Page 140 of The Secret Love of a Gentleman
‘Rob.’ There was fear in Caro’s eyes.
He could not show her his.
The muscles about her stomach contracted, he could see it tightening through her chemise, and as a consequence more blood flowed onto the sheet. She cried out and clasped his hand until the contraction ceased.
‘Lift your hips, Caro. I will put a pillow beneath you. It will make you more comfortable.’ And perhaps slow the blood. Yet if the child was coming, how could he stop the bleeding?
When he lifted the sheet to place the pillow, he saw just how much scarlet blood had soaked through the sheet into the mattress. Bile rose in his throat. He was terrified for her and Sarah.
‘Ah…’ Another contraction came, with a long, loud, sharp cry of pain.
‘Sir…’ Beth stood in the doorway, looking as helpless as he felt.
Then he remembered when Harry had fallen on his ice skates as a child and cut his leg, while he had lain in the snow, the bleeding had stopped. ‘Beth, do we have a block of ice in the cellar?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Have Keith break it up, and bring cold water. We will make up a bath of ice.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Tears trailed down Caro’s cheeks as he hurriedly stripped down to his shirt and trousers, throwing everything on a chair.
He held Caro’s hand. ‘You are not to be afraid. You have to do the work, but do not let fear make it harder.’
He would pray. That would be his task.
He pressed a kiss on her temple and her gaze clung to him. ‘I am scared, Rob.’
‘I know, but you must not be. She is coming, she will be here soon and all will be well.’Please, Lord.‘I will help the servants ready a cold bath to stop the blood.’
There was a knock at the door. Keith had brought the copper bath.
‘I will take it.’ Rob put it beside the bed.
‘Ah!’ Caro bit down on her lip, shutting off her cry as the next contraction came.
Rob ran down to the kitchen and out to the well, and filled a bucket of water himself as he heard Keith chiselling away at the ice.
Where is the doctor?The ice bath may be the best thing for Caro, but Rob had no idea how it would affect Sarah and he needed them both alive.
He carried up four buckets as Beth and Keith carried up cloths full of ice and tipped them in, until the water was deep enough to sit Caro in.
‘Ah!’ Another scream announced another contraction and more blood.
‘Put your arms about my neck.’ He lifted her, carried her to the bath and set her down.God, help us, please!
She shivered at once, violently so, yet he could not let her rise. ‘I know it is cold, and it will hurt, sweetheart, but it must be done.’
He knelt beside the bath and held her hand.
‘Rob.’ Another contraction came and her nails sank into the skin of his hand.
Then there were footsteps outside the room. He looked over his shoulder as Polly then the doctor came in.
‘Mr Marlow, Mrs Marlow. Good heavens!’ The doctor set his bag down.
‘I did not know what to do,’ Rob said. ‘I am sure there is too much blood…’
