“Where?”
“The green building on the passageway behind the old factory. Third floor.” He eyed Mark, noticing the gold pocketwatch chain and his polished leather shoes, no doubt. “I can take ye for a price.”
Mark dug in his pockets for a shilling. “This one’s for the message. A second for when you take us there.” He turned to Ellen. “I assume you plan on going?”
“Of course.” Ellen was already hurrying to put on her winter clothes.
“There’s no way I’m letting you out alone, this late, when that man is probably still drunk as sin and angry as hell.” Mark reached for his hat off the nearby rack.
In a few moments, all three headed down the steps to find a cab. Mark called back to Gaye, who watched with disappointment, “Please tell Cook we’re sorry! And you are all welcome to the dishes tonight so they don’t spoil.”
The butler harrumphed again as he shut the door.
“Crikey.” The boy’s eyes widened as they climbed into the cab. “I ain’t never ridden one of these before. Seen plenty. Never ridden in one myself.”
The cab took them as far as it could on cobblestone paths, and then they walked the rest of the way in alleys too narrow for anything but foot traffic. The lad led them confidently, pointing out neighborhood landmarks along the way, rubbing his hands together to keep them warm. They walked up the flights of stairs to a rough, dirty tenement building that smelled strongly of mold.
Mark eyed the surroundings dubiously. Ellen, probably much more familiar with poverty, knocked on the door and entered. Mark shuffled in after her.
The flat was small and two-roomed. In the front room was a tiny stove in a corner, one stool with a broken leg, a table with a dingy, stained tablecloth, and children’s toys scattered around the room. All light came from the open stove and the single candle sitting on the table. Through the door, the light of a paraffin lamp illuminated a small bedroom with cracked plaster walls. He stepped into the home, following Ellen, and nearly tripped over a child sitting on the floor with wide eyes.
“Hello,” he said.
The child stared silently.
“Amelia?” Ellen had already taken off her cloak, gloves, and scarf and dropped them on the table as she moved to the bedroom. “Is it an early delivery?”
Mark edged past the child, nearly tripped over three more, and made it to the doorway. The bedroom was small enough the lamplight filled every corner, and the single bed took up most of the space. Amelia, whom Mark was embarrassed to see, was there, sleeves rolled up to her elbows and heavy white apron on.
“I’m sorry,” Amelia was saying to Ellen as Ellen found a bottle of antiseptic and doused her hands. “I know this wasn’t a good day for you.”
“Don’t trouble yourself.” Ellen’s body blocked Mark from seeing much, but he assumed the woman in labor was lying on the bed. “Goodness, you look ready to pop!”
The woman groaned. “Been in labor for hours.” Accusation colored her tone. “The doctor here told me each labor goes quicker than the last.”
“Well, I suppose that’s what you get for having me attend your delivery rather than finding a midwife at a hospital,” Amelia said cheerfully. She glanced up and saw Mark. “Why don’t you watch the children?” And she shut the door in his face.
Mark blushed, realizing he was where men never dared to go. He looked back at the four children all staring at him. “Where’s your father?”
“Out for a bite,” the oldest said. “He says he gets too worried to stay here and do nothing. He’ll be back before midnight probably.”
“Ah.” Mark looked around the room.What am I doing here? Why did I think it would be a good idea to attend a labor?He pointed to the carved wooden horse on the ground. “I like your toy.” Inwardly, he winced. Was that all he had?
“Are you the doctor’s friend, too?” The second child, of indeterminable gender, stuck a finger in their mouth.
He nodded.
“I ain’t never seen a man nurse before.” The oldest scowled at him.
“I’m not a nurse.”
“Men are doctors, silly. Women are nurses.” The second largest slapped her brother’s shoulder.
“Doctor Amelia is a woman,” Mark pointed out.
“So was the nurse that was here earlier.” The older brother glared at his younger siblings.
Through bits and pieces, Mark learned after a few hours of their mother in labor, their father went and found Amelia. Because she was operating the dispensary alone, she brought her friend, the off-duty nurse from the workhouse. They’d worked with the woman in labor for a few hours together, until the nurse had to return for her shift at St. Pancras. When Amelia had been left alone, she had the father send a message for Ellen. Usually families farmed their children out to neighbors at times like this, or family members showed up to cook and clean. But the family was new, fresh from Surrey, as the father had gotten a job as a carpenter’s assistant. The wife’s mother wasn’t due to visit for another three days.