Page 79 of The Pearl Sister
‘Goodness! What a tragic story.’ By now, Kitty had realised exactly why Mrs Jefford had come to pay a visit.
‘I will say that she was a good worker and I have missed her since, but as a Christian woman, I could not countenance an illegitimate child under my roof.’ Mrs Jefford had thrown her a beady look.
‘I am sure you could not. Oh, I believe I have just heard Charlie crying. Will you excuse me?’ Rising from her chair, Kitty had walked as sedately as she could to the door. Closing it behind her, she had dashed into the kitchen, telling Medha to rouse Charlie for her, then grabbed the blacking from beside the range and hurried outside to the backyard. Entering the hut without knocking, Kitty had found Camira hiding under the bedstead, her baby girl clutched to her chest.
‘Make baby black.’ Kitty had pushed the blacking towards her. ‘Fred yourhusband,understand?’
In the gloom, all Kitty could see was Camira’s terrified eyes. ‘Understand,’ she’d whispered.
Then she had raced back to the kitchen, where Medha was holding a screaming Charlie. ‘Please bring a bottle through to the drawing room,’ Kitty had ordered as she’d grabbed the baby and walked back to Mrs Jefford.
‘Forgive me for taking so long. He had a full napkin,’ she’d said, as Medha arrived with the bottle.
‘Surely your nursemaid sees to that kind of thing?’ Mrs Jefford had probed.
‘Of course, but Camira went to fetch some more muslin from the haberdashery, while her husband collected the ice from town on the cart. They have only just returned.’
‘What a handsome little chap,’ Mrs Jefford commented as Charlie sucked away heartily on his bottle. ‘Did you say that the name of your nursemaid was Camira?’
‘I did, and I feel very fortunate to have her. She was educated at Beagle Bay mission where she cared for the babies in the nursery.’
‘Do you know,’ said Mrs Jefford after a pause, ‘I am almost certain that Camira was the given name of the pregnant maid I had to let go. We called her “Alice”, of course.’
‘Of course,’ Kitty had said. ‘I am still learning the way of these things.’
‘You say she is married?’
‘Why, yes, to Fred, who has worked for both my father-in-law and my husband for years. He drives the trap, tends the ponies and keeps the grounds under control. And oh, he is so very proud of his new baby daughter. Alkina arrived into the world just two weeks before Charlie. They are a devoted family, and study the Bible regularly,’ Kitty had thrown in for good measure.
‘Well, well, I had no idea Alice had a husband.’
‘Then perhaps you would like to meet the happy family?’
‘Yes, of course I would be . . . pleased to see Alice and her new child.’
‘Then come with me.’ Kitty had led Mrs Jefford to the backyard.
‘Fred? Camira?’ Kitty’s heart had pounded in her chest as she rapped on the door of the hut, having no idea whether Camira would have understood her instructions. To her utter relief, the ‘happy family’ – Fred, Camira and the baby, swaddled in her mother’s arms – had appeared at the door of the hut.
‘My dear friend Mrs Jefford wanted to meet your husband and see your new baby,’ Kitty enunciated, trying to calm the fear in Camira’s eyes. ‘Isn’t the baby beautiful? I think she looks just like her father.’
Camira nudged Fred and whispered something to him. To his credit, Fred folded his arms and nodded, just like a proud daddy.
‘Now,’ Kitty had said, noticing the blacking smears on the baby’s face were starting to smudge in the heat, ‘Fred, why don’t you take Alkina while I pass Charlie to Camira to feed? I confess, I am quite exhausted!’
‘Yessum, missus,’ Camira had squeaked. The exchange of babies ensued and Fred disappeared back inside the hut.
‘Bless my soul!’ Mrs Jefford had said, fanning herself violently in the heat as they’d followed Camira back towards the house. ‘I had no idea that Alice was wed. They usually aren’t, you see, and . . .’
‘I understand completely, Mrs Jefford.’ Kitty had placed a comforting arm upon hers, enjoying every moment of the woman’s discomfort. ‘And it’s so very thoughtful of you to take the trouble to visit me and Charlie.’
‘It was nothing, my dear. Now, I am afraid I must leave immediately as I have a game of bridge with Mrs Donaldson. We must have you and Andrew to dine very soon. Goodbye.’ Kitty had watched Mrs Jefford hurrying along the front path towards her carriage. Then she’d walked into the kitchen where Camira was sitting, visibly shaking, while she fed Charlie the rest of his bottle.
‘She believed it! I . . .’ Kitty had started to giggle, and then as Fred’s desperate face had appeared at the kitchen door, holding out baby Cat like a ritual sacrifice, Kitty had let him in and taken the blackened baby from him.
‘Missus Jefford thinkum Fred my husband?’ The look of disgust on Camira’s face made Kitty laugh even harder. ‘I notta marry a man who smellum bad like him.’
Fred had beaten his chest. ‘I-a husband!’
