mouth gaped, wordless.
A small twist in her middle, a part of her body she’d never felt before. It could only be one thing. Nora closed her eyes, unable to bear the flood of relief that poured over her and stole her breath.Grasshopper.
“Dear God,” she prayed, unable to even utter the thanks that came next due to her breathless sobs. The only other word she managed was, “Daniel.”
***
It took ten minutes to stop crying and wash her red face, her smile bursting from behind the washcloth every time she looked in the washstand mirror. In that short time, Ellie Nugent had arrived, settled into a rocking chair, and managed to extract the baby from Julia’s protective hold. After several coaxing attempts,the exhausted child latched on her breast. The baby had a weak suck and a reluctant swallow, but she was feeding.
Julia never took her eyes away from the baby’s twitching cheek, hovering as she sat in a chair pushed up next to Ellie. Nora could almost see the ache of her empty arms and the longing to regain the helpless bundle.
She watched the commonplace miracle of new life, only half-aware of the conversation around her. She was counting the hours until she could tell Daniel, unsure she’d survive the wait. Mrs. Phipps would be back from her shopping trip soon. At least she could relieve the bursting happiness by telling her.
Nora even caught Aunt dabbing the corner of her handkerchief to her eye. Now they both stood in silence in the corner of the room, Nora rubbing her curved belly over and over.
Aunt sniffed beside her, shifting awkwardly. “You must think me neglectful.”
