Grateful
Matthew and Mary had retired to bed early, she was 7 months pregnant now and exhausted. She'd just got used to getting some energy back in the second part of her pregnancy, but Baby Crawley seemed determined to turn her insides black and blue and it was wearing her out. Active was not the right word to describe their child, fidgety was more like it, waking up at all times of the day and especially at the most inconvenient times. She adjusted her pillows to try and make herself more comfortable, whilst she idly rubbed her bump in soothing circles, trying to calm the baby but to no avail. She leaned back waiting for her husband to come through from getting ready for bed. She didn't have to wait long when she heard the door click and Matthew appeared
He looked at her in what he thought was a sympathetic way and asked,
"Trouble sleeping?"
She just gave him a pointed look and replied, whilst indicating her bump with her head
"What do you think? I hope you realise that I blame you entirely for all of this. This is all your fault"
Matthew got into bed and turned onto his side so that he could see her and took over the bump rubbing. He seemed to have the knack of calming the baby, which annoyed Mary, but she was secretly grateful although she would never let him know that.
"My fault!" He answered his voice slightly squeaky
"Yes, your fault when you had your wicked way with me." she said with a quirk of her eyebrow
He cottoned onto this straight away and said in a teasing way
"As I recall you didn't need much persuading and you certainly enjoyed it. And as I remember, once wasn't enough..."
"And as I recall, you were the one that instigated it" She looked satisfied with herself for this until Matthew said with a smirk
"Maybe, but darling pregnancy has certainly made you the instigator on more than one occasion."
"Hmph" was her only response as she blushed slightly.
It was certainly true that once Mary's chronic morning sickness (again Matthew's fault) had subsided and she wasn't totally drained she had (quite) a few times told Matthew that she wanted him and she wanted him now, even if they had to feign illness for them being in bed mid-afternoon.
Matthew had been pleased with himself because he had got the last word and rendered his wife almost speechless. Once baby had stopped moving and fallen asleep, Matthew lay down but with his right hand resting protectively on Mary's tummy. She looked at him and smiled sleepily. He leaned forward, albeit awkwardly and kissed her.
Matthew was just about to drop off about an hour later when Mary suddenly sat up and stated anxiously
"Matthew, I have to give birth to this baby."
He sat up and had to bite back a smile, where had this come from?, his usually calm and collected beautiful wife was starting to panic. Isobel had told him that pregnancy would make Mary scared, anxious, worried but she hadn't demonstrated any of these things yet, until now it seemed.
"My darling, I think that was a given."
"No I know that" she snapped, "but I have to give birth, I have to go to the hospital, me and only me is going to have this baby nobody else can do it for me."
He pulled her towards him as best he could and gently ran his hand up and down her arm, before settling on her hand. This calmed her a little. Matthew quietly said to her,
"You know if I was allowed to be in there with you when it is time for the baby to arrive I would be."
"I know, I wish you could be ,it would makes things easier, but it isn't seen as proper and besides I'm sure Granny would have something to say about it too."
Matthew laughed out loud at this last remark and said
"Yes, I'm sure she would."
"Matthew, I was wondering, mama will be with me when it's time, but I was wondering if, well whether Isobel would like to be there too. She has been such a support to me, since we found out about the baby and I thought she might want to be there too."
She looked at him with her big chocolate eyes, she looked shy almost childlike , and it made him feel gooey inside. He kissed her and said
"I'm sure she would be delighted." If truth be told, he was completely touched that she would want his mother with her.
Mary and Isobel had become closer since they found that their family would be joined by a new addition. Mary had turned to her mother-in-law for advice when she needed it and as a result Isobel had not been bombarding her with her knowledge. For this Mary was grateful, if anything it was her own parents who coddled her more than usual although she knew deep down, why they were being overly protective. Matthew had been the same.
"Good, I'll send a message to her tomorrow and ask her for tea whilst you are out with Tom looking at the cottages."
With a plan in place, the parents to be were finally able to get some sleep.
The following afternoon, Isobel had arrived at the Abbey, she had been a little surprised to receive Mary's invite, they had only seen each other the day before last but nevertheless she was delighted. Carson showed her into the library where Mary was sat waiting for her.
"Shall I bring tea Milady?"
"Yes. Thank you Carson."
Once alone, Mary and Isobel greeted each other with a kiss on the cheek.
"Are you alright my dear. Is everything all right with the baby?"
Mary was used to these sorts of questions by now and smiled before answering.
"Yes, perfectly well thank you. Although I think he is trying out for a football team or gymnastics or something. He's so active. I know you've been working so hard recently, I thought you could do with an afternoon to relax. How's the Orphan project going?" She said genuinely concerned and interested.
Orphans were her latest venture and Isobel was touched that Mary showed an interest. Although she wasn't too sure about Mary to begin with, she had accepted that she loved her son completely and him her. She made him so happy and that was enough for her. Although since their marriage, she had found herself liking the young woman more and more the more they spent time together.
"Very well, we managed to get the young twins a new family yesterday. They have been through so much already just being left at the orphanage with only the clothes they stood up in, abandoned like they were..."
"I'm glad." Mary stated as her hand instinctively went to her bump, which she rubbed lightly. Try as she might she couldn't understand why anybody would want to abandon their babies.
Carson brought in the tea tray, which also contained a tray of freshly made shortbread. Since she had found out she was pregnant Mary's craving for the Scottish delight had heightened, to the extent that Mrs. Patmore was having to make it on a daily basis for the mother to be. She smiled at Carson.
"Thank you. Please be sure to thank Mrs. Patmore too. She must be sick of the sight of this by now."
Carson just bowed slightly in response and left the two women alone again.
"Shall I pour?" asked Isobel
They sat for a bit in. just enjoying the companionable silence, until Isobel noticed that Mary was rolling her rings around her finger like she so often did when she was worried or thinking.
"Mary is there something the matter..?
Mary looked at her before replying
"No, nothing's the matter exactly it's just that..."
"What is it?"
"It's just I was wondering, when the time comes for the baby to come, well I was wondering if well you would like to be there too. Mama insists she will be there and I thought you have been such a wonderful support these last months that... I will understand if you don't want to be, I just thought it would be nice."
She realised she had been waffling, so stopped talking and looked away.
"My dear, it can get quite overwhelming and you might not want too many people with you. There will be the Doctor and nurses and Cora. Are you sure?"
" I am sure."
"In that case I shall be delighted."
"Thank you."
The two women embraced and when they pulled back Mary noticed tears in the older woman's eyes.
Mary thanked the porter as she stepped off the train at Downton station. As she started to walk towards Anna, she placed her hand on her stomach. Anna went to her and asked if she was alright, she thought she looked a bit pale when they had left Scotland. Mary said to the chauffer about leaving the cases at the station and to take her straight to the hospital in a calm manner, so it didn't alarm anybody. This sent alarm bells running through Anna, especially when Mary told her to telephone Mrs. Crawley and to get a message to Mr. Crawley.
Isobel picked up the phone at Crawley House, she had had it installed at Matthew's insistence. She wondered who could be phoning her. She wasn't expecting the rest of the family home from Scotland for another 3 days. She picked it up and answered
"Hello, Isobel Crawley speaking. How might I help you?"
"Mrs. Crawley, it's Anna Lady Mary's maid." The maid said breathlessly
"Anna, what is it?" Isobel asked starting to worry, all sorts of things going through her mind.
"Its Lady Mary. We came back home from Scotland early. Lady Mary wasn't feeling too well."
"Oh... Is she alright? Is she OK?"
"That's the thing, we never made it back to the house, we've come to the hospital. Lady Mary has gone into labour. She said she thought she felt something on the train. She has been asking for you, since we got here. You were the first person she wanted to phone. The car is coming to Crawley House now."
No answer came from Isobel
"Mrs. Crawley are you alright?"
She had been caught up in her thoughts that her first grandchild was making its way into the world at this moment, although a little early, and she would be there to witness it. Anna's voice down the phone shook her back into action
"Yes, perfectly, thank you Anna. "
"I must get back to Lady Mary. I will tell her you are on the way."
"Yes and Anna... tell her not to worry. I'll be there soon."
With that they hung up the phones. Isobel hurried to find her hat and coat and Anna made her way back to Mary's room. Mary had been ridden of her hat and coat and her hair had been taken out of its elaborate hairstyle. A nurse was in there too, she had just brought the cot into the room and was now seeing to Mary as she was having another contraction. When it was over, Anna said going to the bed
"Mrs. Crawley is on her way milady. She said that you hadn't to worry."
She moved to the back of Mary and started to plait her hair.
"Thank you Anna. I need some things from home. I can hardly have the baby in this." she said breathlessly indicating to her red top and skirt."
Anna laughed.
"When Mrs. Crawley arrives, I will go back to the house with Jones to get them for you."
The nurse who had stayed in the room said,
"Why don't you go down and wait. I will stay with Lady Mary."
Anna looked and Mary who nodded. Anna went downstairs to wait. She didn't have to wait long when she saw the car approach. Isobel got out and went to Anna.
"How is she? Which room is she in?"
"As well as can be expected. She is upstairs, the second room on the left. I'm going to go back to the house and get Lady Mary the things she needs, nightdress and the like."
"Yes, thank you Anna." Isobel replied as Anna climbed into the front of the car.
Isobel walked into the hospital and a nurse took her hat, bag and coat. However she didn't go to her daughter in law straight away, she was stopped by a patient who wanted to talk to her. It was the man who had adopted the twins . Without wanting to be impolite, she stopped and talked to him and his wife and the children. It wasn't until she saw Anna return that she realised she had been talking to them for over half an hour. She beckoned Anna over and whispered to her.
"Please tell Lady Mary, I am sorry but I will be up in a short while. Have you got her things? Go and make her as comfortable as you can."
"Yes Mrs. Crawley of course."
With that Anna made her way back to her mistress. Five minutes later, Isobel was finally able to get to her destination.
Upon seeing her mother in law, Mary held out her hand to her, which Isobel took gently. She reassured her that Matthew would be on the train on the way back home from Scotland, when Mary voiced her fears of feeling on 'half herself without him.' Isobel also told her to trust her, when she said she 'wouldn't want him in the room, until it is all over.' She tried to calm Mary after she had suffered her first real labour pain. She said not to worry, that the baby would be 'perfectly fine. They would have to take a little extra care.' And that she would telephone Carson and update him. When Dr. Clarkson came into the room to say it was time to move Mary she placed her palm on Mary's face as if to say, I will be with you every step of the way.
Mary had been moved from her private room, to the delivery room. She felt much calmer now that Isobel was there and they had spoken in her room. It had been 5 hours since Isobel had arrived and 7 in total since Mary had been taken to the hospital. Her contractions had slowed down and she wondered now if she was actually in labour. Dr. Clarkson and Isobel had told her that she definitely was and that she would be holding her new born child very soon. However this did not stop her remarking dryly
"I think the baby has changed its mind. I think they have decided to stay where they are until the right time comes."
Both Isobel and Anna smiled at her and Isobel said
"My dear, these things take time. Baby will come when baby is ready. Matthew was just the same."
This seemed to ease some of Mary's anxiety, until Isobel noticed Mary was getting uncomfortable. She stood and put her arm around Mary's shoulder and held her hand with her other hand.
"Just breathe through it...Deep breaths. That's it...Good girl."
When the contraction was over, Anna said
"That one seemed more intense than the others."
"It was, much worse than the others."
"Believe it or not that it is a good thing, it means that baby is nearer to getting here."
Mary didn't believe her, but didn't say anything. Just at that moment, Dr. Clarkson came in to see how far Mary was to delivering the baby, what he had to tell her was not what she wanted to hear.
"Well Lady Mary, you appear to be about 8cm dilated, it shouldn't be too long now."
"You said that last time!" She retorted.
"I'll be back in a while to check on you. Try and get some rest, you will need all your strength later on."
Three hours later and Mary's contractions had become more regular and extremely intense. However this did nothing for her patience as Dr. Clarkson said that she was only just 9cm dilated. It was the early hours of the morning and Mary said
"I can feel pressure, it feels different."
"Try not to push yet, just take nice shallow breaths. That's it." Isobel instructed as she demonstrated it to Mary.
"We need to get Dr. Clarkson, Anna can you go and see if you can find him?"
"Of course."
Within a minute Anna returned with Dr. Clarkson, who gave Mary the thing she had wanted to hear.
"On your next contraction, you need to push down. It won't be too long now."
Isobel stood, much like she had done for the duration of Mary's labour in anticipation. Anna also stood next to Mary, ready to give her mistress her support when needed.
"I can feel it coming..." said Mary
"You hold my hand and squeeze until it's over."
She did squeeze and scream in a most unladylike manner, but she was past caring now.
She rested back on her pillow, Anna wiped her forehead with a cool compress.
It took another two attempts, with Isobel and Anna gently supporting her and guiding her when Dr. Clarkson said
"Alright, baby is crowning I can see the head. Next push and baby's head will be born."
"I can't do it" Mary said overwhelmed and showing signs of tiredness.
"You're doing so well milady not long now." Anna said and wiped Mary's had again
"Anna is right. We will soon get to meet the newest Crawley" Isobel said with tears in her eyes.
"I can't..."
"Yes you can, you've done most of the hard work already."
With this support Mary pushed until Dr. Clarkson said
"Baby's head is out, now Lady Mary I just need you to stop pushing for a moment and take little breaths for me..."
"OK. Next contraction you need to push and that will deliver the baby's shoulders and then baby will come. This is the most difficult part of the delivery." Said the Doctor.
Mary pushed with all her might and screamed louder than she ever had done in her life. She stopped however when she heard the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. The sound of her new born child. She lay back on her pillows and started to cry.
"It's a little boy."
"A boy. Oh how wonderful. Congratulations." said Isobel and kissed Mary on her cheek.
"Congratulations my lady." said Anna who was also shedding a few tears.
Mary didn't notice what either was saying or doing she was too transfixed on the tiniest, most beautiful thing she had ever seen that was lying on top of her. She didn't say anything, she just stared at him. She instinctively placed a protective hand on her son. It wasn't until the nurse took him away from her that she said anxiously
"Where are they taking him?"
"Just to tidy him up and wrap him up to keep him warm. He'll be back in a minute."
In actual fact it was five minutes and they were the longest five minutes in her life. The nurse came back with the infant wrapped in a clean sheet and a fluffy white blanket. She carefully place him into his waiting mothers arms.
"Congratulations milady. He is beautiful." The nurse said gently.
"Thank you." Mary responded quietly without taking her eyes off her son.
Anna placed a hand on Mary's shoulder and said "Congratulations, he is beautiful."
"Thank you Anna, for everything. I mean it."
"That's alright milady. I will leave you and Mrs. Crawley for a minute." and exited the room
"I'm afraid you will have to get used to hearing that, but it's the truth he is beautiful." Isobel chuckled.
"He's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, and he's also the most amazing thing I have ever done."
"He looks like you."
"Really..?
"Oh yes definitely. I'm sure Matthew will agree."
"Let's hope he has Matthews gentleness then, I don't think that he could cope with two of us being stubborn."
Both women laughed at this.
"Would you like to hold him?"
"Oh. Yes please."
Mary handed the deeply sleeping baby to Isobel who took him gleefully and said
"Hello little one, I am your Grandmother Isobel. Perhaps you could call me Granny Bel."
Mary rested her head on her pillow and looked at the scene in front of her.
"Thank you Isobel. I am so grateful that you were here. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been here."
Isobel handed her grandson back to his mother, when she noticed Mary's hands twisting the bed sheets and said
"My dear, I would not have been anyplace else. I'm delighted you asked me."
She leaned towards Mary and placed a kiss on both Mary's flushed pink cheek and her new grandsons soft pink cheek.
"I'll send Anna back in to help you get settled when they take you back to your room and then I will telephone Carson to give them the good news at the house and then I will go and see if Matthew is here yet."
"Thank you" Mary said yet again, whilst stifling a tired yawn. She was also grateful that Isobel was thinking of things she would usually think of.
As she watched Isobel leave, she looked at her son and listed all the things she was grateful for: Her amazing husband, her beautiful new baby boy, terrific parents and now a mother in law whom she now loved dearly and the cherry on the cake which she was most grateful for was that they too loved her wholeheartedly.