THE DEPRIVED... Chapter 3... Part 23.

A continuation of my book.

“Pregnant! What are you talking about, pregnant! It’s not possible!”
The Governor of the workhouse sat behind his desk and shouted the words. In front of the desk stood the Matron, looking quite vexed while Sister Maria, who was in charge of the infirmary shook her head.
“I’m afraid that is the situation. We have a young girl here who is pregnant.” she said.
“This is such a bad business. How on earth does a young girl under our care get herself in this way? Are you sure there are no men allowed in the girl’s dormitory?” asked the Governor.
“I can assure you Governor.” retorted the Matron. “The men are kept away from the girl’s quarters. The rules are strictly imposed.”
“And so? What is the answer? Have you asked the girl?”
The Matron stiffened, pulling her clasped hands tight into her stomach.
“We do not go round asking the girls about the possibility of having men visit their quarters, Governor. The less the girls know of this affair, the better all round I think.” snapped the Matron.
Sister Maria clucked her tongue impatiently.
“It doesn’t matter whether a man has visited the girl’s quarters or not. We have a girl in unfit malady at the infirmary. It is obvious she cannot stay after the birth, isn’t it? So what are we going to do with her?”
The Governor put fingers together and leaned forward with his elbows on the desk.
“I wonder, Sister Maria.” he began hesitantly then faster as he brought the idea to head. “I wonder if you might seek assistance from your Sisterhood to find the girl a position within one of your convents, further afield. That is, once the affair is settled”
“You mean to move the child away from here?”
Sister Maria sighed with eyes raised upwards.
“To cleanse all guilt.” she said quietly.
The Matron said nothing, her mind returning to the time Beth had been definite about the night she had been held down and raped. She closed her mind to her thoughts.
“Well, Sister Maria?” persisted the Governor.                
“It shall be done.” said Sister Maria. “The girl cannot be moved. She is quite ill and will have the child at the infirmary. I really have to make that clear.”
“What about the child when it’s born? Are arrangements made for it?” asked the Matron.
“Obviously the child will be taken from the mother as soon as it is born. I will have a Wet-Nurse to care for the child till it is old enough to be put up for adoption.” answered Sister Maria.
The Governor stood up, his smile indicating the matter had been resolved.
“So the girl will be removed as soon as the birth is complete?” he asked, seeking assurances that the matter would be closed after the birth.
“It will be done.” assured Sister Maria.
That was the end of the matter as far as all were concerned.  The three vacated the office, each going about their business.

“What will happen to me and my baby?” asked Beth.
“I have no idea, Beth.” answered Sister Theresa. “Sister Maria is in charge and you will have to ask her. Meanwhile you will have to rest and take things easy.”
Beth lay in a small room lit by candles which fluttered, playing shadows on the walls and reflected on the statue of the Virgin Mary which occupied the shelf on the wall opposite. Sister Theresa wiped Beth’s brow with a cloth and smiled, her plump face gentle beneath the shape of the wimple.
“Gather your strength, Beth. Don’t ask questions. Rest and be ready for the birth of the child. We are all praying for you and it will help also if you say a prayer that the child is born wholesome and will become a good Catholic.”
Beth smiled.
“I shall pray for a good birthing, Sister Theresa.” she said.
Leaving the room Sister Theresa made her way to Sister Maria’s office and tapped on the door.
“Come in.”
Sister Maria had finished writing the letter which was addressed to the Mother Superior at the Mothers of Mercy convent in Mile End.
“Would you be so good as to see this letter is put in the box to be sent away, Sister Theresa?”
“Yes Sister.”
Sister Theresa hesitated, standing at the desk.
“You have something to ask me, Sister Theresa?”
“Yes Sister. I wondered if you might have a word with the young pregnant girl, Beth. She keeps asking what will happen to her and the child when it is born.”
“I will speak to her at the right time, Sister.”
With Sister Theresa leaving, Sister Maria sat deep in thought. Earlier, when she had spoken to Beth, the girl had sworn that she had been raped in the night by one of the Masters while some of the girls had held her down. She had listened as Beth, through her tears, had told her of the punishments and the time spent in the mental ward. Beth had cried bitterly as she spoke of the need to finally make a false confession and of her days spent in the punishment cell for a crime she was made to admit was a lie. Sister Maria had listened to Beth and that was all. What else could Sister Maria do? The only thing was to have the girl moved straight after the birth, moved away in the hope that Beth might find respite and comfort and even some education at the Mothers of Mercy convent.

Beth tried to sit up as Sister Maria entered the room.
“No Beth, please do not sit up. I understand you want to see me regarding the birth of the child.”
Beth settled herself back into the bed as the Sister drew up a chair and sat close to the bed.
“Can I keep the baby, Sister Maria?” asked Beth, her eyes pleading.
Sister Maria smiled gently, stroking away the hair which lay across Beth’s brow.
“Dear child.” she began softly. “You are still very young yourself and you have to know the child will be born of sin. The child will have to be given the chance to grow in a stable home and learn to become a good Catholic. That can only be done if the child is taken and given to a good Catholic family.”
“But the baby is mine! It’s now swollen in my belly!” cried Beth, pushing the blanket down to expose the swollen lump.
“Dear Beth.” soothed Sister Maria. “Let God’s will be done. It’s best for the child that it lives a happy life and as far away from sin as is possible.”
“But I have not sinned, Sister. More have I been sinned against and my baby will be pure of sin. I will bring it up as a good Catholic!” cried Beth.
“When this is over and you are well again, my child, you will forget all this and be able to be happy again.” soothed Sister Maria.
“Look, Sister! The baby’s here in me and I will give it a happy blessing and all good learning of the Holy Book, that I swear I will!”
Sister Maria hushed Beth up, stroking at her brow.
“Dear child, this is not your sin but it will have the seed of a sinful father and carry that seed into adulthood and be such a curse to you. Do you want such guilt brought on you?”
“I already have my guilt in me and that too the baby will carry. We all have sins, don’t we? Isn’t that what the Sisters preach at the time of prayers?”
Having brought the outburst, Beth burst into tears and turned her face into the pillow, unable to contain herself any more.
“Well I cannot talk to you as you are, Beth. Not with you in such a fitful attitude.” said Sister Maria as she rose and placed the chair back against the wall.
She pulled herself up straight and stiff, walking out of the room and quietly closed the door behind her. Going directly to the chapel, Sister Maria knelt in a troubled confession.
“There are times when one should not know an outcome and that truth is more a disservice. There are times when a falsehood can be of better service.” she said later at a prayer gathering.

Beth cried out, gritting her teeth as the build-up of pain saturated her body. The two Nuns, aged in birth-care, assisted Beth and stood either side of the bed as they encouraged her to bear down.
“That’s it Beth. Now! Take a deep breath and bear down. Now push!” said the Nun to the left and now moving round to stand between the open legs, while the other dampened Beth’s brow with a damp cloth.
“Water please, Sister Bridget.”
There was a general move round to the front as Beth bore down once again, the sweat pouring from her.
“Towels ready.”
“There now! The child is born!”
There was a sudden rush for towels, cloths and water as Sister Bridget wrapped the new-born child in cloths and hurried from the room. Sister Maud washed Beth and pulled the blanket down to cover her legs.
“You need to get some rest.” said Sister Maud as she helped Beth lie deeper into the bed.
She wiped at Beth’s brow, making ‘Shushing’ noises as Beth tried to lift her head, her eyes towards the door.
“Where’s my baby?” Beth cried. “Where’s my baby?”
“Shush now, child. Let Sister Bridget take care of the child for the time being. You will get to hold the child soon.”
“What is it?  A girl or a boy?” asked Beth.
“Shush now. Rest yourself and praise God the child is born.”
“I do praise God for my baby but I want to see it.” demanded Beth, trying to rise from the bed.
Sister Maud pushed her firmly back down and put a finger to Beth’s lips before walking from the room.

Sister Maria had waited till the birth was over and seeing Sister Bridget arrive with the baby wrapped in towels, she motioned for Sister Bridget to hand the baby over to the old Wet-Nurse who stood beside her.
“Give her the child, Sister Bridget. Thank you, your work is done.”
“What shall we tell the mother?” asked Sister Bridget having handed the baby to the Wet-Nurse.
“That will be my job, Sister. I want no-one to discuss this case in front of the mother, is that clear?”
Sister Bridget bowed her head in understanding.
“The girl will be moved as soon as she is recovered to the home of the Mothers of Mercy in Mile End.” informed Sister Maria.