A Mother's Courage (11 page)

She had not heard the footsteps outside in the
hall and Eloise jumped as the door opened and a
tall man with a pleasant smile entered the room.
'Mrs Cribb, I am Dr Steven Robinson. No, don't
get up; you'll only disturb the little lad.'

Eloise realised then that Joss had fallen asleep
in her arms. 'My baby. Have you seen her,
doctor?'

He closed the door and pulled up a chair. 'I
have, and I'm afraid that Hannah was correct in
her diagnosis of measles.' He reached out and
laid his hand on her arm. 'Don't distress
yourself, Mrs Cribb. Beth is an otherwise healthy
infant and has every chance of making a full
recovery, provided that she has the appropriate
care.'

'What am I to do, doctor?' The hoarse voice
that came from her own throat sounded strange
to Eloise's ears. She seemed to be lost in a maze
of terrifying circumstances.

'The first thing is to find lodgings where you
can nurse Beth back to health. It's very likely that
your boy will succumb to the illness as well, and
you certainly cannot continue with your journey.
Where was it that you were headed?'

'To London,' Eloise murmured, shaking her
head. 'I have friends in London.'

'I'm afraid that is impossible, Mrs Cribb. You
cannot travel until the child is well again. I know
that it is none of my business, but is there
someone you could call on for help? A relative or
a close friend? Your husband . . .'

'I am a widow, doctor. My friends and family
are all in London. We were visiting relations near
Scarborough, but it is not possible for me to
return there just now.'

'I am sorry, but I can only advise you as a
physician that to move the child now could
prove fatal. Do you know anyone in Driffield
who might be willing to take you in?'

Eloise was going to say no, and then she
remembered the kindly lady whom she had met
on the train. She stared down at Joss's face,
innocent and defenceless as he slept in her arms.
Her acute maternal ear caught the sound of
Beth's feverish cries from the room upstairs, and
Ada muttered in her sleep. They all depended on
her and she must do everything in her power to
protect them. She raised her eyes to meet Dr
Robinson's sympathetic gaze. 'There is someone.
A lady I met on the train when I first travelled to
Yorkshire, but I doubt very much if she would
want to expose her own children to such a
dreadful disease. I hardly think it would be fair
to ask it of her. I just don't know what to do.'

Eloise's first impression of the farmhouse was
that it looked like a child's toy that someone had
strategically placed in the picturesque setting of
the green and pleasant wolds. From the top of
the hill she could see a river running like a silver
ribbon through a wide valley and stands of trees
just springing back to life after the long cold
winter. Dr Robinson had to slow his horse as he
drove his trap down the hill towards Danby
Farm. The spirited little cob snorted and tossed
his head as if he could smell spring in the air, but
he slowed his pace to a sedate trot.

Eloise was too concerned about Beth to
appreciate the full glory of the scenery, and she
sat by Dr Robinson's side glancing anxiously
down at her baby's flushed face every few
seconds, in order to reassure herself that Beth
had not taken a turn for the worse. Ada was
sitting on the back seat with Joss perched on her
knee, and her voice rose in a crescendo of
excitement as she drew his attention to cows
grazing in the fields and the sheep dotted about
on the grassy hillsides. Eloise couldn't help being
amused by her enthusiasm, and she was grateful
to Ada for keeping Joss occupied with her
childish chatter, but her concern for Beth was
compounded by anxiety as to their reception at
the farm. Both Dr Robinson and his wife,
Hannah, had assured her that Gladys Danby was
the nicest of women, and could be relied on to
keep her word. If Gladys had seen fit to invite
them to visit the farm, she was not the sort of
person to turn them away in their time of need.
Eloise wished that she could be so certain. It was
one thing to call in for a cup of tea and a chat, and
quite another to foist a sick child, possibly two
sick children, as well as Ada, on an unsuspecting
farmer and his family.

As they drew closer to the farmhouse Eloise's
heart was in her mouth. What would she do if
Gladys Danby turned them away? It would be
impossible to travel on to London and the only
alternative would be to return to Cribb's Hall. It
simply did not bear thinking about.

'Here we are,' Dr Robinson said cheerfully as
he drove the trap through the farm gates. 'Danby
Farm.'

The mellow brick building with its dormer
windows glinting in the sunlight like smiling
eyes, and the farmyard bustling with chickens
pecking at the ground and geese waddling
around like sentries, looked so welcoming that
Eloise's spirits rose as the trap drew to a halt.

'Wait here, Mrs Cribb,' Dr Robinson said,
giving her a reassuring smile as he handed her
the reins. 'It's probably best if I speak to Gladys
first.' He vaulted down from the trap and waded
through the livestock to the front door.

Eloise waited, hardly daring to breathe. Beth
was stirring in her sleep and her small body still
felt abnormally hot. It was well past midday and
Eloise was tired, hungry and close to tears as she
waited for someone to open the door. Perhaps
they were all out working in the fields, and
might not return until nightfall? Dr Robinson
rapped on the doorknocker again, and when no
one came, he came slowly back to the trap. 'There
doesn't seem to be anyone at home,' he said,
frowning. 'It's not market day, so Gladys ought
to be somewhere about on the farm.'

'Perhaps we ought to go back to the town,'
Eloise murmured. 'I could take a room at the
inn.'

Dr Robinson opened his mouth to reply but
closed it again as his attention was caught by a
movement in one of the outbuildings. His brow
cleared and he sighed with relief. 'I see someone.
Hello there.'

A figure emerged from the henhouse, and
Eloise recognised the plump shape of Gladys
Danby. She came hurrying over to them with a
basket of eggs hooked over her arm. 'Dr
Robinson, this is a surprise.' She paused, staring
at Eloise and the children, and then a broad smile
creased her weather-beaten face. 'Why, it's the
lass from the train and the little ones.'

'May I have a word with you, Gladys?' Dr
Robinson drew her aside and spoke to her in a
low voice.

Eloise strained her ears but she could not hear
what was being said, and Beth had awakened
now that the swaying motion of the trap had
ceased. She began to wail in a high-pitched
monotone that was more upsetting than howls of
rage. Gladys came hurrying towards the trap
and she was not smiling now. Eloise braced
herself to accept a refusal, but Gladys held out
her arms to take Beth. 'Give her to me, lass. Bring
the little lad and the young woman into the
house.'

'Are you sure, Mrs Danby?' Eloise said, hesitating.
'I don't want to impose on your kindness.'

'Fiddlesticks! I invited you, didn't I? Gladys
Danby is not a woman to give out invites willynilly.
You are most welcome, and we've all
suffered the measles at one time or another, so
there's no fear of infection. You look fair done in,
you poor soul. Come inside at once. I'll not take
no for an answer.'

The interior of the farmhouse was as warm and
welcoming as the homely exterior. The front
entrance led straight into a large kitchen with a
low beamed ceiling hung with bunches of herbs
and strings of onions. The fragrant scents of
dried mint, marjoram, sage and rosemary
mingled with the salty aroma of hams being
smoked in the chimney breast above the black leaded
range. A pan of soup simmered on the
hob and the appetising aroma made Eloise's
stomach rumble with hunger, but she was too
concerned for her children to bother about her
own needs.

Gladys took a seat in a chair by the fire and
began to unwrap the swaddling around Beth's
small body. She examined the fine red rash
which had spread all over Beth's trunk and she
nodded her head. 'It's measles all right.'

Dr Robinson's lips twisted into a wry smile.
'I'm glad you concur with my diagnosis, Gladys.'

She looked up at him and chuckled. 'Well, I
daresay as how I've seen just as many cases as
you have, doctor, and nursed them back to
health too.'

'I know you have, Gladys. And that is why I
was certain that you would help this unfortunate
young woman. You have a heart of pure gold.'

'Get on with you, doctor,' Gladys said,
flushing to the roots of her grey hair. 'Save your
flattery for them up at the big house. Any road,
you know you can leave everything to me, and if
I need you I'll send our Reggie to fetch you.'

'Beth will be all right, won't she, doctor?'
Eloise asked anxiously as Dr Robinson made to
leave. 'And what about Joss? Do you think he
will get it too?'

'It's more than likely, Mrs Cribb. There are no
guarantees with this sort of thing, but your
children stand as good a chance of recovery as
any, in fact more than most. You know where to
find me if I'm needed.'

Eloise followed him to the door. 'Your fee,
doctor. I must pay you.'

Gladys rose to her feet, cradling Beth in her
arms. 'Hold on to your money, lass. There's a
basket of eggs in the dairy, doctor. I'm sure that
Hannah could find a use for them.'

Dr Robinson set his top hat back on his head
and he smiled. 'I'm sure she could. Thank you,
Gladys.'

As the door closed on him, Eloise turned to
Gladys. 'I really do appreciate this, Mrs Danby.'

'There, there, lass,' Gladys said with a careless
shrug of her shoulders. 'What sort of woman
would I be if I turned my back on someone in
need? Come upstairs with me and we'll make the
little one comfortable.'

'Hungry,' Joss murmured, clinging to Ada's
skirts.

'Me too,' Ada said, eyeing the pan of soup and
licking her lips.

'And we will all have summat to eat just as
soon as we've settled the babe. Why don't you
take the little lad out into the yard and wash his
hands and face at the pump? Do you think you
could manage that?' Gladys turned to Eloise.
'What is her name?'

'Ada, Ada Braithwaite. She's travelling with us
to London. It's a long story.'

'Braithwaite.' Gladys repeated the name,
angling her head as if she were trying to recall
some long forgotten fact, then her face brightened.
'I remember now. There was a scandal
years ago involving Joan Braithwaite, Hilda
Cribb's sister. She went to live with her aunt in
Bridlington, unless I'm very much mistaken.'

'You're not mistaken, Mrs Danby,' Eloise said
in a low voice. 'It's a long story.'

Gladys acknowledged this with a nod of her
head and then turned to Ada with a cheery smile.
'Well now, Ada, will you do that for me?'

Ada nodded her head vehemently as she took
Joss by the hand. 'Find the pump and wash Joss's
hands and face. I can do that, missis.'

'Good girl,' Gladys said approvingly. 'When
you've done, you can come back here and take a
seat at the table. We'll be down directly.' She
winked at Eloise as she led the way out of the
kitchen into a narrow, wainscoted hallway and
up a twisting staircase to the first floor. The oak
panelling made the long corridor seem very
dark, but when Gladys opened a door at the far
end, the bedroom was filled with sunlight. A
bright patchwork coverlet on the bed, floral patterned
curtains and colourful rag rugs
scattered over the polished floorboards emitted a
warm and homely first impression, so at odds
with the cold splendour of Cribb's Hall.

'There,' Gladys said, dragging a wooden
cradle from a far corner and placing it beside the
bed. 'Four generations of Danbys have slept in
this cradle. The little lass will be all right in here
and there's a cot up in the attic for young Joss. I'll
get our Reggie to fetch it down later.'

Beth was sleeping fitfully and Eloise laid her in
the cradle. She pulled up a chair, intending to sit
where she could watch over Beth, but Gladys
shook her head. 'Nay, lass. Your need is greater
than hers at the moment. You need a little
sustenance. You won't do the baby any good if
you fall sick yourself. I'll get our Meg to come
and sit with the babe while you have your
dinner. She'll be in from the dairy directly, and
I'll send her straight up.'

Eloise shook her head. 'What if she wakes and
finds me gone? She'll be frightened if I'm not
here.'

'She'll not wake for a while, love. The fever has
her in its grip, and even if she does wake, I doubt
if she'll recognise you for a while at least. We
must keep her cool and once the fever passes
she'll be right as rain, I promise you.'

Reluctantly, Eloise followed Gladys downstairs.
In the kitchen they found Ada and Joss
seated obediently at the table with a tall, thin girl
standing and staring at them with a frown on her
face.

'Who are they, Mum?' the girl demanded
suspiciously. 'I found them in the yard and she
wouldn't speak to me. Is she not all there or
summat?'

'Don't be rude, our Meg,' Gladys said hastily.
'We've got company, so you mind your
manners.'

Meg wiped her hands on her apron, pouting. 'I
only asked.'

'Well, now you've been told. This is Mrs Cribb
and her little lad Joss. The other person is Ada, a
friend who was accompanying them to London
when Mrs Cribb's baby got took sick. I want you
to go upstairs to the back bedroom, Meg. You
must keep an eye on the baby, and call us if she
wakes. Do you understand me?'

'I want me dinner,' Meg said sulkily.

'And you shall have it as soon as our guests
have eaten. Now, off you go, there's a good lass.'
Gladys shooed the girl out of the kitchen,
flapping her apron as if Meg was an unruly
feathered creature that had escaped from the
henhouse. 'Right then, sit down, Mrs Cribb, and
taste a bowl of my rabbit stew. My sons say it's
the best in the East Riding, but then they would,
wouldn't they?' Chuckling, Gladys went to the
range and ladled out three bowlfuls of piping hot
stew. She placed them on the table in front of her
guests and went back to the oven to take out a
freshly baked loaf of bread, which she proceeded
to cut into generous hunks. 'You'll all do a lot
better with full bellies,' she said, liberally
buttering the bread before handing it round.

The stew was delicious and Eloise ate ravenously.
Her appetite had almost deserted her
during the last few days in Cribb's Hall and she
had forgotten what it was to enjoy a meal.
Despite her anxiety about Beth, there was something
so comforting and reassuring about Gladys
that Eloise found herself relaxing just a little. Ada
ate sparingly, but Joss pushed his plate away
after the first mouthful and only toyed with a
slice of bread and butter. Eloise reached out to
feel his forehead and her heart did a back flip
inside her chest. 'He feels very hot, Mrs Danby. I
think he might be coming down with the
sickness.'

'Very probably, love,' Gladys said, mopping
up the last of her soup with a hunk of bread.
'Better to get it over and done with in my
opinion.' She glanced at Ada and frowned. 'I
shouldn't be surprised if that one doesn't go
down with it too.' Gladys lowered her voice.
'Just how is she related to the Braithwaites, Mrs
Cribb?'

'My name is Eloise, but my family call me Ellie,
Mrs Danby.'

'And you can call me Gladys. We don't stand
on ceremony up here.' Gladys leaned across the
table to give Ada an encouraging smile. 'Now
you've finished your dinner, why don't you take
the little lad outside into the yard and let him
have a run round?'

'All right,' Ada said reluctantly. 'Will you read
me a story later, Ellie?'

'Of course I will. We brought one of your
favourite books with us, I believe.'

Ada jumped to her feet. 'Yes, we did. I can read
a bit of it, missis,' she added, addressing the
remark to Gladys. 'Ellie is teaching me to read.
Come on, Joss, let's go out and see the chickens.'

When they had gone, Gladys poured tea from
a brown china pot which had been brewing
beneath a knitted tea cosy, and she passed a cup
to Eloise. 'The men will be in for their dinner
soon, lass. It might be a good idea if you told me
what has been going on with you, and what
brought you to this sorry pass. Not that I'm being
nosy, mind you, not at all, but I cannot help you
if I don't know what has driven you from your
in-laws' home. I'm thinking it couldn't have
gone too well for you at Cribb's Hall. Am I right?'
It was a relief to unburden her soul to Gladys,
and Eloise withheld nothing, even going so far as
to tell her about Ada's sad history and her harsh
treatment at the hands of her mother, Joan
Braithwaite. Gladys listened in silence until
Eloise had finished. 'Eh, lass. What a sorry tale to
be sure. You know you're welcome to stay here
with us as long as you want.'