by Marie Silk
“It is still warm,” she answered. Serena looked like she could not wait to remove the sweater, and when she finally did, Abigail understood why she wore it to the party. The shoulders of Serena’s dress were ripped at the seams. “I’ve not had time to mend it,” she explained sheepishly.
Abigail stepped closer to her and inspected the seams. “The only trouble is, the material has become threadbare. Even if we mend it, it will not stay together for long.”
Serena nodded. “At least the weather will soon be cool and I will have a better reason to wear my sweater.”
Abigail smiled compassionately and changed the subject. “I hope you will allow me to care for the children more often. I’m always available at the house.”
“I may have to take you up on the offer. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.”
When Abigail attended breakfast in the dining room the next day, Mary and Clara were pleased to see her looking cheerful. “Good morning,” Mary said happily.
“Good morning, Mary.”
“Do you have any plans for the day, Abigail?” asked Clara.
“Bridget and I are going into town. We have shopping to do.” The two of them finished their breakfast and were soon on their way to town in the car with Sam driving.
“I am glad to see Abigail feeling better,” remarked Mary. “She seems to have a plan for passing the time while Ethan is away.”
“And how are you feeling about it all, Mary?” asked Clara.
Mary looked down at her empty plate. “I hope he comes home soon. It was difficult enough to be separated from him when we lived only hours away from each other. Now he is a world away. I only hope he is alright.”
Later in the afternoon, there was a knock at the door of the Valentis’ farmhouse. Serena was delighted to see that Abigail had come to visit. “Hello Abigail,” she greeted.
Abigail could hardly contain her smile. “I found some things in town that I thought you might like.” She walked into the house and began to lay out two white blouses and two colorful skirts. “They are the fashion now.”
Serena was hesitant. “You shouldn’t have spent your money on me. I don’t deserve it.”
“Of course you do. You have been good enough to come live with your brother and keep his house and care for his children,” Abigail replied.
Serena hung her head. “I am sorry to contradict you, but you are mistaken if you believe that is our situation. It is not I who am doing my brother the favor, but he who is helping me. No one else in my family will speak to me.”
“Why wouldn’t they?” Abigail questioned, seating herself in one of the chairs.
Serena was not sure how to answer. She sat across from Abigail and began quietly, “Before I came to live with Phillip, I had a child.”
Abigail raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Oh? I did not realize you were a mother.”
Serena nodded. “Some friends of mine in Pittsburgh have been raising my daughter as their own. Phillip offered his home to me when no one else would take me. I think you should know the truth if you think I deserve these nice clothes.”
Abigail did not seem bothered. “What is your daughter’s name?”
A smile crossed Serena’s lips. “Angelina.”
“It is a lovely name,” Abigail replied. “You must miss her very much.”
Serena nodded. “Every day. But I know my friends are raising her better than I could have.”
“I see,” Abigail said thoughtfully. “I do hope you accept the new clothes, Serena. You deserve to have something lovely to wear, whether you believe it or not.”
Chapter 4
Autumn of 1917, France
The bitter rain fell and the mud ran deep, causing time to stand still for the soldiers in the trenches. They were shivering that day, awaiting their next order, and pushing the thoughts of hopelessness and despair behind them. “Advance! Advance!” the lieutenant-general was shouting. The deafening roar of artillery shells coupled with the cries of men nearly drowned out the order altogether. Phillip Valenti stared in anguish at the barricade before him, knowing it was all that was left between their regiment and the enemy. Just as Phillip took the first step forward, he felt a hand forcibly grab his shoulder.
“Valenti!” Ethan yelled into his ear, even though their faces were only inches apart. Phillip turned his head to lock eyes with him while Ethan continued. “If anything happens to me, swear that you will care for Abigail and Mary!”
“I swear!” Phillip cried back. “And if anything happens to me, look after my family! Be a father to my children!”
“I swear!” shouted Ethan. They soberly shook hands before charging past the safety of the barricade, rapidly approaching the peril at the front line. Bullets were flying and men were dropping to the ground, causing the realization to those left standing—that it would take a miracle for any of the them to return home alive.
Phillip continued to charge forward as he was told. His boots were heavy with mud from the trenches, and the rain poured down mercilessly, making it hard to distinguish the allies from the enemy. Phillip scarcely noticed that his pant leg had become soaked in more than only rain. He soon felt a throbbing, blinding pain and looked down at his leg. Blood ran down his boots and into the mud. He felt short of breath and suddenly discovered that he was lying on his back. He made the sign of the cross and began praying for mercy that the end would be quick before the Germans could capture him. But he felt himself being dragged backward and sideways. He lost all sense of direction and was unsure if the arms that pulled him were doing so to safety or to his demise.
A sudden sensation of free falling several feet down before hitting the ground caused him to shake with fright. It felt like falling into a grave. But when he opened his eyes again, he was aware that he was back in the trenches he had just left from, and shrapnel was being pulled from his leg. He winced in pain.
“Smith! Get back out there!” barked the lieutenant-general.
“He needs a medic!” Ethan shouted back.
“Him and everyone else! Now get out there!”
Ethan looked into Phillip’s open eyes. “Don’t forget what you swore!” After Ethan spoke the words, everything went black, and Phillip drifted into the deepest sleep he had in months.
That same night at Davenport House, after everyone had been asleep for hours, William gently shook Mary awake. “Mary, you need to get up.”
She groggily looked around the dark room. “What it is? What’s happening?”
William chuckled. “It’s time. I just got the call from Mr. Daniels.”
Mary gasped and sat upright in bed, suddenly feeling the pounding of her heart in her chest. “We must hurry! I don’t want to miss a thing!”
William laughed again. “I think you are more anxious for Mrs. Daniels to have the baby than she is herself.”
“I’ve been waiting for weeks!” Mary said as she pulled on her dress and pinafore. “I’m ready.”
They soon arrived at the Daniels’ home, and Mary and William went to work attending to the woman in labor. Several more hours passed before William indicated to Mary that the baby was emerging. Mary did everything that William instructed her to, and soon the shrill cry of a newborn was heard throughout the house.
“Thank you Dr. Hamilton, Mrs. Hamilton,” the grateful mother told them. “I wasn’t sure he was going to come out for a while there!”
William laughed. “They always come out, Mrs. Daniels. But sometimes they choose to take their sweet time.”
On the drive back to the house, Mary was quiet. “I suppose you want to go back to sleep when we get home,” William said to her.
Mary turned to him quickly. “Sleep! I can’t sleep after all that. It was the most wonderful thing I’ve ever seen! I hope I did not get in the way.”
“You didn’t get in the way. You had great presence of mind throughout it all. I’m proud of you, Mary. I was worried that you were being quiet because you decided that having ch
ildren is not so delightful after all.”
Mary laughed. “But to see how happy Mrs. Daniels was when the baby finally came…I hope to be that happy someday. Of course I still want to have children…as many as we can! But more than that, I’d like to help at as many births as I can.”
“I’ll arrange it as best I can, Mary. Thank you.”
The next thing Mary knew, William was waking her from a sound sleep in front of the fireplace of the sitting room. “I’m going to be late for the clinic. I overslept,” he told her.
“Oh dear,” Mary said, putting her hand to her forehead. “I’m sorry, William. I meant to wake you but I must have gone to sleep myself.”
“The thing is, I promised to take some items to Mrs. Allen for her upcoming delivery, but I will be late for an appointment if I do. The Allen house is not so far away…easily traveled on horseback…” William trailed off.
Mary laughed at him. “I’d be happy to ride Dolly over to the Allen’s. You need not worry about being late for your appointment.”
“Good,” William laughed. “Because I already told Sam to put the things into your saddlebags. Thank you, Mary.” He kissed her goodbye and left the room. Mary changed her clothes and was soon on her way down the driveway, riding her horse Dolly.
When Mary arrived at the Allen house, the front door swung open in front of her. It was Mr. Allen. “Mrs. Hamilton, thank God you’re here! Gretchen is having the baby. Is your husband with you?”
“Mrs. Allen is having the baby now?” Mary exclaimed with wide eyes. “My husband has already gone to the clinic. We will telephone him—” but Mary was interrupted by cries from the bedroom.
“Tell the doctor that I’m pushin’!” Mrs. Allen shouted.
Mary and Mr. Allen rushed to the bedroom where the baby was already being birthed. Mary removed her jacket and worked quickly to set up the supplies. Within moments, the baby was born into Mary’s trembling hands. She carefully laid the newborn boy on Mrs. Allen and covered him with a quilt. She then finished attending to the mother as she had watched William do earlier that morning. Mr. and Mrs. Allen thanked Mary over and over for arriving just in time. Mary returned to Davenport House, still in a daze over what had just happened.
“William!” she cried into the telephone. “You will never believe what I have done, all on my own!”
William laughed. “What have you done, Mary?”
“Mrs. Allen was already pushing by the time I arrived at her house!”
“What? You mean the baby has already come?”
“He is the most darling little boy I have ever seen! Not only that, it was the most magnificent feeling I’ve had in my life to be there and feel useful. I now am certain of what I want to do for now and always. I want to be a midwife!”
“And I think you will be a splendid one,” William answered her. “I am proud of you, Mary.”
Later that evening, Mary went to Clara’s room to tell of her new plans. Clara was happy for her. “You will do wonderfully, Mary. You can deliver all the babies that Abigail will have after Ethan comes home.”
“What about you? Don’t you wish me to be there for yours as well?” Mary asked.
Clara rolled her eyes. “If I ever do get married, it will probably be too late for me.”
“Now now. I saw another bouquet of roses and box of chocolates for you in the Hall. It seems your secret admirer is eager to get your attention.”
Clara blushed furiously. “If only he will just say so.” She bit her lip nervously. “Joe Blake is coming to dinner tonight.”
“Perhaps he will finally confess,” Mary giggled. “Abigail and I will have dinner in our rooms so we do not disturb you two.”
“Oh please don’t, Mary,” objected Clara. “I would much rather you dine with us. Otherwise I will be too nervous to face him.”
“Very well,” Mary smiled. “I will go change now.”
Mary, Abigail, Bridget, and Clara waited patiently in the drawing room for Joe Blake to arrive. Fiona had long since announced that dinner was ready to be served, but since Joe was not there, the ladies continued to wait. Mary told Abigail and Bridget about the baby born that day.
“What a perfect time for the town to have a new midwife,” Abigail remarked. “I read in the paper about the shortage of doctors and nurses…because of the War…”
“It is true,” Mary said quickly, observing that Abigail was becoming upset at the thought of it. “At first I thought I might volunteer with the Red Cross. They are short of volunteers, you know. But after today, I think my place is here with the women of York County.”
“I don’t have any time for the Red Cross while I’m leading the women’s group. I would like to help, if I could.”
“You are helping, Clara,” Bridget offered. “Just in a different way. I’ve thought that if Abigail would like to volunteer for the Red Cross, I would like to go as well. We should all be doing our part to help the men who are returning.”
“It is noble of you, Bridget,” remarked Abigail. “I’m afraid I’ve been feeling sorry for myself for so long that I haven’t been much use to anyone. I will take volunteering into consideration.”
Clara kept her eyes fixed on the entrance to the drawing room. It was clear that Joe was not coming to dinner after all. She let out a defeated sigh. “I suppose we should go into dinner now…before it gets too cold.”
On the way to the dining room, Mary walked beside Clara and spoke to her discreetly. “I’m sorry he did not come.”
“Perhaps I was wrong about him caring for me.”
“He may have an explanation for not attending tonight.”
“You don’t have to try to make me feel better, Mary,” Clara whispered before she sat down at the table. “It was foolish of me to think that he could be interested in me at my age...even more foolish that I turned away the only men who were willing to marry me in the past. I suppose the secret admirer is my last chance...whoever he may be.” She ate her dinner quietly before retiring to bed, feeling more tired than she had in a long time.
The next day, Clara attended a meeting at the town hall. She groaned under her breath when she observed that Mr. Collins was seated in the front row. Although he attended the meetings, he did not seem to be interested in the vote for women at all. Clara wondered why he was even there. The meeting went on as usual and the ladies stood up to leave. Clara stayed behind to tidy the room, and noticed that Mr. Collins was helping to straighten the chairs. “Thank you, Mr. Collins,” Clara said reluctantly.
“I’m glad to help, Miss Davenport. I’ve been wanting to speak to you in private for some time anyway.”
Clara looked up at him in surprise. “You wish to speak to me?”
“I was hoping you would have noticed by now, but you never seem to look at me at these meetings,” Mr. Collins replied. Clara was speechless. She did not know how to respond to Mr. Collins, so he continued. “I thought that all ladies liked roses and chocolate.”
“That was you?” she asked incredulously.
“Of course it was,” he laughed. “Although I imagine you have a great deal of secret admirers.”
“I wouldn’t know about that,” Clara replied. “Forgive me, Mr. Collins. I did not realize it was you who was trying to get my attention.”
“Well, do I have your attention now?” he asked playfully.
“Yes,” Clara said. “Um—what did you wish to say to me?”
Mr. Collins approached Clara to be closer to her. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the day I first saw you. Since then…well Clara, I think you’re the most beautiful, intelligent woman I’ve met. I want to marry you.”
Clara could not believe her ears. It felt like she could hear the beat of her heart echo off the walls of the town hall.
“Well, do you think you might consider it?” Mr. Collins prompted. “I realize you don’t know me that well, and you don’t need to answer right away—”
The words spilled from her lips before she
knew what she had said. “Yes, Mr. Collins. I would like to marry you.”
He smiled wide and picked her up off the floor. “I was hoping you’d say that. I have to leave for New York tomorrow on business. Why don’t you come with me and we’ll get married while we’re at it?”
Clara’s eyes were wide. “You don’t wish to plan for a wedding?”
Mr. Collins shook his head. “I’m sorry, Clara. I should have told you before that I’m a widower. I had a big wedding with all the extravagance already…now I just want to get married simply and start our lives together. If that isn’t what you want, you don’t have to come…”
“I’d love to go to New York, I just wasn’t expecting any of this right now.”
“I’ve been thinking about you for such a long time that it just seems natural for me to want to marry as soon as possible. I guess I didn’t think about what a surprise it might be for you.”
Clara began to laugh. “Oh, why not? I will go to New York with you. I always thought I wanted a big wedding, but now that I think of it, surprising my friends with the news might be even more thrilling!”
Mr. Collins squeezed her tightly. “Meet me here tomorrow morning and we’ll drive for New York. When we come back, we’ll be man and wife.”
“I can hardly believe this is happening,” said Clara, smiling and shaking her head. “I will be here first thing in the morning.”
At the house the next day, Clara acted mysteriously about her sudden trip to New York. Sam drove her to the town hall, where Clara told him to return to the house and not worry about retrieving her that day. Mary and Abigail questioned Sam as soon as he arrived at Davenport House without Clara.
“I thought you were taking Clara to New York,” Mary said, feeling confused.
“I thought so too, but she got into another car with a man I haven’t seen before. Then they took off together.”
“Clara is going to New York with a man? Who do you suppose he is, Mary?”
Mary looked at Abigail with wide eyes. “I wonder if Clara has discovered her real secret admirer.”