Page 73 of Debating with the Duke (Second Sons of London 2)

Adalyn left the cottage and knelt before Sarah. She lightly took the girl’s shoulders and said, “Your mama may need some help getting the baby out. Would you like to help her?”

Sarah nodded. “What do I do?”

Pointing to the cottage, she said, “Do you know who lives there?”

“Mrs. Parker.”

“Have you been there before with your mother?”

The girl nodded.

“I need you to go to Mrs. Parker’s. Tell her your mama’s baby is coming.”

“Why?”

“She can help. Or she will send for help. And you can stay there and play until your little brother or sister comes.”

“I want a sister.”

Adalyn smiled. “I know you do. But you will love the baby, no matter if it is a girl or boy.”

She rose and took Sarah’s hand. “Go there now. What are you going to tell Mrs. Parker? Practice on me.”

“That Mama is having her baby.”

She smoothed the girl’s hair. “That’s very good, Sarah. That will be so much help. Go now and do this for your mama.”

She helped Sarah to her feet and watched the girl walk a few paces before she turned around. Nodding encouragingly at the girl, Sarah continued on her way and Adalyn returned inside.

By now, Mrs. Haggert was perched at the edge of one of the chairs, which she had pulled out from under the table.

Though fear raced through her veins, Adalyn asked, “What do I need to do?”

Soon, she had gathered the items Mrs. Haggert asked for, trying to focus on them and not the anguished cries from the mother-to-be.

Adalyn moved two chairs from the table and placed them against the wall at Mrs. Haggert’s instruction. She helped the woman stand and move her chair directly in front of the other two. Then she retrieved several clean cloths, a blanket, and a knife, all things the woman had requested and placed them in one of the chairs. Mrs. Haggert sat again, bracing her feet against each of the chairs. Adalyn stepped over the panting woman’s leg until she was centered between the chairs and the woman’s legs.

Hiking up Mrs. Haggert’s night gown, she saw the baby’s head emerging, its crown visible.

“I can see your baby’s crown,” she said, smiling reassuringly as Mrs. Haggert gritted her teeth.

Another wail came from the woman and Adalyn said, “Push, Mrs. Haggert. Push harder. Your baby wants out as much as you want it out.”

Several minutes later, Adalyn’s hands hovered as the baby was expelled. She took hold of the infant, seeing a cord attached to it and remembered how she was to cut it. She wrapped the silent babe in one of the larger cloths and took a smaller one to wipe about its face.

“The nose,” Mrs. Haggert said frantically. “Clean the nose. It needs to breathe.”

“He, Mrs. Haggert. You have a son.”

Adalyn wiped around the nose and face but the babe’s eyes remained closed. No sound came from him. Panic filled her—but she determined to see this through. Cutting the cord, she dropped the knife and turned the infant facedown over her knee. Gently, she tapped on his back with two fingers. When nothing happened, she poked him harder between his shoulder blades.

A wail sounded, loud and hearty. Relief swept through her as she turned the babe over again and saw his large eyes now open as he shouted to let the world know he had arrived.

Half an hour later, the babe was cleaned and resting in his mother’s arms when the cottage door flew open. Two women rushed in. A tired, messy Adalyn glanced up.

“Are you Mrs. Parker?” she asked.

“I am, Your Grace,” the woman said, her eyes wide. “And this is the midwife.”

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