No one would have known the wedding was so hastily arranged, at least for Jean and Lucien; the brides looked beautiful, slim and elegant, the grooms each of whom was best man for the other were smart and grinning from ear to ear. If Jean still had any lingering doubts about marrying Lucien they were quickly dispelled by the look on his face as she and Alice approached the desk in the Registry Office. Mattie had arranged for flowers to be set around the room, the guests were their closest friends and Christopher and Ruby had made the journey from Adelaide. Lucien briefly met them and thought that Ruby was not the kind of woman he remembered as a service wife. The women who had married soldiers when he was in the army were strong, smart and capable; Ruby was a little bit of giggling fluff who looked as if she wouldn't know how to manage the move from place to place as her husband's work required.
At the reception, held at the Colonist's Club, Christopher had chance to talk to Dr Blake and noted that the wedding was rather sudden.
"I've been courting your mother for some time, Christopher," he smiled, "Dr Harvey made the suggestion we have a double wedding and we thought it was a lovely idea. She and Matthew are very good friends of ours, we feel they are as much family as you and Ruby."
"Ah," Christopher nodded watching his wife talk to her mother in law. "Well, it's nice to see mum happy and a chance for her and Ruby to talk." Ruby had made a rather snide comment as Jean had entered the room to take her vows, that the dress was rather young for a woman in her forties. Christopher just said he thought she looked lovely, and he meant it.
"Yes, it is." Lucien knew Jean had reservations on Christopher's choice of a wife.
"Are you having a honeymoon?"
"We are going to Sydney for a week, we plan to take a trip further afield in the near future, perhaps Europe."
"Oh, well mum has always wanted to travel."
"Yes, I know, that's why I suggested it. Of course we have to arrange a locum for the practice and someone to take the Police Surgeon duties, so it will not be an immediate trip."
"Who's the little girl with Mr Lawson?" Christopher changed the subject.
"That's his step-daughter, Stella. Dr Harvey has two children from her first marriage, that's her son, Alex over there," Lucien pointed to a boy talking to Agnes Clasby.
"Oh, I didn't know. Mum didn't say anything in her letters."
Lucien doubted that, Jean wrote regularly to her son and included all the news from Ballarat, and he knew she had written while they were looking after the children while Alice and Matthew were in Melbourne attending court.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Both brides were glad when it was all over and the last of the guests had left. Jean was beginning to tire, being at that stage in her pregnancy, and Stella had fallen asleep on Alice's lap. Everyone had been very kind, complimentary about the dresses and the ceremony, and Jean's conversation with her daughter in law had not been too trying.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jean and Lucien returned from their short trip to Sydney happy and refreshed. Mindful of the fact that Father Morton had been quite huffy, according to Jean, that she wasn't marrying in church Lucien had contacted a bishop he knew from his army days and arranged to have their marriage validated by the church. He did this for Jean, he wasn't a practising catholic not did he have any faith in the church.
"So you're not living in sin, then?" Mattie grinned.
"No," Jean smiled, "I have to admit I was very surprised he did this, given his thoughts on the church, but he knew someone."
"Told you he loved you," she laughed.
"Oh I know that," Jean yawned, "sorry. I shall let Father Morton know when I take communion on Sunday."
"What will you say if he asks why you didn't ask him to do the service?"
"Just that we thought a double wedding with our friends would be lovely and as Alice isn't catholic and wouldn't be having a church wedding we could sort out the faith side of it later. After all, even in a church wedding the registrar has to see to the paperwork." She smiled, "I don't want to be devious but his sermons lately have been a little too brutal over things like adultery and theft, covetousness, using what he hears in the confessional to damn us all. I know he's pointing the finger at some of his congregation, you get to know a lot about the townspeople when you do the doctor's filing – especially when it comes to sex."
"I suppose you do," Mattie hummed. "unplanned pregnancies out of wedlock ..."
"Precisely," Jean had to grace to blush a little.
"How are you, Jean?"
"Fine, thanks Mattie. Lucien says I am in rude health and things are progressing as he would wish. Fortunately I'm not showing, well not when I dress, nothing's too tight just yet." She smiled.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Alice and Matthew had spent the week quietly at home. Changing round the rooms, giving Stella her mother's old room now that Alice could share Matthew's bed, returning the study to its proper use and adding Alice's medical texts to Matthew's police law books. They had finally cleared out the house she had been renting and put all the missing possessions in place. The children had bookshelves in their rooms and room for their toys and Matthew had started a little vegetable patch in the garden for the children to try growing tomatoes, beans and peas to start with and, of course, strawberries.
"Easy things to grow," he washed his hands and helped Stella clean the soil from under her fingernails and round her face, though he had no idea how it had got there.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
They had been married a month and were a real family. Stella and Alex had soon got into the habit of calling Matthew 'dad' or 'daddy' which he loved, they shared the chores, the cooking and cleaning but Matthew felt Alice should have more help so he suggested that, like Jean, she employ a cleaner. Someone to run round with a duster and the polish, vacuum the floors and do the laundry.
"It would make sense, love," he swirled his nightly whisky round in the glass, "we're both working and all our free time is taken up with housework. I didn't marry you to get my shirts ironed, you know."
"I must admit it had occurred to me too," she snuggled close, "a couple of days a week, maybe?"
"Whatever you think is appropriate, and maybe if we're on a late case she could look after the kids, Jean won't be able to do it forever."
"True," she nodded, "and as she gets further on it wouldn't be fair."
"No."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Gossip about Jean started when she began to show her pregnancy. She was having tea with Alice, a brief respite between patients.
"Thing is, Jean," Alice patted her hand, "they aren't all saints are they?"
"God know," Jean huffed, "in fact this particular sniping came from someone who was much further on than I was when I married Christopher, she nearly had it on the church steps. I know I've gone against the tenets of the church, but I'm not the only one in Ballarat and I know for certain that though Rita Albury calls herself Mrs Albury she's never had a ring on her finger. There have been at least three men in her bed."
Alice frowned and breathed out.
"Sorry, but it's true and everyone knows it."
"You need to be careful, you'll put your blood pressure up."
"Lucien keeps warning me, it was just today, in the market, some sideways looks."
"A honeymoon baby, Jean, you're so slight you're bound to show early," Alice smiled, "honestly I would rather it had been me running the gamut of gossip than you. Nobody would have been surprised, after all I had moved in with Matthew ..."
"You were in a safe house because of the kidnap attempts, Alice, everyone would have said Matthew wouldn't take advantage of the situation."
"Well, we didn't, until we went to Melbourne and on the odd day we had the same day off," she laughed, "honestly we dodged a bullet there."
"I caught first time with Christopher," Jean sighed, "just that one time in the barn when we went too far, when Christopher said I would if I loved him."
"Oh now, come on," Alice was shocked, "that's not fair, and it's not a proof of love. He forced you, emotional blackmail."
"I understand that, now, then I was young and naive and stupid, I didn't particularly enjoy it, either."
"Often the first time isn't the best," Alice nodded.
"Was Carlo your first?" Jean blushed, "sorry, it's not for me to ask."
"No, it's ok, and no, university, just one and again, like you I didn't particularly enjoy it. Carlo wasn't much better, but by then I had married him." She shrugged.
"Maybe it gets better with age," Jean smirked.
"Now on that I may just agree with you," Alice laughed and Jean joined in.
Jean always felt better after a chat with Alice and Alice confided in Jean when she thought she may have conceived Matthew's child.
"We're not doing anything to stop it," she smiled, "so, as I did your blood test, I thought I'd ask Lucien to do mine, fair's fair. He can treat me through it if I am."
"I'll put you on his books then," Jean smiled, "good luck."
"I don't think I need it, I'm pretty sure, this is just confirmation for Matthew." Alice headed into the surgery and told Lucien what she had just told Jean.
"Happy to be of service, Alice," he smiled, "but basic checks first, height, weight ..."
"As you wish, doctor," she stepped onto the scales and allowed him to do all his checks.
"A week," he put a plaster over the site of the needle. "How were your last two pregnancies?"
"A breeze," Alice rolled the sleeve of her blouse down. "No problems, no sickness, no issues with my blood pressure ..."
"Let's hope you have the same this time, then," he filled out her appointment card and said he would let her know as soon as he got the results.
"Thank you, Lucien."
"My pleasure, dear Alice," he opened the door for her and they both headed to the kitchen to see if Jean had the kettle on.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jean was tired, her back ached and the random cramping told her she was in the early stages of labour. She wandered round the house and into the kitchen, put the kettle on and wandered into the little room that would be their child's nursery once he, or she, started to sleep through. The bassinet was made up and in their bedroom, nappies were folded with the little gowns needed for the first few weeks. She was just over the nine months, or seven months if you were one of the gossip mongers in town. Mattie wandered in wondering if lunch was ready or should she make something for Jean. Lucien was on the point of wanting to give her a little push, get her started within the next couple of days but Jean had held him off she said the baby would come in its own time.
"Hello Mattie," Jean sighed, "lunch?"
"I'll get it," Mattie smiled, "why don't you put your feet up?"
"Because if I wander about gravity will do its work," she grumbled. "Intermittent pain, back ache ..."
"Started, have we?"
Jean nodded and rubbed her belly.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mattie called Lucien at the morgue when Jean was in full labour, even then Jean said it wasn't necessary, Mattie knew what to do.
"And risk the wrath of Dr Lucien whatsisname Blake? No chance," Mattie huffed. "You want to have the bab here so he's coming to supervise. Not many fathers get the opportunity – personally I think they should be there, just to see what pain they put you through."
"Radcliffe," Jean giggled between contractions, "his middle name is Radcliffe."
"Yeah that, who's he named after?"
"His grandfather I ..." she paused, "I believe, ouch!"
"So, any names for this one?" Mattie examined her on the bed.
"We've been through lists of names, discounting most of them. I liked Anna for a girl, or Annabel, and for a boy, Peter or Andrew. Nothing extravagant, nice names ..."
"And Lucien's opinion?"
"Genevieve Jean for a girl ..."
"Ah, after the grandmother and mother, eh?"
Jean nodded and shuffled off the bed for another tour of the house.
"And a boy?"
"Ah well, he wasn't going for Thomas because of his relationship with his father, but I said if he wanted Genevieve Jean he had to have Thomas Lucien for a boy – we gave up after that."
"I think I agree with both of you, but how about Annabel Genevieve Jean and Peter Thomas Lucien, just think how it will sound when he or she gets into trouble, a nice list of names to reel off through the house."
Jean threw her head back and laughed and that was how Lucien found them in the bedroom, laughing at the idea of a long 'Sunday' name for chastisement.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Annabel Genevieve Jean was born near midnight, screaming to raise the town, Lucien smiled, a tiny just on five pounds red haired mite.
"Perfect," he looked over at his wife, "just as beautiful as her mother."
"I look a sight," Jean gasped.
"You always look beautiful to me," he carried the tiny baby to her mother, "well done darling."
"She's awfully small, Lucien," Jean frowned.
"I'll give her a full check up when she's tried to feed, but with the volume of her voice I have no worries about her lungs, at least, and she flexes all her limbs as I would expect." He watched Jean offer her the nipple and nodded approvingly when she latched on and started to guzzle greedily.
Mattie left the placenta in a kidney dish for Lucien to examine and he nodded and frowned and they conferred.
"Lucky," Mattie whispered.
"Yeah, no wonder, she wasn't getting much, and that's why she's smaller than we expected."
"Lucien?" Jean called him over, "is there something wrong?"
"Not now, love, the placenta wasn't performing as well as it should have, but she's here now and she'll thrive."
"That's why she's small?"
He nodded and stroked the baby's tiny hand, "but as I said I am not worried, not really. We'll keep a close eye on her, regular check-ups – I'll inform her doctor ..." he grinned.
"Silly boy," she sighed.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It wasn't long before news got out that Jean Blake had given birth just over seven months since she married the doctor. There was some gossip, of course, there would be but when Jean didn't appear in public for some time the gossip became concern that perhaps the baby was disabled in some way and she was embarrassed. It was Agnes Clasby, after one of her visits to Dr Blake that spread the news that little Annabel, having been born early, was rather small and in need of constant attention but appeared to be thriving and gaining a little weight.
Alice and her children were frequent visitors, they were getting used to the idea of a baby in their family and Jean welcomed the company. Stella liked to give the baby a cuddle under strict supervision but Alex showed little interest.
"He's a boy, Alice," Jean smiled when Alice voiced concerns that he may already be jealous of her new baby, "babies aren't particularly interesting and she isn't ready to play cricket in the garden yet."
"I suppose you're right," Alice hummed, "he's rather protective of Stella, or he used to be, he'll always stand up for her but she needs that less than when we first came to Ballarat."
"Quite," she patted her hand, "he'll be fine."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"An unpleasant man," Alice sighed, pushing the body back into the fridge, "but not even an unpleasant man deserves such a death."
"You knew him, Alice?" Lucien took over pushing, "you're not supposed to do that," he huffed, "this is the morgue not the maternity unit."
She laughed and rubbed her belly. One month to go and the pregnancy had been a breeze – again, this would be her last case before leaving to have the baby and take some time off.
"I did, all hands, even though I am married and even up to last week!"
"Seriously, married and pregnant and he still ..."
"Propositioned me, and half the nurses in the hospital, Mr Orton was not a nice person. I complained but it was dismissed, Matthew told him to keep his hands off his wife or he would charge him with assault – it stopped." She frowned, Lucien knew she preferred to fight her own battles but this was one she probably wouldn't win.
"Hey, Matthew won't step in unless he thinks it's necessary and he will always protect his family, Alice, when he has to. Orton just needed to remember that."
"I know, and as I say, it did stop. Now we have a murder on our hands so someone must have also had their complaint dismissed."
"You think that it was a nurse who had had enough?"
"Or someone protecting them and all the others. Could be anyone, but it wasn't Matthew or me."
"I know," he pushed his hands into his pockets. "Mrs Orton is due to come and formally identify his body, you ok with that?"
"Why shouldn't I be?"
He shrugged his shoulders and agreed it was just part of the job, but she had been one of his targets.
"I don't know if she knows about his proclivities, and I am not about to tell her, but I believe they have three children and it's hard bringing up children on your own."
"Yeah."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Alice was on her own when Mrs Orton came in to formally identify her husband and collect his personal belongs. She was prepared to sympathise with her, having been in the same position once but Mrs Orton was not a woman to be trifled with. On the surface she seemed inoffensive, a small woman, quite pretty and had obviously shed tears. She wore a fitted dark green dress and a strand of pearls, no hat and no coat.
Bill Hobart stood in the corner of the room, by the door, as Alice lifted the sheet covering her husband's head, she made sure the slice to his throat was not visible and stood back a pace while Mrs Orton looked at him and nodded that he was indeed the man she had married.
Alice turned to the counter and brought the envelope containing Mr Orton's watch, driver's licence, wedding ring and his wallet.
"Would you mind signing for these, please"? she asked softly and held a pen towards the new widow.
"You were one of them, weren't you?" Mrs Orton hissed.
"Pardon?" Alice frowned.
"One of the ones chasing him?"
"Mrs Orton, I am married and eight months pregnant, I'm in no condition to chase anyone," she sighed.
May Orton pushed the morgue table hard, hitting Alice in the stomach and sending her back against the counter and causing her to fall to the floor. She screamed, Bill launched himself at Mrs Orton and pulled her away, "Doc?!"
"Oh god," Alice grunted through gritted teeth, "this isn't good."
"Jeez," Bill whistled, "I'll get a doctor."
"Phone's there, Bill," Alice gasped, "I need a gurney and Blake."
Holding Mrs Orton tight with one hand he reached for the phone and dialled the hospital number quickly.
"I need a gurney in the morgue, Dr Lawson has been hurt, and we need Dr Blake." He slammed the phone down and slapped his handcuffs on Mrs Orton.
"You're in trouble now, and even bigger trouble if anything happens to her or her bab," he growled. "And for your information, it was your husband that did all the chasing, there are dozens of complaints from nurses and Dr Lawson about him ... Octopus Orton they called him," he sneered.
The gurney and two porters arrived as Hobart pulled Mrs Orton to the back of the room, swiftly followed by Dr Blake.
"What happened?" he ran to Alice's side and stroked her forehead.
"Mrs Orton pushed the table at the doc, right in the belly," Bill told him as he gave Alice a quick examination.
"Right, theatre now," Lucien glared at the porters, "sorry Alice, emergency C-section, you're bleeding."
"I know," she gasped weakly, "Lucien .."
"Shh," he soothed, helping the porters lift her onto the stretcher, "let's get things done, eh?"
She gripped his hand as they left and outside they broke into a run.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Nurses and doctors, porters and cleaners leapt out of the way as the stretcher was wheeled at speed into the Operating Suite. Lucien yelled for an anaesthetist and nursing staff, taking note of Alice's level of consciousness which wavered frequently between almost awake and unresponsive.
"What've we got, doctor?" the theatre sister joined him.
"Table to the belly, eight months, bleeding PV," he gasped, throwing off his jacket and tie and accepting a gown from another nurse. "C-section."
"Right ..."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Matthew was pacing up and down outside the operating theatre, cursing the Ortons, the hospital board who should have done something with the complaints, and anyone who got in his way.
Mattie had gone to collect the children from school and take them to Mycroft Avenue with instructions to say only as much as was necessary until Lucien called with news.
"Blake?" he grabbed his old friend as he came out of the theatre and leant against the wall.
"They're ok, Matthew," he sighed, pulling his cap off, "you have a little boy and Alice is ok."
"Bloody hell, Blake, why?"
"Because Orton had blamed the women for the complaints, including Alice."
"Did I make it worse, was it my fault?"
"No, not at all, it was all his fault, he couldn't keep his hands off any woman, I believe, his wife was a theatre nurse before she married him she must have known what he was like yet chose to believe him. Alice will be ok, though I wouldn't advise her having any more children. I've repaired her womb but another pregnancy might be problematic, even dangerous to her and any child she tries to carry."
"Right," he hummed, "you say it's a boy?"
"Yes, good size at seven pounds, healthy pair of lungs and a little bit of dark hair." Lucien patted him on the shoulder. "We'll get Alice settled and you can sit with her, if you like?"
"Thanks, thanks for what you've just done, Blake," Matthew bit his lip, the enormity of what had just happened slowly hitting him.
"For you, old friend, anything," Lucien smiled.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Matthew sat between Alice's bed and the baby's crib, one hand on each, and cried. His son slept on completely unaware of the furore his arrival had caused and Matthew thought he had never seen Alice so still and pale. Lucien said she was fine, she'd had a big blood transfusion but he'd let her come round in her own time. Nurses popped in with cups of tea and biscuits for him, Jean came over for an hour with a sandwich and some cake.
"He's lovely, Matthew, what is he to be called?" she placed her hand on the baby's chest gently.
"Um, we hadn't settled, really, not for a boy, a girl would have been Diane but we were trying to decide between Daniel and Barnaby. His middle name will be Lucien, I can't thank him enough for what he did."
"I'm glad he was there for you," she rubbed his shoulder soothingly.
"How are the kids?" He blinked and wondered if he should go home and talk to them.
"Fine, excited. Lucien told them their mother had to have an operation after an accident but that she was going to be just fine. They can stay with us tonight," she hummed. "They both wanted to come over but unfortunately children aren't allowed to visit in the hospital."
Alice moaned and Matthew jumped up. "Alice?" he stroked her forehead, "hey," he kissed her softly.
She groaned his name and opened her eyes, blinking though the light was low.
Matthew poured her a drop of water and held it to her dry lips, "Steady, love."
She sipped the water and sighed, "baby?"
"A boy, seven pounds," he squeezed her hand, "he's fine, good set of lungs."
"Aah," she breathed.
"Do you need anything, something for the pain?"
"No," she looked at the drip running into her arm and knew that contained an analgesic, just enough to take the edge off.
"Do you want to see him?"
She squeezed his hand in response and he nodded to Jean who went to the crib and picked up the sleeping baby. She took him to the bed and carefully placed him in the crook of Alice's arm, raising it so she could just see him. Baby Lawson turned his head to his mother and mewled, Alice frowned, she didn't think she had anything for him – a combination of the shock and the unexpected operation – but perhaps she should try, as a doctor she knew it would stimulate the milk.
Jean passed him to Matthew and helped Alice to free up a nipple, pulling down the gown she was wearing and helping her up the pillows a little.
"Let's try you turned on your side a little," Jean hummed, "the bed can take the weight of the baby."
Alice let Jean organise her, it was a question of trust and she trusted Jean implicitly. She was gentle with her, moving her into position with the ultimate care as Matthew watched, thinking he should be able to do this next time. He had no idea how long Alice would be in hospital but he was going to take the time off while she was. There were the other children to look after and he didn't want to be anywhere near May Orton after what she had done.
The baby seemed to get what he wanted and when he was finished Jean showed Matthew how to change a nappy before saying she would have to go and see to Annabel.
"I'll bring some of Alice's own things, nightwear and toiletries," she smiled, "then you can go and get changed, organise things at the station. There'll be someone with her at all times, me, or Mattie."
"Thanks, Jean," he stuttered, "I ought to go and see Alex and little Star too."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Uncle Lucien," Stella gripped his hand and looked around warily, "you said we weren't allowed."
"Yeah," Alex agreed, "won't you get into trouble?"
"I'm your mother's doctor and I think as part of her recovery she would like to see you, and I'm sure you would like to see your baby brother, wouldn't you?" Lucien grinned and nodded to the nurses who gave him black looks. Sister stopped him at the door to Alice's room.
"No children allowed, Dr Blake, you know that, they will bring in goodness knows what germs from outside."
"They are perfectly clean, Sister," he huffed, "freshly washed and clean clothes, they present no more danger than I do." He manoeuvred them past her and into the room. "Remember, you two," he warned, "no jumping on the bed or hugging mum too tight, she's very sore."
"Ok," Stella whispered.
Alice turned her head and gave a small smile, she beckoned them over and held out her arms for them.
"Hello, you two, Uncle Lucien breaking rules again?"
"Sure is, mum," Alex gave her a gentle hug, "says it's good for your recovery?"
"If things had gone according to plan, Alex, I'd have had him at home and you two would have been crawling all over the bed afterwards." She hugged him back then let Stella be lifted up for a hug. "Do you want to see him, your baby brother?"
Stella grinned and went round to the other side of the bed, Alex a little more reluctantly.
"Alex?" she pulled him over, "it's ok, it wasn't his fault." She was worried he saw the baby as a reason for his mother to be in pain and away from him. "Uncle Lucien and dad told you what happened, didn't they?"
"They said a woman hurt you down in the morgue, she thought you had caused her husband trouble at the hospital and she was angry."
"She was angry, Alex but it was nothing to do with me; he was a surgeon and a bit of a big head, he also thought he had the right to touch women who didn't want to be touched, the nurses and in one case me. His behaviour to us was unacceptable but he blamed it on us when his wife got to hear about it and she believed him. Barnaby is not to blame ..."
"You decided on Barnaby then?" Alex hummed.
"Barnaby Daniel Lucien," she smiled, "we thought it would be nice to show Uncle Lucien how grateful we are for him saving our lives."
"Oh," Alex shrugged, "well, I suppose he will be big enough one day to play cricket?" He wandered round to the other side of the bed ... and fell in love with the baby swaddled in a blue blanket sleeping, completely unaware of his audience.
"He's bigger than I thought," he whispered.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Lucien called into her room to tell her that it had been one of the ambos that had murdered Orton.
"Seems he thought you ladies shouldn't be treated the way he treated you, thought you needed protecting."
"Oh, hm," she brought her brows together, "I wish he hadn't. He's ruined his own life and the truth would have come out eventually."
"Yes, it would." He agreed.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Alice persuaded Lucien to let her out of hospital three weeks after her abrupt arrival. He had explained that he didn't think it would be wise for her to have another baby.
"Ordinarily I wouldn't worry, plenty of women have babies after a c-section, but there was more damage where the placenta was torn away, so in your case I wouldn't recommend it. Of course, if you wish to have another baby I won't stop you, but you should know the risks."
She reached over and took his hand, "Thank you for being so candid, Lucien. We were just going with the 'if it happens it happens' scenario, we didn't plan if or how many children we should aim for, Barnaby is enough. We have Alex and Stella and Matthew is a good father to them, for all he isn't their natural father. Perhaps, in a while I may ask you to tie my tubes, or Matthew's ..." she smirked.
"Whatever you decide, Alice," he squeezed her hand, "I will be happy to arrange for you. Now, let's get you and Barnaby home, eh?"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Matthew refused to let Alice go through any more procedures and said he would 'take one for the team'.
"Honestly, love," he put his arm round her, "you've done enough; you're right, Barnaby is enough, we have three kids, any more and we'll need an extension," he kissed her softly.
"If you're sure," she smiled and snuggled close.
"Yeah," he swallowed, "d'ye think it's safe to let Blake near my er ..." he cleared his throat.
"He'll have me to deal with if he does you any damage," she laughed.
"That should scare him," he mused.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Both babies thrived and grew as expected. Matthew noted that Barnaby wouldn't dare do otherwise and Lucien agreed that Annabel did just as her mother expected.
People got used to seeing the families together, or all the children with one adult so close as they grew. Annabel was the image of her mother but with her father's colouring, Barnaby was dark haired like his parents and followed Alex about like a shadow. He wanted to everything his big brother did, cricket, gardening ... and Stella treated Annabel like a little sister.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Matthew stretched his legs out and sighed happily. They were sitting in the garden, a sunny Sunday afternoon free from crime of any kind, three children playing in the garden, his wife reading on the other lounger.
"This is the life," he hummed.
Alice agreed, this was indeed 'the life'.