“Two days. Whether the dress orders are fulfilled or not, I won’t let you out of bed.”
“Is that a threat?”
“A promise.”
“Good! I’ll hold you to that promise.” She grazed his lips with a light kiss. “I have to go now.”
He growled, turned over, and fell back asleep.
Chapter Nineteen
Yet another day went by, and nothing happened with Roswitha. Everyone’s nerves were stretched to the breaking point. As dusk came and it was time for Madlen to go back to her husband, she felt nervous. She feared that the contractions would start that night when she wouldn’t be there.
“I think I will go tell Johannes that you don’t feel well,” she said to Agathe. “I’ll say that I would be more comfortable staying here with you for the night.”
“I’m relieved, though I didn’t want to suggest it.”
Madlen grabbed her cloak. “I’ll hurry and be right back.”
“Thank you,” Roswitha whispered, looking pale.
“It’s going to be all right,” Madlen said as she went to the door. Roswitha followed her and closed the door tightly behind her.
When Madlen arrived home, she learned that Johannes had accompanied his father on a business trip, so the only ones at home were Elsbeth and the servants. She explained to her mother-in-law as quickly as she could that Agathe was feeling poorly and she wanted to spend the night with her.
“I hope it isn’t this terrible cough?” Elsbeth asked anxiously.
“No, of course not.” Madlen leaned closer to her mother-in-law. “It’s women’s problems. You know she’s at the age now.”
Elsbeth nodded knowingly. “I understand. I’ll just tell the men that Agathe ate something that didn’t agree with her. Can I do anything?”
“No, but thank you for asking.” Madlen hugged her, turned on her heels, and hurried back to her aunt’s house. She thought about how frustrating it was to wait for the contractions to finally start. It must be so much worse for Roswitha. Madlen put her hand on her stomach. In the last few days, she had thought only about the miscarriage. She didn’t want to think too hard about her hand in destroying another life. For her, there was nothing more important than protecting the unborn child in her womb. Would Roswitha regret this one day? After this, she might not be able to have another child. Would she be able to accept that? Madlen was still fretting when she reached Agathe’s house. The door was locked from inside. She knocked and called out. “I’m back! Open up!”
An instant later, Agathe opened the door. Madlen saw the panic in her aunt’s eyes.
“She’s lying down upstairs,” Agathe explained. “She’s not doing well.”
“Did the contractions start?”
Agathe shook her head. “No, but she’s crying. Shortly after you left, she told me how afraid she was that the herbs wouldn’t work. I tried to calm her, but she wants you to get it out another way.”
“That’s much too dangerous. More than a few women have died that way.”
“Try to speak to her.”
“All right.” Madlen hung up her cloak and went upstairs. Roswitha lay in her little bedchamber, directly off of Agathe’s room. “I’m back,” she said softly as she entered.
She heard Roswitha sobbing. “It’s simply not working. I beg you to get it out.”
Madlen walked over and sat on the edge of her bed. “I already told you that it can take up to five days.” She stroked Roswitha’s hair tenderly. “Tomorrow is the fourth.”
“What if nothing happens?”
“It will happen.”
“And when it doesn’t?”
Madlen sighed. “We’re going to wait two more days. If nothing happens, then I’ll get it out.”
Roswitha nodded. “I don’t think there’s another way.”
“We’ll see. Go to sleep now. Let your womb do the work.”
Madlen barely slept a wink as she lay there listening to every little sound. She missed having Johannes by her side, his breath, his smell, even the sounds of his light snoring. In the early hours of the morning, she got up to check on Roswitha. She snuck up to her bed and listened to the maid’s breathing. It calmed her to hear Roswitha sleeping so soundly. Whatever worries Madlen had were unfounded. She crept back to her own room and lay down again. She couldn’t sleep but wanted to rest a little before night turned into day.
“Good morning.” Roswitha came into the kitchen the next morning, as Madlen prepared the brew.
“Good morning,” Madlen replied and passed her a cup. Roswitha obediently began to empty it.