Chapter Twenty-Seven
That night, Janelle made a thousand plans—one might also say “fantasies”—on how to bring Gabriel around to her way of thinking. In the end, she decided to simply be honest with him. Unfortunately, someone else needed to see her first.
Madame Florina sent a message requesting Betty’s help immediately. Excellent. A happy birth was just what she needed to pick up her spirits. She made it to the Rose Garden in record time only to discover that a happy birth could also be excessively depressing.
A pregnant shopgirl was married to a footman.
They couldn’t afford the lying-in hospital, so they arrived at the Rose Garden together.
He carried her up the stairs, held her hand when she screamed, and refused to be thrown out of the room to boil water or fetch rags or whatever else was suggested.
The girl held his hand, buried her face in his chest, then screamed loud enough that his whole body seemed to shake with the force of it.
“No more screaming,” Janelle chided as she wiped the sweat from her eyes. Was that sweat or was the roof leaking? “Hold in the scream and put it into your push.”
“That’s the way,” the footman said as he settled his wife against his chest. “I’ll hold you up.
You just push.” And he did hold her in every way she needed—holding her up behind her back and gripping her hands.
If it were possible for a couple to birth a child together, this would be the way to do it.
“Push now!” Janelle commanded as the contraction began. “Baby’s head is visible!”
And that was definitely not sweat dripping down her face. The roof was leaking, but it was too late to adjust position, so Janelle shifted so that the drips fell upon her and not the child.
“Once more. Big push.”
And then it was done. A baby girl slid out, already wailing at the indignity. She was perfectly shaped, had a smattering of hair, and a set of lungs that would serve her well.
“A girl,” Janelle cried. “A strong, healthy girl.”
The mother and father laughed as if with one breath. Together they reached for the child, though Janelle was too busy to fully see it. She cut the cord, wiped the worst of the mess away, then wrapped the babe in a towel. Only then did she carefully pass the child over.
Then she sat back on her stool and watched.
Love flowed everywhere in the room. Normally the connection was between mother and child.
Janelle usually focused on the amazement and adoration on the mother’s face.
But in this, the mother and father were one.
They both held the child, they both gazed with awe, and though the babe did nothing but blink in confusion, the two were united in their absolute devotion to their child and to one another.
Love.
It made her heart ache with longing.
Even worse, when she looked away, she saw the major with his coat off, his forehead slicked with sweat (it really was hot in this room), and a wet rag held above her head as he caught the drips that would have landed on her shoulder.
Good God, how long had he been there? He caught her surprised look and his expression challenged her to deny him. This was not a place for men, and yet two were here, fitting in seamlessly.
It put her off her game to have him standing there, so solid, so adamant as he caught raindrops before they landed on her head.
It was the first she’d seen him in more than a week, and her heart swelled at the sight.
It took everything in her to not leap into his arms. But she forced herself to sit still while she drank in his rugged, handsome face.
“You needn’t do that,” she finally managed, referring to the rag he held above her head. “I’ve experienced worse.”
“Won’t be much longer,” he returned. “Rain stopped twenty minutes ago. This is just the runoff.”
“And a leaky roof.”
“That as well.”
It wasn’t scintillating conversation, but it showed an ease she had with no one else. He would stand above her, protecting her from everything including the rain. And she would allow it because she valued his help in all ways.
Her throat dried as she looked at his face.
His left shoulder was catching the drips from another leak, and his back no doubt caught even more.
Such was his size that she was completely dry.
She wanted to say something, voice her thanks, laugh at the silliness of a man trying to catch raindrops, or simply smile in welcome.
She never got the chance as Madame Florina stuck her face in.
“Almost done ’ere? You got another, jes’ coming up the stairs.”
The major turned his head. “A lower room, Madame. Your roof is more like a sieve.”
“Them rooms are for the customers. Don’t want drips on their backside.”
“I don’t care. There’s payment here, too. Put the next mother in a dry room.”
Mothers gave Madame Florina a shilling whenever they delivered here. They deserved a good room, too. The problem was that the whorehouse customers didn’t like to hear the screaming, and frankly, she couldn’t blame them.
Madame Florina and the major commenced a stare down. Janelle didn’t watch. Contractions were beginning for the afterbirth. Besides, she already knew Gabriel would win. Indeed, a few moments later, she heard Madame Florina flounce away with a huff.
“The lower rooms have windows, too,” Gabriel said beside her ear. “You need a room where the air moves, even when it’s raining.”
Amen to that.
She focused on the task at hand, doing the work she felt blessed to do. And when the worst of the mess was over, she received another surprise.
“I found you a helper,” Gabriel said.
She frowned as she turned to him. “What?” He was all the helper she needed right now. Then she saw Polta grin at her from the door.
“’Ello, mum,” the girl said with a quick curtsey. “The next mother’s got a few minutes yet afore she needs you. I can finish up here if you like, then join you when it’s done.”
“Polta, have you come to take me up on my offer then?”
“The major and me have come to an arrangement. I’m here to be yer regular girl.”
“You have, have you?”
Gabriel nodded solemnly. “She drives a hard bargain, but yes. She’s to be your apprentice, if you want her.”
She did. She’d already seen the child’s worth. The girl had a look in her eye that reminded Janelle of herself at that age. “Go with the major to see that the other mother is settled right.” She looked back at the new family before her, her heart squeezing again at the sight. “I’ll finish up here.”
“I’m not leaving you,” Gabriel said. “We’ve got things to discuss.”
A shiver slid down her spine at his low tone. It had nothing to do with his words and everything to do with the sound of his voice, the intimacy of his nearness, and the sight of a husband and wife cuddled together with their child. What would she give to have that with Gabriel?
“I’m fine—”
“I’m not leaving,” he repeated. Fortunately, Polta had it well in hand.
“I’ll see that it’s done right,” she said as headed back down the corridor.
Janelle nodded, her attention split between the work she was doing and Gabriel at her back. “This is not the place for you. I’m perfectly safe.”
“I’m not worried about your safety,” he said. “I’m worried you’ll disappear again.” There was a growl in his voice that betrayed his annoyance. “Just how many babies have you delivered in the last week?”
She tightened, unsure whether to be pleased or disappointed that he thought she’d been running around working after she’d already said she’d keep him apprised.
“You found me tonight,” she said, her tone neutral.
“Because I’ve paid and threatened Madame Florina if she didn’t tell me. Do I want to know what you’ve been doing?”
“No.” Easiest question to answer. “Now be quiet. I’m busy.”
He remained silent, helping when asked and catching drips when he wasn’t.
In time, she finished with this couple and went on to the next.
Sadly, the next mother was not in the same loving situation.
A maid with no husband. Her eyes were haunted even as she moaned.
She wanted nothing to do with having Gabriel there, and so he was banished to the hallway.
Janelle heard him asking Madame Florina about the girl’s particulars.
He’d find out if there was any way she could be helped.
But in meantime, Janelle’s attention was all on the coming birth.
She relaxed into that work, fully satisfied that Gabriel would manage everything else.
She was almost right.