‘Is it all right, Doctor?’ she asked breathlessly. ‘Can you hear him?’
Dr Minchin didn’t answer. He just went to fetch a tub of Vaseline, rubbed some on her and started again with his stethoscope.
‘Everything all right with your health in other respects?’ he asked, in a measured tone that gave nothing away.
‘I don’t know,’ she murmured. ‘I felt awful today, but before that everything seemed fine. Only a little tiredness, and needing to visit the lavatory more often. I assumed that was normal.’
‘You haven’t noticed anything when using the lavatory? Any bleeding?’
‘No, nothing like that.’
The doctor fell silent again, sliding his stethoscope over the arc of her belly.
‘Ah, there we are,’ he said after what felt like a year. ‘A strong, regular little heartbeat, just as it ought to be. You know, you had me worried for a moment.’
‘You mean… he’s all right?’
‘Keep monitoring his movements over the next twenty-four hours, but yes, he seems to be. And very much still alive – that I can tell you for certain.’
‘Oh, thank God. Thank God.’ Bobby laughed with relief. ‘Oh, I could hug you, Doctor. I’d never have forgiven myself if anything had happened to him.’
He smiled. ‘Save the hug for young Charlie, eh? Now, what’s all this about not forgiving yourself?’
‘I was terrified it was my fault. That I’d made the baby ill because I would insist on working after Charlie begged me to give it up. But we needed the money, and I felt healthy enough so I…’ She flushed. ‘I just… kept on.’
‘I shouldn’t think your office job would have done you any harm. Or is there a lot of fieldwork involved?’
‘I often have to go out to conduct interviews, take things to the printer and that sort of thing.’
‘It’s not ideal for you to be on your feet too much but even so, it isn’t exactly manual labour. Husbands do tend to worry about these things more than they need to, especially with a first pregnancy. Nevertheless, you ought to think about giving up now you’re approaching your final three months, Mrs Atherton.At the very least, you might speak to Reg about allowing you to work from home.’
‘Yes. After today’s scare, I’ve learnt my lesson.’ Bobby pressed a hand to her stomach. ‘Why had he stopped moving, Doctor?’
‘Babies can be a law unto themselves in that respect. Sometimes they’re restless; other times they want to be still. I suspect that Marmaduke was tired from the exertions of growing a healthy little body and decided he needed a rest.’
‘But he’s always been such a wriggly baby, especially in the mornings. He’s never failed to wake me in five weeks.’
‘Every baby has its own cycle, but it won’t necessarily remain static throughout the pregnancy. You can trust me, Mrs Atherton, when I tell you that your baby seems absolutely fine. He ought to be about the size of a large baked potato by now.’ Dr Minchin applied the stethoscope again and smiled. ‘Ah, there we go. A little kick.’
‘Was there?’ Bobby hadn’t felt a thing.
‘A gentle one, but yes. He may not be quite as “wriggly” as usual, to borrow your word, and perhaps you have become somewhat desensitised to his movements, but he is still moving around. As I said, though, keep monitoring him. If he’s still quiet tomorrow, give me a call.’
‘I will.’ Bobby paused. ‘And… there definitely is only one baby, isn’t there? You know twins run in my family. I’d love two healthy babies, but with Charlie not working, I’d be grateful if the Almighty could see His way clear to spacing them out.’
The doctor smiled. ‘No, nothing to worry about there. Only one heartbeat, and your stomach is exactly the size I would expect.’
Relief flooded Bobby as the doctor’s words sank in. Everything was all right. Marmaduke was fine, and she wouldn’t have to break Charlie’s heart.
‘If there’s nothing wrong, why did I feel so badly today?’ she asked, buttoning up her blouse.
‘In what way did you feel badly?’
‘I felt horribly faint and trembly, and then I sort of collapsed by the side of the road.’
The doctor frowned. ‘You lost consciousness?’
‘No, although I felt like I might. I knelt down to be sick, but I hadn’t eaten so nothing came up. Then I just felt too weary to get up again. If it hadn’t been for an airman friend giving me a lift, I’d probably be there still.’
