The bawdy jokes, the innuendos that mostly went straight over Margaret’s head, were a revelation. She had never heard anyone talk so candidly. There were no veiled hints, no euphemisms, nor any pretence. It was liberating, for even when the women teased her ignorance, they did so mostly without malice. In the early days here, which seemed like a lifetime and not merely a month ago, her cheeks had burned constantly with embarrassment. These days, she occasionally felt bold enough to add a ribald comment of her own. It gave her a warm glow to make these tough, resilient women laugh.

“I’m afraid that we’ve run out of time again, ladies. Agnes, if you wait behind I’ll fetch the Epsom salts.”

Chairs were scraped back; mending, sewing, and knitting put away in deep pockets; and children rounded up. “I see Alfie has left his seal of approval,” Sally said, pointing at the brown stain on Margaret’s bodice. Leaning closer, she wrinkled her nose. “Yuck. Good luck getting that out.”

Cursing under her breath, wondering if even ever-resourceful Molly would find Alfie’s legacy a challenge too far, Margaret ignored the mother, smiling at the baby instead, gratified by the beaming smile she received in return. “Poor lamb, you have enough to fret about getting those teeth through. You let me worry about my dress.”

“Milk will remove the smell,” Agnes said, shooting Sally a dark look. “You see if it don’t.”

“Would you mind tidying up?” Susannah returned with her hat and basket. “I have a house call to make.”

“Of course not. Is something wrong?” Margaret asked, for her friend was looking worried.

“You remember the girl I told you about the first day you were here, Mary Webb’s daughter?”

“The thirteen-year-old who was expecting a baby? Oh no, Susannah, has she . . .”

“The baby was born yesterday. A boy. Early, but he seemed healthy enough. Unfortunately, he died this morning, poor little mite.”

“Oh, Susannah.” Tears started in Margaret’s eyes. “As if that girl—she’s no more than a child herself—hadn’t suffered enough already.”

Susannah blew her nose. “Right now, what we need to do is concentrate on the living. It was not an easy birth. I am going to see what I can do to persuade them to allow a doctor to call discreetly and examine her. If I don’t see you later, I’ll see you next week?”

Margaret gave her a quick hug. “Definitely.”