‘I see?.?.?. was it a boy?’
‘A girl, actually.’ Her dislike of him was oozing out of her every pore. ‘A very beautiful little girl, as it happens.’
‘I see. Then I shall be there to collect her within the next few hours.’
‘And you will?.?.?. you will ensure that she goes to a good home?’
‘On my honour!’
His words did nothing to reassure the woman. As far as she was concerned this was a married man who had taken advantage of a young girl in his employ and she doubted he had an ounce of honour in his body. Even so, it wasn’t her place to comment on it so after nodding her head she pulled her cloak more closely about her and set off back down the steep hillside as Barnaby took his horse round to Jimmy in the stables before going to his wife.
*
‘I reckon we should be sending for the doctor,’ Nurse Bonnet said early the next morning. Louisa had been straining for hours with no sign of the birth being any nearer.
‘She’ll not have a doctor near her for love nor money,’ Mrs Ruffin told her as she clung to her beloved young mistress’s hand. ‘She swears it was the doctor’s fault that she lost her last two babies and she made me promise that I wouldn’t let one into the room this time. That’s why she didn’t want to be at Greenacres for the birth.’
‘I see.’ The midwife stared down at the writhing figure on the bed and shrugged. ‘In that case, I can only do the best I can, but I warn you, I will not be held responsible if anything should go wrong.’
‘I understand,’ Mrs Ruffin said gravely but as another contraction seized her mistress, she turned her attention back to her, wishing with all her heart that she could take her place.
As the minutes ticked away, Barnaby grew anxious as he paced the floor. He had just received word that his child had been born to the young maid and now within hours he would be a father again if his wife managed to produce a live child. It seemed ironic that suddenly he would be the father to two children when for years he had longed for just one!
*
Three days later, Amber stood on the doorstep of her uncle’s house saying her goodbyes.
‘I still think it’s far too soon for you to be leaving,’ Mrs Carter fretted whilst Biddy stood close behind her softly crying. Amber had said her goodbyes to her uncle before he left for work and she was finding that leaving them all was proving to be far more difficult than she had thought it would be.
‘I shall be fine,’ she assured Mrs Carter, although she really didn’t feel it. Her breasts were heavy with milk and each time she thought of the little girl she had sent away she wanted to cry.
‘Well at least let Biddy come with you to the mail coach and carry your bags for you,’ Mrs Carter pleaded, but again Amber shook her head.
‘No?.?.?. thank you, but I’m quite capable of carrying them myself. And?.?.?. well, thank you so much for all you’ve done for me over the last few months. I shall never forget it, or any of you.’
‘It’s been a pleasure and don’t be a stranger.’ Mrs Carter leant forward and gently kissed her cheek.
Worried that she’d break down if she delayed any longer, Amber turned abruptly and began to walk away. She looked back just once at the end of the road to see Mrs Carter and Biddy still standing on the step waving frantically and after lifting her hand she hurried on. It was time to go home and get on with her life.
*
‘Ah, here you are then, lass.’ When Amber stepped into the gloomy cottage her mother rushed forward and drew her to a chair before questioning tentatively, ‘It’s all over then?’
Amber lowered her head and nodded. ‘Yes, it was a girl. She was born three days ago.’
‘A girl!’ Tears pricked at Alice’s eyes as she thought of the granddaughter she would never meet, but forcing a smile to her face she said cheerily, ‘Right miss, well you’re goin’ to rest fer the next few days an’ don’t try an’ argue – I insist. An’ then we’ll go from there, eh?’
Later that evening a tap on the door woke Amber from a doze and when Alice went to answer it she found Bertie Preston standing on the step.
‘Me mam said she saw Amber earlier on, Mrs Ainsley. Is she back from her uncle’s?’
‘Er?.?.?. yes, she is.’
Without waiting to be invited, he pushed past her to see Amber sitting in the chair trying to straighten her hair.
‘So yer back then.’
Amber raised an eyebrow and he chuckled. ‘Daft question, eh? But why didn’t yer let me know yer were comin’ back?’
