The Pains came late one morning in the early weeks of November. Alice gripped the back of the carver chair, dropping the baking trays she was carrying.

Mary spun around from the stove, panicked by the sudden clatter. "Alice girl are ye all right?" she asked stepping toward her.

"Yes, yes I think so, the little bugger's just given me one hell of a wallop." Alice grinned regaining her composure. Alice bent to pick up the trays, but found when she went to stand a sudden tightness spread across the lower part of her huge stomach, holding her in her squatted position. "Oh...Mary, I can't get up," she groaned.

"What is it girl, a pain or a kick?"

"It's not a kick, nor really a pain, oh... I don't know, I'm not sure, it's like a....cramp." Alice sucked in a big breath of air.

"Just stay where ye are," Mary commanded. "If it's what I think it is, it'll go in a minute," she added.

"Yes, yes you're right, Mary It's not so bad now." Alice drew in more air. "I think I can get up." She slowly stood using the back of the carver chair to help support her weight. She pulled the chair out and sat at the table. "What does it mean? Is it the baby, Mary?"

"Aye, Alice but let's not worry, it might be playing a trick on us, they do that sometimes." Mary dabbed Alice's forehead with a wet cloth. "If it 'appens a lot in the next hour, I'd say you'll be a mother by the end of the day." Mary beamed and wiped the cloth over Alice's forehead again.

Tears of excitement and uncertainty flowed from Alice's eyes. "Really, do you think so, Mary?"

"More likes than not, ye'll be getting a lot mora them pains and a lot worse, but don't worry, it's good pain girl. Pain what brings new life to this world, and I'll be there to help ya." Mary smiled gently and patted Alice's shoulder. "Ye'll be fine."

"What about Aiden, he's in the paddock and I haven't finished the walls in the dining room yet."

Mary laughed. "Sorry, Alice, babies don't wait for no one. Once they make up their minds there's no stoppin' 'em." In a more serious tone she added, "Let's wait and see what 'appens in the next hour, eh."

Almost as if on cue Alice groaned once more, her body tightened and she held her breath.

In a calm voice Mary said, "Alice, don't fight it, it'll make your pain worse, breathe with it and remember it's good pain." Just as quickly as the tight bands of pain had come they subsided.

Alice started to panic. "Oh God, Mary it's coming I know it's coming."

Mary took Alice firmly by the shoulders. "Look at me girl!" She gave Alice a little shake. "Alice!" Mary spoke louder, "Ye listen to me, there's nothin' to worry about, ye not the first and ye won't be the last to 'ave a baby. Ye can either do this the easiest way or the 'ardest it's up to you, do ya understand?"

Alice slowly shook her head. "Not really, Mary, no. I'm frightened."

"When the pain comes, ye breathe with it like this." With that Mary inhaled slowly and exhaled just as slowly. "Ye see that, now ye try it." Alice took the same deep inhale and exhale.

"Good," said Mary. "If another tightening comes, ye do that, hear, it'll help. Alice nodded uncertainly.

"Now I gotta get this bread in the oven, ye just sit 'ere a bit."

Again Alice nodded, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "It's coming, Mary. It's coming again!"

"Breathe like I told ya, Alice." Mary's voice was calm but firm.

Alice breathed slowly in, holding the base of her stomach, she let her breath slowly out.

"Now do it again and keep doing it till the pain's gone."

Alice did as she was told, realising Mary was telling the truth, the breathing helped with the pain. Not that it was any less, but it made her feel calmer.

The door opened. Jessica entered carrying a bucket of charred timber and ash. She saw the stress on Alice's face and the concern on Mary's. "What's the matter, Alice? Mary?" She looked from one to the other.

Mary hushed her with up and down movements of her hands and when Alice's pain had eased she said, "Its Alice's baby. Looks like it's on its way."

"Oh," Jessica gushed. She cradled Alice to her. "That's wonderful, Alice."

Alice burst into tears. "I want Aiden. I want Aiden to be here."

"Where is he?" Jessica asked. "I'll go and get him."

"Are ye can't girl, the men is gone way over to the west paddock, they is fixing a fence there," Mary said as she tidied the bench.

"I could go. Tell me how to get there and I'll go on foot," Jessica insisted. She really wanted to do something to help and if getting Aiden for Alice was it, that's what she'd do.

Another pain seized Alice. She gripped tightly to Jessica's hand as she breathed through it.

"Please, Mary let me go," Jessica pleaded looking from Mary to Alice. "I'm sure if it were me I'd want the father of my child to be near at its birth."

Hannah buckled under the weight of her pain. She knelt and clutched her stomach. He stood from his chair and came to kneel beside her. "Is it the child?"

Hannah nodded and looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"Jessica, go tell Jane to prepare a bed, Hannah's child is on its way."

Jessica rushed to the door, she looked back to see him touch Hannah gently on the face. He lifted her in his arms. "It'll be all right," he whispered.

"All right, but it'll take ye at least one hour to walk there, may-be less if ye cut through the scrub...take some water with ye."

Jessica untied her apron. "What about a horse, I can ride," she cried enthusiastically.

"You can't," Alice whimpered. "There was only three stabled. Aiden saddled Champ and Gusto this morning for the Master and himself and George harnessed Wiley to the wagon. There's only The White left and he hasn't been saddle broke."

"I can still ride him if he accepts a bridle. I'm a good rider. It's the only way."

Mary and Alice looked at each other uncertainly. Another pain seized Alice's abdomen.

"Do it!" Alice said through clenched teeth. "Do it if you can." Before the contraction was finished Jessica was racing across the courtyard toward the stables, any thoughts of water, or a hat non-existent.

Copyright © 2019 Donna Fieldhouse. All rights reserved.