Cathy Sharp - The Winter Orphan

Annie looked at him with frightened eyes as he felt her stomach and then nodded. But for all his brusqueness the doctor’s touch was gentle and reassuring. She was panting again. He told her to count and to breathe steadily, and then he reached towards her dilated opening. ‘I will try to be gentle …’

For answer, Annie screamed as the doctor turned the child. He was working for some moments and she screamed several times, tossing her head wildly in her agony.

‘I am so sorry but … ah yes, now baby is facing the right way. I think we shall do much better now, Annie …’

Annie screamed and began to writhe and push as she felt movement inside her. Her child was suddenly in a hurry to be born; pain caught her, making her pant and push, and then the child’s head emerged and with a whoosh and a rush of blood and slime, the large body of a male child came slithering into the world. The doctor tied the birth cord securely and then cut it with the silver penknife he’d earlier taken from his pocket. He picked up the babe and showed him to his mother and then gave him to Bella. After washing his hands and pocketing his knife, he looked at Bella, motioning for her to change the water in the bowl.

‘Wash him, child, and then give him to his mother. In a moment you can do what is necessary to make her comfortable but just now she needs to rest and enjoy the babe.’

‘Yes, sir,’ Bella jumped to obey. She was stunned by what she had seen and watched as the doctor cleared away all the bloody towels and wiped some of the worst from the mother before covering her. She poured fresh warm water into the empty bowl and gently cleansed the babe of mucus and blood, wrapped him in a large clean white towel and took him to his mother. Annie lay still, just looking up at the doctor, clearly shocked and exhausted by the birth. Then, as he was about to turn away, she caught his arm.

‘Thank you, sir. My husband will pay you.’

‘Mr Stoneham has already paid me; had it not been for him I confess I should have been loath to set foot in this house again.’

Annie looked away in shame, for she knew her husband’s reputation. ‘See the doctor out, Bella – and ask the gentleman to step up here please. I wish to thank him.’

Bella did as she was told. In the kitchen the stranger asked the doctor if all was well and they spoke together in hushed voices for a moment. After the doctor had left, the gentleman turned to Bella.

‘Is your mistress comfortable? Has she all she needs?’

‘She asked that you would step up to her room so that she might thank you, sir.’

‘Very well …’ He followed her back to the room above, where Annie was looking down at the child that had caused her so much agony.

‘I am glad to see you safely through your ordeal, ma’am.’

‘Thanks to you, sir,’ Annie said looking up at him in wonder. ‘It was good of you to fetch the doctor for I know well he did not wish to come. May I know your name, sir?’

He smiled at her as she kissed her child and nursed it to her breast. ‘I am Arthur Stoneham and I came here to see how Bella was faring …’ He glanced at the girl. ‘Does your master treat you well, child?’

‘He gave me to Annie – and I like helping her. It’s better than the workhouse,’ Bella said truthfully.

Arthur nodded, watching the mother and child for a few moments as they settled and got to know one another, the child snuffling as it latched on to its mother and nuzzled her, seeking warmth and the sustenance instinct told it was to be found here.

‘Leave them together for a while and follow me downstairs, child. I would speak with you, Bella – and you should make a cup of something hot for your mistress.’

Annie was looking at her son with tears on her cheeks. She had suffered but now she had the son that Karl had longed for. ‘Thank you, Mr Stoneham – I believe you saved both me and my baby for if you had not fetched the doctor we might both have died.’

‘I did what I was able, ma’am,’ Arthur said.

Bella followed Arthur downstairs. When they reached the kitchen she filled the kettle once more. The gentleman was looking about him.

‘Where do you sleep, Bella?’

‘In the attic, sir. It is warm and I have a bed.’

‘And are you fed adequately?’

‘Annie makes the best pies and cakes I’ve ever tasted, sir.’

‘Then you are content to stay here?’

Bella hesitated. She did not dislike the work she did and her mistress was kind enough despite the occasional sharpness of her tongue and a small slap if she was tired and angry.

‘It’s all right, sir.’ Bella did not know what else to say. ‘It’s better than the workhouse. I hated it there and the food is much better here.’

Mr Stoneham hesitated, and then he nodded. ‘Very well, I shall not try to buy your bond if you are content here. Now, please tell me what you know of the babe that was sold at the workhouse.’

‘I saw the babe born, sir – and they thought the woman they called Jane would die, but the babe was healthy and then Jane recovered and asked about her child. They told her she was dead, but I’d seen the mistress take her away and the child was crying loudly. Later, I saw the mistress give the babe to someone in a carriage but I saw not who it was.’

‘And you were certain it was Jane’s babe she gave?’

‘Yes, sir. I know it was Jane’s child for there were no others in the house that night nor for some weeks after.’

‘Good – then I may ask you to sign your name to a paper for me another day. Will you do that?’

‘Yes, sir – though I can write no more than my name.’

‘That will be fine, Bella.’ He put his hand in his pocket and brought out a florin. ‘This is for you – I would give you more but you might be accused of stealing it.’

‘I’ve never had a coin before but I’ve seen one of these – Florrie had one from the lady she works for and she bought some plums for us all and shared them.’

Arthur nodded. ‘Is there anything more you can tell me, child?’

‘I’m not sure, sir.’ Bella looked puzzled. ‘Well, there was the boy that disappeared …’

Arthur’s brow furrowed. ‘A boy disappeared?’

‘Yes, sir – a few months back, in the autumn last year. He tried to run away and the master caught him and brought him back. He said he would be whipped and told us it was a warning to us all, but we never saw him again.’

‘What was the boy’s name?’

‘It was a bit like yours, sir – Arthur Meaks. But he was not meek, sir. He was always in trouble and being punished, and then he was gone.’

‘Did no one tell you where he’d gone?’

‘The mistress said he’d been sent to work for a master but I do not know where, for I never saw him again after the master dragged him away – and when I asked Florrie, she was upset and said it was best not to speak of it.’

‘Thank you,’ Arthur said. ‘You have helped me, Bella – and if ever you need my help, you may send word to me here.’

He handed her a small white card with some letters printed on it. The writing meant nothing to Bella but she tucked it inside her bodice with her precious florin. Other people knew how to read and something told her that one day she might want to contact this man again.

‘Thank you, sir.’ She hesitated but then did not ask for help, because where could she go if he took her away from here? Bella did not want to return to the workhouse and there was nowhere else for her to go. Here her master generally ignored her and Annie was sometimes kind; she thought there might be far worse places than the one she already had and so she held her thoughts inside.

‘Goodbye, Bella,’ Mr Stoneham said. ‘I will come to see you another day and if there is something you wish to tell me you may do so then.’