“We'll need some room. Is there something…somewhere she can go?”
The plane was full and the only space they could make was at the front of the main cabin. They moved the passengers sitting in the three centre seats. The husband assisted his wife down the aisle and helped her sit. She was doubled over in pain but the husband turned to head back to his seat.
“Where do you think you are going?” Ben asked.
The man stuttered something about it not being the right place for a man as he continued to walk to the rear of the plane.
“Stop!” Ben was almost shouting at him.
The man turned, startled.
“Does your wife speak English?”
He shook his head.
“Good. I don’t want her to know what I’m saying to you. You're not going to leave her alone - she needs you to be with her. This baby is coming too early. She is probably scared that it could die…she may even think that she is going to die, too. We have no facilities here to take care of a new-born baby, let alone a premature one, and nothing available to ease her pain. I am assuming that you are the father of the child?”
The man nodded. “Of course!” he said, somewhat indignantly.
“Well,” Ben went on, oblivious of the other listening passengers. “You had the pleasure of her body, now you are going to help her through the pain. She is surrounded by strangers. She needs you.”
Ben was surprised when some of the passengers started to clap. He looked around with a sheepish grin and said, “I'm sorry, I forgot for a moment where I was.”
He waited for the man to return to his wife’s side, then he followed. He told Charis she'd have to help. She nodded immediately and said, “Just tell me what to do.”
“Good girl,” he smiled at her. Then he turned to the flight attendant. “We'll need your first aid box, plenty of cushions and blankets and can you see if there is anyone on board who has any clinical training at all, please?”
They made his newest patient as comfortable as possible by putting the seat arms upright and padding the seats with cushions and blankets and even managed to rig up a couple of blankets as curtains to give a small amount of privacy. Ben had the husband sit in the end seat with his wife's head and shoulders on his lap.
“You need to comfort her and try to be a support to her,” Ben instructed him. Then he turned and spoke to the woman in Arabic. She seemed surprised…and relieved. He asked questions and she replied in a soft voice. The flight attendant reappeared and informed him that they’d found a French woman who was a retired nurse, but she didn't speak English, and turned to the older lady standing behind her. Ben spoke to her in French. They had a rapid conversation and then the nurse bent over her new patient and began preparations for the birth. Ben told Charis he may need her to assist him, so to stay close.
The mother's contractions were coming strong and fast. Ben rolled up his sleeves and set to work. In the end Charis wasn't really needed. She spent her time kneeling beside the mother, holding her hand and letting her squeeze when the contractions came. She wiped her face, gave her little sips of water and tried to be a comfort, all the while watching Ben. He was completely involved with what he was doing; gently talking to and encouraging his patient.
It had been decided that the French nurse would take care of the baby as soon as Ben had made sure it was relatively healthy, while Ben took care of the mother. He was speaking French to the nurse, Arabic to his patient and English to Charis and the flight attendant, who remained hovering nearby in case Ben needed anything more.
The Captain's voice came over the intercom. “Ladies and Gentlemen, we'll be making a slight detour to Rome so that two, or possibly three, of our passengers may be taken to hospital. Please remain in your seats when we land so the medical personnel can get in and out without hindrance. We’ll be landing in about thirty minutes.”
Charis' attention was diverted by Ben.
“Well, he'll be here before then,” he said. “I can see the head.”
Again Ben spoke quietly to the mother and she nodded and Ben smiled at her, and suddenly Charis knew that all his patients were at least a little in love with him. He was completely absorbed in what he was doing; kind and gentle and thoughtful with his patient. She understood Allison's insistence on having him take care of her for her next baby, and why Helen had been so happy to have him for her doctor. Then Ben was telling the mother to push, to breathe, to wait and to push again, and suddenly the baby was born – a boy!
“A little early,” said Ben. “But he looks healthy enough.”
The baby started to cry. The mother tried to raise herself to see and her husband helped her up to get a glimpse of their baby. Charis felt her eyes fill with tears. So this was the miracle of childbirth. She could see, and feel, the parents’ joy and the relief that Ben felt with the safe arrival of the child. She knew he’d been worried. Ben clamped the umbilical cord, the nurse wrapped the baby and handed him to his mother. Charis knew the picture of the little family would live in her mind forever.
Ben was still busy; the afterbirth had to be delivered and the cord cut. By the time they landed in Rome, it was all over. Ben accompanied his patient out of the plane to the waiting ambulance. He was not gone long and within a short time they were back in the air, on course for London.
“You're a very good doctor, aren't you?” Charis asked.
“Well, I hope so,” Ben answered her. “I try to be.”
“Will they be all right?”
“I think so. The doctor who came with the ambulance seemed competent. And they had adequate equipment with them.” He smiled at her, “They'll be fine.”
She was so proud of this new husband of hers; the way he had handled the situation, spoken to the husband and his tender care of the new, young mother. Ben in his turn was proud of Charis…the way she’d been so willing to help. He was quite sure she’d never seen a baby born before but she had taken it all in stride and knew instinctively how to speak to and help the mother.
“Shall we have children?” he asked her.
“Do you want children?” she responded.
“Yes,” he nodded. “One day I would like to have a family. Lots of little girls who look just like their mother.” He smiled at her.
“It would be nice to have a big family,” she said. “But not yet.”
“No, not for a while,” he agreed.
She hesitated, and then almost in a whisper, managed to say, “My mother and Grandmother both died in childbirth.”
“Yes.”
“I really don't want to die. I can't bear the thought of leaving a child without a mother.”
“I promise you, my love, there is no way I would ever let you die in childbirth.” He was emphatic. He waited for her to go on but when she didn't he said, “You would tell me if you had any problems wouldn't you? Especially if they were ones that may affect you with having a baby?”
“I don't know,” she said. “I've never had to talk to a doctor about anything.”
“Never?” He was amazed.
“No,” she said. “Maybe when my father was alive. I expect I had some childish ailments but I don't remember. And once I was at school the Matron used to take care of all those kinds of things. I've never been seriously ill…just an occasional cold, sore throat or tummy bug so I've never had any reason to see a doctor…professionally that is,” she added grinning up at him.
“So you've never had a medical examination of any kind?”
She shook her head.
“A pap smear?”
She shook her head again. “No, nothing.”
“Well, that is all going to change, young lady,” he said. “We'll get that taken care of when I get you home.”
“Only if you take care of it,” was her spirited response. “I don't do the doctor thing.”
“But you must be registered with a surgery?”
“Well, yes I am. But I never go.”
“Who are you registered with then?
”
“I believe it is a Dr. Isabella Norris. But I've never seen her. I only saw a nurse when I joined the surgery a couple of years ago.”
“I know Bella very well. She's a really good doctor. Her husband, Frank, is the senior partner at St. Anne's.”
He let the subject drop and told her to try to get some sleep because once they got home he didn't intend for either of them to sleep much.
PART VI
HONEYMOON
Because their plane being diverted to Rome added almost two hours to the journey, it was late when the newlyweds arrived home. Charis was relieved to see Mrs. Everett's house in darkness. They’d managed to sleep for an hour or two on the plane but it had been a long day and were both extremely tired. Climbing the stairs to their bedroom, they decided to leave the unpacking of their suitcases until the following morning.
A short ten minutes later they climbed into bed and Ben gathered his wife in his arms and kissed her; softly, sweetly, tenderly.
“Happy Mrs. Sinclair?” he asked.
“My cup runneth over,” she said, her hand caressing his cheek, before they fell into a deep, restful sleep.
Ben awoke to a bright, sunny morning, the smell of bacon cooking wafting up from the kitchen. Charis was making breakfast. He suddenly realised he was starving.
As Ben came downstairs he noticed that she’d obviously been up for some time because she’d already showered and had made a breakfast of grilled sausages, bacon, eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms, with toast and juice. They sat and ate and as he complimented her for the second time, she warned him not to expect this for breakfast every day – it was special for the first day of their married life. Ben laughed and told her it was delicious but he couldn't eat a breakfast like that too often or he’d have to go on a strict diet. When they’d cleaned their plates and emptied their glasses Ben went up to shower and Charis tidied the kitchen and put the dishes in the dishwasher.
By the time he came out of the bathroom, Charis was lying in their bed waiting for him. He reached for her and held her close.
*****
Over the next two weeks, they spent a lot of time at home, just enjoying being together. But they also ventured out. The weather was kind to them, as it usually is in London in early summer, and their little garden was as beautiful as Ben thought it would be, so they spent as much time as they could there, too. The wisteria bloomed over the pergola, and the roses were beginning to flower. Charis had planted climbers and ramblers to cover the brick walls and the trellis that hid the shed. The late tulips and the peonies were fading but the oriental poppies and other perennials were budding, ready to bloom. It was only a small space but Ben thought Charis had turned it into a miniature Garden of Eden.
They went for walks, hand in hand, along the embankment, stopping every so often to watch the river. Sometimes they went for a stroll in one of the many London parks. On one particularly beautiful day they took the little boat from Westminster Bridge down to the Tower, recreating Charis' childhood outings with her father. Ben watched her enjoyment and asked questions about her previous visits and she’d loved telling him the stories that her father had told her of all the things that happened there.
On the first Tuesday of their honeymoon they bought their car. Ben had already decided what he wanted so he contacted the local Jaguar dealer to make sure they had the model he wanted. They did…and not just the right model but also in a colour they both liked the moment they saw it. It was a dark blue. Almost like gun metal, Charis thought. Driving home they joked about feeling very grand indeed.
Of course, Ben didn't escape meeting Mrs. Everett for very long. Charis had warned him not to say anything about being a doctor or she'd be bothering him all the time about her ailments…real and imagined. She appeared to be pleased that Charis had married and questioned them on all the details of their wedding and how and when they met.
“Phew,” said Ben when they escaped. “What an inquisition!”
“That's why I always try to avoid her,” explained Charis. “She's a real busybody! And such a gossip! Everybody in the mews will have all the information we've just given her in no time at all.” They were both relieved they’d managed to dodge most of her questions.
Another of their outings was food shopping, to the closest Sainsbury's supermarket. It was a job that neither of them had enjoyed before, but it took on a whole new meaning when they went together and had fun filling the trolley with their favourite foods. They decided that whenever possible they would try to do the shopping together – it would be much more pleasant that way. Occasionally they ate out at a nice restaurant, but mostly Charis cooked for them at home and Ben's faith in her cooking skills was not displaced. He noted that all their meals were well balanced and nutritious. Charis had informed him that she enjoyed cooking, and Jennifer had told him that Charis was a very good cook. Ben however thought she was an excellent cook.
“I can see I’m going to have to watch my weight!” he told her after a particularly tasty meal.
They spent an evening at a nightclub dancing, reminiscent of their night in Cairo. She even wore the same dress, dark blue chiffon with a beaded bodice. Charis loved the feeling of being enveloped in Ben's arms, safe, secure and loved, whispering softly to each other and Ben kissing her gently on her cheek or forehead as they moved to the music.
Another wonderful evening was spent at the ballet. Charis was enchanted with the dancing and Ben was enchanted with Charis. He watched her face as she watched the ballet and smiled at her delight in it all.
Ben's mother, Emily, e-mailed photos of the wedding to them and they chose several to print. Charis decided she would buy a photo album and knew she’d have a wonderful time sorting the pictures and putting it all together…but she'd do it when Ben went back to work. She didn't want to spend the time while he was at home. Together they picked out a couple of their favourite photos to enlarge and display somewhere in the house. They sent a message of grateful thanks to Giles for his kindness in taking them in the first place, and told him how much they loved and appreciated him.
The highlight of the first week was their visit to Meadow Lea Hall. Ben had suggested they go and Charis had rung the tenants to see if they would mind.
Howard and Tricia Maitland were an American couple…in their fifties and empty nesters. Howard had been fortunate in his career; financially successful and retired early. He’d always dreamed of living the life of an English gentleman so they’d come to England and rented Meadow Lea Hall on a five-year lease. When the five years were up the lease could be extended on a yearly basis. Charis knew that as their adult children left college, settled down and started having children, they would return to America. So far they’d been living in her home for four years and had come to love the place and looked after it as though it was their own. They seemed genuinely happy for Charis and Ben to visit.
On Friday morning Ben and Charis drove out of London in their new car onto the M4, heading towards Bristol until they came to junction seventeen. They took the road to Chippenham for a few miles, then turned onto a side road to Castle Combe. Just a couple of miles past Castle Combe they made a left turn towards Bath, then down the next lane and there it was - Meadow Lea Hall.
Ben would have known it anywhere from the picture in their sitting room. Glorious in its setting of trees, shrubs, lawns and flowers with fields beyond, rolling hills to the south and the Cotswolds rising in the distance to the north, he could imagine Charis here as a child learning to love her home and her heritage. He helped her from the car and turned and gazed at the house. Built of Cotswold stone, long and low, it looked as though it had grown out of the ground. A covered porch jutted out from the building with a wing either side. It was built in two stories, with dormer windows in the upper floor. A semi-circular driveway led up from the lane, a low stone cavity wall with flowers tumbling over it between the two entrances. Banks of rhododendrons lined each side of the drive with an immaculately manicured lawn in front of
the house. The heavy oak door opened and the Maitlands waited to greet them.
They’d prepared lunch and the four of them enjoyed a friendly chat as they ate. Afterwards, Tricia Maitland suggested that Charis might like to show Ben around her ancestral home. Charis eagerly accepted the offer.
The room they had been dining in opened off the large oak panelled central hall, with a sitting room on the opposite side. They climbed the impressive staircase to the upper floor and apart from the room that was occupied by the Maitlands, explored the rest of the rooms. Charis showed Ben her childhood bedroom, which was just as she’d left it. He could imagine her living there - he thought it had her personality stamped all over it, echoes of her home in Chelsea; a bookcase filled with her favourite books that she’d loved as a child, a large doll’s house in the corner, some pictures on the wall, including photos from her schooldays with Jennifer, a small dressing table in the opposite corner to the doll's house, a writing desk and chair, a rug on the floor and cushions on the bed, and all decorated in pastel colours.
Charis took Ben by the hand and led him outside and they strolled through the gardens. A four car garage with an enclosed kitchen garden and a small orchard was at one side of the house, with a small greenhouse and the infamous garden shed that Charis had been locked in by Mildred. Another walled garden was on the other side of the house; a flower garden, almost ready to burst into the peak of summer perfection. Lawns swept down to the little stream which separated the garden from the home farm at the rear of the house. All around them were carefully tended flower beds, shrubs and trees. Charis told him that her mother and grandfather had designed the gardens and Ben realised Charis had inherited her talent from them in creating their little garden in Chelsea.
Once back inside she showed him the study where her grandfather, William, had retreated to when his Jane died, and later where her father had written several of his books. They toured the kitchen where Mrs. Patterson had given Charis her first rudimentary lessons in cooking. The love of her home was obvious to Ben, it was something that was part of her. He resolved right then that someday they would indeed make it their home.
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