The Journey Home

Chapter 34 - A Surgeon, Two Queens and a Surly Mechanic

Margaret went to a time when she first returned to Helstone, after so many years living in London with her Aunt Shaw and Edith. She sat on the floor before the fire in the cozy sitting room of her father's parsonage, leaning back against the chair in which her mother was sitting. The warmth of her mother and the lap blanket that covered the older woman were so familiar to her; she felt the calm of a young lady, with little to worry of other than the choice of hair ribbons and watercolor studies. She drew in a deep breath as she surrounded herself with the harmony of her family dynamic; she and her father were each reading and her mother was sewing . This was a time before Father had allowed himself to become consumed by doubts, the doubt that would eventually drive a permanent stake between himself and his wife, and uproot them all. The would lose the protection of the Church and be propelled on a journey that would end in misery and death in less than two years. For the present, Margaret was enjoying the family happiness of the dream, ignoring the deep warm sound that was drawing her back to reality.

She woke slowly, hearing the gentle rumble of John's deep voice, and filling her with a not unpleasant yearning that she felt tingling in her fingers and toes. Margaret opened her eyes and looked down upon the dark curls of Maria Louise, who slept quietly in her lap, wrapped in the warmth of John's great coat. She moved her head slightly and felt the rough wool of John's suit coat rub against her cheek, and realized she was on a train and fallen asleep against John's shoulder. She sat up straight with a start; feeling slightly disoriented, and worried that her overly familiar behavior with John could cause offense. With a cry of "Oh!" Margaret looked across at Lilly, who returned Margaret's stunned look with a nod and a smile, and then to the older gentleman who had been speaking with John since departing London.

"Oh, dear, I do apologize!" she said with alarm. The doctor made a dismissive motion and shook his head. "Nonsense, my dear. The sway of a train always sets me to sleep, unless I am fortunate enough to have the engaging conversation with a man such as Mr. Thornton!"

John reached and gently touched her hand that cradled the sleeping Maria Louise. "I am glad that you slept. You have had little time to rest with all that has happened." He smiled kindly as he looked directly into Margaret's eyes, attempting to ease Margaret's embarrassment. "Here, Miss. Let me take the child from you." Lilly leaned forward and gently scooped up Maria Louise, so as not to disturb her sleep. Margaret reached up and touched her own hair, attempting to tuck in a few curls that had come lose during her nap.

Doctor Gerard Reynolds, who shared their first class compartment, was traveling home to Northampton, having spent the week in London attending a symposium about the latest advancements in anesthesia. The subject of deep unconsciousness, her own lack of sleep and the warmth of John's body beside her had lulled Margaret to sleep within an hour of leaving London. She attempted to re-engage herself into the conversation.

"I was just discussing the difficulty the American surgeons had in obtaining a steady source of anesthetics in the battle fields, particularly in the South." The Doctor explained. "Terrible suffering among the soldiers and completely unnecessary. " "Excuse me, Doctor Reynolds, I have not long been in England, but I understand that anesthesia is widely used in obstetrics, particularly in London. My cousin delivered her second child under sedation."

"Why, yes, Miss Hale. Some of the more affluent families in London have used chloroform for that purpose. The late Doctor Snow, a dear friend of mine, attended Queen Victoria at the births of her youngest children, Prince Leopold and Princess Beatrice. Alas, there are not many that understand the proper administration of the drug, especially outside of the City. I myself only use chloroform with difficult births, and I insist upon having another doctor in attendance." John cleared his throat, and gave Margaret a small smile. "Doctor Reynolds has also been regaling me with stories of the late Doctor Snow. He apparently was quite intimate with the royal family. " John spoke with a hoarseness in his voice, which Margaret took immediate note of and reached below the seat for her basket. She began preparing a luke warm combination of tea and honey. As she prepared the drink, which John attempted to wave off, Doctor Reynolds continued to gossip about the Royal Family, noting the late Prince Consort's appreciation for all medical advancements.