A Life Together - A North and South Continuation

Chapter Forty Five

John sat alone in the train carriage. The station was in sight, and he was anxious to return home. Leaving Margaret alone on her first day of confinement was not ideal; he could only hope she had not felt too cooped up. She would have several weeks of it yet, and he hated seeing her unhappy.

He had brought her a small gift of some new ribbon and lace home with him, knowing she had taken to needlework and embroidery as it became harder for her to move around freely. It was not much, but perhaps it would make her smile.

"Master!" A voice called out, and John looked through the steam on the platform for whoever was calling him. It was Higgins. "Master!"

Higgins ran to him, though the man was berated loudly by the disembarking passengers he jostled in his rush to get to his employer. John's heart raced in his chest, his mouth feeling dry as a bone. There was only one reason Higgins would be waiting for him here.

"What's wrong? Oh Christ, is it Margaret?"

Higgins leaned forward, hands on his knees as he panted with exertion. The air here was filthy, and frequent coughs broke up Higgins' message. John had little patience, but he could hardly tell the man to hurry up when he was spluttering so.

"Aye, she went into labour about six hour ago. Yer mother's had me here the past three waitin' for you." Higgins wheezed.

"Six hours?!" John asked with wide eyes as panic flooded his chest. "I've got to get home."

How long had Fanny's labour taken? That was less than six hours. The baby could be born already, and he would have missed everything. What if Margaret had had need of him, and he was not there?

He flagged down a carriage and bade the driver to be as quick as he could. Higgins declined to join him, saying he could do with a walk. John sat back, his eyes staring blankly straight ahead. His wife had been labouring for six hours and he had not known it, he had not been there. Though he would not have been allowed even close to the room, anything could have happened and he was not there!

"Bloody hell." he said out loud in the quiet of the carriage. "I never should have gone. I never should have left her. God, if you're listening - keep her safe. Keep her safe for me, please. Both of them."

Many muttered prayers later, the carriage drew to a stop and the driver banged on the roof. John flung the door open so hard it damn near fell off the hinges. He raced out of the carriage and into the yard, charging to the door of the house with a wide stride. The workers in the yard had obviously heard of what had happened and shouted their best wishes after him. John did not hear.

Watson was waiting for him in the parlour, just as John had been by his side when Fanny was in labour. He stood as John opened the door, though there wasn't a shred of urgency about him. He had clearly been told to wait for John to return, though John was sure his brother-in-law had work to do. He didn't want to see anyone except Margaret.

"How is she?" John asked breathlessly. "Is she well?"

"Aye, calm yourself. Fanny and your mother are with her, and the doctor of course. Fanny came down about five minutes ago to tell me all was well. No baby yet."

"I can't believe I left her." John paced the length of the living room just for something to do. "I never should have gone, she were too close to her time."

His brother-in-law shrugged indifferently. John felt the overwhelming urge to punch him; he looked so bored by the entire thing, as though this was all some terrible inconvenience to him. Why was he even here?

"What good would it be waiting around for sommet to happen? Fanny went two week over her time, the world don't stop for childbearing, John. She is fine, what good would you being here do?"