(November 1917) A small slim figure in a black dress and white apron hurried into the room. ‘Please sir, come quick, madam needs you, it’s happening.’
‘What, what… oh no, it’s too soon, she’s not due for another month, what on earth are we going to do, will we need Doctor Matthews do you think, this storm, it’s so fierce… should I go for him now?’ Leonard Harrison looked at Susie for guidance.
‘Well sir, if you don’t mind, can you come and see madam first and see what you think?’ Susie was twiddling her fingers through her apron.
‘OK, you lead, is she still in bed?
‘That is where I left her sir, but you know madam, she might be anywhere.’ Susie rushed up the first flight of stairs with Leonard following close behind her.
Dorathea was standing on the first-floor landing, her nightgown covered in blood and she was trembling. ‘Len darling, the baby is coming, but I can’t feel it moving anymore, it was kicking, but now… well the pain came, and then the blood.’
Len grabbed her by the arm and led her back to her bedroom. ‘Let’s get you back to bed.’ Turning to Susie, ‘can you get towels and hot water?’
‘We’ll have to go and get the doctor, I think that will be best don’t you dearest?’
‘But the storm Len, is it safe to go out in this weather?’ Dorathea asked with fear in her eyes.
‘The storm is the least of our worries, right now we need to make sure that you and the baby are OK, so we need Doctor Matthews.’ He helped her into her bed, he felt a rush of nausea as he saw the blood, but tried to hold it all together. ‘I’ll be back as soon as I can, I promise.’ He hobbled down the stairs and reached for the telephone, listening for the operator, but no click, he clicked the receiver again, ‘hello, operator are you there?’ the only response was a crackle. ‘Hello, operator, please, I need to get through to Doctor Matthews.’ Still nothing except for the crackling, it seemed to be getting fainter. Nothing for it, I’ll have to go in my car. ‘Heston, Heston.’ Leonard called for his manservant.
‘Yes sir?’ Heston appeared from the back kitchen door into the front vestibule, doing up his top button.
‘Oh thank god, Heston, can you help me get the car ready please, I need to go for Doctor Matthews, Mrs Harrison is having the baby…’
‘What, now? In this perishing weather, sir there’s a blizzard blowing out there, are you sure we can’t do something for her ourselves, Mrs Smeethe had twelve of the little blighters, I’ll go and get her for you, she can deliver any baby in any condition.’
‘OK Heston, I’ll get the motor running myself, you get Mrs Smeethe, but hurry, can you keep trying the operator when you get back, I’ll still need to get the doctor, I have an awful feeling about this.’
Leonard battled his way out to the garage and managed to open the doors. He picked up the crank handle and cranked the engine, it started into life, he hopped into the driver’s seat, adjusted his hat and made off at top speed. The road conditions were atrocious, he was slipping, and skidding all over, he slowed down, and it was difficult to see through the snow, the road had disappeared under a fresh white blanket. He arrived outside the doctor’s house, carefully lifted himself out of the motorcar and knocked on the door, ‘Doctor Matthews, Doctor Matthews, please hurry, it’s an emergency.’
The front door opened a crack and a little maid’s head poked out, ‘yes sir, how can I help you?’
‘My wife has gone into labour; she’s still got a month to go.’
‘Oh dear, I’ll raise the doctor for you, sir, please come in out of the cold.’
Leonard hobbled into the hallway and stamped his foot to shake the snow from his boot.
Doctor Matthews appeared at the top of the stairs, ‘let me get my bag, I’ll follow you in my motorcar.’
‘Please doctor, my motor is running outside, I’ll drive you now.’
He descended the stairs, ‘OK, lead the way.’ Doctor Matthews pulled on his boots and picked up his bag.
Entering Dorathea’s bedroom, the doctor called to Mrs Smeethe to come away, ‘Mrs Smeethe, thank you so much for coming out to help, can you tell me the present condition please?’ Laying his bag down, Doctor Matthews proceeded to take off his hat and coat.
‘She has lost a lot of blood doctor, no sign of the baby yet, but the baby is OK, it’s a little fighter this one.’ Mrs Smeethe sucked in her breath.
Leonard sat in Jerry’s nursery holding his son in a warm embrace.
‘Mama will be OK won’t she dada?’ Tears welled in his amber eyes.
‘Sure sparky, she’ll be fine, and later tonight or in the morning, you’ll have a brand new baby brother or sister, won’t that be wondrous.’
‘Sure thing dada, I want a little brother though, and mama did promise me one.’
‘We can’t promise a thing like that, you’ll be over the moon if it’s a sister though, surely? Or would you rather we sent her away?’ Leonard enjoyed teasing his son, he always rose to the bait.
‘Oh no dada, we shan’t send her away, I’ll cherish her and look after her, there are so many things I want to show her. But if it’s a brother, oh boy, oh boy, we’ll have such fun, won’t we dada?’ Jerry’s eyes expanded at the thought, his mind whirling at a million miles an hour.
‘Good boy.’ Leonard hugged him closer, ‘we’ll just wait here for the news shall we?’
‘OK dada.’
‘Will you share a cigar with me, and a tot of whiskey do you think?’
‘Oh dada, you are silly, I’m only 5, I’m not allowed, mama wouldn’t let me.’
‘Oh, yes of course old chap, I keep forgetting.’ Leonard ruffled Jerry’s hair and kissed him on the forehead, ‘silly dada.’
The door burst open. ‘Sir, please come quick.’ Susie looked terrified.
‘OK Jerry you stay here with Susie, she’ll keep you company won’t you Susie?’
‘Yes sir, course.’ She sat on the bed and Jerry crawled onto her lap.
Leonard took a deep breath and opened his wife’s bedroom door. He could see her lying quite still in the bed, holding a bundle. He crept closer, the doctor moved out of his way and walked to the dresser and began to wash his hands. Leonard fell to his knees.
‘Len, darling look we have a daughter, can we call her Phillipa do you think, after my father?’
‘But of course darling, anything for you dear heart.’
The doctor crossed the room, ‘just a moment sir,’ and gestured for Leonard to follow him outside. ‘Your wife has lost an awful lot of blood, the next couple of hours are crucial, but I need to tell you, sir, it doesn’t look good for either of them, there are no guarantees, she’s very weak after enduring the labour. The girl is underweight and tiny, to survive the night will be a miracle, you must keep her warm, the best place would be strapped to Mrs Harrison. God willing all will be fine, but also, I need to warn you, the girl may have difficulties if she were to live, what with her being premature.’ He appealed to Leonard for understanding.
‘OK Doctor, thank you for everything, I’ll ask Heston to drive you home.’
‘Mrs Smeethe will stay for as long as required.’ The doctor put on his coat.
‘Yes, I’ll see if she needs a break.’ Leonard shook the doctor’s hand and walked back into his wife’s bedroom.
‘Mrs Smeethe, you can have a break if you’d like, I’ll see to her.’
Mrs Smeethe nodded, walked slowly and left the room.
He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the tiny face of his daughter, ‘Dorathea darling, how are you feeling?’
‘Oh Leonard I’m so tired, will you hold Phillipa for me, just for a little while.’ Her voice was so cracked and slight, that he found it difficult to hear her.
Leonard picked up his daughter and she blinked up at him, her eyes like dark sapphires, ‘she has your eyes darling.’ He opened his jacket and shirt and placed her within, the body heat and extra layers would help to keep her warm.
‘We’ve got to be careful with her, the doctor says that we need to keep her warm, she doesn’t have enough body weight to keep herself warm.’ Leonard smiled and looked back at Dorathea, her head fell to the side, and she was gone.
Chelle Stewart 