Cal and Rose arrived home from the gala around midnight. Rose had been experiencing mild stomach pains all evening but thought it was just the baby moving around.
Rose was in her bedroom when her ladies made - Elizabeth - was helping her undress before there was suddenly a gush of water. Rose closed her eyes with dread "Elizabeth, please could you ask someone to fetch the Doctor and inform my husband that I have gone in to labour?" She sighed "of course Miss, do you need anything before I do so?" Elizabeth asked "no thank you" Rose forced a weak smile, watching as Elizabeth left the room. Rose sat on her bed and put her head in her hands and began to cry, whilst praying that the baby she was about to give birth to was a boy.
—
Elizabeth returned a few moments later. "A servant has gone to collect the Doctor Miss, and your husband's man servant has gone to inform him of the situation" "thank you…" Rose replied "you're welcome. Now, let's get you ready to have this baby!" Elizabeth grinned, having no idea what was going through Rose's head. She laid out some towels and got a bowl of water, ready for when the baby arrived.
—
Cal's manservant - Barclay - entered Cal's study to find him going over paperwork "yes?" Cal looked up at him firmly before Barclay could say anything "I just wanted to let you know that your wife has gone in to labour, Sir" Cal rolled his eyes "Right. Please inform me of the baby's arrival. Until then, do not disturb me again" Cal said, looking back down at his papers "yes Sir" Barclay gave a nod and left.
—
Upstairs, Rose was crying in pain, trying her very best to be as quiet as possible to not wake Matilda who was sleeping in the room next to hers.
"One final push Mrs Hockley, then your baby should be here!" The Doctor encouraged her. "You can do it Miss" Elizabeth smiled at her, holding her hand, with that, Rose gave one last push before cries filled the room and she threw her head back relieved yet exhausted. "Congratulations Mrs Hockley, you have a beautiful baby girl!" She heard the Doctor say as he wrapped her new daughter in a blanket "what?" Rose froze "a daughter Miss… you have another daughter" The Doctor repeated, passing the baby over to its Mother, the crying immediately stopped as she looked up at her Mum. Rose tried to hold back her tears and look happy at the news, but really, she was terrified, she knew what Cal would have to say about this, but finally, when she did look down at her baby, all the worries went away. She was the spitting image of Matilda, just with darker hair. She thought it would be impossible to love someone as much as she loved Tilly, but all of that went away when she saw her baby, she loved her just as much.
—
Once the Doctor had checked both Rose and the baby over, he said goodbye "I shall leave you to it now, Mrs Hockley. If you have any further problems please let me know and I will come back. Would you like me to inform your husband as I leave?" "Yes please" Rose nodded nervously "OK… take care… and congratulations again" the Doctor smiled "thank you Doctor" she smiled weakly as he left. Just then she heard Matilda shout, somehow she had slept through the whole ordeal of Rose giving birth but had now decided to wake up.
"Mummy! Mummy!" She cried out "Elizabeth, would you mind seeing to Matilda please? Before Cal gets up here? Don't tell her about the baby yet though please" "of course Miss" Elizabeth smiled gently "thank you… then you may retire for the night… thank you for this evening, I'm not sure what I would have done without your support" "you're more than welcome Miss" she smiled again as she left.
—
The Doctor knocked on the door of Cal's study and waited "yes?" Cal called out. The Doctor took a few steps inside "good evening Mr Hockley, I just wanted to inform you that your wife has safely delivered your second child, both she and the baby are doing well" "what is it?" Cal asked, he didn't really care too much about how Rose was, as long as he had his long awaited son "a girl, Sir, you have yourself another daughter" the Doctor replied, a little intimidated. Cal sighed, clearly both disappointed and angry "thank you Doctor. You may leave" Cal said, the Doctor just nodded and left the property quietly.