Chapter 31
Days had passed since Christmas, but they were not at all pleasant. Olivia's morning sickness continued to get worse. Mrs. Judson had placed a chamber pot under Olivia's side of the bed and emptied it when Olivia was finished vomiting into it.
Not only did Olivia felt so thirsty and weak, she did lose some weight due to vomiting her food from the other day. Basil was eager to stand by Olivia through this horrible time, such as giving her cups of water to drink and listening to her as she rant her frustrations, even though she was experiencing mood swings. Olivia would apologize later, but Basil assured he understood what she was going through.
It was a few weeks after the New Year and Basil thought of something that would make Olivia feel better. He went through Mrs. Judson's recipe box, he was trying to locate a stew that he remembered his father made that made his mother feel better when she was pregnant with Basil's twin sisters.
He was able to find it and wrote what was needed for the stew. He told Mrs. Judson that he and Dawson would be out for some time, but he wanted Olivia to be comfortable while he was gone. The housekeeper did so, although she wasn't sure what her employer was planning to do.
Olivia stayed in bed for the entire day as she was too weak and just slept through the day. When the sun went down, she was awakened by shouts coming from the front door.
"Mr. Basil! What in the?!" Mrs. Judson was shouting at Basil and Olivia was curious as to what was going on.
She leaves the bedroom and was horrified to see a group of male mice dropping off baskets of food and leaving them at the housekeeper's feet. But the real surprise was that a few butcher mice brought in plates of meat.
"Elliott?" Olivia asks her husband. He turns to face her with an eccentric smile on his face.
"Olivia, I thought we cook you something that'll help make you feel better," Basil replies as the final parade of mice drop off the food.
"Oh my word! Mr. Basil, what do you plan on making?" Mrs. Judson asks and her employer shows her the recipe. "Oh why didn't you tell me earlier?" the housekeeper asks and takes the meat into the kitchen.
Olivia watches as both Basil and Mrs. Judson prepare the stew. They made noodles and cooked it in broth. They then cooked some meat and mixed it with vegetables. Basil tastes it and has Olivia sit down at the table.
He pours some in a bowl and places it in front of Olivia. "This is what my father made when my mother was pregnant with my sisters. It'll make you feel better," he said and Olivia tries some.
It was good and she has more of it. Basil watches his wife eat, it felt good to make her better.
More days went by and Olivia's sickness steadily became less and less. Her belly was starting to grow and Dawson decides to take a listen. He places the stethoscope over her abdomen and a confused look forms on his face.
"That's unusual," Dawson said and Basil thought he was going to have a heart attack.
"What's unusual, Dawson?" he asks his partner.
"Either my stethoscope is broken or I'm listening to two heartbeats," Dawson replies. He moves his stethoscope up to Olivia's chest and listens to her heart and moves it back down.
"Hmmmmm, well it does sound good, so I wouldn't worry so much," the doctor adds and puts his stethoscope away.
It was nearing the end of February, but one day Basil takes note of the atmosphere, it was caked with the smoke of coal fires and Basil didn't like the smell of coal. He knew a few mice who developed a sensitivity to coal smoke and he certainly didn't want his child to have that same sensitivity. He decides to make a telephone call.
Olivia wakes up to a gloomy day on the second to last day of February and hears everyone roaming about. Mrs. Judson then steps in the bedroom. "What is going on?" Olivia asks.
"Oh, your husband is up to his usual antics, but he insists that you speak to him. Honestly my dear, I've given up on him," the housekeeper replies and brings out a big luggage bag.
Olivia walks into the living room, where Basil was packing his signature coats and deerstalker hats. "Elliott, what is going on?" she asks, she was thankful that the morning sickness phase had decreased so she wasn't as weak as before.
"I've made a decision, we're going to stay in Linlithgow. I made a call to your family and they want us to stay there until the baby is born," Basil replies, but Olivia was shocked to hear this.
"Elliott, have you gone mad?" she asks, but he chuckles at this.
"Maybe, but I am looking out for you and our child. It's not healthy to live in a place like London where everyone is burning coal in their homes," Basil answers and Olivia takes a minute to process this.
"Indeed yes," she replies, "Breathing in coal fumes can be harmful, but are you sure they want us to stay until the baby is born?"
"That's what your Aunt Hannah and Uncle Logan said. Your Aunt Sophie did open up her home to us, so it was generous of her," Basil replies and packs his magnifying glass and smoking pipe.
"When will we leave?" Olivia asks.
"The next train is at 8 tomorrow morning. I tried to find an earlier train, but it was the only thing available. I asked Mrs. Judson to pack your clothes, although you'll be growing out of them soon," her husband answers and places a loving hand on her abdomen. He then goes down on his knees and places an ear over it.
"Elliott," Olivia chuckles as he begins to speak to her belly. He speaks to their baby for about a minute and they set their luggage by the door.
"What about your clients? What are you going to do in Linlithgow?" Olivia asks.
"I am open to new clients, maybe some mice up in your hometown will come to my services," Basil replies and Olivia thinks about this.
"Or my uncles could put you to work at the barn," she suggests, but her husband gives her a confused look.
"Barn?" he asks.
"Well, my Uncle Stewart asked you if you hunt while at my father's funeral. There's a barn where a couple of Shorthaired Pointers live and my uncle loves to ride on Marcy, the lead female. He can show you around if you like," she answers and Basil thinks on this.
"I will take up on that offer if he asks," he replies and they settle for the night.
"Elliott," Olivia said before they go to sleep, "I am going to miss this place."
"I will too, but like your father said, a home is not in a traditional house, it's with a loving family," Basil replies and they went to sleep.
By the next morning, Basil awoke everyone at six and insists that they get to the train station early. Once everyone was dressed, Mrs. Judson made sure all the windows were locked and they step out on the stoop of 221B 1/2 Baker Street.
"We'll be back in the summer," Basil said to his home and locks the door. He and Dawson carry the heavy luggage while the two women mice follow. They find a trolley that would take them to the train station.
Olivia looks back at the house and she thought she heard violin music coming from the upper quarters where the humans lived.
They arrived at the station and it was quiet, apart from the attendants who cared for the station. They purchased tickets for Linlithgow and they find the train that would take them there.
Once the clock struck 8, the engine releases a plume of steam and the whistle blew. It began to move and it went away from London, heading north.
Outside the station, an elderly rat woman wearing black and carrying a cane stares at the train that took the four mice. She watches it as it vanishes from sight. She takes out a locket and opens it to view the photographs of her two sons, James Raitgan and Erich Rosenberg, both were dead. She will never forget the night her minions brought her eldest son's body home. He had suffered a terrible fall from Big Ben and the impact broke every bone in his body. Her other son, Erich, however was still in Germany, his body bobbing somewhere in a river.
"Very soon," she said in a whisper, "I will make them pay." She looks back at the station and then turns to leave, she hated being out in the sunlight as rats preferred the darkness.
From the author: So, it's a short chapter, but I would like to move things along. You might want to read this chapter twice in case you missed anything important because I don't want to spoil anything!
See you soon!
