A Second Chance (37 page)

David met his eyes, then looked away.
‘Beth’s not used to driving the gig. And I don’t think she should
be riding just now.’

‘You’re quite right, Dave,’ Lizzie said,
darting a frown at Frank. ‘You don’t look the best, girl. How are
you keeping?’

‘I’m all right,’ Beth snapped. Her eyes
widened at the realisation of how she had spoken to her mother. She
looked warily at Lizzie. ‘I’m just sick of people fussing over me.
And I can’t seem to get comfortable.’

David fetched a low stool from near the
bench and put it in front of her chair. ‘You might be better with
your feet up.’ He carefully placed Beth’s feet on the stool. ‘Her
legs get sore,’ he said to Lizzie over his shoulder before turning
his attention back to Beth. ‘Is that all right? Or would you rather
have them up on a chair?’

‘They’re all right like this. Stop flapping
around me like an old chook.’

Lizzie passed Benjy over to Frank. ‘There’s
still tea in the pot. I’ll get a couple more cups.’

‘Would you rather have a drink of water?’
David asked. ‘How’s your head? Do you want a damp cloth for it?
She’s been getting bad headaches,’ he added to Lizzie.

‘I have not!’ Beth protested. ‘Just the odd
little one. Don’t you go talking about me like that.’

Lizzie was studying Beth thoughtfully. She
poured them all a cup of tea, and talked about inconsequential
matters while it was being drunk.

Beth finished hers quickly, then lowered her
feet to the floor and rose ponderously upright, leaning on the edge
of the table for support. ‘Right, you’ve seen me. Dave, take me
home.’

‘I think you’d better have a rest first,’
said Lizzie. ‘How about you stay on for a bit and have a lie-down?
Your father can run you back later.’

‘That’s a good idea,’ David said. ‘I’ll give
you a hand up the passage. Aunt Lizzie’s right, you could do with a
lie-down.’ He reached out a hand towards her, but Beth batted it
away.

‘I don’t want to,’ she said, her voice
rising in irritation. ‘Take me home, Dave.’

Undeterred, David put his hand on her arm.
‘I really think you should stay here for a bit. You might feel
better if you have a rest.’

‘Stop nagging at me!’ Beth cried shrilly.
She swung her hand at his face.

David flinched, but made no move to avoid
the slap aimed at him. Beth jerked back her hand just before it
connected, then reached out again and stroked his face. ‘I’m all
right, Davie,’ she said softly. ‘You mustn’t keep fussing.’

David took her hand and planted a quick kiss
on the palm. ‘Sorry,’ he murmured. ‘I’m just trying to look after
you.’

Frank looked away, feeling awkward at having
witnessed such a private moment. He caught Lizzie’s eye, and could
see she felt much the same. He also saw a certain smug
satisfaction.

David and Beth left soon afterwards. Frank
and Lizzie watched as David lifted Beth carefully into the gig and
then drove away at a walk.

Lizzie coaxed Benjy to wave at the departing
gig. ‘Well,’ she said, looking over at Frank, ‘I don’t know about
you, but I wouldn’t call that
scared
. Not her, anyway. I
thought he looked a bit worried she might give him a clout. But if
you think—’

‘All right, don’t go on about it,’ Frank
interrupted. ‘I’d better get on and see what those boys are up to.’
As he walked away, he could feel Lizzie’s eyes following him. He
did not need to see her face to know its expression.

She was right, of course. Try as he might,
in the face of the tender scene he had witnessed Frank could not
maintain the notion that David was anything but kind and thoughtful
to Beth. It was hard to see anything of Charlie in the boy who had
quietly waited to see whether he would be slapped or caressed.

That afternoon Frank did his best to assume
a casual air when he remarked to Lizzie, ‘I thought I might pop up
and see Bill this afternoon.’ It was true enough; he did intend to
pay a quick call on Bill. It was convenient that that meant passing
David’s farm.

‘Don’t be late back for afternoon tea,’ said
Lizzie. ‘And while you’re talking to Dave, tell him I said Beth had
better stay home while she’s not the best. I’ll get you to take me
over to see her later in the week.’

‘I didn’t say…’ Frank began, but there was
no use denying what they both knew was the main reason for his
outing.

He soon found David, checking his potato
paddock. David looked at him warily, clearly expecting a
confrontation of some sort.

‘You don’t need to cart Beth down to see us
again, not when she’s not feeling the best,’ Frank said. ‘I can see
you’re looking after her.’ It seemed to him that he owed David more
than this. ‘Look, I’m sorry I’ve been giving you a hard time,
Dave.’

He had expected suspicion, and at best a
gradual return into David’s confidence. What he had not expected
was the relief that flooded David’s face, and the way he
immediately thrust out his hand to shake Frank’s.

‘Thanks, Uncle Frank.’

Frank let his own hand be engulfed in
David’s, and patted the boy’s shoulder with his free hand. David’s
ready forgiveness shamed him far more than resentment would have
done.

‘Well, you might have a daughter yourself
one day. Then you’ll know how worried you get about them.’

‘A daughter.’ David smiled at the notion.
‘I’d like that.’ His face fell. ‘I’d like this business to be over,
too.’

‘Beth doesn’t look too good, does she?’

David shook his head. ‘No. I don’t know what
it’s meant to be like for a girl, but I think Ma’s a bit worried
about her, too. She’s that tired—she hasn’t been sleeping well,
that makes it worse. And everything seems to hurt her. I just wish
I could do something to help.’

Frank studied David’s anxious expression,
remembering all too well his own feelings during Lizzie’s illness.
‘It can be hard on them sometimes. She might have a bit of what her
ma had with Benjy. Something to do with her blood. Richard had a
fancy name for it—he seemed to know a lot about it.’

‘Do you think I should get Richard to take a
look at her?’

Frank gave him a rueful smile. ‘Good luck to
you getting her to let him. Your Aunt Lizzie wouldn’t have had a
bar of it.’

‘I might give it a go,’ David said
thoughtfully.

*

‘
Richard’s come to see you,’
David announced a few days later, standing to one side to let
Richard into the kitchen.

Amy saw David and Beth exchange a look. He
wore a set expression; Beth’s suggested that she would have more to
say on the subject when they were alone.

‘I’m sorry you’ve come out specially,’ Beth
said, turning her attention on her brother-in-law. ‘I told Dave I
didn’t need to see you.’

‘That’s quite all right, Beth,’ Richard
said. ‘I was coming out this way anyway, so I thought I’d call in
and see how you were keeping. Dave did happen to mention the other
day that you were feeling a little under the weather.’

‘Oh, did he just?’ Beth shot a rapid glance
at David.

‘You’ll have a cup of tea with us, won’t you
Richard?’ Amy said, forestalling whatever Beth might have said
next. ‘We can have it in the parlour. Then you can have a talk with
Beth afterwards.’ She slipped her hand over Beth’s. ‘I think it’d
be a good idea for you to talk to Richard. Tell him about your
headaches—he can probably give you something for them.’

Beth looked down at the floor. ‘I’m not
going to take any clothes off.’

Richard almost succeeded in hiding a smile.
‘I’m sure that won’t be necessary.’

Beth and David were both silent while the
four of them had their tea, with Amy and Richard managing to keep
up a semblance of conversation. When they had finished, Amy put
their tea things on a tray and rose to leave the room.

‘I’d just like to ask you one or two
things,’ Richard told Beth. ‘Would you be happier if Dave stayed
while we talk?’

‘No, thank you,’ Beth said loftily, but Amy
saw how nervous she was.

‘Would you like me to stay?’ she asked. Beth
nodded, sending her a look of gratitude. Amy passed the tray to
David, who took the hint and left the room.

Amy sat as far away as the tiny parlour
permitted, trying to give the impression that she was devoting all
her attention to a baby gown she was hemming.

Richard spoke quietly, but Amy could not
help overhearing everything that was said. She heard him draw out
of Beth admissions that she was unable to sleep properly at night,
her head hurt much of the time, and she was having occasional dizzy
spells.

‘Thank you, Beth,’ Richard said when he had
asked all his questions. ‘From what you’ve told me, I believe you
have a blood disorder that sometimes occurs during pregnancy.’

‘Is there something wrong with the baby? Is
it something I did wrong?’

‘Not at all,’ Richard assured her. ‘It
strikes without apparent cause—there’s certainly nothing to blame
yourself for. It’s an unpleasant condition, but there are measures
we can take to help you through the worst of it. I’ll give you a
mild sleeping draught, and something for the headaches.’

‘But will the baby be all right?’

‘As long as you take the proper precautions,
there’s every reason to think so. May I call David in, please? I’d
like to discuss this with you both.’

‘All right.’

Richard returned a moment later with David,
who had clearly gone no further than the kitchen. ‘I can give Beth
some medicines to help with the discomfort,’ Richard said, ‘but the
most useful thing I can prescribe is bed rest.’

‘I’m doing that now,’ said Beth. ‘Aunt Amy
gets me to have a lie-down every afternoon.’

‘I’m afraid that’s not quite what I meant.
What’s required is total bed rest. From now until your baby’s
born.’

Beth’s mouth opened in astonishment. ‘Stay
in bed from now till April? I can’t do that!’

‘Yes, you can,’ said David. ‘If it’s what
you need to do so you’ll be all right.’ He turned to Richard.
‘She’ll do it.’

Beth shot him a reproachful look. ‘But what
will I
do
all that time?’

‘We’ll keep you company,’ said Amy. ‘You can
do some sewing if you feel up to it. And you can read my books if
you like.’

‘I’ll have time to read them all if I’m
stuck in bed for four months,’ Beth muttered. ‘Even the
dictionary.’

Richard smiled at her. ‘I can see you’ll be
well looked after.’ He glanced into the bag at his side. ‘Before I
go, I’ll just listen to your chest if I may? Just in case there’s
any congestion.’

Beth nodded, and Richard pulled out his
stethoscope. David was holding Beth’s hand and talking quietly to
her, but Amy had a clear view of Richard’s face as he placed the
stethoscope against Beth’s chest. She saw his smile disappear
abruptly. He listened, frowning, then moved the instrument and
listened again.

He removed the stethoscope and put it away
in his bag, then sat for a few moments as if gathering his
thoughts.

‘I’ve a favour to ask you, Beth,’ he said at
last.

Beth looked up, startled. ‘A favour? What do
you mean?’

‘Will you allow me to attend the birth of
your baby?’

Beth’s eyes widened. She clutched at David’s
hand. ‘No,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘No, I couldn’t do
that.’

‘It’s your decision, of course,’ said
Richard. ‘And perhaps Dave’s, also,’ he added, earning himself an
indignant glare from Beth. ‘But I hope you’ll consider it further.
I’ve observed an irregularity in your heartbeat.’

‘What’s wrong with her?’ David asked.

‘Oh, I’m sure it’s nothing serious—or at
least it wouldn’t be, if there weren’t Beth’s condition to
consider. I doubt very much if it’s ever caused a problem up till
now. But childbirth puts a severe strain on the body—particularly
if it becomes drawn out.’ Richard held Beth’s gaze. ‘I don’t want
you subjected to a long labour.’

‘What does that mean?’ Beth asked in a small
voice.

Richard sighed. ‘I’m so sorry, I should have
thought… Amy, perhaps you could explain some of this to Beth
later?’

‘Of course,’ said Amy. She would have to
find a way to tell Beth as much as she needed to know without
frightening her unduly.

‘For now, let me just say that sometimes the
process of childbirth takes longer than I think your heart should
be made to cope with,’ Richard said. ‘If that were to happen, there
are certain measures I can take to hurry matters along. But they’re
measures that require a doctor—it’s not something a midwife could
do for you.’

Amy gave a sharp intake of breath. ‘Do you
mean forceps?’ She immediately regretted having spoken. But when
she risked a glance at Beth, the girl looked puzzled rather than
frightened.

‘What’s forceps?’ Beth asked.

‘Simply a tool for making childbirth
easier,’ Richard said smoothly. ‘Don’t worry yourself over the
details. Beth, I know you’d rather be attended by a woman, but
please think this over. You’ve plenty of time yet.’

‘We’ll have a talk about it,’ David said,
still holding Beth’s hand. ‘We’ll do what’s best for Beth.’ David
would talk Beth into it, Amy was sure, though it might take him
some time.

Richard rose to go, and Amy showed him out
to the kitchen, leaving David and Beth to talk in private. She
stood at the back door and watched Richard walking down the path,
but when he was halfway to the garden gate she hurried out after
him.

‘Richard, do you really think you might have
to use forceps on Beth?’

He turned to face her. ‘I do think it’s
likely, yes. If her labour shows signs of being protracted, which
is probable enough with a first baby, then I’ll intervene.’

‘But…’ Amy closed her eyes for a moment, and
heard again in memory the harsh voice of Sister Prescott with her
dire threats. ‘But won’t that be awful for Beth? And does it mean
the baby will die?’