The Noble Ladies' Orphanage

Chapter 10

"You did it, Mother!" Susana cried. She kissed her mother and kissed the baby and then flew to the end of the bed to kiss the surprised midwife. She danced around the room and shouted for joy. "You did it!" She poured a glass of water for her mother and insisted that she have a drink. She held the tiny baby boy tightly so he wouldn't feel cold. She looked down at her pale mother and saw her eyes for the first time in hours.

They were wet and luminous. "Thank God," her mother said. "Thank God." She touched the baby's back, cradled in Susana's arms. Then she touched Susana's dress and fell stonily asleep.

The next two days were absolute bliss. Susana spent nearly every waking minute with her mother and the baby. At a rare moment when her mother and the baby were both sleeping, Susana went out in the garden and cut a huge bouquet of flowers, and Zdenka arranged them in a tall vase and put them in her mother's room.

"Was I as cute as Caspar?" Susana asked her mother. The baby pulled at her pinky finger and tried to put it in his mouth.

"Yes," her tired mother said. "Every bit. Though it's hard to believe you were once that small." Color was returning to her mother's face, so Susana felt that it was time to leave for a little while to go tell her father the good news.

"Mother," she said, "would you mind if I got out for a bit? Just a walk?"

"Of course, Dear. You must feel so cooped up in here. Just make sure you take someone with you," she said. She stroked the baby's head. "You know, I was thinking that maybe I would like to go outside tomorrow. It's been months since I've had any fresh air."

"Really? That would be wonderful!" Susana said. She kissed her mother's cheek. "I'll be back soon," she said.

Susana found Zdenka in the kitchen and whispered to her. "Cook, I need Zdenka to help me with something. I'll have her back in about an hour," Susana said.

"Very well, Miss," Cook said, barely looking up from the bread she was kneading.

Zdenka grabbed her shawl and followed Susana out the door.

"Where are we going, Miss?" Zdenka asked.

"We're going to the prison to tell my father about the baby," Susana said. "I only wish we could bring the baby himself to show my father. He'll be so excited."

It was early afternoon, though it seemed darker and later. A light mist fell from the heavy clouds overhead. Susana pulled her hood over her head as they rounded the corner onto Orli Street. Her enthusiasm dampened as they walked up to the stone prison.

"Hello, Miss," the guard said. He was a heavy set man with prominent eyebrows. He stood at the door leaning against a pike.

"Hello, Sir," Susana said. "I've come to see my father."

He continued to lean on the pike, and she wondered why he paused. He narrowed his dark eyes as he looked at the cobblestone beneath the point of his pike. "Sir?" she said.

"I'm not sure I should let you see him," the guard said. "He's ill."

"Very ill?" Susana asked.

"Several prisoners have taken ill in the past few days," the guard said. "I'm afraid it wouldn't be safe to let you go in."

Susana searched his face. His eyes refused to meet hers, and she knew there was more than he was telling her.

"Why don't you run along home and try to come back in a few days," the guard suggested. "Perhaps he'll be feeling better then."

"Sir, I have very important news for my father. Just give me two minutes with him. Just two minutes."

The guard looked at the girl in front of him. She held her hands clasped together in front of her chest. She was looked so hopeful, and she was pinning her hopes on him. He had the power to grant her simple wish.