Two days had passed, and the pain was getting lighter. Anna had resumed her usual work. That morning, the staff was gathered for breakfast in the servants' Hall, when Mr Carson started handing out the mail. He delivered letters to several people, until he came to Anna:

- And Anna, there you go, several letters for you this morning, all coming from New-York! I think Mr Bates is missing you, he said with a smile.

- Thank you Mr Carson, said Anna, taking the letters and putting them away into her pocket.

She would have liked to go upstairs to her room and read them in privacy, but Lady Mary was surely about to ring any minute, so she couldn't spare the time now. Since she knew she was free from the pregnancy, she found herself missing John more, and longing for his return. He had been gone several weeks now, and they had not been apart so long since his prison time. Indeed Lady Mary rang a minute later, and Anna got up from the long table to attend to her duties.

She entered the bedroom, brought the Lady her breakfast tray, and started getting her clothes ready. Lady Mary seemed in a chatty mood.

- So, how are you doing today Anna? Are things sorting themselves out?

Anna managed a little smile.

- Not quite, but they are getting somewhat better. I received several letters from New-York.

- Oh, that's nice. I bet poor Bates is missing you terribly out there.

Anna chuckled softly.

- Or he's having the time of his life in the Big Apple.

- Mrs Hughes told me you intended to move back into the cottage when he's back.

- Yes. I don't know that it will be easy, but I have to move on some time.

- Anna, you should talk to him. He loves you. That much is obvious.

- I know he does m'lady. And I do too.

This conversation was getting quite uncomfortable, so she changed the subject:

- I had a hard time getting your shoes back from the pigs rescue! Maybe next time you go farming you could wear appropriate clothing m'lady, she said with a smirk.

- Oh yes, I'm so sorry about that. It came quite out of the blue I'm afraid…

- Will that be all for now m'lady?

- Yes Anna, thank you, I'll ring when I'm ready to dress.

After having dressed Lady Mary for the day, Anna thought she could spare a little time, and went up to her bedroom to read the letters. When she arrived on the last stair's landing under the roofs, she felt unusually breathless and dizzy. She thought to herself that she had climbed the stairs too fast, and that she had not completely recovered from the bleeding. She settled on her bed and started opening the letters. Looking at her husband's handwriting made her heart beat faster. She realized as she read that she missed him very much. Tears started coming to her eyes and she chuckled softly as she read the funny anecdotes John was telling her from the city. She hoped His Lordship would soon settle whatever matter was going on with his brother-in-law, and she could have her husband back. When she had read all the letters, she folded them back into their envelopes, sighed and put them into her bedside table's drawer. Before she left her room to get on with her day's work, a shiver ran through her, and she felt cold. She found that odd, on a warm summer day like this one. Anyway, she went on with her day.

At the end of the morning, she was carrying a pile of freshly laundered clothes to bring them back to Lady Mary's room, and she felt a sharp pain in her lower belly just as she was crossing the hallway. Molesley who happened to come in the other way at the same moment, saw her wince in pain, and caught her laundry just as she was about to drop them.

- Are you alright Mrs Bates? Can I help?

Anna brought a hand to her stomach, and then to her sweaty forehead. She waited for the pain to disappear and shrugged:

- I'm fine. Carry on, as they say in the Navy.

And she went on her way, leaving behind a bewildered Molesley.

Unfortunately the pain did not leave her in peace for the rest of the day. It was no more the spasmodic cramps she had had after seeing Mrs Owens, but rather a more dull, throbbing pain in her lower belly. During the afternoon, she met Baxter in the boot room as they were both working on some shoes. Anna was feeling very hot and sweat was coming to her forehead. She wiped it with the back of her hand, and exhaled:

- Is it hot in here? she asked Baxter.

Baxter looked up to her and noticed that she appeared quite flushed on the cheeks.

- It is… warm I'd say… Are you alright Anna?

- I don't know… I've been feeling off the weather since this morning.

- What's wrong?

- I've this pain in my belly, and this morning I was very cold, now I feel so hot…

Baxter came near Anna and touched her forehead with the back of her hand:

- Oh Lord, you're burning with fever! You should be in bed! I'll ask Mrs Hughes to call Dr Clarkson!

- No, no! What if it is because… what I've done? I don't want Dr Clarkson to know! No, I'll go and take an aspirin, I'll be fine.

Baxter shot a very worried look at her friend as she left the boot room to go get herself a medication.

The aspirin made the fever go down for a few hours, and the pain seemed to quiet down. That reassured Anna, who managed to get on with her work until the evening. However, as she was attending to Lady Mary's bedtime, she started shivering again.

- Anna? Is anything the matter? asked Lady Mary.

Anna took a deep breath and answered:

- It's nothing m'lady, I think I just caught a cold…

- A cold in that warm weather, how unlucky… On top of last week's upset stomach… Maybe you should take a little more care of yourself Anna. Are you sleeping and eating these days? You really look out of sorts… I think you should see Dr Clarkson some day.

- Maybe I will m'lady. But I think this is nothing serious.

- If you don't feel better tomorrow, do stay in bed. I'll manage with Baxter.

- Thank you m'lady. I'll see how I feel in the morning. Will that be all?

- Yes, thank you Anna. Goodnight.

- Goodnight m'lady.

x x x x

Anna spent most of the night shivering and sweating in fever, and twisting in the bed in search of a soothing position for her abdomen. But in the morning, she just took another aspirin, and went down for breakfast. She tried eating some toast, but halfway through she had to leave the table in a hurry, followed by Baxter's worried look. She locked herself into a bathroom and threw up what little food she had eaten since the previous evening. When the retching finally stopped, she sat herself on the floor, and sobbed. It seemed God intended to punish her for what she had done. Would she never be able to rest and be free from misery? She knew she should see the doctor, but she feared he would guess what she had done, and she felt so ashamed at that thought. He could even give her to the police. She felt lost again and didn't know what to do. She wiped her tears, got up, straightened her hair in the mirror, and got out of the bathroom. She could only try to hang on as long as she could.

Later in the morning, Lady Mary and Isobel Crawley were discussing in the Great Hall. Isobel was involved in the helping of refugees, and she had come to ask Lady Mary if she could collect some used clothes to give away. As Anna was going by, Lady Mary called after her.

- Anna? Could you come here please?

Anna came towards them.

- Yes, m'lady?

- Mrs Crawley here is collecting some clothes for the refugees. Would you spread the message to the staff, if there are clothes they want to give away? And then I would like you to go see Nanny, and ask her to pack George's and Sybbie's old clothes.

Anna suddenly felt dizzy and wavered on her feet. She tried to regain her balance and answered in a shaky voice:

- Of course m'lady.

Isobel Crawley was studying Anna's face with a frown, and asked:

- Are you quite alright Mrs bates? You seem all… flushed.

Anna closed her eyes briefly and replied:

- I'm fine…, just as she fainted and fell down on the thick carpet.

Both Mrs Crawley and Lady Mary cried out in surprise at seeing her crumbling down.

- Oh Lord Anna! Anna?! cried Lady Mary, squeezing her hand and tapping her cheek. Do you hear me?

Anna only whimpered. Mrs Crawley touched her forehead and gasped.

- My God, she's got a high fever. We have to call Dr Clarkson at once! We must lay her somewhere.

Lady Mary looked around and called:

- Barrow! Come here quick!

Thomas came to Lady Mary's call and gasped when he saw Anna on the floor.

- Please Barrow, pick her up and come with me, ordered Lady Mary.

When he had secured Anna in his arms, Lady Mary led him to the first floor and into a guest room.

- Put her down on the bed, and go call Dr Clarkson.

- Yes m'lady, said Thomas, as he let go of Anna and turned away to make the phone call to the doctor.

Isobel, who had followed them, took charge, while Lady Mary seemed to be at a loss as of what to do.

- We must take her dress off, and put a wet cloth on her forehead. Try to get the fever down, before Clarkson comes.

Downstairs, Thomas had spread the news of Anna's being taken seriously ill, and Mrs Hughes came knocking at the door a few minutes later.

- Oh m'lady… said the Housekeeper. The doctor is on its way.

- Mrs Hughes… said Lady Mary, frowning, did you know Anna was ill? She had just told me about a common cold yesterday. I thought it was nothing serious. Do you think it can have something to do with… you know?

Mrs Hughes thought about what lady Mary had implied for a moment, and answered:

- I don't see how it could m'lady… It's been almost three months now…

Isobel Crawley was listening to their conversation without understanding what they were referring to. She intervened:

- I don't know what you are talking about, and you don't have to tell me, but if something has happened to her that could influence her health, you should mention it to Dr Clarkson when he arrives.

They all turned around when they heard Anna moan in pain. She had turned herself on her side, and curled herself in a ball, her hand pressing on her stomach.

Mrs Crawley approached Anna's bed, and bent upon her, softly asking:

- Anna? Do you hear me? Is it your belly?

Anna nodded, her eyes closed and her face crunched in pain.

- Fever and strong abdominal pains… It could be several things, said Mrs Crawley. Appendicitis, urinary tract infection, genital infection…

Lady Mary and Mrs Hughes looked at each other as Isobel enunciated her last hypothesis.

- Let's wait for the doctor, concluded Mrs Hughes.

Moments later, Baxter came in, bringing a basin with cool water and some flannel. She started moping Anna's face and neck with the wet cloth. As she was doing that, she whispered into her ear:

- Anna we have to tell them now. The doctor needs to know.

So, we're not out of trouble yet... Will Anna get out of this one? Please leave a review!