Page 23 of The Winter Bride

He kissed her soundly and once he’d gone, Annie went back to Alfred in the kitchen. Usually when she got up and started to walk about the aches and pains eased, but today the backache persisted and she started to worry. It was almost forty weeks to the day since she had spent that magical night with Alex, which meant that if she went into labour now . . . She pushed the thought away. No, it was just a normal backache, surely?

She had planned to go on a gentle stroll to see Susan and Peggy in the shops that morning but thought better of it and put her feet up instead. Even so the backache persisted and, if anything, worsened, so she got up and began to pace. The baby had become very still for a change and she cursed herself. The day before she’d had a sudden burst of energy and had cleaned everything in sight, which was no doubt the reason she was suffering – she had overdone things.

Shortly after lunch the back door suddenly opened and Peggy appeared. She frowned at the sight of Annie leaning forward holding on to the edge of the sink.

‘I thought yer were poppin’ round to see us today an’ when yer didn’t turn up I thought I’d best come an’ check you’re all right.’

‘It’s just . . . this backache,’ Annie panted. ‘It seems to be getting worse instead of better.’ The words had barely left her lips when she gasped with horror as she felt something warm trickle down her legs and puddle on the floor.

‘Looks like I came in the nick o’ time,’ Peggy said, taking off her coat and crossing to Annie. ‘That ain’t just backache, pet. You’re in labour an’ yer waters have just broke. Come on, let’s get you onto this chair.’

Annie looked horrified and tears started in her eyes. ‘But I can’t be. It’s too early.’

Peggy solemnly shook her head. ‘Not if it’s Alex’s baby, it ain’t. It’ll be bang on time. You knew there were a chance o’ this happenin’. But you sit there now while I go an’ get the neighbour to fetch Nurse Borne. An’ don’t panic, first babies have a habit o’ takin’ their time.’ Even as she finished speaking Annie suddenly gasped as the first contraction started.

‘Ow, oh don’t leave me, Peggy. I’m scared.’

‘There’s nowt to be scared of,’ Peggy told her gently. ‘Givin’ birth is one o’ the most natural things in the world. Now sit still, I’ll be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.’ And with that she disappeared out of the door.

Annie started to cry. What would she say to Monty? But it was too late to start worrying about that. She would have to cross that bridge when she came to it.

Peggy was back in no time and seemed to have the situation completely under control. ‘Right, the next move is to get you up to bed an’ get some hot water on to boil, not that we’ll likely need it fer some hours yet.’

Annie grimaced as another pain gripped her. It seemed to be sharper than the last one, so she waited until it had passed and then allowed Peggy to lead her upstairs where she helped her change into a nightgown. She then lined the mattress with newspapers and towels before helping Annie onto the bed.

Mrs Bell returned to tell them that Nurse Borne would be there shortly and when she had gone Annie whispered fearfully, ‘What am I going to tell Monty?’

‘You’re goin’ to tell ’im that the baby ’as come early,’ Peggy told her firmly. ‘There’s no point in breakin’ his ’eart over sommat that can’t be changed.’

The nurse arrived shortly after and once she’d examined Annie, she told them, ‘You’re going to be some time yet, so I’m going home but I’ll be back to check on you in two or three hours’ time.’

‘But what if I have the baby while you’re gone?’ Annie panicked.

The nurse laughed. ‘I very much doubt that. But you just try and rest now and save your energy for the birth. I’ll see you in a while.’

As the afternoon progressed, the pains got worse and by the time Monty came home from work, Annie was in agony. Peggy met him in the kitchen and told him what was happening and he went into a panic.

‘But why didn’t you send for me? And isn’t this a month too soon? Will the baby be all right?’

‘Now calm down, you’ll be no good to Annie like this,’ Peggy scolded. ‘And in answer to yer questions, I didn’t send fer you cos there was nothin’ you could ’ave done even if I had. An’ yes it’s early but babies ’ave a habit o’ comin’ when they’re good an’ ready. And finally, yes, of course it’ll be all right.’

‘What can I do to help?’

‘You can keep the water on the boil an’ keep the midwife supplied wi’ towels when she comes back, which should be anytime now. And stay down ’ere, there’s a good chap. The birthin’ room ain’t no place fer a man. Annie will be perfectly fine wi’ me an’ the midwife.’

Levi was the next to appear. Eve had told him that Peggy hadn’t come back after going to check on Annie and he’d called to make sure all was well. So now Peggy had two men in a panic to contend with. Luckily the midwife appeared not long after Levi, and while she went upstairs, Peggy sternly wagged her finger at the men. ‘Now you two can keep each other company. Oh, an’ a cup o’ tea wouldn’t go amiss. Leave the tray outside the bedroom door when you’ve made it.’ And with that she hurried away to join the midwife and Annie.

Monty began to pace the floor like a caged animal as Alfred lay with his head on his paws watching him. His tail and ears were down and he sensed something was wrong.

‘What will I do if anything happens to her, Levi? She’s my whole world.’ He was beside himself with fear.

‘She’s a tough little thing is our Annie,’ Levi told him, although he was worried sick too. ‘She’s come through far worse than this. Now get that cup o’ tea down yer while I take this tray up to the womenfolk. All we can do now is wait. And could yer please sit down! You’ll wear a hole in the lino at this rate!’

Annie’s baby was born at eleven minutes past eleven on the eleventh of November 1922. It was a little boy and she fell in love with him at first sight. He weighed just over seven pounds and had a shock of downy hair almost as dark as Annie’s.

‘He’s a bonny little thing,’ the midwife commented as she passed him to his mother. Peggy was crying tears of joy and could hardly wait to hold him herself.

‘I’d better go down an’ give the men the good news while the nurse finishes up ’ere wi’ you,’ she told Annie and skipped down the stairs.