Dorothy Eden by Never Call It Loving

Author:Never Call It Loving
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

IN THREE DAYS HE was back. Willie, having had his telegram, was there to meet him. The two men immediately plunged into a discussion of what was to be called the Kilmainham Treaty. Willie said he had Chamberlain on their side, and was convinced that Gladstone only needed to be presented with some concrete terms to be brought round, too. He proposed making out a document that night which he would mail to Gladstone in the morning.

They spread out papers on the dining-room table, and worked all night. Katharine, who, under other circumstances, would have taken a keen interest in the discussion was scarcely listening. Tenant farmers and arrears of rent, an amendment to the Land Bill, a promise to bring to an end the campaign of violence … The words meant nothing to her, for she was desperately afraid her baby was dying. The little thing clung to life by the frailest thread. Now too weak even to cry, she lay giving her fluttering breaths, and Katharine could scarcely bear to leave her side. Even Charles must wait. And he himself giving her enough cause for anxiety, he looked so ill and tired.

At half-past ten she rose to go upstairs. Willie protested.

“No, stay, Kate. Let’s have the benefit of your views, too. The more heads the better.”

“I’m sorry, but I must go to the baby.”

“Isn’t she better, Mrs. O’Shea?”

“I’m afraid not.”

Willie was less acutely concerned.

“Can’t the nurse manage for another hour or two?”

“I want to be with her myself.” Katharine scarcely dared look at the brown eyes watching her across the lamplight. She might have begged, you come, too. Let us watch over our child together … She might have cried desperately, Let Ireland wait, for once.

She quietly left the room and went upstairs. The nurse reported that the baby seemed a little better. She had taken a few drops of milk off a spoon, and was sleeping.

“Let me have her,” said Katharine.

“Should we pick her up? She seems comfortable.”

“If she’s to die,” said Katharine stonily, “it’s to be in my arms. You can go to bed now, nurse.”

It was the longest vigil she had ever had. It lasted till daylight. Then, at last, there were sounds of the men coming upstairs. They had worked all night.

She heard Willie saying, “Get some rest, Parnell, before you set off again,” and then his footsteps went along the corridor to his room. He hadn’t bothered to come in and see how the baby was. Perhaps he thought, by the silence, that both she and the baby slept, and he would not disturb them.

It was another familiar and welcome soft tap that came at the door a little later.

She said in a low voice, not stirring from her chair, “Come in,” and Charles entered quietly, crossing swiftly to kneel beside her, and look at the little round head with its cap of brown hair against her breast.

“How does she seem?”

For the last hour Katharine had been listening agonisedly to the scarcely audible breaths.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.