Two months later...
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Ruth had settled in well to the Blake household. Being, what could be described as, a bonny lass, she had not started to show until her fifth month, so that was when her father finally kicked her out. Still seething from Jack's behaviour towards his daughter, he had not even driven Ruth over, Lucien had had to go and collect her.
Jean had given her, her old room, upstairs. Which the girl had described as lovely, she liked the pink walls, she said.
Having Ruth around made Jean think of Mattie, and how she missed her. She'd written to Mattie and told her what was going on and what she and Lucien had decided to do. Mattie had written back and said she thought Jean was a saint and that Jack didn't deserve her help. When she'd met Jack he'd tried it on with her, and she found him conceited. Sure, he was good looking, but good looks wouldn't put food on the table.
Jack had been shipped out to a farm in Queensland. Charlie's contacts there had come good, and found a place miles from anywhere, where he would be worked hard, for a farmhand's wages, half of which he was to send back to his mother to pay for the clothes she had bought him. When that debt had been paid he was still to send money back to pay for Ruth's keep and for something towards the baby's first year. When Lucien had suggested this at first she had not wanted it.
'Jean, he needs to face up to his responsibilities. If he pays towards the baby's first year he will be paying towards the equipment we don't have.' He'd reasoned.
'But Lucien,' she implored, 'we can afford a bassinet and baby clothes.'
'I know, but he needs to feel what it means, financially, to bring a child into the world, at least in part. It might make him think before spreading too many more wild oats.' Lucien had touched her cheek, a move she still found so endearing. He was right, of course. But at the same time it was a reminder that she had to pick up the mess her son had made.
Ruth turned sixteen while she was at the Blake's. They were kind enough to make something of the day for her, with a little gift, just a keepsake, Jean had said, of a small, silver locket. Ruth was touched and burst into tears on Jean's shoulder, telling her that she was so sorry for the trouble she had brought, they were the nicest people she could have met.
Jean smiled. If Jack had to go and get a girl pregnant and then abscond, at least it wasn't some scheming 'lady of the night'. But then she reasoned those women would probably know how to prevent a pregnancy.
She smiled as she remembered the stern talking to Lucien had given him, about, as he put it, the birds and the bees. Jack had come out of the study looking incredibly embarrassed, that this man, who wasn't even his father had had to spell out to him, a grown man, that there was never a safe 'time' The only sure way to prevent getting any future girlfriend pregnant was, in Lucien's words, 'To keep it in your trousers!' That had made Jean laugh out loud, then go red with embarrassment when she thought about what Lucien had actually said!
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Lucien drove Jean and Ruth to Melbourne, to a small private clinic, run by an old friend. The clinic provided care for mothers married or not, who wanted to give birth discreetly. Unwanted babies, or those who were to be adopted for whatever reason, were legally given over to the adoptive parents. There was no way Jean could say she had given birth, she was too slim to hide a pregnancy. Ruth had said it might be easier if she stayed out of sight during surgery hours, for all of them and so nobody knew she was there. For Jean and Lucien to adopt a child would not be seen as too much of a surprise. Most people in Ballarat knew she had grown up boys and would just assume she and Lucien wanted to complete their union with a child and Jean was too old to fall pregnant again.
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As the birth grew closer Ruth began to worry about what would happen. Jean knew what it was like to have your first baby, not knowing what actually happened, so she told her as gently as possible, that it would hurt, and how the baby would be born. Ruth was understandably terrified but Jean promised to be by her side.
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Ruth screamed as the contractions took hold. Jean wasn't wrong when she said it hurt. She squeezed Jean's hand so tightly Jean thought she'd never have feeling in it again!
'Try to put all your effort in pushing,' the midwife said, 'When you feel a contraction I want you to push as hard as you can.'
Ruth's labour was long and painful, several times she said she wanted it to stop, she couldn't do it. Jean just soothed her, placing cool cloths on her head, talking to her all the time.
'One more push, and your baby will be born.' The midwife tried to be encouraging. This was a big baby, no wonder the poor girl was struggling.
Suddenly it happened, a squealing baby was in the midwife's hands. Red of face and red of hair, the little girl was furious at having been disturbed!
Ruth heaved a sigh of relief and decided she was never doing that again. As she told Jean she wasn't having anymore babies, Jean just laughed.
'You forget,' she kissed the girl's damp forehead, 'honestly. Otherwise I wouldn't have had two.'
The midwife handed the baby to Jean, 'Yours, I believe Mrs Blake. She weighs eight pounds.'
'Good Lord!' exclaimed Jean, 'my boys were only six and a half pounds each.'
'Yes but, Mrs Blake, one can't expect an elephant from a mouse.' The midwife smiled. Jean was so slight, anything bigger would have been trouble.
'Can I see her?' Ruth whispered. Mrs Blake had always said she would not keep the baby from her completely, and just to see her this once...
Jean held the baby close to her birth mother so she could touch her cheek.
Ruth was wheeled away to be made comfortable and Jean was left, literally holding the baby. With that red hair she could pass for Lucien's daughter, she thought. She sighed, she wished she had found Lucien when she was young enough to give him a child of their own, but she was forty six now and it wasn't going to happen. It would have done already if it was; after all they had thrown caution to the wind even before they married.
She gazed at this bundle. Such glorious copper coloured hair and lovely curls, she hoped that it could continue to grow like that.
'Have you thought of a name?' A midwife disturbed her reverie.
'Well, no, I haven't, but...' That hair was the colour of autumn leaves, 'Autumn, we'll call her Autumn. Just look at that hair.' And Jean smiled broadly.
'Unusual, but rather fitting,' the midwife agreed. 'I've phoned your husband, he said he's on his way.'
Jean laughed, 'Thank you, I hope he drives carefully.' She missed him so much, although he'd managed to visit often, she missed him being there all the time.
'Ruth has been made comfortable, do you want to take Autumn to her?'
'Yes, we have an agreement,' Jean nodded, 'I won't keep the baby away from her while she is here.'
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Jean looked down at Ruth in the bed, she was struggling to keep her eyes open.
'Get some sleep,' Jean advised, 'You've done enough for today.' She kissed the top of her head and watched Ruth's eyes close.
She took the baby to her room where a clean, warm bassinet awaited her daughter. Everything had been provided for her, bottles and formula, nappies and nightdresses. She'd never asked Lucien how he knew about this place, but she knew in her heart it wasn't because he had used the facilities himself. He seemed very much at ease with the staff, particularly the doctor who ran the place. She had to be 'brave' and ask him.
Lucien arrived, breathless, about three hours later. He'd taken the train, not trusting himself to drive sensibly and he didn't want to leave Jean a widow with a baby to look after. He had, apart from his suitcase, two bouquets of flowers, one for his darling wife and one for Ruth; after all she had done all the hard work!
He grinned like a Cheshire Cat when he saw Jean, totally relaxed in a chair in her room, cradling a baby, his daughter. Ok so she was adopted, but there was part of Jean in her because she was her grandmother. He hoped it was more of Jean than Jack, but they would teach her the right ways to have a good life.
Jean looked up and smiled. She motioned him over with her head and he went swiftly over to look, and touch ever so gently. He raised his eyebrows when he saw the colour of her hair.
'Goodness, she's a real red head, isn't she?' He gasped. 'What are we going to call her?'
'Autumn,' Jean replied, definitely, 'her hair is the colour of autumn leaves, don't you think?'
'Perfect,' he breathed, 'absolutely perfect.' He leant over and kissed his wife, at first gently, then more deeply.
'Would you like to hold her?' Jean whispered, offering up the babe.
He held out his arms and took the child, close to his chest, he breathed in the scent of baby, and kissed the copper curls.
'She's a good weight.' He remarked.
'Lucien!' Jean admonished, 'a gentleman never comments on a lady's weight.'
They both laughed, 'She's eight pounds.' Jean informed him.
'That's what I was,' he told her. 'Dad said I was a bouncer!'
'I feel a complete wimp,' she said, 'mine were only six and a half pounds.'
'Ah well, Jean...'
'I know,' she interrupted, 'you can't expect an elephant from a mouse!'
'Pardon?'
'That's what the midwife said,' Jean giggled.
'How's Ruth?' Lucien changed the subject.
'Tired, it was long and painful for her,' Jean offered, 'she said she's not doing it again!'
Lucien smiled. He could never, in his wildest dreams, know what pain was involved in childbirth.
Autumn stirred in his arms and started to whimper.
Jean held out her arms, 'She's hungry,' taking the baby she moved over to the unit where a bottle was waiting in a jug of warm water, and proceeded to make herself comfortable and feed her daughter.
Lucien watched her with renewed respect. She really just did whatever needed doing, and he could see how much she loved the baby, already. He said he'd like to go and see Ruth, and she agreed. Watching a mother feed a baby by bottle was a bit like watching paint dry, she thought, and he'd have plenty of chances to do his bit. He'd be changing nappies before the week was out. If she had her way; he'd be taking his turn with the night feeds too!
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Lucien consulted with the medical staff as to how Ruth was. They were satisfied she had come through it well, and would recover quickly, she was young and strong. They also said how much she had helped some other girls who had been caught out. There were three of them, but by far the most pragmatic was Ruth. In fact, they wondered if she would be looking for work, she was sixteen, after all.
'Well, I expect so,' Lucien admitted, though he hadn't thought about it. He knew she had left school so she should be looking for work. 'Why?'
'Well,' a familiar voice behind him, Lucien turned, the doctor who ran the clinic.
'Hello, Richard,' Lucien greeted his old school friend. 'How are you?'
'Well, thank you, and you?' The doctor answered.
'Grand.' Lucien smiled.
'Ruth is a very empathetic girl and has kept the girls occupied and relaxed.' Richard informed him, 'I think I could find a role for her here. She has been through it, caught out, bewitched by a good looking boy, she could help these girls come to terms with their...indiscretions.'
'A kind of social worker?' Lucien guessed.
'Yes, I suppose you could call it that.' Richard agreed. 'We could also train her to support them through the birth. She would have to train as a nurse to become a midwife, but if she wanted to we would support her through that.'
'Well, I suggest you put that to Ruth.' Lucien acknowledged the idea was a good one, she would be secure and away from the gossip of Ballarat and the displeasure of her father. 'By the way,' Lucien changed the subject, 'My wife, I think, is curious as to how I know about the clinic. She hasn't said as much but I know my Jean.'
'Don't suppose she wants a job?' Richard's eyes twinkled, Jean had made herself very useful during her stay with Ruth.
'No chance!' Lucien laughed, 'I couldn't do without her.'
'Let's go and put her out of her misery, then,' Richard clapped his friend on the back and led him back to Jean's room.
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'Jean,' Lucien spoke softly as he walked into the room, in case he woke Autumn. 'This is Richard Jenkins. He runs this clinic, as you know, but I think you want to know how I know him and his work.'
'Well, I did wonder.' Jean smiled.
'Our fathers were friends. They served together during the first 'unpleasantness'. The one thing they noticed was the awful treatment of 'fallen' women. Women and girls who had given themselves to soldiers, got themselves in the family way and then been shunned by family, cast out on the streets.' Richard explained. 'My dad suggested that a special place for these women would be a way to help them. They could offer help with the birth and help to have the illegitimate babies adopted. This has grown into a facility for women who want to give birth privately, married or not, and either have their baby adopted or to go on to a happy family life. Giving birth in hospital..
'...is very frightening.' interrupted Jean, 'especially when it's your first. Your staff are so friendly, so gentle and accepting. It has been an eye opening experience, and maybe I won't be so judgemental in the future.'
Richard smiled, Lucien had chosen a very wise woman to be his wife. He left them to talk about Ruth. Even though she wasn't their daughter they seemed to have her best interests at heart.
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'So what do you think?' Lucien asked Jean when he told her what Richard had suggested.
'It's up to Ruth, but I think she would like the chance.' Jean agreed as she settled Autumn into her bassinet, 'I think Richard is right, though, she would be good here. I've watched her with the other three girls, and she had been so supportive, so gentle and so amazingly wise.'
'Some of that is down to you, Jean.' Lucien pointed out. 'You have never judged her. You have supported her over your own son, and it must have hurt.'
'It did,' Jean admitted, with tears in her eyes, 'but, Lucien, he preyed on a child and I will be ashamed of what he did for the rest of my life.'
Lucien drew her close and kissed her. So sad and yet so optimistic, taking in her grandchild.
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They waited a week before putting Richard's proposal to Ruth. During that week the other girls she had befriended had come to see her and asked her what it was like, giving birth. She had been gentle with them, as Jean had with her and for the most part they were more prepared than most girls of their age. That's not to say they weren't scared, of course they were, but Ruth had done it so maybe so could they. She encouraged them in this, and after a week she even believed that one forgets the pain of childbirth, with time.
Richard himself put the proposal to her, while Jean and Lucien prepared to take their daughter home. She was astonished that someone would think enough of her to offer her a chance of an interesting life, to begin again. Her father would have preferred to marry her off to another farmer and raise the next generation, but this would be far more interesting. She accepted almost immediately even with the knowledge she would probably never see Autumn again, but at least she knew her baby would be loved and would grow up in a happy home.
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I may well take this to one more chapter. Perhaps Jack should know what his child is. That may well be up to you, dear readers.
