thirty-two

Annie nodded. She’d mentioned that when she’d spoken to me of Mabel a few days earlier. Annie glanced at me. “Is it possible, Rose?”

“What would Miss Carroll know of these things?” Mabel asked her, blinking.

“Rose is something of a private detective, Mrs. Roune,” Annie said. “She has solved murders in the past.”

“You don’t say.” Mabel examined me with interest. “Are you also looking into my Rowie’s death?”

“I’m truly not a private detective at all, Mabel,” I protested. “But I have had an involvement, shall we say, with investigating more than one violent death in the past year. And the police detective now welcomes my insights and bits of information, as long as I stay out of trouble.” Which I haven’t been very successful at just lately, I didn’t add.

“Does Mr. Donovan suspect Mr. Felch?” Mabel asked.

“I believe Oscar is under consideration, yes.”

“And anyone else?” Mabel’s sharp eyes focused so completely on me I felt rather under a microscope.

How much should I reveal? “It’s possible her friend Zula Goodwin had reason to wish Rowena harm. She seems both intensely fond of thy granddaughter and angry with her at the same time for rejecting her advances.”

“That woman.” Mabel curled her lip. “Overeager for Rowie’s affections and without scruples. Yes, I wouldn’t put murder past her.”

Interesting. Both Oscar and Mabel shared a jealousy for Zula as much as a dislike for each other. “And there is a man harboring resentment at losing his job because of Rowena,” I went on, speaking quickly to shorten the conversation as much as I could. “Plus a local fellow hard on his luck whom the detective suspects but had to release because he didn’t have any real evidence against him.”

“You have quite the collection of possibilities. I rather envy you, Miss Carroll. I myself have spent time reading Pinkerton’s stories. The idea of investigation, disguise, sleuthing seems quite attractive. Not that I would do it, alas.” Mabel sighed. “One has one’s reputation to uphold, of course.”

She seemed to make that last remark without a thought for what it might mean to me. I didn’t care. My reputation was intact, or would be if I ever got out of here and on to the work at hand.

“But my true profession is as midwife, which I confess is what brought me here today.” And why Annie and I had to make our exit as soon as we could. When my left leg started a fast jitter, I pressed my hand on my thigh to quiet it.

“Ah, Miss Beaumont has told me of her interest in this vocation, as well. I think it’s a fine line of service. My own children, all six of them, were born upstairs in this very house, with the midwife Mrs. Perkins.” Mabel glanced at the ceiling with a fond smile.

I smiled. “Orpha Perkins was my teacher, and a fine one. I still consult with her from time to time, but she has retired from practicing.”

“A pity,” Mabel said. “But age comes to all of us, and I am certain she trained you well.”

A knocking came from the front door. It had to be the driver impatiently wondering, with good reason, where I was. The maid scurried past in the hall to pull open the front door. Sure enough, a man’s voice rang out.

“Sorry to trouble you, miss. I’m looking for a Miss Carroll,” he said gruffly.

The maid appeared in the doorway of the sitting room. Mabel looked at me with raised eyebrows.

“Forgive me.” I stood, chagrined. I doubted Orpha would approve of me taking so long to arrive at a labor in progress. “I was about to tell thee I’ve been called to a labor,” I told her. “I’m just coming,” I said to the driver, who touched his cap and went back outside. I looked at Mabel again. “I wanted to inquire if thee might do the favor of lending me Annie for the day. An important part of her training is to attend births, even at the beginning of her training.”

She thought for a moment. “I have nothing pressing to attend to today. I’ll let her go with you.” She cocked her head. “I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep such a smart girl as companion for long.” She smiled fondly at Annie.

Annie blushed. “Thank you, Mrs. Roune. I’ll get my things.” She hurried out.

“I also thank thee, Mabel,” I said. “I enjoyed making thy acquaintance.”

She nodded her head. “And I, yours. I hope you’ll come to call again when you don’t have to rush off to attend a woman in her travails. I don’t get much excitement in my life any more. That was one thing Rowena never failed to provide.”

“Please accept my condolences on her passing. Are there plans for a funeral service to commemorate her life?” Was it Zula or Oscar who’d said they were in conflict with Rowena’s grandmother about the arrangements? I couldn’t remember, which worried me. Where had my usually excellent memory fled to?

“It’s to be tomorrow. Mr. Felch and I are still in a tussle, though. I insist on having the reception afterward here. He wants to rent a hall. Rent a hall, can you imagine? Can you think of a more unseemly location? No, we’ll be having a fine spread of food and drink right there in the next room. I hope you’ll join us for both the two o’clock service at Union Church at Point Shore as well as the gathering here.”

“I shall be pleased to. I thank thee for the invitation.”

Annie appeared. “I’ll be here tomorrow morning to help with the preparations, Mrs. Roune.”

“Good. Miss Carroll, you’ve brightened my morning. I look forward to seeing you again.”

As the carriage made its way down Elm Street, Annie said, “Mrs. Roune liked you.”

“Thee sounds surprised.”

“Well, you must admit she is somewhat formidable.”

“I think she wishes she’d had a more adventurous life. She saw Rowena starting one, with her law degree and her suffrage work, but her future was cruelly cut short. I suppose my being an amateur detective fills the same bill.” I watched as we neared the bottom of the hill before the carriage would head into Market Square. “Let me tell thee about the impending birth.”

“Please.” She clasped her hands and gave me all her attention.

“It’s her third time, so the labor should be fairly easy. A woman’s first baby is usually the hardest to produce. The body hasn’t done it before and the tissues haven’t yet been fully stretched. But there are always exceptions to the rule, as with anything.”

“And twins, or a breech presentation can complicate the birth, correct? That’s what the book said.”

I smiled in approval. “Thee has been studying. Yes, many are the possible complications. But one thing Orpha told me early on in my own apprenticeship has remained with me ever since. A woman’s body is designed to birth her baby, and women all over the world do it with barely any assistance at all.”

“I’d like to meet your teacher,” Annie said.

“I’ll bring thee to visit her one day soon. I know she’ll like thee, and will approve of my passing along the knowledge I gained from her.”

“I hope so.”

“She also taught me the best thing we can do is help the laboring woman to remain as calm as possible so the process can go forward.”

Annie nodded in thought. “I saw my littlest sister be born at home just last year. Mama didn’t have anyone’s help but Mamere’s.”

“Thy grandmother?”

“Yes. It was Mama’s seventh baby, so her body had done it quite a few times before. She only labored for two hours, and was up and making supper that very night.”

“Is that what made you want to become a midwife?”

Annie smiled. “In part.”

The carriage bounced over a deep rut in the road and I touched my temple, wincing at the throbbing that started up when we landed.

“Rose, are you all right to go to a birth? It looks like your head very much pains you.”

“It does hurt some, at that. Thee will be a great help, though. I’ll be fine.”

“What was the accident you had?”

“I did something foolish on Third Day.” I saw her frowning. “What thee calls Tuesday.” I described getting the note, being attacked and locked in, and my eventual escape.

She brought her hand to her mouth. “Midwifery is more dangerous than I thought.”

I laughed softly. “No, what’s dangerous is looking into the lives of criminals. Someone doesn’t like me asking questions, and they tricked me. I won’t be responding to such a note again. I didn’t recognize the name, and I knew I’d never been to the abode, which turned out not to be an abode at all. As I said, it was foolish of me to go and I paid the price. But I’m healing.”

Of course, now we were heading to the home of one of the murder suspects. Should I even be taking Annie into a potentially dangerous situation? A mother’s life and her baby’s were at stake, though. With any luck Elbridge would be away looking for employment until the end of the day. But I was glad I’d let Kevin know our destination, and of course Mother knew, too.

The driver clucked to the horse to make it up the hill into the square, which was bustling as always. The scent of manure drifted in through the windows and cries of men hawking wares vied with the clop-clop of horses and donkeys hauling all manner of conveyances. From the square we headed north on Market Street on our own assigned employment to assist a tiny new person into this world. This world of work and family was not always safe and warm, but I trusted it would be for this newborn, at least for a few years.

The distraught young maid pulled open the door to the well-appointed Osgood home. “Oh, Miss Carroll, I’m glad you’ve finally come. She’s up there a-screaming.”

I cringed inwardly at the finally. I might have dallied too long at Mabel’s. “Don’t worry thyself. It’s what women do. I’ll attend to her shortly. Are the children about?”

“No.” She took our wraps and hung them on hooks near the door. A cylindrical umbrella stand was below, holding several umbrellas as well as a cricket bat. A telephone sat on a low table. “Mrs. Osgood told Nursey to take them to their grandmother’s.”

“Good. Please bring up fresh boiled water and several basins as soon as possible. Come on, Annie.” I lifted my skirts and trudged up the stairs.

“Where have you been, Rose?” Lyda wailed from her bed as soon as I walked in. Her face was flushed and the hair around her forehead curly and damp. The thick curtains were drawn and the only light was from the gas lamp near the window. The air was stifling. “I nearly telephoned for a doctor to come over, instead.”

I bustled around opening curtains and cracking a sash open an inch as I said, “We’re here now, Lyda.” Being well-off financially could normally make people more comfortable, but there was no avoiding the pain of childbirth. I scrubbed my hands at the washstand, knowing how important it was not to bring germs from the outside into the birthing chamber, and particularly not into the woman’s body. “When did the pains begin, and how far apart are they?”

“A couple of hours ago. They’re getting closer and closer.” As a contraction set in, Lyda cried out again.

“Now, now,” I said. “Blow out thy breath gently. If thee becomes tense, thy body will have more difficulty letting the baby come out.” She should have learned how to give birth after doing it twice before, but perhaps she was afraid of bringing another baby into a family suddenly without a breadwinner. Fear, of whatever origin, could cause a woman’s body to try to keep the baby inside as long as possible.

“Annie, please set these things out on a clean cloth on the dresser there.” I handed her the bag I kept in my satchel containing the clean scissors and tying cord, a tin of lard, a few herbs, and other supplies necessary at a birth.

Lyda’s pain ended and she seemed to see Annie for the first time. “Who’s this girl?” She frowned.

“I’d like you to meet Annie Beaumont,” I said. “She’s my apprentice, and an able one.” She was a novice, true, but one who showed great promise in both her manner and her enthusiasm for learning.

Annie greeted Lyda. “I’m pleased to meet you, Mrs. Osgood.”

Lyda closed her eyes in response, but Annie didn’t appear to mind. I waited to check Lyda until the maid had brought the water. I asked the maid to light two more lamps. We’d need illumination for the work of the actual birth, and the light from outside was dim, as clouds had blown in on our way here.

When another of Lyda’s pains had passed, I said, “Breathe down into my hand, now, Lyda. I’m going to check the opening.” I knelt and leaned forward to slide my hand inside her. As I did, my head commenced pounding again and I fought a wave of nausea. This position was a bad one for me. I breathed deeply, concentrating on feeling the size of the entrance to her womb. I slid my hand out and sat back on my heels.

“Thee isn’t ready yet, but I’m sure it won’t be long.” I swayed and grabbed the edge of the bed. My brow was damp with cold sweat, my palms clammy. Lyda and Annie both saw me.

Annie looked at me with alarm. She beckoned to the easy chair across the room. “Come sit here. I’ll help her.”

I nodded slowly.

“Are you hurt, Rose?” Lyda asked in an odd tone.

“I’ll be fine, Lyda.” I pushed up ever so carefully and made my way to the chair. “You’ll have to help her through the contractions,” I told Annie. “Wipe her brow, let her grip your hand. Prop her up a bit more on the pillows, too.” I let my eyes sink shut and tried to keep my breath slow and even. I held Lyda, Annie, and myself in the Light, praying for a successful outcome: a thriving baby, a healthy mother, no emergencies to challenge Annie, and a cessation of my headache.

I listened as Annie helped Lyda through several more contractions. I shifted slightly in my seat, hearing Lyda’s note rustle in my pocket and idly pictured the handwriting. I froze, the pounding in my head now transferred to my heart. Why hadn’t I made the connection this morning? Lyda’s handwriting was identical to that on the note Rowena had held.