Burial
Meg had been with her sister since the early hours, watching her sweat and strain. Mamma arrived with Mrs Brown the local midwife, nurse and layer out of the dead and sent Meg downstairs. She paced the living room holding her hands over her ears to shut out her sister's screams until Mrs Brown came down the stairs carrying a bundle of blood stained rags.
"Is everything all right?" Meg asked.
"She has a girl." Mrs Brown shook her head, "Not long for this world but your sister is all right."
Meg blinked back the tears and held out her hand, "Shall I burn those?", she asked.
"No, no, I'll see to it. Go up and see your sister."
It had been a difficult birth and the baby was a small wizened creature but Rose thought she was beautiful. Meg struggled to hold back her tears. Poor Rose how would she cope if she lost this new scrap of life?
"Go home, the men will want their tea." Mamma said.
The street lights were on when Meg hurried home. Papa was already seated at the table. She knew her brother John would be late for he must call in on Rose and escort Mamma home.
Meg kept Mrs Brown's doom laden forecast to herself, hoping beyond hope that she was wrong. She set the table and made a pot of tea while they waited. At last they arrived. Mamma looked strained and tired. John followed her carrying a small wooden box.
"What's in it?" Meg asked.
"Papers from the office." His face was white and grim as he took the box upstairs. Mamma cut the bread while they waited for John to come down. There was an unusual silence over tea like the heavy air before a thunder storm. John's hand shook as he raised his cup to his lips.
"Put a splash in your coffee." Papa said pushing his precious bottle of cognac towards him. No more was said about the box and John retired early.
So long a day and yet Meg couldn't sleep. Tentatively she touched herself. Her sister had given birth through this small opening. How was it possible?
She was half asleep when she heard the creaking of footsteps coming down the top staircase. She opened the bedroom door and saw John carrying the box. He hesitated a moment. "Go back to bed," he whispered.
She turned back into her room and then the meaning hit her. The baby had been weak and tiny. Her heart spasmed as in a vice. Oh no don't let it be. God could not have been so cruel. Swiftly she pulled on her dress and boots in hand followed her brother down the stairs. Mamma, Papa and John were standing in the living room. The box, now adorned with a wooden cross rested on the table.
Three pairs of eyes turned on her. Mamma spoke first. "We have woken you. Go to bed, Meg this does not concern you."
"Is it Primmy's baby?" A sob caught in her throat.
John put his arm round her shoulders. "Don't upset yourself Meg, Rose still has her baby girl. It was twins, this one was born dead."
"Where are you taking it?" Meg asked.
Mama rounded on her angrily. "It! What do you say?’"
Papa touched her arm, "She does not understand Cherie."
"Oh I understand. Do you? What will happen to John if he is seen? Have you thought of that?"
"Be still Meg. I know what I'm doing. I will take her to the churchyard. She will lie with Nellie."
Nellie was their baby sister who died a few days before. Every one said it was a blessing for poor Nellie had been badly damaged in birth.
"There is a grave already dug. I will take out a little more earth and lay her underneath. No one will know."
"But you will be seen." Meg rounded on her mother. "Why Mamma do you make him do this?"
"The woman, she would take her to be burnt. This baby has had no life here she must not be robbed of eternal life."
Still born babies did not merit burials.
"Papa they mustn't do this."
Papa shrugged and spread his hands. "It is your Mamma's belief."
"Not only that", John interrupted, "but Rose doesn't know there were two babies and it's better it stays that way."
"Oh it's madness," Meg said drawing on her boots.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm coming with you, if we are seen in the churchyard we will pretend to be a courting couple."
They covered the box with sacking and John carried it on his back through the dark streets to the cemetery at the top of the hill. Suddenly he stopped,
"Listen."
They heard men's voices approaching. He pulled her into a doorway.
Meg put her arms about his neck and pressed herself close. A lantern swung towards them and John bent his head his lips on hers.
"Well, well some lucky sod knows how to keep warm. How much do you charge duck?" a coarse voice shouted.
She felt John's body stiffen and she tightened her grip on his neck. The faces must not be seen.
What do reckon Bill? Shall we have a tanner's worth?' The same voice cried. Meg shuddered. Oh God make them go away.
"Naw leave them to it. I reckon you'd have to be desperate to bare your arse this night." His comrade replied.
Meg found her body trembling as their footsteps died away.
"I should never have let you come," John said. "If anything happened to you I'd never forgive myself." There was a sob in his voice as he laid his cheek against hers.
She hugged him feeling a fierce glow of pleasure. "Nothing is going to happen to me. You needn't worry. Come on let's get it over with."
They soon stood at the cemetery gates. John bent his knee to form a ladder for Meg to climb. She reached up and swung herself over. John passed the little coffin before he joinekd her.
They walked side by side through the grey stones until John stopped her. "This is it," he whispered.
A square of turf had been carefully laid over a board. They lifted the board to reveal a newly dug deep chasm.
"I gave a halfcrown to the grave digger. Afterwards we fill it in then lay the board and turf back."
It seemed too cold and hurried. "Shouldn't we say something? A prayer?" Meg asked.
"Mamma gave her the sacrament. She felt it was better than nothing. Nellie's service will count for both, but if you can think of anything."
Meg pressed her hands together as she did nightly beside the bed. "Holy Mary dear Mother of God receive this infant into thy care. Amen."
Her eyes were still closed when John pulled her behind a tombstone. He
had his hand across her mouth. "Someone's coming."
A dark figure with a lantern approached. "What are you doing here? This is holy ground you should be ashamed. Show your faces."
John held her head to his chest. The lantern swung towards them. He hit out and it fell to the ground. "Run." He took her hand and they fled.
"Stop, stop!"
But they ran on until his shouts could no longer be heard.
"Did he see your face?"
John wasn't sure. "But at least he didn't see yours and that is the main thing."
Meg squeezed his hand. "Not a word to Mamma. We saw no one."
He took her by the shoulders. "You are pretty wonderful Meg, if you weren't my sister" he kissed her tenderly.
That night she cried herself to sleep. She wept for the baby, for the little handicapped sister she had lost, for herself, John, and the secret they must forever keep.
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