Read Online Paradise Park by Iris Gower - Free Book Online

Katie forced a smile. ‘It’s not really going to take hours, is it, Cook?’
    â€˜Always does,’ Mrs Davies said. She helped Katie back upstairs and sat her on the bed. ‘I’ll get your shoes off and then I’ll get you into a clean nightgown. Now, don’t you fret, you’re a fine strong girl and the birth won’t be too bad, you’ll see.’
    Katie felt as if she was a child again as the cook undressed her and carefully pulled a nightgown over her head.
    â€˜I can see how your belly’s getting tighter and that’s what’s supposed to happen. I know it hurts but it means the baby’s trying to come out into the world.’ She went to the door and called down the stairs. ‘Bronnie, hurry with that brown paper, there’s a good girl.’
    Bronnie clattered up the stairs and rushed into the bedroom with clean cloths over her shoulder and the brown paper fluttering like a flag between her fingers.
    â€˜Stand up for a minute,
merchi
, let’s get the bed ready before your waters break.’ Mrs Davies prepared it deftly, then lowered Katie gently on to it. ‘There, you’ll be all right now. All we got to do is wait for the midwife. Bronnie, go and fetch her now. I’ll get a couple of bowls of nice warm water.’
    Katie felt her heart flutter in fear as Mrs Davies left the room. She didn’t want to be alone: the pains were really bad now – they seemed to ebb and flow like the sea, each contraction stronger than the last.
    â€˜Bull, why aren’t you here with me?’ Katie felt tears well in her eyes but brushed them away impatiently: it was stupid to cry when women had babies every day of the week – there was nothing to be frightened about. She moaned as another pain gripped her and then, thankfully, Mrs Davies was back in the room.
    â€˜I’m sorry, Mrs Beynon.’ She looked pale and worried. ‘Bronnie went down the road to call the midwife but she was out on another delivery and no one knows how long she’ll be. Still, Bronnie left a note on her door and I’m sure she’ll come in plenty of time. Anyway, first babies are always slow.’
    Katie tried to relax but the pains had intensified. ‘Cook, I’m frightened, can Bronnie go to find Mr Beynon?’
    â€˜Aye, I’ll send her right away, but you keep calm. You’ve a while to go yet.’
    The cook left the room and Katie could hear her giving instructions to the maid. ‘Mr Beynon will be up beyond high-street station I expect, girl. Tell him his wife’s time has come and he’s wanted here.’
    Mrs Davies was soon back and she sat on the bed holding Katie’s hand. ‘That little brew of herbs I made up for you yesterday, I’ve put it to simmer on the fire. It’s not very nice to taste but it might help you sleep a bit.’
    Katie knew that nothing would make her sleep: the pains were getting faster and more intense by the minute. But she was wrong, the brew Mrs Davies gave her was vile but almost straight away she felt sleepy.
    The time seemed to pass in a haze and Katie wondered if the baby would ever be born. Questions crept through her mind: where could the midwife be and why wasn’t Bull here?
    It was after midday when a fierce urge to bear down took Katie’s breath away. She closed her eyes tightly with the effort, grunting low in her throat as she struggled to give birth. She was wide awake now, and when the pain subsided she looked up at Mrs Davies. ‘You’d better help me. My baby is coming and it looks like you’re going to be the one to deliver it.’
    Mrs Davies came to the bed and looked down at Katie’s straining body. ‘I think you’re right,
merchi
. Here, let me hitch up your nightgown – it’s no time for modesty. Let’s get this little ‘un of yours into the world.’
    Bull Beynon was thinking of Katie as he walked along