Lying-in

[the_comfortable_courtesan]

Mrs Black comes into the chamber that has been set aside and prepar'd for my lying-in, examines me, and says she doubts that matters are imminent, and I should walk about a little and take some refreshment to sustain me, she will go tell Seraphine immediately.

O, says I very tearfull to Mrs F-, will this ever be over? My darling says that sure it can take a tedious time, which does not comfort me much.

I walk about as ordered, thinking that none would describe me now as gliding like a swan (for once Mr P- spoke very pretty to me that my entry into a ballroom gave him that impression) and even a goose must show more gracefully.

But my dear love, I say, how is that you and Mr F- can leave all the business you have on hand merely to come to my side? I greatly worry that this is most disadvantageous to your concerns.

Really, our very dearest, do you think that you are not - well, after our dear offspring - our greatest treasure? Besides, it has at last dawned upon us that our enterprizes are grown to an extent that we cannot keep them all entirely under our own hands all the time and that we must appoint deputies that we can trust during our absence or preoccupation with other matters. Sure we have reliable fellows at the works to mind things for us, and Miss P- the governess is a most excellent creature that I can have every confidence in to look after the children if I am not there. We are so often bidden to visits that are of the greatest benefit to our undertakings that this became quite pressing a necessity.

It is most advantageous, however, she adds thoughtfully, that there are still some of our pigeons here, for I know that there are matters about which Mr F- desires to communicate to his underlings.

I was not suppos'd to know about the pigeons, was I? I say. 'Twas entirely a plot betwixt Mr F- and Hector, that was inadvertent disclos'd by Mr MacD-.

My dear, says Mrs F-, seeing me place my hands to my back, shall I rub your back? - It does indeed ache somewhat ferocious, I concede, and she commences to rub, and continues, it was Hector's great concern about urgent communications that he convey'd to Mr F- that led us to think that we could spare some of our pigeons.

Sure I am not mistress in my own household of late, I complain.

In comes Seraphine with a tray. She says that she has made me a sustaining posset as I may not feel like anything heavy - sure she could not have touched food when she was in labour with Julius - and she has Euphemia making up some beef-tea, as Mrs Black anticipates a prolonged labour.

Does she so, asks Mrs F-, I think I must speak to her. Seraphine, do you stay with Madame C- while I do so.

She is in the kitchen, madame, making sure that there is plenty of hot water and that we will keep it coming. Seraphine puts down the tray and hands me the posset. Drink this, madame, it will do you good.

It is indeed a very fine posset and sits easy upon my stomach, and I compliment Seraphine. Sure you are all very good to me, I say, just as I am struck with another pain.

Returns Mrs F- and thanks Seraphine for the sustenance she has provided. It would be wise, she thinks, to get the household fed as it is the best thing for the frets that all seem to be in. Even Docket, she adds. And then keep them occupy'd. Seraphine agrees that this is an excellent plan and leaves us.

My darling, says Mrs F-, Mrs Black is a little concerned that the child lies somewhat awkward - sometimes they right themselves but this seems not the case - altho', she goes on, at least 'tis not a large child - she has experience of such cases and has brought a successfull conclusion but 'tis long and painfull for the mother. While she has no great opinion of surgeons, she confides that it may be as well to consider having one on hand.

Oh, say I, I know no surgeons hereabouts that have any practice in midwifery.

Mrs F- looks at me. I daresay did you send Hector post-haste you could have Mr H- here within the day.

I bite my lip. Sure I cannot fancy the notion, I say, I think I will trust in Mrs Black's experience.

It is well onto into the night when the pains grow longer and closer together. I cannot always prevent myself from crying out, which I had not wisht to do, for it will only worry those that wait beyond the chamber.

This continues throughout the next day and I grow immense weary. Mrs F- persuades me to sip at least a little, my darling of the good beef-tea that Euphemia has made.

'Tis worse, I think, during a moment when the pain ebbs, than the Prussian, and is lasting a great deal longer. Every so often I hear Mr F-'s voice outside the door asking how I do: I do not feel entirely in charity towards him at present.

Sure by now I would welcome Mr H- all readiness to untimely rip the child from me (o, I think weakly, that is inauspicious, but I did not speak it aloud, did I?)

Some time into the second night, Mrs Black gives a pleas'd grunt from where she is crouched at my nether regions. My darling, says Mrs F-, who holds me around my shoulders, my brave, brave, darling, just one final effort, try and push. I do not think that any but my dearest could persuade me to this, but I gather my waning forces and obey.

A few moments later there is a wailing cry that is not mine.

A little girl, says Mrs Black, and healthy.

Just once more, says Mrs F-, for the afterbirth. Then, thinks I, I will be permitted to die.

Mrs B- shows me the babe, which is indeed a small one. I cannot lift an arm to take it. Dearest, I begin to say to Mrs F-, and slip into a swoon.

Comments

[sharpiefan]

O, if Julius is still suckling, at least there is no need to send out for a wet-nurse for the dear babe.

Poor Madame C-. *soothes fevered brow*

[shewhostaples]

I do hope not fevered. Mrs Black appears to be observing the appropriate precautions.

[sjkasabi]

Goodness, that was exciting, and oddly, something I've often imagined with a less happy ending, since that's basically how my labour went, up until the bit where the clinical protocol said it was time to stop all this hippy natural birth stuff, and the midwife had to hand over to the mild-mannered untimely ripper. I'd always seen the fact that both my daughter and I got out alive /not disabled as one of the genuine benefits of modern medicine, so it'll be interesting to see how things progress in the story, in quite a weirdly personal way. I hope Mme C comes to okay, and that it's just the exhaustion making her pass out.... I take comfort in the fact that it's a first person narrative!

[wychwood]

DRAMA.

Mme C- certainly knows how to create a cliff-hanger!

[nenya_kanadka]

ohgodIamneverhavingbabiesnever

I have been on tenterhooks, much like Mr F- and the household. So relieved our Mme C- has made it through all right, and with a healthy little daughter! And so very, very good she had Mrs F- with her.

(As a product of an intended home birth that eventually developed into one attended by the medical profession, I've long been aware of the tension there, which can only have been exacerbated back in the day. So glad all worked out well.)

Does the child live with her mother now, or become one of the F-s's brood, or what, I wonder? Since the point of going into seclusion in the first place was to keep the whole having-a-baby thing from her social set?