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Back The Cottage Save as PDF
Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. ONE
  4. TWO
  5. THREE
  6. FOUR
  7. FIVE
  8. SIX
  9. SEVEN
  10. EIGHT
  11. NINE
  12. TEN
  13. ELEVEN
  14. TWELVE
  15. THIRTEEN
  16. FOURTEEN
  17. FIFTEEN
  18. SIXTEEN
  19. SEVENTEEN
  20. EIGHTEEN
  21. NINETEEN
  22. TWENTY
  23. TWENTY-ONE
  24. TWENTY-TWO
  25. TWENTY-THREE
  26. TWENTY-FOUR
  27. TWENTY-FIVE
  28. TWENTY-SIX
  29. TWENTY-SEVEN
  30. TWENTY-EIGHT
  31. TWENTY-NINE
  32. THIRTY
  33. THIRTY-ONE
  34. THIRTY-TWO
  35. THIRTY-THREE
  36. THIRTY-FOUR
  37. THIRTY-FIVE
  38. THIRTY-SIX
  39. THIRTY-SEVEN
  40. THIRTY-EIGHT
  41. THIRTY-NINE
  42. FORTY
  43. FORTY-ONE
  44. FORTY-TWO
  45. FORTY-THREE
  46. FORTY-FOUR
  47. FORTY-FIVE
  48. FORTY-SIX
  49. FORTY-SEVEN
  50. FORTY-EIGHT
  51. FORTY-NINE
  52. FIFTY
  53. FIFTY-ONE
  54. FIFTY-TWO
  55. FIFTY-THREE
  56. FIFTY-FOUR
  57. FIFTY-FIVE
  58. FIFTY-SIX
  59. FIFTY-SEVEN
  60. FIFTY-EIGHT
  61. FIFTY-NINE
  62. SIXTY
  63. SIXTY-ONE
  64. SIXTY-TWO
  65. SIXTY-THREE
  66. SIXTY-FOUR
  67. SIXTY-FIVE
  68. SIXTY-SIX
  69. SIXTY-SEVEN
  70. SIXTY-EIGHT
  71. SIXTY-NINE
  72. SEVENTY
  73. SEVENTY-ONE
  74. SEVENTY-TWO
  75. SEVENTY-THREE
  76. SEVENTY-FOUR
  77. Suggested topics for reading-group discussion
  78. Keep Reading …
  79. Lisa Stone also writes under the name of Cathy Glass.Don’t miss her latest book …
  80. About the Author
  81. Books by Lisa Stone
  82. About the Publisher

Beth nodded. ‘I know this may sound insensitive, but I need to ask you a difficult question in connection with your baby.’

‘What?’ Emma asked anxiously.

There was no easy way to put it. ‘Was your baby born alive and then died or was it stillborn?’ Beth said.

‘Why would you want to know that?’ Emma cried, immediately distressed.

‘It appears there is no record of the death yet.’

‘I don’t know about that. It’s nothing to do with me. The midwife was seeing to it all.’

‘The problem is, you only have five days to register a death,’ Beth said. ‘And that time has gone.’ Emma looked at her, confused. ‘If a baby is stillborn you have longer – forty-two days, but it still has to be registered.’

‘I suppose it was stillborn then,’ Emma said, her eyes filling.

‘I’m sorry,’ Beth said. ‘Don’t you know?’ she asked gently.

‘No. I was in such a bad way. I couldn’t bear to see it. He was born very early, premature, and wasn’t right. We haven’t talked about it since.’

‘So you didn’t see or hold your baby before the midwife took him away?’ Beth asked in the same sensitive tone. She knew parents could spend some time with their dead baby if they wished.

Emma’s reaction wasn’t what she’d expected.

‘No! Of course not. What a dreadful idea. I just wanted him out of here and gone. He wasn’t right. Ian didn’t see or touch him either. The midwife took him and then came back to see to me.’

‘I see, thank you,’ Beth said, as Matt wrote. ‘Are you planning on having a funeral?’

‘No, my mother asked me that. But I don’t understand why you want to know. It’s private.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Beth said. ‘I’m just trying to establish a timeline. There is some suggestion that the baby may have been alive when he left here.’

‘That’s ridiculous! Of course he wasn’t. Can you go now, please?’

‘Yes, I’m sorry I’ve upset you. I don’t need to bother you further. Your midwife will be able to give me the details. What’s her name?’

‘I don’t know,’ Emma replied agitatedly.

‘Her name will be on your maternity records,’ Beth prompted.

Emma didn’t reply.

‘I won’t trouble you further,’ Beth said, standing. ‘I can get the information from your health-service provider. They will have her details.’

‘It’s Anne Long,’ Emma suddenly said. ‘Now I want you to go. I’m not feeling well. I need to lie down.’

‘I’m sorry. Can I call someone to be with you? Your husband?’

‘No. Just go.’

Emma remained in the living room as Beth and Matt let themselves out.

‘What do you make of that?’ Matt asked, once in the car.

‘Not sure. I need to speak to the midwife.’

TWELVE