Gladys was right. That was a wrinkle. There would be no disguising the fact that something was amiss with Dottie, and though Margaret’s parents would welcome the news despite the circumstances, they would not feel right about keeping it from the Troutwines. At least in this case, Dottie could just say that she was rooming with Gladys for a while. That alone would scandalize them—moving out before being married—but it was better than the near certainty that she would otherwise be sent away and forced to put her child up for adoption. This gave Dottie, Margaret, and Gladys some time to consider contingencies and make plans.

And it might make their Saturday evening knitting nights easier. Her father was reluctant to let them keep using the shop, given the dimout rules.

Catherine looked at her watch. “I’m so glad you came for me and that I was able to help. But I have another appointment to go to. Dr. Feingold will leave his office address and phone number with Dorothy. Please encourage her to call him if she needs to. Day or night. And even to come in for regular visits. A baby has the best chance if the mother is seen by a doctor throughout her confinement.”

Gladys didn’t have a telephone of her own, but there was a party line in the hallway of her building. Even if someone was using it, surely they would relinquish it in the case of an emergency.

Margaret and Gladys thanked Catherine and she refused when they offered to pay her. Yet another time today when the kindness of a stranger had dispelled the gloom of war, reminding Margaret that there was more goodness in the world than not. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Oliver lingering outside the door of the market, seeming to wait for the right time to rejoin their group.

And when he did, he’d brought four oranges, one for each of them.

*  *  *

Margaret was grateful that the new position in the engraving department began on Monday. She’d sent word to the head of the sewing wing that she and Dottie would be unable to finish out the week, confident that they had already heard the news and were counting on them leaving anyway. She cringed at the loss of a few days’ wages, but nothing was more important than taking care of Dottie and the baby. And she’d make it up in time with the money from the promotion. She came in the early hours while Gladys was at work and then spent the afternoons shopping for things she could make for their dinners.