| General Fiction posted September 2, 2018 | Chapters: |
...24 25 -26- 27... 
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Chapter in the book
A chapter in the book Briarly Hall
Lady Mathilde waits.
by zanya
| Background The birth of Lady Mathilde's first child, with her husband, Marquis Gregoire, is imminent. |
Lady Mathilde wrapped her winter coat around her as she turned the corner into Wadworth Square.
"M'lady," her lady's maid, Dilly, began, " Why not continue straight on? That way we will reach the park sooner. Ma'am, since you are heavy with child, you may not be able to walk far".
"Dilly", Lady Mathilde answered. "My physician, Lord Riddard, advises that women with child, should not only rest but also take a daily constitutional walk. Who knows, Dilly, what is best for the woman with child, except perhaps, herself?"
"M'lady," Dilly replied, "your physican be an educated man, so he knows what is best".
"He's a man, Dilly, how can he know what is best for a woman?
Consider how long it has taken, for men to realise, that women also have mental faculties and are capable of making choices and casting votes".
As the two women got closer to the park, they saw the girls from Miss Smith's London Girls' school, returning from their daily walk.
"Ah, ha," Lady Mathilde said to Dilly, " these young women are
being educated, not just mentally, but physically as well ".
"So you agree that a daily walk is of benefit, even for young women ?" Dilly interrupted.
"Yes, yes Dilly," but walking, while heavy with child, I am not sure about".
"How long Ma'am," Dilly asked," are you now with child?"
"Dilly,"Lady Mathilde replied," I don't know, nor does my physician. Lord Riddard is of an older generation, having been physician to Marquis Gregoire's mother , for his birth. I need to speak to a younger physician, who is aware of advances in medicine".
As Lady Mathilde drew closer to Miss Smith's school, she suddenly felt faint.
"Dearest Dilly", she called out,"please take my hand and assist me in reaching the seat outside Miss Smith's school".
The two women walked slowly, as Lady Mathilde leaned heavier on Dilly's right arm.
Soon they reached the stone seat outside the school.
Lady Mathilde swooned slightly.
"M'lady, m'lady," Dilly shouted, " wait a moment while I find the smelling salts".
Dilly reached deep into the pocket of her grey calico coat and retrieved the tin box, with the lady swooning on the lid. Unscrewing the lid, she placed the salts close to Lady Mathilde's nostrils and held it there for a few minutes.
Gradually Lady Mathilde's facial pallor gave way to a little color in her cheeks.
Just then the door of the school house opened abruptly and a lady, dressed in a light blue school gown, appeared.
"Good afternoon," she said, " I am Miss Smith, teacher in charge of this school for girls. At first , I mistook you for pupils trying to locate the school house. Now, I realise I am in the presence of a famous woman. You are Lady Mathilde, Suffragette for the Sisterhood, are you not ? You have inspired many girls with your ideals, here in my school. Do you wish to speak to the girls in person?"
Dilly spoke up, "why no, ma'am, Lady Mathilde is a little out of sorts today".
"Not out of sorts, Dilly, " Mathilde interrupted. "Womens' voices must be heard. Why yes, of course, Miss Smith, I will be glad to speak to the young ladies in your Academy".
With that Lady Mathilde sat slowly upright, dusting down her coat.
Mathilde entered the schoolroom. Twelve girls,hair braided, dressed in navy blue pinafores, sat at individual wooden desks. An ink pot and quill were on one side of the desk and a copy of the Holy Bible on the other. They rose swiftly to their feet as Mathilde entered.
Lady Mathilde warmed immediately to her subject.
"Good afternoon," Mathilde began. " You are young girls on the threshold of womanhood. You and your ideas will shape the future of the world. You must stand up for your rights and those of future generations".
One young girl sobbed uncontrollably throughout.
Lady Mathilde finished speaking and the young girl approached.
" Lady Mathilde," she began, " It is my duty now to write a long letter to my mother, Lady Eleanor, in New York, to tell her that I have just lived a moment of history. A real Suffragette came to our school".
Miss Smith then dismissed the class to their dormitories.
"Lady Mathilde," Miss Smith began, " you are an inspiration for generations of young women."
Dilly gazed in awe, at her mistress.
" Lady Mathilde," Miss Smith continued," if I may be so bold as to enquire if you are with child, and how far advanced you are?"
Lady Mathilde was abashed.
"Miss Smith," Mathilde replied,"yes I am happily with child , these many months. Alas my physician, is unable to tell me how many".
"Lady Mathilde", Miss Smith continued," having taken care of the sick , as a nurse, for many years, a woman carrying her child is a delightful sight to behold. You appear to be well advanced and childbirth cannot be far away. The pallor of the woman's skin is a good guideline. Also, Mathilde, you appear to be carrying a boy, from the outline of your silhouette".
"Why Miss Smith, you are an enlightened woman. Did you carry children yourself?" Mathilde enquired.
"No Mathilde, I am a spinster and barren. I have never lain with a man. My vocation lies here with the formation of future generations of young women".
At that moment Lady Mathilde cried out in pain."Dilly, I am unable to continue further".
Seeing the distress of Lady Mathilde, Miss Smith said," Lady Mathilde my carriage is due soon. I shall accompany you and your Lady's maid to your home. Childbirth is imminent"
"M'lady," her lady's maid, Dilly, began, " Why not continue straight on? That way we will reach the park sooner. Ma'am, since you are heavy with child, you may not be able to walk far".
"Dilly", Lady Mathilde answered. "My physician, Lord Riddard, advises that women with child, should not only rest but also take a daily constitutional walk. Who knows, Dilly, what is best for the woman with child, except perhaps, herself?"
"M'lady," Dilly replied, "your physican be an educated man, so he knows what is best".
"He's a man, Dilly, how can he know what is best for a woman?
Consider how long it has taken, for men to realise, that women also have mental faculties and are capable of making choices and casting votes".
As the two women got closer to the park, they saw the girls from Miss Smith's London Girls' school, returning from their daily walk.
"Ah, ha," Lady Mathilde said to Dilly, " these young women are
being educated, not just mentally, but physically as well ".
"So you agree that a daily walk is of benefit, even for young women ?" Dilly interrupted.
"Yes, yes Dilly," but walking, while heavy with child, I am not sure about".
"How long Ma'am," Dilly asked," are you now with child?"
"Dilly,"Lady Mathilde replied," I don't know, nor does my physician. Lord Riddard is of an older generation, having been physician to Marquis Gregoire's mother , for his birth. I need to speak to a younger physician, who is aware of advances in medicine".
As Lady Mathilde drew closer to Miss Smith's school, she suddenly felt faint.
"Dearest Dilly", she called out,"please take my hand and assist me in reaching the seat outside Miss Smith's school".
The two women walked slowly, as Lady Mathilde leaned heavier on Dilly's right arm.
Soon they reached the stone seat outside the school.
Lady Mathilde swooned slightly.
"M'lady, m'lady," Dilly shouted, " wait a moment while I find the smelling salts".
Dilly reached deep into the pocket of her grey calico coat and retrieved the tin box, with the lady swooning on the lid. Unscrewing the lid, she placed the salts close to Lady Mathilde's nostrils and held it there for a few minutes.
Gradually Lady Mathilde's facial pallor gave way to a little color in her cheeks.
Just then the door of the school house opened abruptly and a lady, dressed in a light blue school gown, appeared.
"Good afternoon," she said, " I am Miss Smith, teacher in charge of this school for girls. At first , I mistook you for pupils trying to locate the school house. Now, I realise I am in the presence of a famous woman. You are Lady Mathilde, Suffragette for the Sisterhood, are you not ? You have inspired many girls with your ideals, here in my school. Do you wish to speak to the girls in person?"
Dilly spoke up, "why no, ma'am, Lady Mathilde is a little out of sorts today".
"Not out of sorts, Dilly, " Mathilde interrupted. "Womens' voices must be heard. Why yes, of course, Miss Smith, I will be glad to speak to the young ladies in your Academy".
With that Lady Mathilde sat slowly upright, dusting down her coat.
Mathilde entered the schoolroom. Twelve girls,hair braided, dressed in navy blue pinafores, sat at individual wooden desks. An ink pot and quill were on one side of the desk and a copy of the Holy Bible on the other. They rose swiftly to their feet as Mathilde entered.
Lady Mathilde warmed immediately to her subject.
"Good afternoon," Mathilde began. " You are young girls on the threshold of womanhood. You and your ideas will shape the future of the world. You must stand up for your rights and those of future generations".
One young girl sobbed uncontrollably throughout.
Lady Mathilde finished speaking and the young girl approached.
" Lady Mathilde," she began, " It is my duty now to write a long letter to my mother, Lady Eleanor, in New York, to tell her that I have just lived a moment of history. A real Suffragette came to our school".
Miss Smith then dismissed the class to their dormitories.
"Lady Mathilde," Miss Smith began, " you are an inspiration for generations of young women."
Dilly gazed in awe, at her mistress.
" Lady Mathilde," Miss Smith continued," if I may be so bold as to enquire if you are with child, and how far advanced you are?"
Lady Mathilde was abashed.
"Miss Smith," Mathilde replied,"yes I am happily with child , these many months. Alas my physician, is unable to tell me how many".
"Lady Mathilde", Miss Smith continued," having taken care of the sick , as a nurse, for many years, a woman carrying her child is a delightful sight to behold. You appear to be well advanced and childbirth cannot be far away. The pallor of the woman's skin is a good guideline. Also, Mathilde, you appear to be carrying a boy, from the outline of your silhouette".
"Why Miss Smith, you are an enlightened woman. Did you carry children yourself?" Mathilde enquired.
"No Mathilde, I am a spinster and barren. I have never lain with a man. My vocation lies here with the formation of future generations of young women".
At that moment Lady Mathilde cried out in pain."Dilly, I am unable to continue further".
Seeing the distress of Lady Mathilde, Miss Smith said," Lady Mathilde my carriage is due soon. I shall accompany you and your Lady's maid to your home. Childbirth is imminent"
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