Midsummer's Eve

I had thought it would be a good idea to be ready for him when he left the house in the morning, to confront him and let him know I understood where he had spent the night.

I wanted to tell him how I despised him, and that I would let my parents know the sort of man he was. I would let him see that he was not the mighty conqueror he imagined himself to be.

I must have dozed for it was fairly late when I arose. I heard Maud in the kitchen.

She always let herself in very early and two of the women came to help her get the breakfast.

So I was too late to catch him.

I did not tell my parents. I did not see how they could send him away. He was so necessary to the property. Why should I bother about his relationships with women?

It was not as though Polly had not welcomed him. She must have arranged to let him in.

Helena was getting very near to her confinement. She was surprisingly calm. She said to me one day: "I feel so much better since Polly's been here. She's so comforting.

She's always telling me about 'her little babies.' She does love them so much." , People had so many sides to their natures.

I tried Maud.

I said to her: "Don't you think Polly is too fond of the men?”

"Well, she's certainly fond of them," said Maud.

"And they of her, I imagine.”

"Men are always fond of women who are fond of them. It flatters them and there's nothing they like better than a bit of flattery.”

"Don't you think some of them like women who don't like them at all?”

"Oh, that's in a different way. That's the challenge. They like that, too.”

"It seems to me they like all sorts.”

"That's probably right.”

"I er ... believe Polly invites men to her room at night." i "That wouldn't surprise me.”

"And you ... think we should accept that?”

"There's not another midwife round here and once the baby starts to come she'll forget about the men. She's one of the best at her job. You have to put up with people's ways if they're good at what they've come to do.”

"I see," I said. "That applies to the men here too.”

She looked quickly at me. "That's always a problem. There aren't enough women in the country. They need them, you know. We have to shut our eyes to a lot of things out here which wouldn't be acceptable at home.”

"I understand that.”

"It makes morals not quite the same.”

"Can't they marry?”

"Most of them do.”

"You'd think Gregory ...”

She smiled. "Oh he'll marry when the time is ripe. He's waiting.”

"Waiting for what?”

"For the right moment.”

"And in the meantime?”

"Well, he's a man like the rest of them ... more so, perhaps.”

I had an idea that she might know that Polly's nocturnal visitor was Gregory Donnelly.

She could shrug it aside. I could not. To me it seemed the height of depravity when, that very day, he had asked me to marry him.

All thought of the matter was driven from my mind because the next day Helena's pains started. It was amazing how Polly threw off her frivolity and put on the mantle of the midwife. The white coat she had brought with her was the outward symbol of her professionalism and that was certainly in no doubt when she took charge.

She gave her orders in a sharp crisp voice and we were all eager to accept her authority.

It was as though she had changed her personality entirely.

We had all been very anxious about Helena; her listlessness had disturbed us. Maud thought it was due to the fact that she had an indifferent husband. Both Maud and Polly had a poor opinion of Matthew; but there was, naturally, so much that they did not know.

Her labour went on for two days while the house was plunged into a state of fearful expectancy. Even Jacco was affected and talked in whispers.

We were all seated in the living room waiting. Polly had summoned Maud to help her, for Maud over the years had gathered certain experience and had on one occasion delivered a child when help was long in coming.

Our relief was intense when we heard the cry of a child.

Maud came down to tell us.

"It's a boy," she said.

I had not seen Helena so happy since the days of her engagement to John Milward.

She sat up in bed holding the baby while we all stood round declaring our admiration for the infant.

Polly was beaming with satisfaction as though the baby was entirely her creation.

All of us were deeply moved. As for myself I could not take my eyes from the baby.

It seemed extraordinary that one could marvel at ten tiny ringers, ten toes and a blob of a nose but I did-and so did my mother and Helena. The men were a little aloof though there was certainly general relief that Helena's baby had come safely into the world and that she, though exhausted now, survived her ordeal.

The days went quickly by; I was with Helena most of the time. I was allowed to hold the baby. Polly reigned supreme. She had promised to stay for two weeks after the birth for, she admitted now, she had been a little worried about Helena.