In Name Only by Ellen Gable Read Free Book Online

Patsie’s tone was authoritarian, despite the two teeth missing from the
front of her mouth.
    Caroline studied
the young girl, whose eyes were red and puffy.
    “No, really.  I’m
certain that Uncle will allow you time to rest.”
    “Look here,
Miss,” Patsie said, wiping her hands on her apron and approaching Caroline, 
“meanin’ no disrespect.  I know ye be meanin’ well, but. . .”
    “Please, I want
to help.”  Caroline glanced at the other servant, who appeared to show no
interest in the conversation.
    “You can’t help
me, Miss Caroline,” Selly whispered.  Caroline was struck by how young this
girl sounded.
    “If you’re ill,
then I wish to help you.”
    “The colleen’s
not sick.  She’s. . .”
    Caroline looked
down at Selly, her small hands folded like a knot on her lap, her eyes on the
verge of tears.  This younger girl, so beautiful, so efficient, so undemanding,
was deeply troubled.
    “Please.  I must.
. .” Selly jumped up, pushed past Caroline and rushed out the door. The gagging
sounds ceased and were replaced with quiet sobbing.
    Caroline walked
into the back yard area.  Patsie followed her.
    “Miss, I’m after
tellin’ ye already, tain’t nothin’ ye can do for the girl.  Just be leavin’ her
be now.”
    Ignoring her,
Caroline gently touched Selly’s back. “Please allow me to help you.”
    Selly turned
around and Caroline gently cradled her as she sobbed.  “There, there.  You’re
going to be fine.”
    “No, I’m not
going to be fine.”  She leaned close to Caroline and whispered, “I’m carrying.”
    “Carrying?”
    Now, Patsie
leaned towards her and whispered, “With child, ye may be sayin’, Miss
Caroline.”
    Caroline caught
her breath and lowered her head.  “Oh.”
    “So you see?  You
cannot help me. Patsie was telling me about the midwife bringing on my
monthly.”
    “Your monthly?” 
Caroline stepped back.  “What do you mean, bringing on your monthly?”
    “I’d be after
telling ye,  Miss Caroline, tain’t no reason fer ye to be helpin’.”
    “But doing that
would make her no longer with child, wouldn’t it, Patsie?”
    “Sure an’ all,
Miss.  That’d be the whole point of it. . .”
    Caroline faced
Selly and placed her hands gently on her shoulders.  “You mustn’t do that,
Selly.  What about your child?  A child is a great gift from God.”
    “Miss, I’m not
married. And it’s not a child yet.”
    “No, Selly,
that’s not true.  How long has it been since your last monthly?”
    “Three months,
Miss.”
    “What about the
father of this baby?  Where is he in all this?”
    “He told me he
doesn’t know that it’s his child.”
    “Oh, what a
horrid thing to say.  What sort of man says. . .”
    “It’s Mr. David,
Miss.”
    Caroline gasped.
    “Miss Caroline, I
had never been with any other, just him.  I was a. . .I had never. . .before
him.”
    “Look here, Miss
Caroline, ye be needin’ ta leave Selly be.  I told ye we’ll be knowin’ how to
fix the problem.”
    Caroline stepped
forward and placed her hand on Selly’s shoulder.  Months ago, Caroline had been
given the option of coming to Uncle’s instead of working as a kitchen scullery
maid in Boston.  This girl had few choices now.  That licentious David
O’Donovan had abandoned Selly when she needed him the most. 
    “Patsie, I cannot
and I shall not allow her to go through this alone.  She has no one to take
care of her.  This is not totally her fault and she should not have to bear the
entire responsibility on her shoulders alone.” 
    “Well then, Miss
Caroline, sure an’ that’s not true.  Selly has us.  The midwife will take care
of it.”
    “No, Patsie.  You
mustn’t take her to the midwife. I intend to help her.”

    Later that
afternoon, Caroline sat under the maple tree in front of the house. She tried
to read, but her thoughts instead turned to the servant girl.  Selly was three
years younger than Caroline and yet was in a