The Favourite Child Read Online Free PDF Page B

what I can do to stop it happening again, then I can go and get myself sorted.’ Then the door slammed shut in Bella’s astonished face.
     
    ‘Anyone would think I was some sort of miracle worker, the things they expect of me,’ Bella complained volubly to Mrs Dyson as she sat in that good woman’s kitchen later in the afternoon, hands warming around a mug of tea. ‘Where am I, a single young woman, going to find out about birth control? I’m not even supposed to appreciate such matters exist. And I can hardly ask Mother, can I? Or Pa. Perhaps the vicar could tell me? He seems to have an opinion on most things.’
    Mrs Dyson chortled softly as she munched on her best shortbread, interspersed with scalding sips of strong tea. ‘Eeh lass, you have a wicked sense of humour. I’m sure you’ll find a way, Miss Bella. You always do.’
    ‘How? What I know about sex, which is precious little, I’ve learned from you, my dearest friend. Mother has never uttered a word on the subject. I think she imagines that I still believe in the existence of the stork. But I think this one has got even me beat, for all I’d love to find some way to prevent women like poor Mrs Stobbs and young Jinnie upstairs from feeling driven to take such risks with their lives.’
    ‘You could always read that book by that doctor woman. Whatzername. Marie Stopes.’
    ‘Marie Stopes?’ Bella considered Mrs Dyson with surprised interest, brow creased with thought. The name had a familiar ring to it, but she couldn’t place just how or where she’d heard of it. ‘What book?’
    ‘ Married Love . It caused quite a stir when it come out a few years back. Letters in the paper, in the House of Commons, various archbishops, the whole shebang accusing her of ‘pandering to depraved sexual instincts’, just because she’d told in a book how a woman can plan when she has childer, instead of them coming of their own free will like. But don’t ask me what it says the answer is. I’ve been a widow too long to care about such matters. She’s written another since, I believe, and opened a clinic in London to help in a more practical way, to teach women what to do.’
    ‘Clinic? Book? Mrs D, you are, as ever, a treasure store of fascinating information. What would I do without you?’
    ‘Go hungry?’ the cook said, passing her another slice of shortbread.
    But Bella refused a second piece. She found it hard to eat after one of her visiting afternoons. ‘I must go and see our patient. How is she?’
    ‘Aye well, you’ve got another miracle to perform upstairs. That young madam has slept the clock round but is asking for you good and loud now, and she’s not prepared to hang around waiting much longer. She’s been making her demands felt since dinner time, itching to be off back to wherever she come from. And in my view, it’d happen be no bad thing to let her.’
    ‘Oh Mrs D, don’t you join the opposition too. You’re my best mate.’ And Bella put her arms about the plump figure and gave the old cook an affectionate hug.
    ‘Go on with you, smarmy miss.’ Pink cheeked, Mrs Dyson pushed her gently away and started to ladle broth into a warmed dish. ‘She hasn’t eaten a thing in the whole twenty-four hours she’s been here, so happen you can persuade her to try a morsel of me best pea broth. It’ll set her up grand.’
    ‘Not eaten? But that’s appalling. How will she ever get well if she doesn’t eat?’
    ‘How indeed. You can explain all of that to her. A bath would do her no harm neither. I’ve tried to persuade her but given it up as a bad job. She’ll happen listen to you.’
     
    It was clear to Bella the moment she entered the room that Jinnie wasn’t in the mood to listen to anyone. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her stick-like limbs and lacklustre skin as white as the sheets yet her determination to leave only too evident. ‘Where are me clothes?’ she demanded, her voice high pitched, almost querulous with